Opinion

Thoughts on Ruairí Quinn's Plan for Literacy and Numeracy

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Ruairí Quinn has figured out how we can improve literacy and numeracy standards in primary schools across the country.  Since the PISA reports damned our education system in late 2010, a number of solutions were offered to our Minister.  Many organisations suggested that we train up teachers and trainee-teachers in more modern teaching methodologies. Some … Read more

Douglas Adams, The Fourth R and Learning

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I was happy to see that technology was on the agenda at the annual Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) conference 2010. Almost every speaker, including heavyweights such as Batt O’Keeffe (Minister for Education and Science), Eamon Gilmore (Labour leader), Enda Kenny (Fine Gael leader), Vincent Browne (Journalist and TV presenter), Seán Coterell (IPPN) and Professor … Read more

12 reasons to have Computerised Roll Books

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Imagine it’s 11:30am on June 30th.  What are you doing?  Apart from trying to get the last 30 minutes of the curriculum into almost 40 cola and sweet-fuelled children who believe the summer holidays started two weeks beforehand, you’re probably trying to balance your rollbook.  Inevitably, it doesn’t balance.  Ever.  And even when the last of the children sprint out to their mammies for eight weeks, the numbers just won’t add up.  Calculators are prodded violently over and over again until…. just before moonlight, there it is – there’s an extra tick beside Mary Murphy for some reason.  As you punch the air triumphantly, you swear that you’ll be more careful next year or, like me, you curse the Department of Education and Science for making our lives unduly difficult.  Every year, I say, “Why can’t they computerise the roll book?”

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Saving Money for ICT

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I came across a great article from Open Source Schools, a British web site, that promotes using free software in schools.  The author, Miles Berry, a senior lecturer in the Roehampton University, gives his top ten tips for schools to save money on technology.  From an Irish perspective, I looked at some of his suggestions. … Read more

Why don’t VEC primary schools have web sites?

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If I want to find out about a school for a particular reason, the first thing I do is look for their web site. There’s very few schools opened in the last 5 years that don’t have a web site. That is, with the exception, of the 5 VEC schools in Ireland. If one searches … Read more

ICT in Education Conference 2010

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Last year was the first year I attended the ICT in Education Conference in Thurles, Co. Tipperary and I had a really great time. I met some really great people and attended a number of brilliant workshops.  I listened to two amazing speakers – Daithí O’Mhurchú and Conor Galvin who both keynoted and capstoned the … Read more

A Case for Computer Rooms

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Computer rooms were on top of every primary school’s wishlist back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  In some cases, companies like Intel and HP were involved in sponsorship deals where they kitted out schools with completely networked solutions.  My first two schools both had computer rooms.  Every week I would usher 30 excited … Read more

Social Networking and Bullying

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With the news that Bebo may soon be no more,  I asked colleagues was it likely that teenagers would move to Facebook.  One of these replies came from a teacher from Bonnybrook Youthreach and she has given me permission to publish her own findings.   Sadly for me, in her opinion, students who abandon Bebo more … Read more

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