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Today Taoiseach Brian Cowen launched a €150m plan for ’smart schools’, a major high-tech drive to support the embedding of technology into the curriculum. As part of this initiative every classroom in the country will get a teaching laptop and a digital projector (not surprising, no mention of Interactive Whiteboards) within the next three years. This new action plan has been produced by the joint advisory group established by Minister, Batt O’Keeffe, and builds on the earlier strategy group report, ‘Investing Effectively in ICT in Schools’. This advisory group was chaired by Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland, and comprised members of ICT Ireland, the Telecommunications and Internet Federation, the Irish Software Association, the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and the National Centre for Technology in Education. The first stage of the plan will see €22m in grants given to primary schools before the end of the year whilst funding for post-primary schools will be made available early in the New Year.
Whilst such a significant investment in ICTs for teaching and learning should be welcomed, its real significance remains to be seen as we wait for more details of its implementation to emerge and see if the action plan is accompanied by a clear and learning-centred policy for integrating ICTs into the curriculum. To date this integration has been patchy to say the least due to a serious lack of investment since 2000, with only sporadic grants being made available. To boot, schools have been left to to deploy these meagre resources with little or no guidance leaving significant differences between the levels of ICT integration from one school to the next. To achieve meaningful integration in every school we need long-term support for ICTs not just occasional spurts of funding with comprehensive support and guidance for procurement and implementation.
As always the devil will be in the detail, and the jury’s out until these emerge.
DES Press Release
RTE News
Interview with Séamus Ryan of Meath VEC on Microsoft’s Innovative Schools Programme.
In our latest podcast we have interviewed Seamus Ryan, Education Officer, Meath VEC. Seamus has been working with Meath VEC since the mid 1970s and has worked as a teacher, principal and administrator. In this podcast we learn how Seamus introduced the Microsoft Innovative Schools Programme to Dunshaughlin Community College. Seamus emphasises the focus on teacher professional development in the programme and the access staff have gained to quality continuous professional development. He also highlights the CPD staff engaged in around the issue of educational change with such gurus as Michael Fullan and John West-Burnham and more recently their work with St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. Seamus stresses the fact that staff conversations focused on learning and they discussed the need for change in all staff curriculum planning days. He finishes with an illustration of how students in Longwood are linking to Dunshaughlin via distance learning for Leaving Certificate Chemistry (for more check out the Meath VEC channel on Youtube). We have already decided to go back for a further podcast on the topic of laptops in the very near future. We hope you enjoy the podcast.
Duration: 00:19:32 File Size: 17.8 MB
Download | Subscribe | iTunes
We would be delighted to hear any comments or suggestions you have relating to our podcasts so please post your comments below or email blog@teachnet.ie.
This week, Mozilla Firefox celebrates its fifth birthday (http://www.spreadfirefox.com/5years/en-US/).
 Firefox logo As a long time fan and user of Firefox (I’m using it for a good three and a half years of those five) I’m often surprised by how many people have not tried it (the most common reason cited is that Internet Explorer is already on their PC, so why change?). While I could give a long list of reasons as to why my own preference is for Firefox, I will instead highlight the foremost of those reasons for the purposes of this post.
One of the most significant features in relation to Firefox lies in the vast array of add-ons which are available for it, which really transform Firefox into much more than ‘just a web browser’. Many of these add-ons are designed with educational application in mind. For instance, take a look at the following pages to get an idea of Firefox add-ons which might be used for educational purposes:
There are, of course, hundreds of add-ons available for other purposes, including video download and download management, social networking, web development, bookmarking and many others. The full directory of add-ons is available at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ where you can view by category, search the directory, and review ‘popular collections’ (suggested collections of add-ons for themed purposes).
So, if you haven’t yet tried Firefox, consider giving it a go. It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux (it is the default browser on most installs of Linux). It is a relatively small download, and as part of the install process you will be invited to import all of your settings from your current browser, so you won’t lose any of your favourites/bookmarks. And, of course, it’s free 
You can download Firefox at http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/
 Following the success of last year’s inaugural event (see http://www.cngl.ie/ailo09.html) , the Centre for Next Generation Localisation (CNGL), an SFI-funded university-based research consortium located at DCU, UCD, TCD and UL is organising the Second All-Ireland Linguistics Olympiad in 2010. CNGL invites transition-year and 5th-year students in Ireland (Year 11/12 in Northern Ireland) with an interest in languages and good analytical skills to put them together, learn about linguistics, and participate in this fun competition, with a view to representing Ireland in the International Linguistics Olympiad in Sweden next summer. Secondary school students don’t typically know what linguistics is, so they probably don’t know if they are interested in it until they try the problems. However, students who like languages, maths, computers, and solving logic problems are most likely to be interested in this competition.
What’s a Linguistics Olympiad?
Many disciplines such as science, maths, creative writing and music, run competitions to find the most promising young students. Some take the form of projects or experiments, while others involve composition or performance. A LINGUISTICS OLYMPIAD involves face-to-face competition where teams or individuals have to use their ingenuity, creativity and skill to solve language-related problems.
For more information and samples problems visit http://www.cngl.ie/ailo.
 Silicon Republic journalist John Kennedy published a very interesting article on October 29th entitled, Talent & Education, where they issued a “Call for Action” in relation to the current poor state of ICT integration in our schools. The article contains the views of notable captains of Irish industry Jim O’Hara (Intel), Martin Murpy (HP), Dermot O’Connell (Dell) and Paul Rellis (Microsoft). I was heartened by their views on the current situation regarding ICT integration in Irish schools and all agreed that we need much more than just investment in ICT, though this is also essential. They call for the creation of a Plan that focuses on creating a quality education system fit for the 21st century and one where teachers and students have access to modern digital tools. Kennedy acknowledges that Schools IT2000 was “a pioneering programme … that captured teachers’ imaginations and many signed up for training” but this momentum has been lost. Others such as Seaghan Moriarty captured the frustration among principals and the need for regular investment in ICT rather than once off grants that leave schools wondering when the next one will come along? This haphazard dispersion of grants has certainly not helped the situation. When you compare Ireland to Singapore, who began investing in ICT in schools in 1997 also, we are light years behind in terms of the issue of ICT integration in schools. Singapore has continually developed their thinking around the issue and are now on the third phase of their plan – but they have continually invested strategically since 1997, unlike us.
It is heartening to see that industry, ICT Ireland to be specific, has identified that the real issue is to develop an education system fit for the 21st century, this is about much more than just computers. Dermot O’ Connell states in the article that “getting the connectivity and the technology is actually the easy part” and I agree. This has been a big part of our problem in recent years – the narrow focus on providing broadband and networking grants without providing a holistic plan for ICT integration. The evidence is there in the inspectorate’s, ICT in Schools Report, that we are not integrating ICT into the curriculum currently in Irish schools. That report, which has not been acted on, shows clearly that we need to address the issue of teacher professional development in a different way than we have done previously. We need ICT embedded into teaching, learning and assessment not as an add-on. Again ICT Ireland have got this message with a number of contributors including Martin Murphy, Paul Rellis and Dermot O’Connell all noting that there is an urgent need to invest in teacher CPD. Paul Rellis, general manager of Microsoft Ireland states that “first and foremost, the professional development of teachers is vital if we are to take the right first step forward” and I agree.
Graham Byrne (Promethean) notes that “the whole concept of education has changed. It’s not about learning by rote but by doing. It’s about accessing information, understanding a topic and engaging with it”, what we in TeachNet call 21st century skills. Finally, Jim O’ Hara, Intel general manager, states “that the successful digital economy to me would be one where the country has one of the best education systems in the world. The ingredients are good teachers and a Government strategy that makes it clear what kind of a future the kids would have, particularly in science, technology and engineering, while the business world has a role to play by embracing technology to be more agile and efficient.”
So the call to action is around developing a plan that creates a Smart Education system, one that focuses on preparing our young people for the challenges of a 21st century society, digital tools are a given in such a vision. At a time when there are rumours around funding going to schools for ICT (something to be welcomed) we also need a new vision and a new set of implementation structures to match. Schools IT2000 is twelve years old – we need new thinking and now is the time to act. Any ideas or reaction welcome.
Schools never have big budgets so they’re always looking for value for money. Interactive Whiteboards can cost around €3,000 or so. A projector and a tablet PC can cost about €1,200. A projector with a slate can cost as little as €600. So, is it better to buy 5 of the latter option for the same price as one IWB? Wouldn’t it be good to get two tablet PCs and projectors instead?
I was asked this question by a teacher who is thinking about his options. His colleague is very much in favour of the projector-tablet PC combo, whereas he favours the IWB despite the higher cost.
The question I always ask myself in a debate situation like this is: which of the two are teachers most likely to use? My guess is that they will use IWBs more than the tablet-projector combo even though the latter is a much better pedagogical tool. My theory is that the IWB isn’t a big step away from the blackboard and that’s what most teachers (whether they choose to admit ir or not) are still doing.
Another more practical issue with regards tablet PCs are their fragility. Passing around a piece of equipment in a classroom will inevitably end up with a child dropping it and you’re down €600 straight away. This is why some schools go with the slate, though I don’t like this model much, pretty much for the same reasons outlined above, but worse. A slate is a little bit more difficult for a younger child to use.
Our good friends at CESI are busy organising the CESI National Conference which will take place on 12th and 13th February 2010. The conference entitled “Creative Technology in Challenging Times” will highlight the varied and creative ways teachers are using ICT to enhance teaching and learning at primary and post primary level. To do this, the organisers are looking for practioners from primary, post primary and third level to either present for 30 minutes or run a Workshop for 60 minutes. To get an idea of last year’s presentations and workshops, you should go to www.cesi.ie/conference. If you are interested in presenting at the conference, you should email conference@cesi.ie on or before Thursday, 12th November. In turn CESI will respond to each proposal by Friday, 27th November.
 CESI, founded in 1973, promotes the use of ICT in education at all levels in the Irish Education System. It is a voluntary body that draws its members from primary, post primary and third level teachers. Attendance at the conference is open to all teachers whether experienced or not in the use of ICT. If you don’t feel like presenting, you’re more than welcome to go along. In the meantime, why not consider joining CESI and adding your voice to educators with an interest in ICT in education.
In November 2008 the Minister for Education and Science launched a €1 million grant scheme for DEIS band 1 schools to help them acquire the Digital Schools Award. A great idea but with typical hamfistnedess only 100 of the 179 schools in this category were invited to apply. The social inclusion unit of the DES made the selection and the 100 schools received letters from the NCTE inviting them to apply for a grant. Surprisingly the grant has been increased to €1.5 million but the 100 schools has not been increased. The list of schools and the individual amounts allocated has now been published and the 100 schools will benefit quite nicely. But what about the others? If the school had already attained a Digital School Award they are excluded and of the remaining ones they have no idea why they were excluded. Indeed schools in the same area serving the same school population receive nothing. In one instance I am aware of, two schools directly across the street form each other – one for boys and one for girls – have a situation where one of them will receive over €17000 and other €0. How can this be? What kind of process is this that uses social exclusion? Who decided to only include 100 schools? Where is the transparency? I am baffled and disheartened. Shame on those who perpetrated this discrimination.
In  1999 IBM Ireland introduced a pilot project to Ireland, the “KidSmart Early Learning Programme”. Step forward 10 years and another 40 schools across the country have received 78 Young Explorers™ in the latest round of donations to schools, benefitting from IBM’s continued commitment to education and innovative use of technology in education. This is IBM’s 10th successive year of the very successful and innovative KidSmart Early Learning Programme in Ireland. When this round of donations is complete, IBM will have donated a total of 709 Young Explorers™ t o more than 375 schools across the 26 counties of Ireland since the launch of the programme in Ireland. The Young Explorers™ from Little Tikes™, which have been specially designed for three-to-seven year old pupils, aim to provide an effective jump start in early learning and teaching, and open up the world of technology to its users. Young Explorers™ are encased in a brightly coloured plastic console, designed to attract a child’s natural curiosity and to make experimenting with ICT tools in a learning environment an experience that is fun and something that the children enjoy and appreciate. Young Explorers™ are loaded with award winning Edmark software that children can use, for example, to sequence a story, learn about shapes and colours and develop their general computing skills along the way. Pupils spend time at the computer with staff, as well as independently. As their knowledge and understanding of colours, shapes and numbers grows, so does their confidence in using a PC.
A general support website – KidSmart Early Learning and a support and resource website for KidSmart participants in Ireland are available for teachers.
Differentiation, creativity, engagement, teaching for understanding, assessment for learning – all things we are asked to bring to our classrooms nowadays. Sometimes a little outside inspiration is called for, and it is certainly provided by John Davitt’s Learning Event Generator. Students are asked to report on their learning in a wide variety of ways, challenging their creative skills and ingenuity in the process. Each click brings a new topic randomly mixed with a new way to present it. Visitors to the NewTools site can email John for their own editable version. And well worth it is…
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