Education Magazine 27-2i

Vol.

27

Issue

2

SPEAK Ireland ● Understanding Electricity ● National Learning Network Young Europeans learning about Europe ● Asian Studies at UCC ● Reviews

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 2

Editor Niall Gormley

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Topflight for Schools

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Feature: Young European learning about Europe - Plus - Join the fun during EU Code Week ; Erasmus new opportunities.

10

New faces in Asian Studies at UCC

13

eSkills - a Future in IT Competition

15

Cover Story: National Council for Exercise and Fitness (NCEF) - A professional qualification in fitness education.

17

Shape a future with Saint Nicholas Montessori College Ireland

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University of Limerick: Computing as if people mattered

21

Understanding Electricity: From Power Station to Playstation®

23

Castlecomer Discovery Park - Active learning through education and recreation

At the time of press information in Education is believed to be accurate and authoritative. However, some information may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Acceptance of advertisements, does not constitute an endorsement of products or services by the publishers.

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The Organic College

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Feature: SPEAK Ireland - Triggering the spark of curiosity

28

21st century learning has reached CBS Thurles

©2014. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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News: Ireland’s children get a D minus for physical activity

35

National Learning Network: What is available to students who require additional supports?

36

Tourism at DIT

38

Airspeed: Bringing students to the forefront of the digital revolution

41

Mediascene: Putting new technology to work for students in today's busy classroom

42

Education and fieldwork opportunities at the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark

45

The School Tour Company: School tours with that personal touch included

47

Walk in My Shoes - A letter from Adam Clayton

49

Franciscan Missionaries of Mary

50

Reviews

Production Michael Farrell Publishers Ard Education Ltd. Tel: 01-8329246 Email: education@clubi.ie www.educationmagazine.ie Layout Real Issues, Drumhaldry, Moyne, Co. Longford 086-8986827 Printers Nicholson & Bass Ltd.

ISSN 0791-6161

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Vol. 27

Issue 2

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Education Reference Guide

Jack and Jill launch new Recycle and Rewards Campaign

SPEAK Ireland ● Understanding Electricity ● National Learning Network Young Europeans learning about Europe ● Asian Studies at UCC ● Reviews

The Qualifications Framework ■ Financial Support ■ Education Statistics Cyberbullying - making it up as we go along ■ Travelling with an Irish Qualification

Reference ■ Briefings ■ Listings ■ Calendars

www.educationmagazine.ie

EDUCATION 3

Topflight

Topflight for schools T

OPFLIGHT has been voted Best Ski Operator 19 years in a row, Best Ski Operator in Northern Ireland 11 years in a row and more recently, Best Long Haul Tour Operator. We feel secure in our claim to be the very best!

Our Managing Director, Marco Piccoli has worked in student group travel for 25 years and is as passionate as ever about delivering the best possible experience to our many long term and repeat clients. Our truly superb team at Topflight for Schools, will ensure that you are in safe hands when you book with us, as the many testimonies from happy customers show.

As Ireland’s foremost Ski for Schools Tour Operator, we offer Ski trips to exciting and carefully chosen resorts in Italy, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, France, Andorra, Norway, USA and Canada, in addition to our multi destination Educational, Hockey and Soccer programmes.

EDUCATIONAL TRIPS We offer superb Educational trips to a huge range of destinations, including Krakow, Berlin, Munich, Innsbruck, Rhineland, Cologne, the Castles of Bavaria, Prague, Budapest, Bratislava, Paris, Geneva, Barcelona, Iceland, New York, Montreal and Toronto among others and further afield, China, Japan, Vietnam, and Cambodia. We offer a bespoke service and can tailor make any itinerary to suit our clients’ needs.

Many optional tours, museums, matches, visits to Theme Parks etc can be pre booked by us. The world is your oyster!

As a specialist Sports Operator, we offer a wide variety of trips for the Soccer enthusiast. From an overnight trip to see your Premier or Scottish League heroes in action, to a Spanish or Italian League weekend, your adventure awaits.

Or you may like your players to learn new techniques from top club academy coaches or to participate in a tournament against competitive teams from around the world. Whatever your desire, you are sure you find your ideal package available with us.

We have a full and comprehensive Hockey Programme and for the second consecutive year, we are hosting the Schools’ Nations Tournament in the beautiful municipality of Brasschaat in Belgium during the October midterm break and it is also possible to take a trip there to Train and Play. We offer 4 day Train & Play Programmes, which can be tailor made, to Amsterdam, Holland and Catalunya in Spain, with some destinations offering

World Class Player Clinics as part of the package. We also offer Train & Play in Andalucia, Spain where along with our excellent Programme your team can visit the historic cities of Malaga, Granada or Gibraltar or the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Generalife or the Moorish citadel and palace, the Alhambra.

EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS We are dedicated to student safety and assess each component of a tour individually. All air, sea and land travel provided as part of a tour complies with regulations set down by the appropriate regulatory body.

We use a thorough auditing process to evaluate all accommodation we offer and copies of Risk Assessments relating to our coaching, accommodations and ski schools are available for inspection.

All travel is financially protected under regulatory bodies including CAR, ATOL and IATA, among others.

Our aim is always to exceed your expectations. Relax and know that we’ve got everything covered!

FIND OUT MORE Check us out at www.topflightforschools.ie EDUCATION 5

Young Europeans Learn About YOUR Europe R

EDUCED mobile phone roaming charges were highlighted as one of the key benefits of Ireland’s membership of the European Union for teenagers, according to members of Foróige, Ireland’s leading youth organisation.

The teens took on the challenge of explaining the benefits of EU membership from their own perspective and focussed on issues that have an impact on a young person's everyday life.

On top of roaming charges, other benefits they highlighted include educational opportunities, access to healthcare in other EU countries, gender equality, improved infrastructure and improved food quality.

EU CITIZENSHIP

The teenagers – who hail from all over Ireland; Dublin, Westmeath, Waterford, Kerry, Wicklow, Carlow, Cork and Galway - spent their free time over weekends and school holidays learning about the EU, and deciding what aspects benefitted them most in their daily lives. The result is a snappy, clear and concise video and education pack that highlight the benefits EU citizenship brings to the life a young European.

The group hopes that youth groups, schools, libraries, and anyone interested in learning more about the EU will find the video and education pack a useful first step in discovering the benefits of EU citizenship.

The video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/foroigechannel and the education pack is available at: www. foroige.ie/sites/default/files/eu_education_resource.pdf 6 EDUCATION

■ The Foróige team in EU House, Dublin on Europe Day 2014

Visit EU House with your class THE European Commission Representation in Ireland regularly hosts visits from primary and secondary schools and universities.

A typical visit lasts just over an hour and can include a presentation on the history and development of the European Union (please indicate at the time of booking any specific topics you would like us to cover), a DVD presentation, and a quiz based on students' knowledge of the EU. A visit to the European Commission Representation may be of particular interest to secondary school teachers of CSPE, Transition Year, Leaving Certificate History

or Business.

Students can learn about the European Union policies and institutions, the EU decision-making process and the impact of EU membership in Ireland. A wide range of publications and classroom materials are a v a i l a b l e f r e e o f c h a rg e f r o m t h e Representation.

Our office is located on Dawson Street in Dublin's city centre, within walking distance of Leinster House, the National Museum and the National Library.

To arrange a visit for your class email eu-ie-info-request@ec.europa.eu.

Join the fun during EU Code Week IT'S never been easier to make your own app thanks to opportunities to learn to code. It's a journey full of creative challenges, a supportive community, and tons of fun. Are you ready to accept the challenge and become a maker?

Join EU Code Week by organising a coding event in your school or community, or help us spread the vision of Code Week as an EU Code Week Ambassador! Code week will take place across Europe from 11-14 October 2014.

Basic coding skills will be needed for many jobs in the near future. More than 90% of professional occupations nowadays require some ICT competence. However, the number of graduates in computer science is not keeping pace with this demand for skills.

urging young people to get out and learn how to write computer code.

According to Julie: "We are interacting with computers, apps and games every single day. It is important that we learn how to code so that we can make technology work for us. Digital skills are becoming a necessity in every line of work. Learning to code gives us a better chance of seeing our great ideas come to life".

If you would like know more, or get involved, please contact Julie Cullen, Irish Ambassador for EU Code Week: @ cullej29 EU Code Week website: www.codeweek.eu Twitter: @codeWeekEU Hashtag: #codeEU Facebook: codeEU

VACANCIES IN ICT There are an estimated 4,000 open vacancies in Ireland in the ICT sector, despite high levels of unemployment. If we do not appropriately address this issue at a European and national level, we may face a shortage of up to 900,000 ICT professionals by 2020. The share of women choosing technical careers is also alarmingly low. Coding is a way to attract girls to choose tech careers.

Julie Cullen, a teacher in St Oliver's Community College in Drogheda, and the Irish Ambassador for EU Code Week, is

â– EU House, Dawson Street, Dublin

EDUCATION 7

Erasmus new opportunities

ERASMUS+ is the EU's new education, training, youth and sport programme worth €15 billion over the next seven years, with €19 million available in Ireland this year.

Primary and secondary schools in Ireland can take part in projects, activities and exchanges with schools in other Erasmus+ countries (the 28 EU Member States plus Iceland, Turkey, Norway, Liechtenstein and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

Primary and secondary schools across Ireland have benefited from different opportunities offered by Erasmus. St. Brigid's National School in Singland, Limerick, as well as Maynooth PostPrimary school have enjoyed the experience of hosting trainee teachers from other Erasmus programme countries, and appreciate the multi-cultural dimension they bring to the school, as well as the authentic language they can bring to the classroom and the school community.

INVALUABLE INSIGHTS

Schools can also partner, or become e-twins, with schools in other Erasmus+ countries for different educational activities, which can help both teachers and students gain invaluable insights into the culture, society and ways of learning in different countries.

Educators can avail of in-service training in special areas of interest to them, such as Language, Literacy, Digital Skills and Teaching Methodologies, opening up cutting edge educational practices and opportunities for exchanges of ideas with educators from all over Europe. According to one recent participant from Dublin: "The experience deepened my understanding of key issues, enhanced my own teaching, and provided me with excellent networking opportunities."

WORK PLACEMENTS Students in further and higher education, as well as graduates, will have the opportunity to study or undertake work placements in Erasmus+ programme 8 EDUCATION

countries, enhancing their chances in a competitive jobs market. As well as improving language skills, such experiences give students invaluable intercultural skills, self-confidence and adaptability which are highly sought after by employers.

Erasmus+ is a unique opportunity to learn about and experience other cultures,

while gaining valuable skills to enrich your professional life.

Get more information on Erasmus+ and other EU initiatives from the European Commission Representation in Ireland.

Drop into European Union House, 18 Dawson St., Dublin 2.

You can call us on 01 6341111.

Or check out: www.euireland.ie

9 per cent increase in Ireland's international student numbers IRELAND welcomed 6,277 students under the Erasmus programme in 2012/2013, an increase of 9% since 2011/2012, while 2,762 Irish students took advantage of the opportunity to study or train abroad during the same period.

The latest Erasmus statistics released by the European Commission also reveal: France was the most popular destination for Irish students; 589 out of the 2,762 chose to study there, followed by Spain (493), the UK (454), and Germany (329).

The French reciprocated the feelingthey are the biggest group of incoming students to Ireland (1,949), followed by German students (1,181) and Spanish students (967) under the Erasmus programme.

UCD, UCC and UL are among the top 100 Erasmus host universities: UCD hosted 605 students, UCC hosted 536, and UL hosted 450 students under the Erasmus programme in 2012/2013.

Ireland was the 14th most popular Erasmus destination, attracting 6,277 students from abroad, while 40,202 students chose to study or train in Spain, the top destination, under Erasmus partnerships.

J e s s i c a G o u g h , w h o h a i l s f ro m Dungarvan Co. Waterford, a former Erasmus student, and now an Ambassador for Erasmus in Ireland, said

of her experience abroad: "I wouldn't be where I am today without the placements I have had – they changed my perspective on both a professional and personal level".

Nearly 270,000 students - a new record - benefitted from EU grants to study or train abroad in 2012-2013.

While studying at another university continues to be the most popular choice, one in five students (55,000) opted for Erasmus job placements in companies.

Countries sending the highest number of students as a proportion of their graduate population were Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Finland, Latvia and Spain.

"For 27 years, Erasmus has enabled students to spend time abroad to broaden their horizons and improve their skills. The latest figures show that Erasmus is more popular than ever. Our new Erasmus+ programme will enable even more young people to study, train, work or volunteer abroad in the next seven years," said Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.

The statistics show that the average Erasmus grant, designed to cover part of the costs of living abroad and travel, was €272, a 9% increase on the previous year (€250).

The grant is topped up in some countries by national, regional or institutional funds.

Asian Studies at University College Cork

New faces in Asian Studies at UCC The new academic year sees new staff in post and new courses on offer in the School of Asian Studies at UCC

A

S the new academic year begins, the School of Asian Studies welcomes two new members of academic staff. Dr Kevin Cawley has been appointed to a permanent lectureship in Korean Studies, the first such post at an Irish university, and Dr Aike Rots of the University of Oslo joins the School in October 2014 as lecturer in Japanese Studies.

Dr Cawley’s appointment (he will continue to serve as Director of the Irish Institute of Korean Studies) enables the

10 EDUCATION

School to offer more teaching about Korea in both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, while additional funding from the Academy of Korean Studies has been secured to support the development of Korean-language provision at UCC. CONTEMPORARY KOREA Dr Cawley has published widely on Korea’s intellectual history and religious and philosophical traditions, as well as offering media commentary on contemporary

events in both North and South Korea. His links with Korean Universities will bring UCC students opportunities to spend a semester or an academic year studying in Korea at institutions like Pusan National University which offer teaching about Korea in English for international students, as well as advanced language training.

Dr Rots is a graduate of the University of Leiden, one of Europe’s most distinguished centres for Asian Studies, and has a background in the study of religion as

well as Japanese Studies. His research interests include religion in contemporary Japanese society, sacred spaces, environmental protection and cultural heritage, minorities and identity politics, and disaster recovery in the Tohoku area damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

He has also spent time in Vietnam, looking at the use of Japanese development aid there. UCC has offered Japanese language teaching for some years now, but Dr Rots will be our first full-time Japanologist, and will enable us to offer new modules on modern and contemporary Japan to students on the BA and MA in Asian Studies and across the university, as well as supervision for PhD students wishing to work on Japanese topics.

GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY As a number of graduates from the School’s first Springboard postgraduate programme in 2013-14 take up new jobs in or connected with Asia, 23 new recruits arrive to begin the 2014-15 course in Business, Language and Culture in East Asia. With a strong emphasis on graduate employability, this year’s course will include specialist training in business documentation for trading or investing in East Asia, as well as general language tuition.

The School is not neglecting China as it builds capacity in other areas of East Asia, and continues to play an important role facilitating Irish business links with China.

In May we joined UCC’s School of Food and Nutritional Sciences to organize a workshop, Growing China: Emerging Strategies for the Irish Agri-Food Sector, on the opportunities available for Irish business in the Chinese dairy industry, where the need for foreign expertise on food safety and traceability in the wake of various food quality scandals is driving a flurry of mergers and acquisitions and new joint ventures.

Speakers included the Chinese Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Mr Xu Jianguo, and Economic Attaché Mr Song Dayang, as well as Catherine Toolan of Aramark, sharing her company’s experience of catering for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, PM Group’s Trevor O’Regan, speakers from top law firms William Fry of Dublin and Jun He of Shanghai, and Breiffini Kennedy of Bord Bia. Following the success of this workshop, the School’s Emeritus Professor Deirdre Hunt is planning another one for 2015 on how Irish business can benefit from the boom in Chinese tourism.

FIND OUT MORE w: www.ucc.ie/en/asian/ t: 021-4902825 e: asianstudies@ucc.ie School of Asian Studies, 3rd Floor, O'Rahilly Building, University College Cork.

EDUCATION 11

UCC School of Asian Studies

Undergraduate courses for 2014-15 BA Chinese Studies This course aims to develop students’ understanding of the history, culture, economy, politics, religion and philosophy of China.

Chinese Studies can be taken over three years or as a four-year Chinese Studies Pathway, with the third year spent at a partner university in China

Taught-postgraduate courses for 2014-15:

MA or Higher Diploma Contemporary Chinese Culture and Business These courses are designed to equip students with knowledge of the Chinese language (Mandarin) and provide them with the expertise to work in a China-facing multi-cultural and BA Commerce International with international business environment in the future.

Chinese Studies This is a broadly based degree that combines Based at UCC for the first half year, students a range of business modules, the study of then go to China for further language training and a work placement with a Chinese organizaMandarin Chinese and courses on contemporary Chinese tion, before returning to UCC to complete their society, popular culture and media, politics and course. modern history to provide students with the necessary tools to work effectively in an inter- MA Asian Studies This one-year full-time course offers graduates national environment from the arts, humanities, social sciences, business, science and engineering an understanding BA Asian Studies This three-year course focuses on contemporary of Asian societies including culture, education, Asia. It begins with an overview of the entire social systems, politics, business and manageregion from the Middle East to the Far East, ment, as well as the opportunity to develop the including Asian diasporas worldwide. In subse- linguistic and intercultural skills necessary to quent years students choose modules from a work in or relate to Asia and Asian countries. variety of disciplines focusing on Asia and lan- It includes opportunities to experience living and working in Asian countries. guage options Contact Details: School of Asian Studies, O’Rahilly Building, UCC Tel: 021-4902825 Fax: 021-4903825 www.ucc.ie/calendar/arts/art025.html

eSkills -­‐ A Future in IT Competition

FIT (Fastrack to IT) is dedicated to encouraging not only the unemployed to upskill in the area of IT for better job prospects, but also to encourage young people to think about IT as a career. We are currently working in partnership with Microsoft on the Youth2Work initiative. Under this initiative we have already held several events throughout the country.

FIT are also part of a European wide campaign called eSkills for Jobs 2014. The focus of this campaign is twofold the first is to create awareness that although we are in the middle of a recession with high unemployment and with young people hardest hit there are a large number of jobs available in the IT sector. Figures for July 2014 show that the unemployment rate in Ireland was 11.5% however the rate for those under 25 stood at 25.1% (Eurostat news release euro indicators, August 2014). In many areas of the Technology sector companies cannot find staff to fill 1000’s of IT roles (there are approximately 7000 current job vacancies in the Irish IT Sector, FIT ICT Skills Audit due to be published October 2014). The second focus is to encourage young people to consider IT as a career choice going forward and to also try and address the gender imbalance in the industry.

This competition is designed to create an awareness of the IT industry in secondary school students as they are thinking about what they want to do once they finish school. We also want to encourage a conversation about the diversity of careers that fall under the IT umbrella from coding to statistics, games development, animation, digital marketing, ejournalism, ebusiness and many many more. By encouraging discussion we hope that students who were not considering IT will start to think about it as a possible career choice. We want teachers (primarily Career Guidance Teachers and IT Teachers) to help us start the discussion by encouraging students to fill in the online survey and get class discussions started. The results of the survey will be shared at a national and European level and hopefully influence policy going forward.

Log onto the FIT website at www.fit.ie and click the eSkills logo to start the discussion and fill in the survey.

Every completed survey is entered into a draw and one lucky student will win a Microsoft Surface Tablet The draw will take place on October 31st 2014. The winning student will be notified through their school.

One lucky student is in with a chance to win a Microsoft Surface Tablet

National Council for Exercise and Fitness (NCEF)

A professional qualification in fitness education

D

O you have an interest in health, fitness and physical activity? Are you energetic, motivated and eager to learn ? Would you like to help others lead healthy and active lifestyles?

If yes, then becoming a fitness instructor will give you the opportunity to work at what you love. Fitness instructors work in a variety of settings such as fitness centres, leisure clubs, gyms, community centres, hotels and cruise ships. Many fitness instructors set up their own businesses while others work part time or on a freelance basis.

The Certificate and Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF) offers a quality professional university accredited qualification. It is the only university accredited fitness instructor qualification in Ireland and it is placed at Level 6 on the National Qualification Framework and Level 5 on the European Qualification Framework. In addition to academic requirements the NCEF has completed the mapping of the Certificate in Exercise and Fitness (CEHF) Level 6 QQI/NFQ to European industry standards Exercise for Health Specialist EQF Level 5.

The Certificate is the primary course offered by the National Council for Exercise and Fitness (NCEF). The NCEF is an academic affiliate of the University of Limerick (UL) and it offers courses from Certificate to Degree level.

A VARIETY OF CLASSES The Certificate course provides education and training in such areas as fitness assessment, designing fitness programmes, step aerobics, body conditioning, resistance training and circuit training. Qualified fitness instructors can design individual fitn e s s programmes and teach a variety of classes.

The NCEF Head Office is based in UL and operates the CEHF

and HCEHF on campus. The NCEF also operates the CEHF in Cork and Waterford.

The Dublin courses are run by Motions Health & Fitness training and the Galway and Kilkenny courses are run by Maltings Training. Motions and Maltings are education and training organisations that have been part of the NCEF for over 25 years as industry based Certified Providers.

The Certificate course can be taken as a full time or part time course. For more information on the courses offered in each area please contact NCEF Head office, UL. On successful completion o f t h e C E H F, N C E F / U L graduates can begin working and they can also avail of an exciting range of further qualifications on the NCEF pathway.

This flexible learning pathway offers graduates the opportunity to progress at their own pace to a Higher Certificate, followed by a the Diploma in Exercise & Health Fitness (DEHF) culminating in the Bachelor of Science in Exercise & Health Fitness.

FIND OUT MORE For more information on the NCEF Flexible Learning Pathway go to www.ncefinfo.com Phone: 061 202829

Become a fitness instructor - Qualify with the Best

Certificate & Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness Statutory Award of the University of Limerick

Find us on FACEBOOK

Full and Part-Time Course Options Applications for grants must be made directly with SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) for HCEHF, DEHF and BSc courses

For details on the courses in Limerick, Cork and Waterford Contact: www.ncefinfo.com or phone 061202829

For details on the courses in Galway and Kilkenny Contact: www.maltingstraining.ie or phone 0578621216

For details on the courses in Dublin Contact: www.motions.ie or phone 087 2445205

EDUCATION 15

Shape a Future Courses:

Higher Certificate in Arts in Early Years Montessori Education - Part-Time (Level 6) BA in Montessori Education (Level 7) BA (Honours) in Montessori Education (Level 8)

Higher Diploma in Arts in Early Years Montessori Education (Level 8)

Go to www.snmci.ie Call 01-2806064 / 01-2300080 email: info@snmci.ie or visit us at 16 Adelaide Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin

PEOPLE’S COLLEGE For Adult Education 31 Parnell Square, Dublin 1

The People’s College for Adult Education organises adult education in a wide range of subjects for trade unionists, their families and the general public at very reasonable prices. Most are evening classes but Spanish, Yoga, Creative Writing and Publin Speaking are offered in the morning.

Courses offered include Creative Writing, Languages, Music & Art Appreciation, Yoga, Pilates, Painting, Photography, History and Genealogy.

The college also has a choir, debating society and a drama group.

For Prospectus send SAE (68c) to: People’s College Office. Available to collect from: 31 Parnell Square, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 & Central Library, Ilac Centre

ENROLMENTS AUTUMN 2014: Monday 8th to Thursday 11th September 2014 Time 5.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

----------------Monday 15th to Friday 19th & Monday 22nd to Thursday 25th September 2014 Time 12 noon to 5 p.m.

VENUE: PEOPLE’S COLLEGE, 31 PARNELL SQUARE, DUBLIN 1 POSTAL ENROLMENTS WELCOMED. For further Information:

Tel: 8735879 • Email: info@peoplescollege.ie www.peoplescollege.ie

Saint Nicholas College

Shape a future with Saint Nicholas Montessori College Ireland A

MONG the many colleges in Ireland offering teacher education, St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland (SNMCI) in Dún Laoghaire has been providing degree programmes in this discipline since 1984.

Dr. Maria Montessori, at the beginning of the twentieth century, based her child centred approach on careful observation of what children revealed about their developmental needs. While Montessori education in Ireland is synonymous with the preschool sector, it is not the full story.

There are a number of Montessori schools providing education up to the age of 12, with pupils then successfully transitioning into the post-primary schools. Indeed, there is one such school on the College’s campus in Dún Laoghaire.

BECOMING A ROLE MODEL:

Montessori Education shows that the child is best supported in a learning environment which meets all his/her needs in order to become a valued member of his/ her society. By placing children in multiaged groupings, each child is surrounded by role models a little more developed than him/her or becomes a role model for younger peers. Encouraged by this supportive environment, co-operation becomes the driving force.

SNMCI’S PROGRAMMES: SNMCI’s qualifications have stood the test of time and now, strengthened by accreditation from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), applicants can be assured of the quality of its programmes.

Each of the programmes continues SNMCI’s strong tradition of developing educators of the highest quality, who will serve and support children within all sectors of Irish Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) settings.

Details of all programmes and their location are available on the college’s website at www.snmci.ie.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: Graduates are also eligible for the higher incentivised ECCE scheme with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) as teachers in Montessori preschools or as Special Needs Assistants. A number opt to continue with their study and progress to Level 9 programmes in education, special education or other care, therapy, or education related programmes.

They may also progress to Higher Diplomas in Primary Education in Ireland, or to a Post-graduate Certificate in Education in the UK. Recent Government publications such as ‘Right from the Start’ point towards the need for a graduate-led workforce in early childhood education and care settings.

While this may take some time to achieve, a Saint Nicholas Montessori College qualification will be a distinct advantage as the ECCE sector strives towards professionalisation.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING Mindful of new regulation within early years’ settings, there is an increased demand to up-skill from many current practitioners in the sector. The College has recently revamped its Recognition of Prior Learning policy to respond to this chal-

lenge. We welcome enquiries from persons with other relevant qualifications and will see what exemptions from modules may be granted on its programmes, based on experiential and certified learning.

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COLLEGE: Looking back over the past year, it has been an exciting time for the College. It has acquired a dedicated premises in Cork at 52 South Mall, while it is seeking to expand its facilities in Dún Laoghaire. On top of that, applications for entry onto its Level 7 programme from September 2015 will be processed via the CAO system. These are all signs of a college which is very confident of its future and of the role its graduates will play in society.

But at the core of this, research has indicated that exposure to a programme with a strong pedagogical basis such as Montessori education in the first five years of life is highly advantageous to the child.

At the end of the day, that is what SNMCI is about – it is seeking to produce graduates who are confident, professional and ethical, but above all else, are equipped to positively shape the future of those children in their care.

FIND OUT MORE The College welcomes requests for more information - email info@snmci.ie.

EDUCATION 17

Department of

Computer Science & Information Systems

Why Study at CSIS?  A wide range of courses in digital and software disciplines  Excellent facilities  Dedicated and enthusiastic staff  Graduates are highly sought after by employers

LM023 BSc in Health Informatics

http://www.csis.ul.ie/course/LM023 Health Informatics is an intriguing and rewarding subject of growing importance. Increased emphasis and investment on the application of ICT in health care has given rise to the need for suitably qualified graduates in this sector.

LM051 BSc in Computer Systems

http://www.csis.ul.ie/course/LM051 Despite all the advances, software intensive systems continue to present many demanding challenges for the professionals who design, build, test and deploy them. The development of computer-based systems promises to be an exciting and indispensable career for the foreseeable future.

LM110 BSc in Computer Games Development http://www.csis.ul.ie/course/LM110

Computer games development is innovative and exciting from a technological and creative perspective, providing career opportunities for imaginative, logical, and energetic students.

What Is Unique About UL?  Scenic

riverside campus and European leaders in Cooperative Education  Outstanding sporting facilities  Pioneering

 Excellent

on-campus accommodation

 “UL

graduates enjoy an employment rate 8% higher than the national average for all other Irish graduates” Source: Higher Education Authority, 2010

LM113 BSc in Digital Media Design

http://www.csis.ul.ie/course/LM113 There is an increasing need for graduates with the ability to cross social and technical boundaries, in order to exploit the opportunities offered by computer technology in a range of industries and services such as recording, general media, broadcasting and education.

LM114 BSc in Music, Media and Performance Technology

http://www.csis.ul.ie/course/LM114 Develop the technical and creative skills required to be successful media practitioners in both the music and media industries.

www.csis.ul.ie

Understanding Electricity From Power Station to Playstation®

I

T is not easy to describe electricity – you can’t see it, hear it or smell it and you definitely should not be tasting or touching it! For science teachers, it is quite a challenging prospect to teach something so abstract. Electricity is always a challenge to demonstrate for a science teacher and difficult for pupils to visualise.

Electricity shapes and drives so many facets of our everyday lifestyles, yet its presence is both invisible and benign. In general, our young people live in a world free of power cuts and blackouts and we really only take notice of electricity when it’s not there, usually after weather related events.

SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS We in EirGrid, as the electricity system operator and the market operator of the whole island, feel that we are uniquely placed to support our teachers in delivering this part of the syllabus, so in 2012 we designed a schools science programme; Understanding Electricity - from Power Station to Play Station®.

This free interactive science show is based around a number of theories and experiments, such as the invention of the telegraph and Ohm’s Law, interspersed with historical facts and figures as well as

■ At the EirGrid’s schools science programme 'Understanding electricity - From Power Station to PlayStation' in the Balour Theater Ballybofey. Photo-Clive Wasson.

glimpses into the technologies of the future.

Students don’t realise their dependency on a well-run electricity system that delivers all of their living and leisure needs, from social media to beans on toast and everything in between. Every aspect of our lives is now determined by our connectivity, and this is entirely dependent on our electricity system.

TO DEMYSTIFY THE SUBJECT The shows are presented by a team of EirGrid staff members and the purpose of the programme is to demystify the subject by showing how it is applicable in their lives.

We have planned the shows to coincide with milestones in the academic calendar – Maths We e k , S c i e n c e We e k a n d Engineers week, as many schools plan trips at these times. We utilise the excellent

network of local theatres and art centres around the country, enabling us to go to school districts rather than the schools having to travel to the cities.

Attendees at the EirGrid Schools Science Show not only get to see the real world applications of electricity but they are encouraged to consider science, technology, engineering and maths as career options and our team is always available to talk about their own career paths to students after the shows.

COUNTRYWIDE Since 2012 we have delivered our science show to over 6,000 students in 14 venues across 13 counties both in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The 2014/2015 programme promises to be the most extensive yet, with seven dates countrywide that coincide with Maths Week, Science Week and Engineers Week.

All details are on our website, www.eirgridprojects.com or you can email schools@ eirgrid.com for any queries of feedback and allocations are given ion a first come, first served basis.

EDUCATION 21

Active learning through education and recreation A

T Castlecomer Discovery Park we believe we have a great story to tell, we’re enthusiastic about sharing our world with you. We offer a wide range of innovative and exciting student-centred educational activities for and strive to make learning fun for all.

Curriculum-based, active learning takes place in our extensive 80 acre woodland, by the lakes and river and also indoors in our interactive Footprints in Coal exhibition and dedicated education rooms.

Our Secondary School Programme reflects and compliments themes across Geography, Science (Biology), History, Business, LCVP, Transition Year and LCA. ECOLOGY FIELD STUDY

We offer a Junior and Leaving Certificate Ecology Field Study where students carry out a habitat study of the diverse plant and animal life in our woodland ecosystem using a selection of sampling techniques and methods.

We use Castlecomer Discovery Park as a social and community enterprise case-study for LCVP students, along with many other engaging and active education and recreational activities.

Other activities include: • Footprints in Coal Exhibition • Geology and the Rocks • Map Skills and Orienteering • Weather and Climate • Exploring Tourism • Team-Building Days Recreation: Create a memorable, actionpacked visit by combining educational and recreational activities. Exciting recreational activities include: Tree Top Adventure Course, Leap of Faith, Climbing Wall, Orienteering, Boating and Fishing.

NOT TOO FAR AWAY Wherever you are Castlecomer Discovery Park is not too far away!

• Kilkenny City – 20 minutes • Waterford City – 60 minutes • Newland Cross, Dublin – 70 minutes • Limerick City – 90 minutes • Athlone – 90 minutes

Find out more: www.discoverypark.ie/education-tours Contact our Education Officer Email: educationofficer@discoverypark.ie Tel: 056 4440707

Castlecomer Discovery Park, The Estate Yard, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.

EDUCATION 23

............................................................News

Funding for anti-bullying training for parents FUNDING of €55,000 is being provided to support the delivery of anti-bullying training sessions for parents in 2014. This is on top of the €60,000 announced earlier this year and brings the 2014 allocation to a total of €115,000.

The Anti-Bullying Parent Training Programme is being run jointly by the National Parents Council Primary (NPC-P) and the National Parents Council Post Primary (NPC-PP) to support the implementation of the Action Plan on Bullying which called for training and resources for parents and boards of management.

In 2013, funding of €60,000 supported the delivery of 105 anti-bullying parent training sessions to 3,279 parents nationwide.

It is expected that the funding in 2014 will allow more than 200 sessions to be organised throughout the country.

Feedback from the sessions organised to date has been very positive. Parents who attended the training sessions said that they felt that the training had given them more confidence in supporting their child with a bullying issue and in engaging with their school if a bullying incident arose.

The Parents Councils have also developed an information leaflet for parents who attend the sessions and these can be downloaded from their websites.

Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan T.D., commented, “I recognise the very high level of demand among parents for this type of training. Parents need the tools and know-how to support their children in preventing bullying from happening and in dealing with it when it does arise

An t-Ionad Glas - The Organic College

Organic food - sustainable growth CREATING a future for yourself and your children that is sustainable is becoming an important part in many of our lives.

All the experts agree that oil and gas prices are set to rise steeply in the coming years as demand starts to outstrip supply. For every one calorie of food we eat it has taken ten calories of oil to produce it.

You can gain the practical skills you need to be part of the organic local food revolution. You can learn: • How to grow delicious vegetables, fruit and herbs organically • The best organic ways to maximise the fertility of your soil • Skills to help you devel¬op commercial outlets for your organic produce • Practical sustainability skills to improve your local and global environment.

• How to care for bees and produce local health giving honey.

Courses; Full-time, Part-time or by Distance Learning An t-Ionad Glas - The Organic College has over twenty years experience in developing and delivering practical courses in this area. We work with the best organic producers in Ireland.

The courses are nationally certified by • Quality Qualifications Ireland Q.Q.I. Level 5 certificate in Horticulture (a one year course equivalent to university entrance level that is internationally recognized) or • The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association I.O.F.G.A. and Q.Q.I. towards a Diploma in Organic Enterprise Level 6.

Learn the co-operative way!

In the tradition of Dromcollogher, the learning experience is team based and co-operative. Students spend half of their time doing practical work either in the college gardens or on work place¬ment with an experienced organic grower, as the college firmly believes that 'doing' is the best way to learn.

Places are strictly limited - so contact the college now for details and application forms. www.organiccollege.com or phone 063 83604.

An t-Ionad Glas The Organic College

Dromcollogher, Co Limerick

A CAREER IN ORGANIC GROWING WITH SUSTAINABLE LIVING SKILLS & BEEKEEPING DIPLOMA IN ORGANIC ENTERPRISE STUDENTS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR PLC & VTOS GRANTS FULL TIME- PART TIME AND DISTANCE LEARNING OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

Your Future Taking care of your health, the environment and creating quality, local, organic produce for growing market is a key to recovery in the present crisis and to making a meaningful career in the challenging years ahead.

Learn with us co-operatively and put yourself at the centre of the local and global food revolution. There is nothing more satisfying than putting your garden or farm to sustainable use and producing delicious food to share.

Facilities of the college include Field–scale Vegetable, Herb & Flower Gardens, Polytunnels, Native Tree Nursery, Heritage Apple Orchard, Apiary & Permaculture area. We also offer work placements with the best organic growers in Ireland.

All courses are FETAC/QQI level 5 & 6 Accredited.

Courses are suited to school leavers and mature students.

“Quality Courses that don’t cost the Earth” For enquiries & application forms contact Maria or Kathleen at 063 83604 or oifig@organiccollege.com

EDUCATION 25

Speak Ireland

Triggering the spark of curiosity S

PEAK organises extra-curricular family events, workshops and activities for children of high academic ability, children who are in the top 5 per cent, or 95th percentile, based on the annual Drumcondra, SIGMA-T or MICRA-T standardised tests.

Whilst many of these children love school and the learning environment, there are others who might not thrive in such a surroundings and it is difficult in a mixed ability classroom to provide the extra stimulation and attention required to maintain interest.

ACADEMIC NEEDS

There are universities with programmes in place specifically for children of high academic ability, such as the DCU CTYI programme, out of which SPEAK was formed as a parent group.

SPEAK developed, however, as a more local, family oriented voluntary group, helping the family as a whole to meet up and understand the complexities of parenting children with academic needs that fall outside the remit of Special Needs.

26 EDUCATION

By Joanna Pearman "As a parent attending SPEAK events with my son, I have come away satisfied that my son has been introduced to masses of information from experts and enthusiasts that have left him with a desire to explore the topic areas further. The talks have also provided me with enough information to assist my son in his research.

"The group has opened my eyes to many different opportunities and supports, advising where to look for information and guided me in topic areas for my son. The support and the understanding from the other parents is invaluable. Thanks to all who organised it." Offaly Mum ENCOURAGING INTERACTION What SPEAK provides is a safe, social environment for children of similar ability and their families, into which different topics are introduced. The events are informal, encouraging interaction between the children and the speakers, all of whom are

invited based on their enthusiasm for a subject, that they may trigger a spark of curiosity in the children.

SPEAK works closely with clubs and groups such as Midlands Astronomy Club who regularly provide astronomy evenings and lectures.

GUEST SPEAKERS Other guest speakers have included Alan Early, author of the Arthur Quinn Trilogy, Heidi Higgins – Fashion Designer, Kirstin Dingerkus of Giorria for a bio-diversity day; Rory Golden – the only Irish diver to have dived to The Titanic and more recently, over the Summer, Space Camp Ireland 2014 which had workshops in rocketry, skysketcher, TCD I-Lofar sun spots and chemistry and mechanical and electrical engineering.

SPEAK is not an elite club but an opportunity for children to get together socially whilst developing extra-curricular interests.

FIND OUT MORE w: speakireland.ie e: speakmidlands@gmail.com

The origins of Speak Ireland OUR first Coffee Morning meet up was in November 2012, initiated through GTNetworks mailing list. We all felt the relief in meeting with other parents who all seemed to have exactly the same issues and concerns.

Suddenly we were able to speak about our children and their talents without being labelled pushy parents, or eyes rolling skyward with the here we go again face or the total incomprehension that the child may prefer books or maths to GAA and soccer. All of us had in some way or another experienced similar situations, including bullying, switching off/dumbing down and changing schools.

The monthly Coffee Mornings continued until we had vented to exhaustion, with new faces calling in but always with a similar list of issues. With children from Jr Infants to Jr Cert represented issues encountered in both Primary and Secondary schools were brought to the table. Underlying all of our concerns seemed to be a feeling that our children needed further, extra-curricular stimulation and socialisation.

One thing we all agreed on was not to become an advocacy group but rather get involved in voluntary activities supporting our childrens outside school interests. Time constraints meant we wanted to be productive in the immediacy.

DECISION So, we decided to do something for our children now, with the idea of organising stimulating activities, getting our children and their families together to share an educational/informative event in a social environment.

Brainstorming for relevant contacts, our first event, a biodiversity day was a huge success and gave us a very solid foundation on which to build. Within one month we had a schedule of events for the next 6 months and interest and support has built up that we are regularly adding events to our schedule.

EVENTS Our events are aimed at families, a parent must attend with their child but other family members are also welcome once the child is 5yrs or older. The events are informal, facilitating interaction between the children and the speakers.

We continue to develop a network of contacts - professionals, hobbyists and enthusiasts - who come along to give presentations on their field of interest. Our invited speakers are doing it for their own love of the subject because it's their personal, infectious enthusiasm we'd like to spread!

COSTS It is a non-profit operation with the goal of keeping costs to parents minimal, charging a nominal fee, with a maximum family charge, to cover costs for speakers. Our events are aimed at families so siblings and parents are welcome.

We are introducing Elders Evenings, evenings for the primary school children organised and hosted by secondary school-ers on subjects of their own choosing.

PROGRESS As word of our activities spreads and interest gathers, we have been able to approach event organisers, such as the Atlantic Corridor, with a view to inclusion and consideration of SPEAK in their events. Athlone Institute of Technology have provided an ideal central venue for the Midlands area and have been very supportive to us in the provision of such facilities.

EDUCATION 27

Learning technology

21st century learning has reached CBS Thurles I

N June, CBS Thurles held their very first deployment of iPads with the help of Wriggle. The ‘Digital Schoolbags’ were delivered to 110 very excited first year students who waited patiently to receive their Wriggle bag in their brand new school environment.

This has been a long process and a big decision for Principal Tiernan O’Donnell who approached Wriggle almost two years ago about the 1:1 mobile learning programme. However it is evident that Mr O’Donnell is very passionate about education and trusts that mobile technology is the way forward for his students: “The move to mobile devices and eBooks is one that we are greatly looking forward to. These students were born into the digital world and they will work in a world we can not even imagine”.

LEARNING FROM AN iPAD Wriggle is not only there to support the principal, teachers, and students they are also there for the parents. Prior to the deployment day the school held parents evenings and invited Wriggle along to talk about what the 1:1 mobile programme is and the benefits that it has.

Understandably, some were anxious about the decision and how they were going to monitor their son’s activity and also how they were going to adapt to learning from an iPad rather than a traditional textbook. This is why Wriggle will be visiting the school again to follow up with the parents to train them and answer any additional questions they may have.

“Parents will receive training so they will have an understanding of what their child is doing. They will also receive a monthly letter to keep them up to date with things”.

WHAT WE DO

28 EDUCATION

It’s such an exciting time for these students and you could feel this great atmosphere in the school as the boys got to grips with their new iPads.

A DIGITAL WORLD Today’s students will be graduating into a world that is very different from the one into which their parents graduated.

Students must be challenged and supported to master content as well as develop the skills often referred to as “21st Century Skills”. These include: creativity and innovation skills, critical thinking and problem solving, strong communication and collaboration skills, technology literacy skills, civic and cross-cultural skills, and the productivity and leadership skills which will enable them to be responsible, self-directed learners and employees.

Wriggle has developed a 1:1 mobile learning programme that is grounded in

academic research and practical experience.

Academic research tells us that the use of technology in education needs three key elements to succeed: Technology: Affordable, reliable and easy-to-use devices.

Content: Engaging and effective content that matches and compliments the school curriculum.

Pedagogy: The art of teaching; that teachers are skilled and confident to use these tools to their full benefit.

Wriggle combines these three elements to make the 1:1 mobile learning programme. If you would like to start your mobile learning journey, contact us today on 01 5009060 or email info@wriggle.ie.

FIND OUT MORE www.wriggle.ie

..................................................................................................................................News

Ireland’s children get a D minus for physical activity A NEW international scale of children’s physical activity levels has graded Ireland with a D minus.

According to data from all over the island of Ireland, only between 12% and 43% of children do enough physical activity.

The Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Youth is a means of collating all data related to children’s physical activity levels in a particular country and ‘grading’ the evidence using a grading system just like a school report card, i.e. A to F. Dr Deirdre Harrington, a Lecturer in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Health, from the University of Leicester (UK), and formerly of the University of Limerick, has chaired a group of 11 other researchers from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland that has developed the Report Card for Ireland in consultation with key stakeholders.

Dr Harrington added: “Children are natural movers but there is concern that children across the globe are not as active as they should be.

“There are many behaviours (TV view-

ing, sport participation, active transportation, active play and doing PE) and settings (the home, the school, the community and the built environment and government investment and policy) that are known to influence how active children are. We have called these ‘indicators related to children’s physical activity’.”

Dr. Harrington stressed: “Monitoring how these indicators change over time is important. This first Report Card in Ireland will act as a baseline for surveillance of physical activity promotion efforts and to ensure that any changes are captured.”

THE GRADES Ireland sits in the middle of the other countries involved in the Global Matrix of Report Card grades and Dr Harrington said that “Ireland is neither leading nor lagging on how supportive we are as a country to children’s physical activity.

“There are some things we do well and we need to keep momentum up. But there are also many gaps, including the development, launch and implementation of a National Physical Activity Plan that is adequately funded.”

In relation to the ten indicators graded in Ireland, key grades included: 1. Overall Physical Activity Levels D minus 2. Organised Sport Participation C minus 3. Physical Education - D minus 4. Active Play - Inconclusive 5. Active Transportation - D 6. Sedentary Behaviour (TV viewing) C minus 7. Home (support from family) Inconclusive 8. School (extra-curricular sport) C minus 9. Community and the Built Environment (perceptions) - B 10. Government (strategies and investments) - Inconclusive Active Play, support for physical activity from the Home setting and Government strategies and investments were given an inconclusive grade as data or a clear benchmark do not currently exist.

A number of recommendations and gaps were also highlighted including the absence of a systematic surveillance system for monitoring children’s activity levels.

EDUCATION 31

Let the environment

replenish

We all depend on clean soil to cultivate our gardens and grow our own food. One third of all the food we buy goes in the bin and half of biodegradable waste generated in Ireland goes into We all cleanbysoil cultivate grow food landfills.

Youdepend can make aon difference onlyto buying food youour need,gardens compostingand unavoidable waste at home and where possible by growing your own fruit and vegetables.

our own food. One third of all the food we buy goes in the bin To and find out more Ireland’s resourcewaste use and waste prevention how yougoes can help our half ofabout biodegradable generated inand Ireland into environment replenish, check out the EPA’s guides to stopping food waste, accessible at landfills. www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs

You can make a difference by only buying food you need, composting unavoidable food waste at home and where possible by growing your own fruit and vegetables.

To find out more about Ireland’s resource use and waste prevention and how you can help our environment replenish, check out the EPA’s guides to stopping food waste, accessible at www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs

..................................................................................................................................News

83% of Dublin students access social media at school DUBLIN students were reminded to submit their one page entry to the 51st BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition as the closing date of 1st October approaches.

BT made the call out to students and teachers to submit their entry as it released details of the social media habits of Irish secondary school students.

Over 1,000 individuals between the ages of 13 and 18 participated in the BT Young Scientist survey, which found that 83 per cent of students are accessing social media at school with 44 per cent of Dublin students accessing it between one and five

times in every school day.

When asked about the duration of the average single visit to social media sites, 2 per cent claim to spend just one minute with 25 per cent claim to spend between two and five minutes on social media per visit; 31 per cent admitted staying online between six and ten minutes per visit with 42 per cent of Dublin students spending more than ten minutes on social media sites per individual visit.

Further results found that 60 per cent of students in Dublin depend on social media and the internet to help with schoolwork,

while 72 per cenbt of students said they feel that social media has helped them to identify and connect with friends with similar interests.

T h e 2 0 1 5 B T Yo u n g S c i e n t i s t & Technology Exhibition will take place in the RDS, Dublin from 7th -10th January 2015.

There are over 120 awards to be won including the prestigious BT Young Scientist & Technologist of the Year.

The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is organised by BT Ireland. For more on the exhibition and how to enter, log onto www.btyoungscientist.com.

World’s first Online Radio Journalism course launched THE Irish Academy of Public Relations launched the world’s first Diploma in Online Radio Journalism in September.

The course is designed by Norman Jack, a renowned broadcaster in his native Canada, with over 30 year’s experience. He started his career as a parliamentary correspondent for The Canadian Press and is currently presenting and editing the Morning News on CFRA Radio in Ottawa.

He has used his expertise to design the Online Radio Journalism course for The Irish Academy of Public Relations.

In this course, students will explore all the tools necessary to launch a career in radio journalism, whether as a full-time radio reporter, a freelancer, or as a correspondent. They will learn how to write for radio news, how to conduct interviews, and discover how to train their voices for broadcast. The course reviews radio production methods and techniques, and teaches students how to use the technology. As part of the course, each student will create an audio package for radio news which will be broadcast on Dublin City fm on the AM and FM wavelengths, and webcast around the world.

"103.2 Dublin City fm is delighted to be partnering on this Online Radio Journalism Course. The station has been broadcasting for 22 years and is known for the diversity of its programming schedule which includes many multinational programmes," commented Mick Hanley, CEO of Dublin City fm.

Norman Jack added: "We want to ensure that our students receive a good grounding in all aspects of radio journalism. This course will prepare graduates for a career as a radio journalist, at a radio station newsroom, or as a freelance radio journalist".

Situated in the National Botanic Gardens Glasnevin the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture offers the following courses in Horticulture. This wonderful setting provides the unique blend of the fi nest park setting in the Capital coupled with the experience of the staff of the gardens and the Teagasc staff. All students can avail of work experience in the Botanic Gardens as well as on parks around the city and other placements further afield.

Botanic graduates are leaders in the field of Horticulture and develop clear career pathways. Careers in landscape design and construction, parks, garden centres and fruit and vegetable production are all followed by the graduates.

Teagasc are proud to have new state of the art classrooms and drawing studio to support the learning of the next generation of Horticulturalists in the National Botanic Gardens.

CAREERS AND COURSE INFORMATION DAY: Thursday 2nd October @ 2.00 to 4.00pm in the college. ● FETAC Level 5 Certificate in Horticulture ● FETAC Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Horticulture (Open to all holders of FETAC Common Awards Level 5 Horticulture) ● HETAC Level 7 Degree in Horticulture in Partnership with WIT (WD097) Details on all courses can be found at www.teagasc.ie/botanicgardens Telephone 01 8040201 or email: botanic.college@teagasc.ie Application for HETAC courses through CAO application process www.cao.ie

EDUCATION 33

National Learning Network

Life after school What is available to students who require additional supports?

I

T is ten years since the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 was signed into law. The Act acknowledges that persons with special educational needs have the same right to education as their peers without special needs. It aims to ensure that children with special educational needs will be enabled to leave school with the skills necessary to participate to the level of their ability in society, and to live independent lives.

Since the Act was introduced the number of students with special needs attending mainstream schools has been increasing year on year. In 2013 over 42,000 students who required educational supports received additional teaching in mainstream schools.

23,000 students with special educational needs, who also have significant care needs, accessed special needs assistant (SNA) support.

This raises the question: what further education options are available to these 65,000 + students who have sought extra assistance when they leave school? How will they cope when they leave the protective school environment?

HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION OPTIONS The structure of the CAO points system can be a barrier to higher education for many students. The competition for a limited number of places is fierce, not just for special needs students, but for mainstream students also.

There are, however, a limited number of places available to students with disabilities on the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE), both schemes offer college places at reduced points www. accesscollege.ie.

Next to the CAO route is the option of taking a 1 or 2 year Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course. A variety of courses are available nationwide and the criteria for entry is less rigorous. But can one be sure their specific educational needs will be met by these providers?

To date they don’t have intensive support services in place to support students with

specific learning needs, or the resources to provide individual action planning or one-to one support.

FURTHER EDUCATION SUPPORTING SPECIAL NEEDS National Learning Network (NLN) is a not-for-profit education provider which delivers FETAC certified courses through experienced tutors to small groups of students. NLN provides courses for early school leavers, students who have gone through illness or injury, students with Autism Spectrum Disorder or students who have a disability.

NLN employs a team of experienced tutors and specialists who are dedicated to progressing individuals with specific educational needs, so that they can meet the goals they set for themselves.

Before the student starts a course they are invited to meet with the tutor so that they can discuss any particular needs they have or specific issues with learning.

Together they develop an individualised learning plan which sets out the goals of the individual and the milestones they need to meet to achieve these goals.

FROM THE PROTECTED SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT TO A MORE INDEPENDENT LIFE NLN offers a practical helping hand to students, transitioning them from the protected school environment to a more independent, adult life through education and additional supports. Each student is encouraged to participate as part of a team, and they are also supported individually for any specific needs they might have.

Courses are flexible and students can

start a course at any time during the year due to the continuous intake policy. A range of courses are available including information technology, catering and culinary skills, business studies, computer design, horticulture, performing arts, retail, office skills, employability skills, sport and leisure management and employer based training.

NLN offer a range of specific supports to students on its courses. These could include learning supports such as an individualised learning plan, a dedicated key worker, support with learning including literacy and numeracy skills training, ICT basic skills training, job seeking skills training and support to find and apply for suitable further education and training options.

NLN also offers a holistic approach to learning and our individualised service allows students to be supported in all aspects of their lives throughout their training course. These could include ensuring a student is in appropriate accommodation, has access to the grants, allowances or training payment they are entitled to, has access to support agencies in their local area such as community or other medical supports.

NLN offers a range of learning options for it’s students including in-centre training, blended learning options to include learning in a training centre combined with training in a student’s local community and selfdirected learning at home, FIND OUT MORE To find out more about NLN’s courses, visit the website www.nln.ie or call us to discuss the options that we can provide for students: 1890 283 000.

EDUCATION 35

■ Árainn Mhór National School

Bringing students to the forefront of the digital revolution T

HIS year, for the first time ever, every primary and second level student across Ireland will have access to high speed broadband when they return to begin the new school year this autumn. The move is set to transform the education landscape in Ireland and will ensure that Irish children are at the forefront of the digital revolution.

AirSpeed Telecom, the leading provider of integrated licensed wireless with fibre telecommunications services to businesses in Ireland, is one of the key service providers for the initiative and the company has installed the required broadband service in hundreds of secondary and national schools across the country, including a range of

diverse geographical locations such as the Aran Islands and Tory Island.

This extensive digital initiative has been provided for under two separate Government schemes – the ‘Post Primary Schools Project’ and the primary level ‘Schools’ Broadband Access Programme’ – which were conceived to meet the Government’s ambition to establish Irish schools as world class centres of e-learning and to educate the next generation of

knowledge workers and digital entrepreneurs.

The Post Primary Schools Project, financed by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Department of Education and Skills and managed by HEAnet – Ireland’s National Education and Research Network, has resulted in the installation of a 100Mbps broadband service in every secondary school in Ireland, meaning these schools will have the same internet speeds currently utilised by high end national and multinational companies in Ireland. The high speed connectivity will allow for the quick upload and download of material, instant connection to websites and the increased and varied use of online applications, iPads and whiteboards.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

■ Liam O'Kelly, CEO, AirSpeed Telecom

38 EDUCATION

Tiernan O’Donnell, the Principal of CBS Thurles Secondary School, says the service installed in his school by AirSpeed Telecom will make a significant difference.

“The availability of high speed broadband will greatly enhance the learning experience for our students. As a school that has made the decision to bring in ebooks for first year pupils next year, we recognise the growing importance of equipping our next generation of school leavers with the technologies and skills needed to succeed in the digital economy.”

John Boland, HEAnet’s Chief Executive, says: “With the nationwide rollout of 100 Mbps broadband to all post-primary schools entering its final phase, schools are dependent on the programme to deliver high-speed and reliable connectivity to facilitate online learning and collaboration.

Connecting schools in remote locations, including island schools is a key objective of the project. HEAnet need a partner that can help us meet this challenge. Over the past number of years, AirSpeed Telecom has proven to not only be a strategic partner, but a reliable one.”

SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE To facilitate the primary school initiative, AirSpeed Telecom has installed a high speed symmetrical broadband service in a host of national schools nationwide. Financed by the Department of Education and managed by the PDST Technology in Education and HEAnet, one of the aims of the programme is to provide improved broadband services to primary schools that have previously ■ 1st year student at CBS Thurles Secondary School relied on poor quality DSL or satellite based connectivity.

The AirSpeed Telecom service is already live in Carraig a Bruis national school in Virginia, Co. Cavan and school principal Sinead O'Reilly says: "Services have improved dramatically and the internet is much faster as a result. It has given us greater access to materials and an ability to download educational videos and share them with the class more frequently as a result."

Kevin Caldwell, Outgoing Principal at Talamh Na Coille national school in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal says: “The AirSpeed Telecom service is much more reliable. We had all the latest tools in place and needed an improved broadband service to fully reap the benefits. We had previously installed interactive whiteboards in every classroom, and introduced iPad’s into lessons and the upgrade has been important in using them efficiently and more often in classes.”

KEY POLICY OBJECTIVE Eddie Ward, Principal Officer in the ICT Policy Unit in the Department of Education and Skills, says the access to high speed connectivity offers greater opportunities for online interaction and collaboration and will enhance the learning environment for everyone.

“We’re delighted to be working with AirSpeed Telecom in delivering improved broadband services to primary schools and in delivering 100Mb to all post primary schools by the end of this year. We expect that the improved connectivity will facilitate enhanced teaching and learning in our schools. The initiative is part of a key policy objective in the integration of ICT / digital technology in teaching and learning across the curriculum.”

EDUCATION 39

40 EDUCATION

ediascene Technology

Putting new technology to work for students in today's busy classroom M EDIA Scene Technology have been supplying schools and colleges in Ireland since 1997 with interactive Whiteboards, projectors, visualisers, Laptops, computers and all other IT needs. That is 17 years of reliable service which few education suppliers can claim.

Media Scene are the sole Irish Distributor for both the MiTouch Interactive LCD Screen and also the IQBoard touch sensitive and dry wipe interactive whiteboard. They are a specialist educational supplier having over 500 schools and colleges as customers.

INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS IN IRISH SCHOOLS Although Media Scene recommends IQBoard and MiTouch, they will provide any Interactive Whiteboard or Touchscreen that a school's research finds is best for their needs and the company has installed many different brands and work closely

with both Smartboard and Promethean.

The LED touchscreens have quickly taken over from the more traditional projector based systems in the UK and Ireland has been following suit over the past 2 years.

Feedback from the users...

“I cannot recommend highly enough. They are extremely competitive in their pricing and their service is second to none.”

“We’ve recently had 17 Interactive Whiteboards installed by Media Scene Technology in our school. The work was carried out on time, without upset and to a high standard. The whole process from the initial site visit to the installation and follow up inspection was very professionally done.”

“Very pleased with the quality of the boards and the efficient manner in which they were installed.”

“Found this company to be a top class professional outfit in dealings with us over 15 years” “One of the best ICT Providers I have ever used.”

“Delighted with the service that we received from Media Scene Technology and would have no hesitation in recommending…”

“The MiTouch screens have been a great success and greatly enhance the learning experience of our students..”

“We are up and running with the Mi-Touch. Delighted with our purchase.

It's better than we could have ever expected. Will be recommending it highly as I'm sure we'll be the envy of many a school.”

The Media Scene team will ensure the installation is carried out with utmost care and attention. Lifetime telephone and email support is provided free of charge.

INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS There are three main choices of Interactive Whiteboard solution and many different manufacturers. They are: (1) Infra red Hardware which is used in conjunction with your existing whiteboard or screen to create interactivity. This is the least expensive option.

(2) Touch Interactive Whiteboards. These are now very well priced and include IQBoard, Promethean and Smartboard.

(3) Interactive Touchscreens: These are like a huge iPad and have removed all the challenges of having a projector. Prices with MiTouch have dropped to a level where they are now the instrument of choice.

The Media Scene team can provide advice on which technology best suits the particular needs of a school.

FIND OUT MORE Media Scene Technology DMG House, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin.

Telephone: 01-2755800 Mobile: 087-2576094 Email: sales@mediascene.ie Web: www.mediascene.ie EDUCATION 41

Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark

Education and fieldwork opportunities at the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark

A

GEOPARK is an area with really special rocks and landscapes.

These may be special because they are good for education, or because they are of great scientific value.

They may also be special because the rocks and landscapes are very rare, or simply because they are exceptionally beautiful.

Geoparks aren’t just about rocks and landscapes though, they also include places that have important history and archaeology, fascinating plants and wildlife, and often intriguing folklore. After all, many of these are intimately linked with the ground beneath our feet.

ABOUT THE MARBLE ARCH CAVES GLOBAL GEOPARK United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) endorsed Geopark status was first awarded to the Marble Arch Caves and adjoining Cuilcagh Mountain Park in 2001 and since this time the Geopark has expanded rapidly from these two original sites.

In 2007 and 2008, the Geopark underwent two phases of expansion first into public access lands in west Fermanagh and secondly into west Cavan making the

Geopark not only one of the largest in the world but, also the first cross-border Geopark in the world. The Geopark now stretches from the northern shores of Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh to Lough Oughter in County Cavan. The Geopark is jointly managed by Fermanagh District Council and Cavan County Council.

EDUCATION AND FIELDWORK OPPORTUNITIES 1. Primary & Post-Primary The Geopark offers many environmental educational packages including site specific packages for both primary and post-primary school pupils. A number of workbooks and guided education programmes are on offer for primary and post-primary school pupils.

These are delivered at the Marble Arch Caves Visitor Centre, Cuilcagh Mountain Park or at the Cavan Burren Park. Key curriculum components covered focus on the topics of geology, biodiversity, archaeology and history.

Indeed, specific programmes can be tailored to suit individual needs upon request.

An Earth Science Education field Guide is available for Leaving Certificate and AS/A2 level Geography teachers. This is a self-led

study guide with information on sites to visit and the features of interest within them.

For primary school pupils Earth science workshops are organised as part of Science Week every March and November. Training courses are also offered for both primary and post-primary teachers in how to teach Earth science more effectively and these are typically delivered twice a year at the Marble Arch Caves Visitor’s Centre.

Education Activities and learning areas • Cave Tours • Woodland and Habitat studies • Vegetation Studies • Sustainable Tourism • Glacial Processes • Rock cycle and Resources • Sustainable living 2. Tertiary Education & Lifelong Learning The Geopark has produced a small booklet with information on areas of study within the Geopark. The Geopark employs a Geologist and Education Officer whom are both on hand to provide information prior to or during a visit. Where possible, programmes can be tailored to suit individual requests. A number of university accredited courses are offered within the Geopark.

Other Services Geopark staff members can carry out visits to schools and also organise special education events at various times throughout the year.

■ Educational activities on lower slopes of Cuilcagh Mountain

42 EDUCATION

FIND OUT MORE Further information please contact: Martina O'Neill Geopark Development Officer Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark 43 Marlbank Road, Legnabrocky, Florencecourt, Co.Fermanagh BT92 1EW. Tel: 028 6634 8855 (NI) Tel: 048 6634 8855 (RoI) E-mail:mac@fermanagh.gov.uk www.marblearchcavesgeopark.com

Marble Arch Caves Marble Arch Caves are one of Europe’s finest showcaves allowing visitors to explore a fascinating, natural underworld of rivers, winding passages and lofty chambers.

Lively and informative guides conduct tours past a bewildering variety of cave formations. Stalactites glisten above streamways and chambers, while fragile mineral veils and cascades of creamy calcite coat walls and create shimmering terraces.

Spectacular walkways allow easy access while powerful lighting reveals the stunning beauty and grandeur of the caves.

Electrically powered boats glide through huge caverns carrying visitors along a subterranean river. Tours last for 75 minutes and are suitable for people of any age and of average fitness.

Comfortable walking shoes and a warm sweater are recommended.

The Caves are open daily at 10.00am from mid/late March to September. The last tour of the day is at 4.30pm (5.00pm in July/August). It is advisable to telephone prior to your visit to ensure that you can be accommodated and to check the availability of guided tours as the caves can be effected by heavy rain.

Marble Arch Caves are located in a National Nature Reserve in the shadows of Cuilcagh Mountain and have coach and car parking, toilets and baby changing facilities, souvenir shop, restaurant, exhibition area, free audio-visual presentation and free WiFi. Education packages are available for school children and for those interested in lifelong learning. An events programme is delivered throughout the year.

Cuilcagh Mountain Park CUILCAGH Mountain and the Marlbank area provides some of the most spectacular scenery in Fermanagh.

At 665m, Cuilcagh is the highest point in Fermanagh, and the only true mountain. Its distinctive table-top profile is easily identified across the region and forms the focus of an area rich in geology, archaeology, folklore, flora and fauna. The mountain itself is topped by gritstone, exposed in places as dramatic cliffs sweeping down to the lower sandstone and shale slopes.

The middle slopes of Cuilcagh Mountain are covered with a thick layer of peat and form one of the best examples of a blanket bog ecosystem in the north of Ireland. The lower slopes of Cuilcagh Mountain are formed of limestone with its associated (karst) landforms and complex cave systems.

EDUCATION 43

The School Tour Company

School tours with that personal touch included T

HE School Tour Company was established in 2011 by Grainne Quinn who has over twenty years’ experience in the school tour industry. Grainne is personally committed to improving the service and value offered to schools and colleges throughout Ireland. Due to the success of The School Tour Company in the past three years, Grainne has also opened The School Tour Company Netherlands where she hopes to extend the fantastic product and service to our European counterparts.

Grainne feels: “school tours in Ireland need a personal touch.

Teachers do not want a corporate style service. They want to get to know the people they work with and who they trust to run their school tour with integrity and dedication”. Grainne continues in saying that “in post boom times, value is more important than ever. We offer our clients the best price for their tours while not compromising on the service or the product offered” THEY LOVE WHAT THEY DO

The School Tour Company now employs 18 people with likeminded attitudes and work ethic. They all love what they do and love working with teachers who give up their free time to give their students educational travel experiences.

Kim, who has worked with Grainne for over ten years, says “the satisfaction I get is when a group returns from a tour with amazing stories and experiences. When the group leader calls me telling me the students can’t stop talking about their tour and when can they get booking next years – I know I’ve done my job well and that makes me happy”.

The group leaders keep coming back to The School Tour Company, Mary Boissell from Willow Park School in Dublin is one of them. She says: “I have been travelling with Grainne and her team for many years now. I always get three quotes for my tours and not only is the service and attention to detail way better but I have found that consistently, price wise, The School Tour Company comes out on top. The tours are always handled by people who know the destination. I find I am able to go on the tour I want, not to fit into someone else's idea. When problems happen, as they will, there is always a friendly voice on the other end of the line. The name changes but the top service and attention to detail remain the same”.

TERRIFIC HOLIDAY Mary continues to comment on the fantastic Group Leader inspection Tours offered to everyone who books a tour – “Then when it is all over and we are back safe, we get a terrific holiday at a greatly reduced price. These trips are to places that I would not otherwise visit.”

Why not try The School Tour Company for yourself. To get a quote or simply to discuss some ideas, contact the team on 01 4825900 (or if calling from Northern Ireland 028 90689671) or email info@schooltour.ie.

FIND OUT MORE 1st Floor, D’Olier Chambers, D’Olier Street, Dublin 2.

ROI Tel: 01-4825900 NI Tel: 028-90689671 EDUCATION 45

Help raise awareness for mental health and stamp out the stigma

Sign your school up today!

Host a 'funky shoe' day and help us to raise funds to support vulnerable young adults in Ireland

To sign up or find out more go to www.walkinmyshoes.ie Share our free downloadable packs for teens and teachers EDUCATION

@walkinmyshoes.ie

A letter from Adam Clayton Dear Principal, One of the big problems which young people face is what to do when they feel bad, or depressed, and when they don’t know how to put words on their feelings, and don’t know who to turn to.

With your help, I would like to highlight the importance of mental health to young people in Ireland. I think we have a duty to care about anyone who is young and troubled; we have to be able to recognise the warning signs and try to respond to them not only with sympathy but with seriousness.

We need to create an environment where there is a will to listen and where there is real care available, and where these problems are seen as a natural part of growing up which affect some young people very deeply. We need to make sure than anyone with a problem feels free to talk about it. We need to make sure that help and support is always near.

Two years ago, a 16 year old said he wished his friends could put themselves in his shoes and understand what he was going through. ‘Walk in My Shoes’ began and is now a national awareness and fundraising initiative of St. Patrick’s Mental Health Foundation which changes the lives of many vulnerable young adults in Ireland by providing them with mental health services and support.

1 in 4 people in Ireland are expected to experience a mental health difficulty with 75% of mental health difficulties beginning before the age of 24. Education and early intervention is the key to helping our young people and now is the time to take action.

Together we can educate our young adults on how to look after their own mental health, how to recognise when a friend or a family member is not coping and where to go for help.

World Mental Health Day is approaching on Friday October 10th. I would like to personally invite you to join me this October to raise awareness, tackle the stigma attached to mental health difficulties and generate funds for ‘Walk in My Shoes’.

Ask staff and students to step out of their comfort zone by wearing funky shoes into school and donating just €2 each. Educate staff and students by downloading our free mental health packs on www.walkinmyshoes.ie .

Register your support today by calling Kate on 01 249 3596 or emailing info@walkinmyshoes.ie Together, we can make a real difference and put young vulnerable adults back on the road to recovery.

Yours sincerely,

__________________ Adam Clayton Ambassador ‘Walk in My Shoes’

EDUCATION 47

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48 EDUCATION

Franciscan Missionaries of Mary

Mission: Our Work or Our Life?

O

FTENTIMES when we think of mission we have images of hospitals, schools and colleges etc., and this is all part of mission. But the heart of mission is relationship. It is about being a sister or brother to others. This excerpt of an article by Sr. Mary Donlon FMM expresses this reality very clearly.

The FMM (Franciscan Missionaries of Mary) relationship with the Muslim Berber population of Morocco began in 1926 with the foundation at Medelt In the late 1960s, Sr. Cecile Prouvost (1921-1983), a nurse based at our dispensary became increasingly aware of the poverty and isolation of the nomadic families.

She expressed her desire to the Institute and to the local Bishop to found an FMM community among the nomads. Having secured a post as a nurse, Cecile spent the rest of her life living with the nomadic families (more than 500 at that time) and witnessed to her enduring solidarity for the poor. Cecile’s life project as a Franciscan of Mary (as we are known in Morocco) was the imitation of Mary, ‘whose body was the tent which sheltered Jesus, particularly through her meditation of the mystery of the Visitation. Mary, as the Mother of God, represents on the one hand that which utterly separates us from the faith of our

Muslim brothers and sisters but on the other hand, Mary, as mother of Jesus, venerated in the Qur’an is a bond of unity.

We as a community had a very profound experience of this unity on Christmas Eve, 2006. It is an established ‘tradition’ for us to prepare the crib on the morning of December 24th and the whole village comes to visit the crib during the afternoon.

In the evening we always invite one of the nomadic families in the nearby mountains to have supper with us to celebrate the feast of “Lalla Miryeme” (Lady Mary) as Christmas is called in Tatiouine.

Just at that time there was a problem between two families in the village and our neighbours suggested that it would be a good idea to invite both families to supper in the hope of reconciliation. Initially, everyone was very tense. Harsh words were exchanged almost reaching boiling point.

But after a visit to the crib by the father of one of the families, things became somehow calmer and conversation began to flow again. Cherif, another of our neighbours, began to tell the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as told in the Qur’an.

Short spontaneous prayers of praise and thanks followed when he finished. All present prayed with hands outstretched to Allah, the All Merciful and we three FMMs with the local priest responded by praying the Our Father in Arabic. When our neighbours left us just before midnight, we gathered around the crib to celebrate the Eucharist and give thanks for the ‘marvels the Lord works for us’ in the ‘house of Islam.’

FIND OUT MORE To learn more about our FMM missions please visit: www.fmm.org www.fmmii.org

■ A nomad’s tent in the heartland of Islam… (a title from a book by a French Franciscan who saw the nomad’s tent as a potent symbol for the Church’s presence among people of another faith.)

■ Sr. Mary outside FMM house

EDUCATION 49

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