Waveplace Bio

Peter Wholihan Advisors

For over 25 years, Peter Wholihan has dedicated his life to find innovative and exciting ways for students to learn. Peter believes in giving ownership over and empowering students with their learning. Peter marshaled forces to wire (1990) and connect the first Caribbean school to the Internet (1994), where his 6th grade students ran, maintained, and updated the web server. He involved students in projects using real world skills looking at problems or experiences outside the classroom. From 5th graders sharing beach pollution data on the Kids' Net (1989), to high school students sailing a tall ship from the Caribbean to the Tall-Ships' Parades in New York and Boston publishing their log via email (1992), or 7th graders involved in a social economic survey of the historical Virgin Islands' Savan neighborhood shared on the web (1998); Peter saw early on, the value of student collaboration via telecommunications and mobile technology. Over the past 4 years, his efforts have brought 24/7 handheld computing to 6th grade students in the VI. Peter shares students' work at national and international conferences including ITEC2000 in Trinidad. He was an ISTE Board member, is a University of the Virgin Islands graduate, and while in his wife's home island of Trinidad, likes to chat with colleagues at University of the West Indies. When traveling, he enjoys visiting schools. Visits to classrooms throughout the Caribbean, the UK, Bali, and China are an education in themselves. The XO excites his interest in a flatter world for all.