The concept of a ‘Professional Learning Community’ (PLC) first entered my consciousness during the initial training for the new Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science specification in 2018. To their credit, the PDST (as they were known as the time – now Oide) wanted to create a space for teachers to collaborate and share best practice while […]
Building a Professional Learning Community Using WhatsApp Read More »
Over the last few weeks I have been carefully and studiously analysing the new draft specification for Senior Cycle Biology. The new specification was published in December and the NCCA have initiated a consultation process, hearing from all stakeholders. Biology is set to be taught in schools from September 2025, along with both Chemistry and
AI & Additional Assessment Components in the Senior Sciences Read More »
This article is the first in a series on some of Ireland’s key players or emerging names in Education Technology, starting with Luke Saunders, co-founder of Studyclix. In this article, I chat with Luke Saunders, the co-founder of Studyclix, to gain some insight into his own teaching background, discuss the evolution of Studyclix, the motivation behind
Ed-Tech Profiles – Luke Saunders Read More »
Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Barbara Oakley, a Professor of Engineering at Oaklands University in the US. Oakley is the co-creator of the “Learning How to Learn” MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on Coursera and the author of the book of the same name. Barbara (or Barb as she insisted on being
Learning How to Learn – An Essential Online Course for Teachers Read More »
Last June, I wrote a piece for this blog on Leaving Certificate reform and specifically on how the CAO system, in my opinion, corrupts our Senior Cycle. Since then, Minister Norma Foley has announced an “acceleration” of Senior Cycle reform with seven revised subject specifications and two new subjects being introduced. It was also announced
Is Senior Cycle Reform Really Accelerating? Read More »
The Circus We’re in the middle of the Leaving Cert circus, the time of year when everyone is an educationalist with an opinion (not always an informed one) on what could and should change in our education system. Our news outlets, both online and on paper, have an unhealthy and insatiable obsession with our secondary
The Circus & the Elephant in the Room – My Thoughts on Leaving Cert Reform. Read More »
I started using self-made booklets to support my teaching, and my students’ learning, around five years ago, principally with Leaving Certificate students and they’ve proved an effective and popular tool for my students in that time. The booklets are essentially a “notes pack” which contain the content I want my students to learn for a
Using Booklets to Support Teaching & Learning Read More »
In my last blog post, I shared my teaching ‘New Year resolutions’ and item No. 6 on the list was ‘use better tech’. One of the tools I am keen to use more regularly in class this year, to aid teaching and learning, is Carousel Learning – an online tool to strengthen students’ long-term memory
Using ‘Carousel Learning’ to Support Retrieval Practice Read More »
It seems strange thinking about making changes to my daily / weekly routine at this stage in the academic year but it probably makes more sense really. The last term, for me personally, was a rollercoaster (a very fast one) and I never really got to grips with my time and task management until late
New Year, New Me? ‘New Year Resolutions’ to Make Me a Better Teacher Read More »
Classroom Screen is a brilliant, simple online tool that makes my life as a teacher easier. This amazing web app provides a series of “widgets” which every teacher needs, which can be displayed (in full screen) on your, well, classroom screen. If you are lucky enough to have an interactive whiteboard, then it’s even better.
How I use ‘Classroom Screen’ Read More »
