PDST Technology in Education

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October 2013

Welcome to the PDST Technology in Education email newsletter.

Our newsletter aims to provide ICT news and information to Principals, ICT coordinating teachers, teachers and all those involved in education.

Continuing Professional Development

New – Using Tablets for Literacy and Numeracy

CPD image PDST Technology in Education has adapted one of its summer courses to make two short courses available to teachers during term-time. Using Tablets for Literacy and Numeracy (Basic) and Using Tablets for Literacy and Numeracy (Intermediate), are now being scheduled and made available through the education centre network. They are each 7.5 hrs in duration (three evenings). These courses are particularly suitable as whole school training for those schools who have already purchased iPads - participants must have their own (or their school’s) activated iPad. (A version of the course which is suitable for other types of tablets is expected to be available in 2014).

Course Schedule

Don’t forget to check the course schedule on our website for an up to date list of what courses are available, where and when. PDST Technology in Education (formerly NCTE) courses on offer through the education centre network are advertised via both the course schedule on our website and via the centres’ own websites. These courses are free of charge for teachers.

TeacherCPD.ie - IWB and Literacy

A shortened version of last summer’s online course - Using your Interactive Whiteboard to Support Literacy – is now open for enrolment on TeacherCPD.ie but closing soon. This 12.5 hour course commences on 21st October, 2013. Participants are expected to engage with the material and the other participants for approximately 2.5 hours per week for 5 weeks. A Scoilnet Account is required to enrol.

Invitation to all teachers/schools!

See your school showcased in an Irish Schools interactive “storymap” on World GIS Day (20 November). Scoilnet Maps is collaborating with esri Ireland to highlight examples of everyday teaching and learning in Irish schools involving geographic information. Closing date for submissions is October 30th.

Technology: Schools Broadband Update

TII image The High speed 100Mbit/sec broadband programme delivers high-speed broadband to all Post-Primary schools and in addition to some Special Schools with post-primary students. This high-speed schools broadband programme is jointly funded by the Department of Education and Skills (DES), and Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR).

During Phase 2 a further approximately 210 Post-Primary Schools in addition to some Special Schools with post-primary students are currently being installed in the 3 counties of Dublin, Kildare and Meath. Installations of connections and new routers have begun to place starting in October 2013 and all are expected to be completed by February 2014.

CensusAtSchool 2013

scoilnet image This year's questionnaire covers topics such as pairs of shoes and takeaway foods. How many pairs of the former and what's your favourite of the latter. Have you read a book in the last month (other than a school book)? Do you borrow from your local library? So, as you can see there are plenty of opportunities to collect and examine some fascinating class data.

CensusAtSchool is a collaboration between PDST Technology in Education (formerly NCTE), Project Maths, the NCCA and the CSO. It supports Strand 1 of the Project Maths curriculum, Statistics and Probability.

Explore CensusAtSchool

Scoilnet

The 1913 Lockout Thempage

scoilnet image The dispute involved some 20,000 workers and lasted from 26 August 1913 to 18 January 1914. It is often viewed as the most severe and significant industrial dispute in Irish history. This page was created for the Senior Cycle Curriculum. However, some of the resources could be used for teaching the upper Primary curriculum too - where this is the case, the resourrce is marked 'all levels'.

Interactives

scoilnet image Scoilnet has produced a number of interactive activities comprising, timelines, drag and drop activities and images to suit a selection of primary and post primary subject areas. These may be used as revision aids, self assessment tools, reinforcement activities or introductions to lessons. (Adobe Flash is required)

Rapporteur on Child Protection - Report 2013

Dr Geoffrey Shannon, the special rapporteur on child protection, in his report presented to the Oireachtas, is calling for cyber bullying to be recognised as a crime. The report also strives to tackle the issue of anonymity in cyber bullying cases.

What's Your Story 2013 Winners Announced

webwise image What's your Story is an online competition promoting better use of the internet by young people. This year, students were asked to submit a video or poster summing up all the good things about the internet. The competition, organised by Trend Micro, has been running in Ireland since 2012.

Using the interactive whiteboard to support literacy

good practice image Ní neart go cur le chéile – the truth of this well known proverb has seldom been more clearly illustrated than during last summer’s TeacherCPD.ie online course, where over 1,150 teachers shared ideas on using the interactive whiteboard (IWB) to support literacy.

This article includes some of the ideas gathered by their e-Tutors, with thanks to the contributing teachers. Compiled by PDST Technology in Education.

The Irish School Internet Awards 2014

news image The eircom Junior Spider Awards were established in 2009 as a technology programme for students at primary and post primary school level. The idea was originated by Business & Finance, working closely with main sponsors eircom. You can view the 2013 eircom Junior Spider Award winners now. Entries open date for the 2014 Awards will be announced shortly.

Other News

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About Us

qr code PDST Technology in Education provides advice, support and information on the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in education.