[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Frances,

Thank you for this comprehensive overview of using the SETT Framework as an anchor for designing supports for a child with dyslexia. Such is the detail here, you could almost use this as a yearly overview for ways in which their specific need could be addressed in the SET setting. Within the tools, it is also worth noting that some of the assistive technologies are actually low/no tech options. Sometimes with AT, we can focus overtly on the digital side of things, whilst overlooking some other options that don’t require a device.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Irene,

Thank you for your post here and for your reflections around gender inequality. The previous module went into this in more detail and the forum responses indicate that stereotypes from an early age can often present the conditions that lead to more formal inequalities in work and society. Whilst gender inequality exists to some degree and in some sectors in Ireland, thankfully access to education is an area with very minor barriers – something which unfortunately cannot be said for all areas of the world.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi David,

Thanks for sharing this post with us. It’s great that you have been able to see the value of Magic School on terms of being a sort of ‘one stop shop’ when it comes to designing learning experiences for classroom use. The range of ways in which material can be presented ensures children will be engaged and interested, as new modes of content presentation can be incorporated into practice on a daily or weekly basis.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Imogen,

Thank you for your post here and for sharing your thoughts on Gamma and AI Image Creator – both are useful tools, particularly around mobilising the writing process in the classroom (as you have mentioned). In terms of getting the children reflecting on each other’s work, are there any ways in which you feel these specific AI tools could achieve this (or would this particular aspect be better achieved in an ‘offline’ sense).

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Dearbhla,

Thank you for this post and for your engagement throughout the course. A key word you mentioned in your post is increasing the use of digital technologies in ‘meaningful’ ways. If it is not meaningful, it is simply taking time away from other approaches which may have more positive impacts and creating an unnecessary workload burden on us. The ‘effort-impact’ access that was mentioned on PCF Day 1 this year is a really good reflective tool when looking at some of our practice in all areas.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Danielle,

Thank you for your post here – it is certainly a relevant SDG and one which many children might be able to relate to from local experience, based on the recent hot summer. Seeing ways in which this impacts their own lives is so important in making this ‘real’ – for example, the hosepipe ban might have meant they couldn’t use paddling pools or water slides at home, parents couldn’t was cars, etc. Water outages over the summer may have been a problem in some areas, which could also form the basis of some form of action on conservation.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Susan,

Thanks for your post here. Immersive Reader is such a game-changing tool for so many children, and if you have access to the 365 suite of apps, it is a no-brainer to be in use on a regular basis. For Google schools, there are some Chrome extensions that contain aspects of the Immersive Reader software, such as Helperbird. In an SET setting, the use of the tool through a teacher-owned device may also be possible – ultimately, it is about finding the scope and frequency of the interventions/assistive tools required for the individual child.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Laura,

Thank you for your contribution here and for sharing your process around creating a social story for your return to school. This is such a practical use of AI tools and demonstrates a clear way of reducing the administrative burden on teachers. Designing this with Slides from scratch would take a significant amount of time – however, getting the outline completed based on clear prompts makes this so much less time-consuming on us. It is then a quick job to make small edits and include specifics, such as teacher names, school crests, images of specific children, etc.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Catherine,

Thank you for this post and for sharing your intended use of Immersive Reader to allow children in your class to engage with simple sentences. I really like your suggestion around including images that are linked to this – as emerging readers, it is so important that children in a special class notice the different forms of communication we have, and how the written word is merely an extension of the visual world they may be quite comfortable with. It can be a really nice ‘bridge’ for these children and reduce the cognitive overload that may come with just the written words.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi James,

Welcome to the course and thanks for your contribution here. I think the word ‘technology’ has become inextircably linked with digital technology in recent years. This is not the case – so much of the content from the new STE curriculum relating to technology can be completed ‘offline’ or in ‘unplugged’ ways. Supports that are no/low-tech can often have greater benefits than those with high tech – ultimately, it is down to the individual needs of the learners in your class.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for your post and for sharing this Life Cycle presentation with us. I am struck by your reflection on how your own use of digital technologies have evolved in recent years. Department funding and grants mean that access to digital devices is probably at an all-time high in schools. However, access does not mean that these are being effectively used or having a positive effect. Moving away from teacher-dominated use and towards promoting children constructing their own learning with these tools is crucial to achieving this impact, and certainly a road you seem to be on.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Caroline,

Thank you for this post and for sharing your overview with us. I really like the way that you have incorporated your own knowledge of pedagogy with your knowledge of various AI tools to enhance learning experiences. Your ability to transfer data and information from one AI tool to another to create engaging classroom resources is something that will certainly save you time with over the coming year. The activities outlined allow children to work on a range of SEE curricular skills, as well as being engaged in learning that promotes working collaboratively, being challenged to an appropriate level and engaging in learning experiences pitched within their ZPD.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Caroline,

Thank you for this post and for sharing your overview with us. I really like the way that you have incorporated your own knowledge of pedagogy with your knowledge of various AI tools to enhance learning experiences. Your ability to transfer data and information from one AI tool to another to create engaging classroom resources is something that will certainly save you time with over the coming year. The activities outlined allow children to work on a range of SEE curricular skills, as well as being engaged in learning that promotes working collaboratively, being challenged to an appropriate level and engaging in learning experiences pitched within their ZPD.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Eileen,

Thank you for your post here and for sharing some of the strategies and approaches that you have had experience and success with in an SET setting. I think increasing engagement is essential, as without this it is going to be so much more challenging to make progress. Using an AI tool like Copilot as a starting point centred on idea generation is a fantastic idea, and certainly one of the better uses we may have for this. I think, as teachers, we should be leading with our own judgement and knowledge of the kids/curriculum for making decisions around the direction of their future learning. However, the idea generation stage is often one which can be challenging, particularly in subjects where we may be less comfortable teaching.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Eva,

Thank you for your post here and for your comprehensive overview of the use of the Google tools here. You have raised a very good point around comparing a Google classroom led approach with a traditional copybook drafting approach in terms of children getting a better grip on tone and review – it is difficult to answer this definitively, and its likely that the answer lie somewhere in the middle. Children having the opportunity to engage with various methodological approaches is ultimately hugely positive, and when achieved over a number of years children are likely to be able to select learning preferences as they transition into 2nd and 3rd level education.

[Author]

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