Dissolving Boundaries Ms. Angela Rickard Programme Director Mr. Nigel Metcalfe Programme Coordinator GESCI North South Workshop April 21 st 2009

Overview Dissolving Boundaries programme Context & emphasis Programme structure & figures The technologies used in DB Impact of the programme Practical considerations

Dissolving Boundaries North/South* Educational Programme –Curricular knowledge –Mutual understanding –Personal and interpersonal skills –ICT skills Numbers of schools –1999/2000 (54) … 2008/2009 (173) Types of schools –Primary, Lower secondary & Special schools Teacher professional development & sustainability of ICT project work in schools

Context & emphasis Political: increased collaboration Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland (The Belfast Agreement) Educational: policy on ICT in schools Embed ICT in the curriculum: “Not so much concerned with the technology but with its educational potential” Constructivist model of learning: –Promoting ‘learning by doing’ and collaborative group work Contact hypothesis –“By accelerating certain types of contact between groups it is hoped that barriers and stereotypes are broken down and mutual understanding is promoted” Dixon (1997)

Programme structure & figures Jointly funded (DES; DENI) –Administration grant (planning, evaluation & training) –Video-conferencing (e.g. equipment & line rental) –Face-to-face meeting grant Joint administration & research team –School of Education, University of Ulster, Coleraine –Education Department NUI, Maynooth Recruitment of schools –30 new partnerships (60 schools) each year –15 Primary, 10 Post primary, 5 Special Infrastructural support –Classroom 2000 (C2K) –National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) –Education & library boards (NI), Education Centres (RoI)

Programme structure & figures Schools linked in one-to-one partnership –Individual, group to group and teacher to teacher –Conduct one or more curricular based projects in the year –Face to face meeting: added value for motivation and consolidation of work (for both teachers and pupils) –Planning and evaluation conferences; teacher online forum Locally based training provided 4500 pupils and 270 teachers Involved

Use Moodle forums 25,000+ messages since September Computer Conferencing Use of ICT 7 Visual Youthful Easy to navigate Flexible for admin. Video Conferencing Wikis Visual Youthful Easy to navigate Flexible for admin.

Increased Motivation Impact of the programme Pupil ICT Skills Sense of Responsibility Understanding of Others Collaborative Learning Communication Skills “It makes them more interested in what they’re doing – of that there is no doubt. It acts like a magnet to shape the pupils’ approach to the project.” Primary Teacher, NI. “Some are absolutely fantastic and are way ahead of me. They work with purpose whether word processing or on-line in Moodle.” Post Primary Teacher, RoI. “It’s fascinating to see special needs children speaking out in a group, and the child from a top group praising them. It’s great for their self esteem.” Special Needs Teacher, RoI. Teacher Development

Teacher comments on the impact of the programme

Overview Lessons Learnt Current Focus Research and Evaluation

Practical considerations Sustainability –Infrastructure: national broadband provision –Teacher professional development: with existing supports –Teacher goodwill and matching aims of the programme to curricular needs Assessment –Discrepancy skills development and formal assessment procedures Resources

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