[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Lorcan,

The education landscape has certainly changed over the past number of years, and will likely continue to change over the coming years. The onset of the Primary Curriculum Framework over the coming years will likely lead to changes in what and how we teach. I’m interested in your thoughts on how the incorporation of multimedia content can demystify complex concepts. I feel that being able to present material to children in different media forms allows all children to access it at some point – e.g. a child with reading difficulties may benefit from a video / the use of an assistive tool like Immersive Reader. We wish you the very best for the year ahead.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Sarah,

Welcome to the online part of this course. You are correct to point out the importance of identifying your goals at first. For buy-in to occur across the board, teachers need to know why you are planning this and what the benefits will be. This really steps to the ‘identify a focus’ step in the SSE process. As Ríona has already mentioned on this forum, the dynamism of digital technologies is one of their main benefits. As you have said, information can be presented and consumed through video, movies and infographics (to name but a few) – highlighting their dynamic nature.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Ríona,

Welcome to the online element of this course. I really like your use of the word ‘dynamic’, and find it so relevant in these contexts. We always hear talk about digital technologies can transform education, but I think the level of dynamism they carry are their greatest strength. The versality you have with a digital device and the ability to create learning experiences that go beyond what can be achieved with concrete materials is a clear benefit. The emergence of personalised learning pathways on your digital learning journey is something to be proud of, and it’s great that the SSE guidelines helped you on the process.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Lorcan,

Thank you for your post and for sharing your lesson with us. It is fair to say that this is a truly integrated lesson that navigates and develops a series of STEM skills. There is a strong structure to the lesson with development and progression noticeable throughout. I really like how you have discussed and expanded on the way’s in which you plan to assess the lesson – it showcases the integrated nature of the assessment continuum with provisions for both child-led and teacher-led assessment. I’m sure many of us will be taking inspiration from this lesson for next year.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Conor,

Welcome to the online element of this course. Thank you for your post. You have identified many interesting points regarding the use of digital technologies in classrooms, and the links that can be forged with SSE. One of the key things you have mentioned is the importance of identifying the outcomes you want to achieve – if a change initiative is to be successful, the overall goal needs to be shared. Together with the teaching staff and school leadership, you can then set about making small goals that will help you on your way. The provision of real-time feedback for both the teacher and the children is something which can really help you clarify misunderstandings ‘in the moment’, and I’m delighted you have identified it here.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Deirdre,

Thank you for your post and for contributing an outline of the SETT plan and interventions you would put in place for this fictional child. It is clear that this child has a range of complex needs that emanate from a physical disability and a learning difficulty. Identifying this helps you to see that a range of different interventions at low-tech, medium-tech and high-tech are likely to be required over a period of time to achieve the best results. Obviously, the pupil would benefit from a high-tech assistive tool like Dictate to make the writing process more attainable. However, other interventions such as a visual timetable, move and sit cushion, movement break, etc. may need to be factored in.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Grace,

Thank you for your post and detailed overview of the module’s content. As you have said, it’s important to have some interventions and aids at each level of the SETT Framework – a series of low-tech interventions may make a significant impact for some pupils, whereas others will require some medium- or high-tech interventions. It is so important that ‘schools evaluate the effectiveness of AT based on individual learning experiences’ – we must reflect on how the AT worked with the child in question – Did it meet the student’s needs? Why? Why not? Once we have built up a picture around this, we need to continue/modify our approach to best meet the needs of the child.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Conor,

Thank you for your post – Teams is certainly an excellent platform for use in schools and the more you work on the platform, the easier it becomes and the more comfortable you will be. It is certainly a great way to share resources as a staff and it really lends itself to the creation of a ‘digital staffroom’. Being able to access and work on documents at home/in school is essential for those who cannot stay after school for collaboration, etc. due to differing family commitments. Recording on PowerPoint has been around for a number of different versions of the app, but is certainly a feature that remains under utilised.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Conor,

Thank you for your post. As someone who shares your role in my school, I know only too well of the level of workload that goes into IT maintenance and development. You have raised a very important point and one which those who are against the use of technology in education fail to realise – digital technology is a tool through which learning can happen. It needs to take place within a wider spectrum of strategies and approaches to learning. It should not permeate every lesson. Reading, writing and arithmetic are still hugely important aspects of schooling. Hands-on experiments with raw materials is also important. Variety is essential and digital technologies are particularly useful as they make some elements of learning easier and more accessible for all.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Aileen,

Thank you for your post and for sharing your thoughts on the attached article. In Maeve’s response below, the importance of interrogating resources and looking at them through a critical lens was discussed (through the growth of AI)> I find your thoughts intriguing and they certainly cast the article and its content in a different life. It is fair to say that different generations have faced different challenges, and it is difficult to compare ‘like with like’. In response to your final comment, I couldn’t recommend Jamboard highly enough as a collaborative workspace which allows pupils to plan and extend learning further through shared learning experiences.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Marie,

Welcome to the course. I fully agree with you in regards to your thoughts on the DL Planning website. It is certainly a ‘go to’ for me as a digital coordinator and really maps easily to the domains and dimensions of the DLF and LAOS. Book Creator is a brilliant app and resource to use as part of the writing process over the school year – there are a number of ‘good practice’ videos on the DL Planning website that focus on Book Creator. For younger children, a similar app/website called WriteReader is a useful alternative.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Maeve,

Thank you for your post and for sharing your thoughts on such a pertinent issue at present. The rise of AI is something which is taking the education world (and wider areas) by storm in recent months. This is becoming a bigger concern as I have heard of people who believe whatever Chat GPT produces is true. Being able to identify fake news and critically analyse what you are reading is a key skill within our Primary Language Curriculum. We really need to promote a culture of interrogating what we are reading for truth, bias, etc. The example you have provided about Russian history textbooks is an important example of this, and is a timely reminder of the importance if prioritising this.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Alan,

Very often, large-scale projects are very effective at developing 21st century skills as they mimic real-life problems and scenarios that occur in many workplaces. Being forced to collaborate and co-operate with different departments and groups responsible for other elements of a project are all part of many 21st century workplaces. The large-scale project you have outlined affords so many learning opportunities, particularly in the areas of SESE and language. You have also skilfully interwoven many digital skills, through the use of some Office 365 apps. Indeed, there are also a variety of mediums through which learning can be demonstrated (typing, presenting, audio recordings, etc.)

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Sinead,

Thank you for your post and for sharing this SETT plan with us. It is clear that this pupil has a number of challenges, and that the classroom environment in itself poses a number of challenges for their progress. In such a large class, it can be difficult to address the needs of all children. A plan like this allows us to think about what we want to achieve with this child and the different interventions at each level that will help us get there. The Nessy Programme, Dictate and Immersive Reader are all suitable AT’s for children with literacy difficulties. Some other low-tech or medium-tech interventions could be used if access to devices was limited at certain times.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Marie,

Thank you for your post and for sharing your many wonderful ideas with us. Your use of Google Forms shows a detailed understanding of the main ways in which this medium can be used for assessment. You have mastered the use of banners and backgrounds, and the awarding of point values for each question. I love the extension activity involving the use of Google Earth. I can only imagine how labour-intensive it must be to have to make many Gaeilge-themed resources from scratch. One of the few ways to make this easier is to ensure as much collaboration as possible within the school. Setting up a Google Site for each class level might be a good idea, where everyone contributes the resources they have made for each topic/theme. This would also help when teachers move between classes. Over a couple of years, a large repertoire should be built up.

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