[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Jean,

I will 100% be using the phrase of ‘greater proficiency leads to greater efficiency’ going forward. It is so true, especially when related to digital technology use in schools. Much of the problems you have encountered are similar to every school in the country. The procurement of devices is both a costly and labour-intensive exercise. I personally find the maintenance and general upkeep of our devices to be one of the biggest challenges. WiFi is another area where we have had consistent problems over a number of years – however, a ‘Siro’ connection has recently become available in the area and this has provided us with ultra-fast broadband. It has been transformative and while it is expensive, I feel it is a worthwhile investment. There is little point in continuously purchasing devices of you don’t have the WiFi to power them and use them to their full potential. It may be something to look into if it’s available in your area.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Laura,

I’m not 100% sure of the cause of this issue for you. I think it may be down to the permissions as set on your school domain. Potentially, the admin for the account has the assignment feature set to ‘off’?  I have checked my own Teams channel and the assignment tab is working perfectly.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Maire,

Your sample activity really does capture the use of ICT (and many other skills) as a 21st century skill. I really like how the activity allows for so much progression, and how the different Google Workspace apps are being used by different groups.

As you have mentioned Google Maps, there is another useful Google tool called ‘My Maps’. This allows you to drop pins at various locations from history and chart historical journeys, etc. through ‘layers’. Certainly one that could be tried with senior classes when covering the Irish Revolution, World War 2, etc.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Maire,

I think you have really captured the potential for a ‘flipped’ approach to instruction in your post. As you have said, it allows children opportunities to access material in a number of ways, one of which will likely match their learning style. Exposing the children to a base level of content before they come to class ensures that they all have some background knowledge on the topic. This can save time that would often be taken up with introductory lessons – thus, freeing up more time for richer and deeper learning experiences. It also promotes independence and self-guided learning which are important skills to develop.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Jean,

Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts here. In my own school, we alternate between Seesaw and Google Workspace as our learning platform for junior and senior classes. I feel that Seesaw can be quite limited for the older pupils, and that their learning can be extended so much further by using either Google or Microsoft products.

‘Buy-in’ is the biggest hurdle to cross for any new initiative. It is becoming more challenging to ensure this is the case, and it is a huge area of concern for all ISM Teams. In this regard, the use of Teams would clearly benefit both the teaching and learning, and administrative side of school life. Whilst it’s important to start small nd build incrementally, sharing the vision of what could be possible with full integration is important. Explaining the rationale could help to quell discontent and reluctance to engage.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Louise,

I think the key word term you have mentioned here is that of ‘deeper learning opportunities’. This is what we are always striving to provide, and is something that the skilled use of digital technologies can provide. OneNote has huge potential in this regard. It can be used to both challenge higher-achievers and make learning more accessible for learners with SEN. Immersive Reader is huge for helping those with literacy difficulties. Indeed, the ability to pick out different parts of speech within a passage is of benefit to all learners.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Samantha,

Thanks for your post. As you have said, there is very little difference between the Google and Microsoft products – the skillset from one is almost fully transferrable to the other. The advantage to the Google products is that they are free and make sharing and collaboration easier within a primary classroom. With shared devices, making the most of the time you have is always the greatest priority. Sticking with the Google products is certainly a way in which you can achieve this. Best of luck for the year ahead!

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Cliona,

For its flaws (mainly centred on the rollout), the Primary Language Curriculum is actually a really useful document. I find it works very well for guiding my planning, and the progression steps available online really help you to pinpoint the stage that your children are at. Obviously, communication is a key part of this and it recognises that communication can take many forms. The ‘two-way’ reciprocity of communication is a clear and obvious focus of the LO2 from the oral language strand. Are there any specific exercises or tasks we could do to develop this skill with our classes?

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Diarmuid,

Thank you for your post. You have neatly tied together much of the key learning around the Google Workspace apps. Inclusion and increased accessibility are key advantages of using the Google suite within the classroom. Learners can be challenged and supported in equal measure.

As you have said, Google Classroom is a single-platform that supports the use of all Google apps and has enough functionality to keep tasks varied. The increased interest and attention it garners from pupils is only a positive, and can be used to support learning both in school and at home.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Laura,

Welcome to the course. Thank your for submitting both your Sway digital story and your Forms quiz. These tools have the potential to be used extensively in any setting, including SEN. Your Forms quiz is well constructed, and as you said, it collates all the data in one place. It makes it extremely easy to keep on top of things and track student progress. The breakdown of performance on each question can also prompt the teacher to go back over some elements with larger groups again.

‘Sway’ would be a great tool for the children to use as part of a ‘write-up’ for procedural writing. This would tie in really well with any form of cooking or baking done with a class/small groups.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Thomas,

While Loom and many other digital tools are excellent educational resources, there is little doubt that OneNote is very close to being the ‘complete package’. It takes the positive aspects of a number of digital tools and moulds them into one powerful digital tool. When used properly, OneNote can guide parents and children in their learning seamlessly. As you said in your post, this can play a significant role in reducing anxiety. However, both parents and children need training and practice navigating the features before being left to discover content independently. If used consistently over a number of years, a school can really cut down on its workload.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Tanya,

The content of your post really speaks to the centrality of communication within human interactions. The ways in which we communicate are constantly evolving. You have listed a number of different forms of communication – this is important, as some children will be stronger at communicating through different mediums. Acknowledging that there are many ways to communicate, and embracing the use of digital technologies in this regard can only be beneficial. Teaching children how to communicate through audio recordings, videos, e-mails, etc. is very important now.  Reciprocity is at the core of communication and this is the main thing we should try to get across. It is a two-way process, regardless of the medium you are using to communicate.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Tanya,

Welcome to the course. As someone who loves neatness and everything having a place, I couldn’t agree more. Teams allows you to work in a clear and logical manner, with everything in the one place. It really does create that ‘one-stop shop’. It can be used equally effectively as a teaching and learning tool, and as a tool for staff collaboration and administration.

I agree that it can be challenging to get all staff members to engage, as they are reluctant to move away from what they are currently using. However, if it is a whole-school move (and everyone is consistent that it is the only tool to be used for communication), then it would be the duty of all staff to regularly check for messages and correspondence. Consistency, and ensuring this from the outset, is key to the transfer being a success.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Denis,

Welcome to the course – thanks for sharing the above link to your Forms quiz. From viewing it you have a very good grasp of how it could be used as an assessment tool. There are a good variety of questions, and require the students to really focus on the ‘detail’ within the questions. For those with literacy difficulties, images can be added to both the questions and answers to assist.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Michelle,

Welcome to the course. Thank you for submitting your forum reflection – you have highlighted a number of Forms and Sway features that would be highly suitable for use in your classroom. Very often, a change of tool can be really effective at generating interest and enthusiasm about a topic. Alternating between Sway and PowerPoint may do this for you and your class. Forms is such a comprehensive assessment tool, and the ability to provide feedback on each question allows students to get that bit more out of it for their learning.

If you wish to share you Form quiz and Sway digital story, you can share the links on the forum. They are not compulsory elements of the module assessment.

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