Scoil Naomh Fiachra

STEM

Introduction

In this section of the website we will feature projects, photographs and documents which relate to our Control Technology Empowering Minds Project.

This project originated in 1999 as part of the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) Schools Integration Project (SIP).

The project proposal was developed by Dr. Deirdre Butler, Head of Digital Learning at St. Patrick’s College of Education, in collaboration with MIT Media Lab.

Scoil Naomh Fiachra was one of an initial group of schools involved in the project.

This project began as a collaborative partnership involving

  • St. Patrick’s College, Dublin,
  • NCTE,
  • Eircom,
  • MIT & MLE,
  • DCU, and
  • Irish primary schools.

Due to the success of the project in the initial group of schools the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) decided to expand it into more schools at both primary and second level. Pilot courses for teachers were in six education centres around the country. The idea of these courses was for teachers to get some experience with the materials, the activities and the ethos which had been central to the success of the project to date. The hope was that some of these teachers would decide to introduce control technology to their schools.

The courses were followed up by support evenings and workshops for schools introducing the new technology.

The Technology section of this website is designed to be a resource for anyone who might be interested in introducing control technology into their schools.

Objectives

  • To establish a framework to implement and maintain a collaborative learning community for the development of control technology at primary level.
  • To provide an opportunity for children to become designers through the use of control technology.
  • To provide for the development of concepts and skills leading to a framework and approach to using control technology across the Irish education system.
  • To establish links both nationally and internationally and develop resources and ideas for use with control technology.
  • To improve home/school links and to develop a more relevant and meaningful approach to learning, both in school and at home.
  • To provide children with the opportunity to create external structures with which to facilitate conceptual development.
  • To enable children to develop problem solving strategies and skills at their own pace and in their own way.
  • To provide children with a means of controlling their environment with technology and improving their confidence in the future use of such systems.

Intended Outcomes

  • Teachers and pupils will externalise their thinking and reflect on what they are doing and how they are learning i.e. thinking about how they think.
  • Teachers and pupils will learn with technology, not about technology.
  • Wide-ranging cross curricular integration will develop.

Partner Schools

  • St Finian’s NS, Co. Dublin.
  • Scoil Naomh Fiachra, Clontubrid, Freshford, Co. Kilkenny.
  • St Brigid’s NS, Dublin 15.
  • City Quay NS, Dublin 2.
  • St. Joseph’s NS, Co. Kildare.
  • Kilvemnon NS, Co. Tipperary.
  • Holy Spirit Boys’ NS, Dublin 11.
  • St. Patrick’s NS, Dublin 15.
  • Redeemer Boys’ NS, Co. Louth.
  • Kill NS, Co. Kildare.
  • Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, Dublin 8.
  • Dominican Primary School, Co. Dublin.
  • Stokane NS, Co. Sligo.