[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Mairead,

Thank you for your post here – I think this summer will really have climate change to the forefront of people’s minds when we return to school. It is important for us all to understand the knock-on effects of extreme periods of drought and heat in Ireland. My own area has been hit with numerous water outages over the summer, many of which were unannounced and we are likely to see huge increases in the price of vegetables, potatoes, etc. in recent months as many crops have been decimated by the lack of precipitation, Getting children actively involved in environmental awareness is a great way to create a sense of ownership of their area and their planet.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Amy,

Thanks for your post and for articulating so clearly how pre-conceived gender roles can have such a negative impact on all of our children. The word ‘limiting’ is mentioned in your post, and I feel this is such an accurate description of what stereotypes in this area can cause. It’s incredible to think that a child’s gender might mean that they never get to pursue a particular, career, sport or hobby which may bring fulfilment to their lives. Working to ensure all children are able to engage in all activities they wish is such as important step but is challenging, as many societal factors are pulling against this.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Tommy,

Thanks for the post and for sharing some of the excellent ways in which you are using the Google Workspace tools in your classroom already. I think the feeling of being short on time transcends all subjects and approaches that many of us engage with on a daily basis. Using time wisely sounds like something that is easy, but it is often hard to achieve. Being able to pursue curriculum development, as well as the development of digital skills, collaboration and peer tutoring in just a couple of hours a week sounds like a brilliant use of time, and speaks to the benefit of digital technology use as a methodological approach.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Aisling,

Thank you for this post and for sharing what you know about the aquaculture scene in west Clare. It is heartening to hear that it is more than simply a business in this region. Oyster farmers working to maintain the coastline serves a multitude of purposes, and ultimately teaches children about the importance of responsible attitudes towards the environment and our locality, and how all this does not have to be sacrificed for economic gain.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Seán,

Thank you for your post here. So many of the PCF Principles focus on the school’s own context and location. Certain things will be easier and more developed in certain schools due to the location of the school alone. Being able to provide ‘urban’ children with ‘rural’ experiences (and vice versa) is so important for a child’s development. Despite being a small country, we have huge diversity in landscape, social life and childhood experience, and any chance we have to address this should be grasped.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi John,

Welcome to the course and thank you for this post. You have clearly identified so many ways in which AI and digital technologies in general can enhance teaching and learning in your classroom. As you have pointed out, consistent professional development in any area is important to encourage reflection on our current use of tools/approaches as well as introducing some alternatives. Comparing content and materials produced by AI with current teaching materials can help us consider its usefulness – as you have said pupil engagement and interest is so important, and anything we can do to enhance this can only be positive.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Fiona,

Thank you for your post here and for sharing your firsthand experience with us. I think when people hear about poverty, many will think that it is a third world issue. However, there are so many families and communities in Ireland living in poverty, and its important for children to see that many Irish people suffer from the same inequalities on a local level, that we talk about on a global scale. Looking at the work done by local organisations in this regard, as well as learning how to campaign for further supports is an excellent way to build development education into our curriculum.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Gráinne,

Thank you for sharing your writing idea with us here. I think it provides the perfect example of how digital technologies can support children’s learning and form one part of a wider unit of work that draws on multiple methodologies. I also really like the idea of bringing about peer reflection and allowing children the opportunity to both receive and formulate feedback on different pieces of work.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Denise,

Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us here. I like how you have drawn links between the statements of effective practice in each DLF domain to reflect on how we can enhance our use of assistive technologies. Like you have said here, the primary goal is to make the curriculum more accessible for children – throughout the course, you will see how different apps and tools may be used to achieve this aim.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Ross,

Thanks for this post and for sharing your thoughts. Dylan William is such a fountain of knowledge when it comes to assessment and his writing often challenges to think about what we think of as assessment and whether much of our time is spent ‘assessing’ without actually assessing. The key is being able to gather information that will inform what you do next – you have correctly noted that you may get this information from some children verbalising thoughts, offering opinions, etc.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Dónal,

Thanks for this post here and your engagement throughout the module. Comparing the nutritional benefits of different seafood is a very interesting and worthwhile activity. It’s very interesting to compare the differences between oily fish, shellfish, etc. Cod and salmon are both very nutritious foods but provide us with such different nutrients and different benefits, which may not be thought of at first glance.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Alison,

Thank you for your post here – I am of the same opinion. The module content really hammers home the benefits to all of our health from having seafood as a core component of our weekly meals. As a parent of a young child beginning weaning, we are so conscious of including different fish in her diet for these benefits now, and into the future. Attitudes towards seafood can often be negative from home experiences, and this often impedes children’s ability to even try the food.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Niamh,

Thank you for your post and your engagement throughout the module – I think you have made a really interesting and important point around professional learning. Cosán recognises the centrality of professional learning for us – however, it is often not formal courses that provide the deepest or most transformational learning. The discussions with our colleagues around challenges in our classroom and brainstorming solutions can promote the kind of reflection that leads to changes in our practice and improved learning experiences for our children.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Pól.,

Thank you for your post here and for your engagement throughout the module. You have identified a number of barriers around language and children learning English as a second language. For senior infants, much of the content of this Form may provide a literacy challenge. Asking Copilot to recreate the content of the quiz using visual of Ten Frames might be more accessible and allow children demonstrate their knowledge of bonds to 10 – this would be specifically useful for those learning EAL or with reading difficulties.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Mardi,

Thanks for sharing some a comprehensive and well thought-out SETT plan which focuses on your particular student. What strikes me from this is the depth of tools that are out there to assist children. In the case of this child alone, tools are mentioned to allow children engage with reading, writing, communication and other social activities. While many of these tools overlap, and will be used together within the same learning activities, responding to the needs of the individual child and the tools that allow them to demonstrate their learning will ultimately form the bedrock of the plan.

[Author]

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