We have previously used the Microbit to introduce coding and Robotics to our senior classes. However, this year we decided to try something similar but different and this is how I stumbled upon the Crumblebot.The CrumbleBot is an enjoyable and effective way to introduce coding and robotics to children of all ages, and especially primary school children. It provides a ready-built platform to experiment safely and easily with analog and…

As we return to school after a prolonged absence, I have taken the opportunity to upgrade some of the ICT facilities around our school. Over the years we have installed Interactive White Boards in all our classrooms. However, many of these are now showing their age and thoughts have now turned to upgrading to IFP’s (Interactive Flat Panels.) As a principal the main barrier to the upgrade to the Interactive…

In a recent study carried out by Dr. Eemer Eivers, on behalf of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), it has been revealed that primary school students’ use of computers in school has dropped considerably within five years, from 46% saying they used computers in school regularly in 2011 to only 23% in 2016. This brings Ireland well below the international average, according to Eemer Eivers, who published her report in…

  Seesaw is a student-driven digital portfolio that empowers students of any age to create, capture and share what they’re learning at school. They can choose to share it with their teachers, parents, classmates, and even the world. See saw is available as an app (both Android or iOS) and also as a website at https://web.seesaw.me/ It is currently used in over 200,000 classrooms, 1-in-4 schools in the US, and…

With coding week nearly upon us again I decided to invest in some new coding hardware for our school. I had heard good reports about Sphero SPRK+ and so invested in a number of them for our school. Sphero SPRK+ is a small but rugged spherical robot capable of rolling around, changing colours, running programmes and being controlled by a smartphone or tablet. It has Programmable sensors like motor encoders,…

I have been following the recent debate that has emerged concerning the replacement of textbooks at 2nd level with digital devices. This is a growing trend with many 2nd level schools, particularly for the Junior Cycle. Parents at a Co Meath secondary school recently raised their concerns regarding replacing their children’s textbooks with an iPad. They believe that their children don’t learn as much or retain as much information when…

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh this week announced a further €50million investment in ICT infrastructure for all primary and post-primary schools. Grant funding for the purchase of ICT infrastructure will issue shortly  to all eligible primary and post primary schools in the country to enable them to embed the use of digital technology in teaching and learning. This latest tranche of funding brings the Government’s total investment…

After spending months in Beta version, Scratch 3.0 has been finally released as of January 2nd  2019. It brings major changes such as support for tablets and implementation of an HTML, CSS, and JavaScript-based extension system instead of the previously used Flash.   In his blog post announcing Scratch 3.0 Mitch Resnik, leader of the MIT Media Lab wrote: Scratch has grown beyond our most optimistic expectations. There are more than 30 million registered…

I recently took some primary school pupils to Microsoft’s headquarters in Leopardstown Dublin to take part in its futuristic new Dreamspace learning initiative. DreamSpace is an educational activity space developed in Dublin at a cost of €5m and it opened earlier this year. Microsoft runs a three-hour programme in DreamSpace for primary and Transition Year students, where the children are shown new technology, and work in teams to solve problems.…

Floor robots can be programmed to move and change direction across the floor or a flat surface and are an excellent way of introducing young children to the principles of coding and computational thinking. Although the physical appearance of floor robots may be different, they function in a very similar way and the principles of programming them are broadly the same. There are a wide range of floor robots that…