[Pat Brennan]

Hi Aoife,

You’re very welcome! I genuinely believe Microsoft’s Learning Accelerators are outstanding. The latest addition, focused on numeracy, Math Progress, looks promising, although I haven’t had a chance to explore it yet, I’d expect it to be just as powerful and effective as its stablemates.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Shirley,

It’s great to hear how you’re engaging with the tools and thinking critically about their practical application in your multi-grade classroom. Using these tools with purpose, rather than just for the sake of using technology, ensures they really enhance teaching learning and assessment in your classroom.

I appreciate your honesty about Scratch Junior and rest assured you’re not alone, many teachers feel the same at first, but your willingness to learn and optimism will stand you in good stead I’m sure and the learning curve will be worth it in the end.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Harriet,

It’s clear from your post that you’re already thinking creatively about how GenAI can enhance teaching, learning, and assessment in your classroom. As you mentioned, Copilot Image Creator is a great tool particularly for younger classes, as outlined, its visually engaging, great for differentiation, and really useful for supporting hands-on assessment.

As for MagicSchool, it really has taken off  of late and agreed it’s a huge time-saver and so adaptable across mainstream, SET, and ASD classes. Coincidentally, I was at the BETT show in London last January, and the MagicSchool stand was one of the busiest (and biggest)hard to believe they weren’t even there the year before,

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Norma,

Welcome to the course. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head here, Development Education is squarely about developing pupils understanding of  global issues like poverty, climate change, and human rights, while also encouraging empathy, critical thinking, and action.

I also like the croos-curricular approach you’re planning through geography, history, and languages. As I’ve mentioned many times on these forums, Development Education, is not an additional subject, instead DE themes can be integrated accross the curriculum. The idea of using debates and case studies like Gaza or climate change is particularly powerful and engaging  for pupils up the senior end, giving them space to explore complex issues and form their own views.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Aoife,

This is a great example of how to make climate action meaningful and age-appropriate. Focusing on local weather changes really helps pupils connect global issues to their own lives and community.

You’ve outlined a strong mix of research, discussion, and action, from storm patterns and planning to everyday changes like walking to school. Bringing in Greta Thunberg adds a powerful global voice also, and it’s great that you’re linking the learning back to home. Encouraging pupils to see themselves as global citizens and and sharing this with their families reinforces the impact beyond the classroom.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi again Aoife,

Thanks for sharing your activity, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to access the Google Doc due to permissions. That said, from your description, it sounds really well thought out. Using tools like Office Lens and Immersive Reader gives your pupil great independence, and the use of the emoji, as outlined,  is a lovely visual cue. Features like Read Aloud and the picture dictionary make the task accessible without drawing attention to the child’s needs.

It’s also great to hear how positive you are about CPD. You’re absolutely right, teaching is a lifelong learning journey, and staying current is key to growing as practitioners.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Arlene,

Welcome to the course. Absolutely, one of the real benefits of GenAI tools for teachers is the efficiency and time-saving they offer. I’d encourage you not to be reluctant to use the links and videos these tools generate, once reviewed in advance, of course. Human oversight of any AI-generated content is mission critical.

It’s great to hear how you’ve already started using AI in a practical way. Using ChatGPT to generate and differentiate writing samples is a clever approach, particularly, as you mentioned, when working within the PLC framework. Getting up to speed with GenAI is all about trying things out, like Magic School or Ari as you reference, and seeing what works best in your classroom.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Elaine,

It’s evident from this post that you’re carefully considering how best to introduce AI in a responsible and engaging way in your teaching. Starting with school policies and the AI Teacher Handbook is the right way to go. Coincidentally, i worked (on the website end) with Enrica Amplo who developed the handbook as part of her Ph.D. study, her work is a brilliant resource for building both teacher confidence and pupil awareness around emerging technologies. A practical suggestion as you embark on your AI journey in class, is the co-creation of a simple class agreement/charter on how AI should be used responsibly. It’s a great way to set expectations and give pupils a sense of ownership from the start.

I also like both of the activities, outlined here, Copilot image generator to make prompt engineering real for students and the newspaper article activity, based on the module example to explore bias.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi David,

Welcome to the course. Great to hear you’ve got alot out of this module. I agree, Immersive Reader is such a powerful tool, and your example about the pupil with vision challenges really highlights how small adjustments as outlined, like changing background colour, can make a big difference.

Two other ai-powered tools worth exploring for literacy are Microsoft Reading Coach and Reading Progress in Teams, if you haven’t already. Both, build on Immersive Reader and offer personalised reading practice and feedback, which could be a good fit for any pupils who need extra support with fluency and confidence.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi again Stacey,

Thanks for sharing your lesson outline for the lifcycle of a butterfly. Overall,  it sounds like you’ve taken loads from the course and great that you are already thinking about how to make it work for you and your pupils next year. The mix of tools you’ve mentioned, Gamma, Magic School, Twinkl’s Ari will certainly lead to efficiencies but more importantly, as mooted, will free you up to dedicate more time to interactions with your SET pupils.

Working in SET, Immersive Reader can be a real game-changer as outlined. Also worth considering are Microsoft’s AI-powered Learning Accelerators (which I regularly recommend across all course forums), in particular, Microsoft Reading Coach. It’s designed to support learners at different reading levels by offering personalised practice and feedback. It can be a brilliant tool for helping children build fluency and confidence independently.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Michelle,

Welcome to the course. Your Junior Infants example is a strong reminder of how early gender norms can take root, often unnoticed. As you pointed out, the pupil’s remark may have seemed harmless, but these early experiences can impact confidence and limit children’s choices.

Your ideas around using development education to challenge stereotypes through storybooks and role-play are excellent. They show how we can gently guide children to think critically and empathetically from the start.

Building on your Aistear example, one simple strategy you might try (if you haven’t already) is rotating roles during activities so every child gets a turn in each area. A short class discussion afterwards about what they enjoyed or found surprising can help them reflect and broaden their thinking.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Aoife,

Welcome to the course. It’s great to see how this module has highlighted the practical benefits of tools like Immersive Reader, especially in a SET context.

As you’ve outlined, using other Microsoft 365 tools like Dictate and Office Lens with your EAL pupils will offer valuable support in meeting diverse learning needs. You also mentioned plans to explore voice typing and Microsoft Teams next year, both great ideas. You might also consider trying out Reading Progress in Teams, which is a useful tool for tracking reading fluency and could complement your use of Immersive Reader. It also pairs well with Microsoft’s standalone Reading Coach app. Both are completely free literacy tools and worth checking out.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Nicola,

It’s clear from your detailed reply that you’re already doing great work to help pupils understand and respond to climate change. I particularly liked your idea of a DIY weather station, it’s a brilliant way to build observation and data skills. It reminded me of a project I was involved in years ago with the Raspberry Pi Foundation. That version required more tech support but offered increased functionality and opportunities to collaborate with other schools. More at Build a weather station with a web dashboard

I’m also a huge advocate for the Green Schools programme, and it’s evident your whole school is equally invested. The roles you’ve outlined for pupils, like bin and energy monitors, are excellent for fostering responsibility and encouraging student voice. Supporting pupil-led Green Schools Committees and Student Councils ensures students have a real say in how your school addresses climate issues, which is empowering.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi again Megan,

It’s great to hear that we’re getting things right and that this course has expanded your awareness of assistive technologies and their practical application in supporting students with autism. As you’ve outlined, tools like Immersive Reader, Dictate, and Math Assistant can significantly reduce barriers to communication and learning.

As you alluded to, OneNote is a particularly powerful platform that brings these tools together. Its flexibility allows for the creation of accessible, personalised learning spaces that promote pupil independence and engagement across the curriculum.

Finally, you might consider sharing your insights with colleagues, either informally or as part of professional development during Croke Park hours (if this is a practice in your school). This could help embed inclusive technology practices across your school, aligning with the Inclusive Education Framework’s emphasis on whole-school planning.

[Pat Brennan]

Welcome to the course, and thank you for sharing the link to the Be Internet Awesome programme. From a quick look, it appears to be a well-structured and engaging resource. It’s great to see how you’re already considering its relevance to your school’s SSE focus on digital learning, safety, and wellbeing.

The inclusion of both teacher and family guides offers a strong foundation for linking school and home, and could be something your school’s HSCL teacher (if applicable) might find useful to promote.

You also mentioned aligning this with Safer Internet Day, which is coordinated by Webwise. It might be worth exploring their resources too, they offer a wide range of materials that complement the Be Internet Awesome programme, particularly in the context of Safer Internet Day and broader digital citizenship initiatives.

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