Abstracts & Bios.
Lorraine Hickey >
Digital Tools for Student-Centered Assessment
Presenting approaches to use digital tools and platforms that facilitate student-centered assessment practices, empowering students to demonstrate their learning through authentic, project-based assessments and reflective portfolios that can be adapted and used throughout a graduate’s career.
Lorraine Hickey – Lorraine is the TEL Support Officer at Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, co-ordinating provider of the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship. Supports teaching, learning and assessment in a branded Moodle site of HairApp.ie
Eugene McDonough >
Lessons learned from recent Digital Technology Infrastructure Audits
An Oide Digital Technology Infrastructure Audit (DTI) is a great way to evaluate your school infrastructure. During our recent DTI Audits in Primary and Secondary schools across the country we have found a number of common issues, a few unusual issues and some systems that defy all logic but worked. We would like to share the lessons learnt with you to help you improve your schools DTI.
Eugene McDonough – Eugene has been involved in the CoderDojo community since he co-founded CoderDojo Limerick in 2011 and started the DojoCon series of conferences in 2013. He returned from the CoderDojo Foundation to IT Systems in 2016 to support their Education client base across Ireland.
Gary Cullen & John Conaghan >
Delivering Computing Outreach Programmes for schools
An Oide Digital Technology Infrastructure Audit (DTI) is a great way to evaluate your school infrastruThe expansion of the Computing Outreach program in ATU Donegal, began around 2018 coinciding with the introduction of Leaving Certificate Computer Science (LCCS). Teachers, supported by programs like the Higher Diploma in Science in Computing for Educators, gained skills to teach LCCS. Donegal’s strong IT job market prompted local interest in the subject, allowing students to pursue tech careers without leaving the region. Recognising a gap between LCCS and university computing programs, educators developed a bespoke 3-year honours degree (BSc. in Computer Science) specifically tailored for LCCS graduates. The outreach programs, LCCS workshops, and online resources further supported schools delivering and students partaking in LCCS, leading to a higher adoption rate of LCCS in Donegal when compared to the national average and increased enrolment in computing programs at ATU Donegal. This initiative has transformed Donegal’s reputation from a “forgotten county” to a hub of IT education and employment. Outside of the main city hubs in Ireland, the northwest region has the largest number of jobs in IT in the country. Local graduates now find lucrative opportunities without needing to relocate, signalling a shift in the region’s economic landscape.
Gary Cullen and John Conaghan – Gary and John are both lecturers in the Department of Computing in Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Donegal. They have both been actively involved in coding and computing outreach initatives with local schools in the region. They head up the very successful VEX Robotics programme in the North West and are both programme coordinators on the HDip in Science in Computing for Educators programme in ATU Donegal. Teachers can get Teaching Council acreditation to teach Leaving Certificate Computer Science (LC CS) upon completion of this programme. They also run regular LCCS workshops for students and teachers in the North West region.
Sheila McDonald >
Integrating H5P and AI for increased learning engagement
Work smarter, not harder! Create brilliant interactive resources in a fraction of the time using a fusion of H5P and AI. The productivity power of AI creates desired outputs based on specific prompts. H5P provides refined packaging and interactivity that can be used on different platforms. Create uniquely tailored content for success by mastering complex concepts in a supportive and engaging environment. Combining H5P and AI for learning resources can accommodate diverse needs and provide motivation to overcome challenges, collaborate with peers while fostering autonomy and ownership of learning. By leveraging these tools effectively, educators can unlock the full potential of each learner, cultivating a culture of lifelong learning and empowerment.
Sheila McDonald – Sheila is the Blended Learning Support Officer at Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, co-ordinating provider of the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship. She creates innovative solutions towards maximising Moodle potential for learning and skills. X (formerly Twitter) https://twitter.com/sheilamcdonald
Bernie Goldbach >
Hands-on Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Hear first-hand experiences with the second generation of Meta Smart Glasses and then watch two pairs of Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses work in tandem before trying them yourself. The Ray-Bans can record audio, still imagery, and video for use online or in study materials. You will learn how to make five year old handsets work with the glasses after seeing samples of work students have completed with them during academic classes. The “Case Studies” user manual is a living Open Source document with an accompanying Flickr Photo Album. The glasses offer an interesting way to creatively transform traditional training into first person views of workflows and creative processes.
Bernie Goldbach – Bernie teaches creative media for business in several Honours Degree Programmes. He delivers a Level 9 Certificate in digital transformation and offers a short course in AI for Personal Productivity with Ireland’s Innovation Skillnet.
Glenn Strong & Ben North >
Bridging the Gap from Scratch to Python programming: teach and learn Python creating a Pytch game!
Pytch is a free web-based coding environment which extends Python with Scratch-style sprites and events. It has been successfully used to support Python teaching and learning in secondary schools and other settings. This workshop is aimed at computer science teachers and educators interested in exploring an engaging and successful way to introduce text-based programming to students. You will learn more about our system and resources and how they can be useful for you. During this workshop we will guide you through creating a simple game with Pytch while learning Python programming, showing how you can introduce Python to your students in a fun and interactive way. All you need is your own laptop. If you don’t have one don’t worry, you can work together with a colleague or friend or just follow the workshop with the presenter. We will finish the session by sharing a set of eight lesson plans and activities that participants can use with their students as an introduction to coding in TY or LC computer science.
Glenn Strong and Ben North – Pytch is a free web-based coding environment co-designed with teachers and students to help learners transition from block-based programming languages like Scratch to text-based programming languages like Python. The project also provides free teaching and learning resources including lesson plans and step-by-step tutorials for teachers and students. The Pytch project is funded by SFI and led by Glenn Strong in Trinity College Dublin, School of Computer Science, with partners in TU Dublin. It aims to make the blocks/text transition more accessible, engaging and intuitive, allowing learners to build on the skills they have developed in Scratch while gradually introducing them to Python syntax and concepts.
Alasdair Harris >
Writing AI prompts that work!
Using AI to optimise workflow and reduce workload, with a focus on writing prompts that get you what you want, particularly in language education and language support. Tools that can be used in the classroom to support teaching and learning.
Alastair Harris – Alasdair has been a secondary Teacher of German, French and Spanish for 15 years in the UK, has built multiple edtech platforms for language teaching, plus assessment platforms for developing countries. He has developed an AI platform for language teaching (lingoteach.ai) that reduces all preparation(!) to one minute. Have presented previously at the French Teachers Association Ireland, many online events and currently presenting as a speaker at an AI for MFL conference in Dubai. He has run many successful webinars on prompt writing and workflow optimisation. He loves to revisit the Irish teaching community!
Stephen Bolger >
Using VR / AR to engage learners on Sustainability
Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR) is rapidly gaining traction as a transformative tool in education, offering immersive and interactive learning experiences that engage students in ways that can give a fresh take on traditional methods. Over the past 3 years, The Digital Academy for the Sustainable Built Environment (DASBE) has created a variety of VR / AR tools that help engage learners in regards to sustainability. The 3 primary projects focused on : Defects in Traditional Buildings Exploring Heat Pump & PV Assessing Wall Energy Efficiency with Mixed Reality. This presentation will showcase the various projects and lightly touch upon our experience using this emerging technology.
Stephen Bolger – Stephen is currently the primary XR Developer, creating virtual and augmented reality applications as part of the DASBE team. With a background in Game Art & Design, he is hands on in all parts of the production pipeline. Stephen is passionate about pushing boundaries in XR and leveraging emerging technologies to redefine immersive training.
Nitin Gambhir >
Learning to Code : The Moral Way
Today, Artificial Intelligence is affecting our lives in such unique ways which we could not even imagine 2 years back and this is deeply concerning. It is rightly said, “as machines and robots get better and better at being machines and robots, we humans have to get better at being human”. The human traits and skills that we intend to develop in our kids include: Problem-solving, Creativity, Communication, Global Impact and the most important being Moral-values. The workshop aims to teach how to code a Mobile-app in a moral story driven game-play. The workshop would include several offline unplugged games and online activities including coding a mobile app based on the moral story.
Nitin Gambhir – Nitin is a Mentor, Teacher, Engineer & Tech Enthusiast as well as Director at STEM Education Metaverse. With over 20 years of industry experience and a passion for teaching, on the path to enriching STEM education for the entire K-12 through learn-by-doing experiences & making it accessible across socio-economic and gender divides. Organically transformed from a competent professional into a self-taught Entrepreneur (co-founded and scaled two ed-tech ventures), while successfully teaching fulltime for the last 5 years. Personally coached 5000+ students through a guided exploration into the world of digital literacy. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-gambhir-582a3519/
Colm Bannon & Aoife Flanagan >
Demystifying AI – Understanding and Embracing AI for Creativity in Education
This interactive workshop aims to inspire primary school teachers to unlock the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their classrooms. We will delve into the principles of AI and discover its practical applications and significance in education. This workshop features demonstrations and hands-on activities, offering the opportunity to explore the basics of AI while dispelling common misconceptions. Participants will explore firsthand how AI can enhance teaching and learning in the primary school context. From machine learning to generative AI, we will lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding as well as look at some cross curricular practical examples that will hope to inspire the use of AI to enhance teachers’ practice.
Colm Bannon and Aoife Flanagan – Colm and Aoife are Oide Professional Learning Leaders (Primary Digital Technologies).
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Natasha Kiely >
Introduction to Python
In this workshop participants will be introduced to the basics of the Python programming language. This workshop is suitable for teachers who are interested in finding out and exploring programming languages supporting the introduction of Computer Science and Coding at all levels of post primary school. If your school is considering offering the Leaving Certificate Computer Science curriculum or moving from block based programming to text based programming then this workshop is for you.
Natasha Kiely – Natasha is a lecturer in the Information Technology Department of the Technological University of the Shannon. She has worked extensively with local schools for more than 20 years, both informally and formally through funded research projects, facilitating the integration of technology and the introduction of computer science in primary, secondary and further education classrooms. She is undertaking PhD research through the School of Education in University College Dublin.