[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Sinéad,

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts. Department policy does dictate that digital technologies should be integrated and embedded into teaching, learning and assessment. The ‘how’ of doing this is very often left open for individual schools to design their own solutions.

The rise of assistive technologies is breathtaking and so many resources are now there to assist our pupils. I love the AT filter and creator at the following link: https://www.ahead.ie/Discover-your-AT – this provides you with suitable assistive technologies based on the child’s needs, the devices you have access to and whether a Google or Microsoft account is in use.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Joanne,

Thanks for your post and for sharing your thoughts around SSE and digital learning. I would concur that it would be pertinent for schools to consider including it as a focus prior to the subject specifications of the Primary Curriculum Framework being published. Indeed, it is now a requirement that all schools engage with the Digital Learning Framework and have a Digital Learning Plan that is reviewed annually. This plan must be drafted using the SSE process. The same will apply to the Wellbeing Policy Framework and Statement of Practice by 2025. Therefore, it would be logical for schools to choose one or both of these as their SSE focus over the coming period.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Eimear,

Thanks for your post and for sharing your thoughts here. I like how you have mentioned the capacity of digital technologies to create ‘alternative engaging learning opportunities’. I always feel we should be trying to extend the learning experience for the pupils when the digital devices are being used, e.g. can they complete an online tessellation activity with virtual manipulatives, can they create a podcast to showcase learning, can they use an app like Write Reader to create a comic-style piece of report writing, etc.

In terms of getting started with planning for SSE, a number of excellent resources are available on https://www.dlplanning.ie/ These resources include sample questionnaires, focus group questions and topics, etc.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Margaret,

Unfortunately the link to your One Note is not working for me. However, I think you have highlighted one of the major benefits of OneNote when you mentioned its capacity to hold Sways, Documents, PDF’s etc. The fact that it integrates with some of Microsoft’s accessibility features (such as Immersive Reader) also assists those with literacy difficulties.

You have alluded to how the teacher can add handwritten notes to student notebooks. Another feature that also can be utilised is ‘voice notes’ where audio feedback or advice can be provided to pupils.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Deirdre,

Thanks for sharing the link to PearDeck above. It’s a tool which I have often heard great things about, but have yet to actually use it on a consistent basis with my class. However, the description provided would certainly encourage you to want to use it.

The ability to ‘assess the children’s learning in real time’ is something which is so important. I often find that feedback often falls on deaf ears as it is not ‘in the moment’ and the time has passed for it to be very effective. We need to look at ways (across the continuum of assessment) of supporting this in real-time. The fact that Pear Deck is suitable for multiple different learning styles and allows for content to be presented in many forms is another major plus for the platform.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Muirne,

Welcome to the course and thanks for your post here. You have certainly covered all the basics and more of the primary features of both Sway and MS Forms. In terms of using Forms for self-assessment, the creation of short ‘exit tickets’ can be really effective in gathering real-time, authentic feedback that you can put to use immediately. I like how you have realised the potential of Sway as a tool in which students can showcase their creativity. There are multiple uses of this for content creation, and it can add greater variety to the presentation of text and artefacts.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Deirdre,

Welcome to the course and thanks for your contribution here. I think your post captures the essence of what a learning platform like Google Classroom can do. Your post has alluded to the different skills that it can assist in developing, and the content of the following module on 21st century skills will complement this.

From your own setting in a special school, I am sure that the collation of files on a child’s Drive will be an excellent way of viewing progression over the year. Digital stories can be created using Slides or ‘Google Photos’, but other third-party apps like Adobe Express or Book Creator can be integrated seamlessly with Classroom.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your contribution and for pointing out how Google Maps can be an effective educational tool. There are also some subsidiaries of Google Maps such as ‘My Maps’ and ‘Expeditions’ that can bring learning to life in the classroom. Are there any 21st century skills you feel an activity with any of the above tools could develop?

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Shona,

Thank you for your post and your contribution to the forum. Given that you have yet to use features like Immersive Reader or Dictate, the next few months will probably be a bit of a learning curve / trial and error as you see how they work on the ground in your context. I think you will find that they help to make reading and writing activities far more accessible for children with literacy difficulties. It will take time for the children to learn how to use them and to understand exactly how it can assist them. As an SET, it may be useful to set some time aside to look at the mechanics of the tools, and discuss contexts in which they should be used / should not be used.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Brid,

Sway is a very good way for both teachers and students (and those in the business/corporate world) to express ideas and thoughts. It is slightly more user-friendly than PowerPoint, as it removes some of the additional extras that students can often get bogged down on. The graphics created are certainly aesthetically pleasing and can create a striking image, poster, infographic, etc. With regard to the sharing of links, you just need to ensure that the access on the form is set to just within your school domain, or ‘public’ if you wish to send it to addresses outside of your school domain.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Veronica,

Thanks for submitting your quiz. It would give us an immediate overview of whether more work is needed on nouns, or whether we can move onto other parts of speech or categorising proper/common nouns.

You mentioned you would like to have ‘one question per page’ in response to Bernie above. This can be achieved by pressing ‘add section’ after each question. Students will only see one question at a time and have to press ‘next’ after each question to move to the next section.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Jen,

I think it’s importance that we acknowledge the difficulties of incorporating digital technologies, especially in the challenging context of a special class.  When using the iPads, there is a great in-built feature from Apple called ‘Guided Access’. This means that a child cannot exist an app that you have entered them into without entering a password. This is useful if you are working with multiple children or if you get called away to something else in the classroom. A simple YouTube video will show you how to enable this. The uses you have provided for the iPads and other devices in your post are excellent and capable of providing enriching learning experiences.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Caolan,

Thank you for your post. You have mentioned the importance of bringing the digital world into the four corners of the classroom. Digital tools also enable us to bring the four walls of the classroom to any corner of the world. As you have said, technology has the potential to be both an extra challenge for students and an extra accessibility tool for others. It allows everyone to work within their own ZPD. If prioritised for SSE, it can lead to huge improvements around the school. A shift in mindset is required by some teachers who are not willing to fully engage in their use. SSE is a process which can push more people towards integrating digital tools.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Veronica,

You have listed so many advantages to using Google Classroom. Once the children are used to using the Chromebooks, they will a godsend in a multi-grade classroom. They will be able to do so much independent work.

There are some very useful Chrome extensions to help with some of the activities you have listed. ‘123Apps’ is great for audio recordings. It will download the audio file as an MP3 and it can be embedded into Slides/Docs or it can be added as an attachment to a Classroom assignment. ‘Helperbird’ has the Immersive Reader function built in, which is an amazing resource for EAL students and those with literacy difficulties.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for your post. The recording feature within PowerPoint is a really useful tool if you wish to deliver a lesson in an asynchronous manner. The presentation can be reviewed and revised multiple times if a student wishes. Indeed, it could also be used by students who have created a presentation. It would allow them to practice the skill of ‘presenting to an audience’, without the pressure of this in the class. We could move on to presenting in-person once confidence builds. You have identified some of the most common initial challenges, but as you said the benefits certainly outweigh these.

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