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Student
Computer Fair 1992 The fifth Annual Student Computer Fair
run by the Computer Education Society of Ireland (Dublin Branch) took
place at The Marino Insititue of Education, Dublin, on Saturday March
28th., 1992. |
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School Teacher(s)/Coordinator(s) Project Title(s) Bishop Galvin N.S.
Mr. Jimmy 0’ Dwyer
•Into Europe
Dalkey
School Project N.S. Mr. Mike Norris Global
Networks Glenageary, Co. Dubli Mount Anville N.S. Ms. Lisa Quinn The
Wizard’s Revenge Scoil Chaoimhfn Ms. Brid Siadhail Endangered Species Marlborough St. Dublin 1. Scoil San Carlo Mr. Kevin McLaughlin Super Golf Leixlip, Co. Kildare. Firoda National School Mr. Martin Fogarty Desktop Publishing Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny. St. Mark’s Senior N.S. Mr. Tom O Briain
GlobalConnections Tallaght, Dublin 24. Scoil Mhuire, Ms. Esther Lambe The
Park St. Mary’s N.S. Ms. Mary Cannon Castles
of Adventure Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Coolderry Central N.S. Mr. Patrick D. Bates Integrated Env. Studies Project St. Michael’s Boys’ N.S. Mr. Michael Farry Traffic Lights and Lighthouses |
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The
Student Computer Fair by Lisa Quinn, Chairperson, Dublin Branch, Computer Education Society of Ireland |
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Origin The Student Fair was inaugurated in 1998. In that year, Dublin celebrated
its millennium, and the Dublin Branch of the Computer Education Society
of Ireland (CESI) sought to mark the occsasion with a suitable event.
A number of options were considered, including the idea of a Student
Fair. This held particular appeal, since it involved students as well
as teachers in the celebration. Dublin Branch Committee went enthusiastically
to work and put many months of preparation and planning into organising
the event. One of the first tasks was to identify the guiding principles
which characterised that inaugural event and which contributed significantly
to the ethos of subsequent Student Fairs. Non-competitive From the beginning, two principles emerged as particularly important. Firstly,
the Fair would be non-competitive; every entry would receive a commorative
trophy. Secondly, the Fair would be open to all students (primary
and secondary) involved in some form of computer-based activity. In
this way, it was hoped to encourage participation
(ratherthan competition) and thus give students an opportunity
to exhibit educational work in a relaxed atmosphere. Rather than
a search for technical brilliance, the Fair was to be a celebration
of students’ enthusiasm and creative talents. Such a setting (it was
hoped) would expose students and teachers to a wide range of computer-based
activities, and encourage a sharing of ideas and expertise. The educational
merit of individual projects was to be determined by the teachers
involved. CategorieS Entries were invited in a broad range of categories: • using a software package • using an adventure game • interfacing projects • mathematical projects • musical projects • creating educational courseware • writing a software package • writing adventure games • writing action games • miscellaneous (Given the diversity of equipment and the ingenuity of students! teachers
in Irish schools, the last category was essential - lest anyone’s
creative talents lay outside the confines of the previous categories!) Millennium
Fair Finally, the great day ( Friday May
8th. 1988) arrived. Belvedere College had kindly agreed to host the
Millennium Student Fair, and approximately 60 exhibitors gathered
in the library of that college in the late afternoon. The Fair was
officially opened by the Lord Mayor, Carmencita Hederman, who added
to the exhibition by spending some time touring the exhibition and
speaking to each group of exhibitors. Each group’s effort was rewarded with a
trophy (sponsored by D.M.A. Computers Ltd.), and each participant received a certificate acknowledging his/her participation
in the Fair. The atmosphere was everything the committee had hoped
for, and more. The Student Computer Fair was well and truly launched
and, encouraged by the enthusiastic and positive response from all involved, became an annual
event. Development From 1989 to 1991, the Fair was also hosted by Belvedere College and held
in the spacious Sports Hall of that College. This allowed for the
expected element of growth from year to year. The Fair was held on
Saturday to give increased exhibition time and to allow increased
travelling time to the growing number of exhibitors from outside the
Dublin area. The Fair was officially opened by Professor J.V. Rice
(School of Education, TC.D) in 1989, by Mr. Michael Smith, Minister
of State for Science and Technology in 1990, and by Senator Joe 0’
Toole in 1991. The basic principles still held: primary and secondary
pupils were placed side by side, entries covered a broad range of
areas across the curriculum, and every effort received a reward. A
number of sponsors were involved at various stages and included: Apple Computers Ltd., Lendac Data Systems Ltd., Glanmire Electronics Ltd.,
CL., and System Dynamics Training Institute. D.M.A. Computers Ltd.
continued their sponsorship of the trophies. Rykov Award News of the Student Fair reached Dr. Vladimir Rykov of Moscow State University.
From 1990 onwards, the Rykov Award was given to a student or group
of students whose project demonstrated clever programming skills.
Students who wished to have their work considered for this award
submitted a disc and a program listing on the day of the Fair. Mr.
Mike Norris of the Computer Centre in U.C.D. acted as adjudicator,
and the Rykov Award was presented at a later date. NITEC also became
involved during this period, and demonstrated the facilities they
offer to schools (a growing number of schools join the NITEC network).
All involved with the Fair have happy memories of those events, and
this is due in large part to the staff and students of Belvedere College,
and in particular Mr. Michael Grehan, who afforded the committee every
help and facility. 1992 A major change occurred for the 1992 Student Fair. A permanent home (ideally
in an educational establishment) wassought. An approach was made tothe
Christian Brothers in The Marino Institute of Education, and met with
a favourable response. Facilities at The Institute were viewed, and
by late november 1991, the Study Hall in St. Joseph’s was selected
as the venue. Little did we realise then, that with the increase in
entries, the Fair had outgrown St. Joseph’s even before we got there!
By Friday 27th. March 1992, the logistical difficulties were already
clear: how to fit 172 students (plus teachers, parents, and guests)
and 44 projects (involving hardware, software and displays) into St.
Joseph’s. The Committe worked rather hard that night! Overload By 9.30 a.m. on Saturday March 28th., participants had begun to arrive.
Each group was allocated a space so as to integrate primary and secondary
pupils. This year there were 44 projects, 30 from Dublin, the remainder
from Kildare, Kilkenny, Meath, and Offaly. Projects spanned a wide
range of topics, from DTP by Senior Infants to sophisticated programming
by senior secondary students. By 11.00 a.m., most groups had arrived,
and the next headache surfaced: we were overloading the hall’s power
supply! The solution (rapidly arrived
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