NCTE (National Centre for Technology in Education)

Volume 10

March 2010

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Scoilnet St. Patrick's Day Theme Page

He banished snakes, he became our patron saint and we remember him on 17 March each year. Yes, it’s Saint Patrick. The Scoilnet St. Patrick's Day theme page contains Facts, Activities and Projects suitable for Primary Levels.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Webinars

Scoilnet.ie is pleased to announce that Encyclopaedia Britannica "webinars" are now available for Irish teachers. A webinar is an online seminar -- it lasts 45 minutes and offers you the chance to get a comprehensive overview of the features of Britannica Online's School Edition. You will also get ideas and tips on how you can integrate it into your daily classroom activities.

Spring Day 2010

Spring Day for Europe is an annual campaign to encourage debate, interaction and reflection on European themes. It aims to help teachers and students across Europe to exchange information, discuss and share opinions regarding European issues or simply learn more about other cultures.

Interactive Whiteboards: EuSCRIBE Questionnaire

EuSCRIBE are looking for as many practitioners as possible to fill out a questionnaire in relation to Interactive Whiteboards. EuSCRIBE is the European Schools and Classroom Research of Interactive Whiteboards in Education. The evidence collated will be analysed and the findings will form part of the final report in April 2010 looking to develop guidelines for the use of interactive whiteboards.

Scoilnet Project India 2010

Since 2004 Transition Year students from John Scottus School in Donnybrook, Ireland, along with some parents, friends and teachers have been travelling to India to help build schools in the villages of West Benghal. This blog publishes their experiences while they are in India.

MEDEA Awards 2010

Entries are now been accepted for the MEDEA Awards 2010! The MEDEA Awards competition is all about recognising, encouraging and rewarding excellence and creativity in media in education.

NCTE: FÍS

FÍS is an inter-related group of projects based on the power of digital storytelling.

NCTE: Continuing Professional Development

The new Spring Schedule of CPD courses is now available, and find out about the new ICT & Maths workshops.

NCTE: Scoilnet - World Book timelines

The World Book encyclopaedia through Scoilnet contains some very useful timelines.

NCTE: Innovate

A return to the NCCA - ICT Framework Sample Activities, information about Digital Video in Physical Education, and a link to ways educators are embracing social technology.

NCTE: Internet Safety

The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe, T.D., recently launched the Safer Internet Ireland Youth Advisory Panel (SIIYAP) to mark Safer Internet Day in Ireland.

ICT infrastructure Grant Scheme 2009 for Primary Schools (updated)

Get the most up-to-date information in relation to the Grant Scheme.

Competition News

- MEDEA Awards
- Scratch 2009/2010
- Safer Internet Day Competitions
- iWalk Dublin Podcasting Competition
- Awards of Science & Maths Excellence......and more!

International News

Information on e-Skills Week (including events in Ireland), the EU Commission Review on Social Networking and Xplora.org: Open call for Maths and Science teachers.

Technical News

Details about a website where you can download/install multiple programs at once, and information on upcoming webinars include Using Images in the Classroom and Using Audio and Video in the Classroom.

Useful Weblinks

Go interactive to teach and learn spoken Irish; get lesson plans and resources from Sustainable Energy Ireland; find love and TED at the Science Gallery; go back in time with British Pathé; find out about the CTYI Conference, take part in a Giftedkids webinar; and look for signs of spring with Greenwave.

CESI: DigiTeach

The first of CESI's Conference-related DigiTeach articles ('Online Apps for Super Short Videos and Slideshows') is now available on their website.

Minister O'Keefe and Des Bishop launch new website to teach Irish

The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD, today (Monday) launched an interactive website to improve teaching and learning of spoken Irish in post-primary schools in a move backed by popular comedian Des Bishop.

Free Online Seminars on Using Digital Content for Education

Dublin City University's Learning Innovation and Knowledge Research Centre is coordinating a series of FREE online seminars on using digital content for education. The seminars are delivered by leading international experts on digital content in education. Starting with "An Introduction to Open Educational Resources and Where to Find Them Online" by Neil Butcher (OER AFRICA) on 4 February 2010.

Scoilnet Primary Theme Page: Online Safety

A new theme page for Primary schools on Online Safety featuring links to resources for children and teachers.

European Language Label 2010

The European Language Label recognises creative and inventive ways to improve the quality of language teaching and learning. The annual award, which is coordinated by the European Commission, is managed in Ireland by Léargas.

NCTE: CPD - How to Access It

There are four different models of professional development in ICT available through the NCTE. All NCTE courses are fully funded for teachers attending. Courses are developed by NCTE, in conjunction with other educational partners and focus on both the skills required and the pedagogy involved in integrating ICT in learning and teaching.

Launch of Giftedkids.ie Pilot Series of Webinars

Beginning in January 2010 and running throughout the year, Giftedkids.ie is presenting a pilot series of 6 online webinars aimed at both parents and teachers. The running time for each webinar is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes and will provide participants with a bite sized introduction to each of the following topics with a Q&A session.

FIS BookClub Launched Free Video BookReview Project for Primary Schools

Legendary national broadcaster and book lover Gay Byrne joined with bestselling children's author Derek Landy to launch the FIS BookClub (www.fis.ie).

Other Newsletter items:

Scoilnet: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Further to media reports that Irish schools are being provided with inaccurate Encyclopaedia Britannica reference content concerning the Irish Civil War, the NCTE can confirm that the content being referred to is not published in the Online Schools Edition available to all 4,000 schools via Scoilnet.ie and the Schools Broadband Network.

Safer Internet Day 2010

The 7th Safer Internet Day was celebrated on 9th February 2010 in more than 60 countries across the world. This year the theme is "Think Before You Post".

Safer Internet Day Newsletter Special

A Safer Internet Day 2010 - NCTE email Newsletter Special was sent out to all subscribers recently.

NCTE: The eLearning Plan

This new section of the NCTE website contains a number of useful resources to assist schools in developing their e-Learning Plan.

NCTE: Technology Integration Initiative

Find out about the ICT infrastructure Grant Scheme 2009 for Primary Schools, ICT Grant Advice (Primary Schools), the Procurement Framework valid from November 2009 and the Inservice Seminars for Primary Principals

NCTE: IBM Kidsmart

Schools across the country have once again benefited from IBM’s continued commitment to education and innovative use of technology in education when they received Young Explorers™. This is IBM’s 10th successive year of the very successful and innovative KidSmart Early Learning Programme in Ireland.

Encyclopaedia Britannica now available through Scoilnet

Encyclopaedia Britannica small Encyclopaedia Britannica, a worldwide leader in reference, education and learning is now available through Scoilnet (www.scoilnet.ie) and the Schools Broadband Network. The encyclopaedia, which is normally only accessible following a substantial subscription, has been specifically licensed for educational use within Scoilnet.

Special Needs & ICT News

Information on:

a. Try-It

b. Media Literacy, Teaching and Learning and 21st Century Skills Conference.

c. Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS) computer aided courses.

NCTE is now on Twitter

NCTE is now on Twitter, informing teachers, principals, parents and ICT professionals of the latest news and updates regarding NCTE.

NCTE/Scoilnet: World Book

World Book, the renowned encyclopaedia and reference source is now available through Scoilnet and the Schools Broadband Network. The encyclopaedia which is normally only accessible following a substantial subscription fee is being offered to schools in Ireland free-of-charge.

NCTE: Twitter cleared on Schools Broadband

Twitter.com is being allowed on the Schools Broadband Network - on a trial basis. Scoilnet's Primary and Post Primary Twitter pages are being used to send out site updates as well as highlight the best use of ICT in learning and teaching.

New homepage for Imagebank.ie

NCTE has implemented a new homepage for Imagebank.ie. It involves a dynamic mosaic of 9 images that constantly rotate so that visitors instantly get a sense of the breadth of content available.

EuroCreator

The FIS Community and IADT in partnership with the NCTE are launching a brand new and very exciting project, which is designed for educators and young people. If you are working in a community environment, after schools based activity, within a school or simply just interested in learning how to create Digital Media, then this project is for you!

Scoilnet Webhosting-Blogging Service Update

The Scoilnet webhosting-blogging service provides both a website hosting and a blogging service for Primary and Post Primary schools. The Scoilnet blogging service allows schools to easily develop a school website or school blog and host it for free on the schools broadband network. The blogging service supports different types of content, including text, images, audio, including podcasts and video clips.

NCTE: RSS Feed

An RSS Feed has been created from the contents of the NCTE newsletter.

NCTE: Scoilnet Maps

The NCTE's web mapping website, Scoilnet Maps, provides a full range of maps that really excite learners – OSi maps, aerial photographs, world maps, country maps, and more. The Scoilnet Maps reference manual has recently been published and posted out to 1,300 registered users.

NCTE: I Am An Artist - Call for Artwork!

The primary school visual arts website, I AM AN ARTIST, has a gallery area where examples of students’ work are featured. We are always looking for new submissions and invite all primary school teachers to send in digital photos of children’s work to us.

NCTE: Digital Schools

Since its launch the Digital Schools Award has grown steadily. Nearly eighty schools have expressed an interest in becoming a digital school. Presently forty five schools have been awarded digital schools status and a further twenty five schools have registered and are at various stages of preparation. A number of developments have taken place recently which is expected to boost these figures.

NCTE: Broadband - Content Filtering

NCTE have an Adult Content Filtering Level which can be switched on for a couple of hours to facilitate Adult classes especially those educating parents on social networking sites such as Bebo.

NCTE: Schools Anti-Virus Information

Some of the main Anti-Virus suppliers have begun providing information to NCTE regarding Anti-Virus (AV) special pricing for first and second level schools. As updated information becomes available it will be made available on the NCTE website.

Scoilnet: Add logo to your school website

Why not download the logo and add it to your school website!

Scoilnet Star Site

The Schools Online section of Scoilnet has launched the Star Site icon. Schools that are named Star Site may display the icon which we hope will become a mark of distinction for school websites.

Reports on ICT in Schools Published

Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe, T.D., today (10 July, 2008) published two reports on ICT in Schools. Investing Effectively in Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2008-2013 is the Report of the Strategy Group appointed to advise on the priorities for investment in ICT in Schools having regard to the critical success factors for successful integration of ICT into learning and teaching. ICT in Schools reports on the evaluation of the impact of ICT on teaching and learning undertaken by the Department’s Inspectorate.