Primary Computing January 1997
The sixth annual conference of the Computer Education Society of Ireland (CESI) took place at Tallaght RTC on 15/16 November 1996. Ministerfor Education Mrs. Niamh Bhreathnach opened the conference, and congratulated CESI for its work on IT at primary and post-primary levels. Mike Hallissy and John Hurley, originators of EdNet Ireland gave the opening presentation entitled 'Education and the Internet. This was followed by Tallaght RTC's Larry Mc Nutt, who gave a practical demonstration of lesson development using authoring software.
Presentations of practical interest to primary teachers on Saturday 16 November included:
History sites
on the Internet
A consideration of the potential of the Internet for teaching history,
with illustrations from sites relevant to Irish teachers. Speaker: Pat
Callan, Vice Principal, Malahide Community School
Special Education
at Primary Level
A look at some of the ways in which computers can be used to enhance and
support learning for pupils with learning difficulties. Speaker: Marty
Holland, Course Co-ordinator, Graduate Diploma in Remedial Education,
Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.
Science and IT
An introduction to measuring and data-gathering with a computer. How measurements
of temperature, pressure, sound, and light, can be made using a computer.
Speaker: Philip Matthews, Lecturer in Science Education, Trinity College
Dublin.
Primary Shareware
A demonstration of the best educational shareware titles (available
for the PC) for primary schools. Plus, Irish copyright-free clipart for
illustrating children's writing. Speaker: Robert 0' Leary, Sacred Heart
Sen. N.S., Killinarden, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
Communicating with other schools using the Internet
The place of telecoms in the curriculum. Speaker: Tomás 0 Briain,
St. Mark's Sen. N.S., Springfield, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
A look at tasks given to 5th class pupils, having given them basic knowledge about the capabilities of the software. The method employed was to set pupils tasks where they would have to make decisions for themselves in order to complete the given task. Speaker: Anthony Gubbins, Bruff, Co. Limerick.
Projects:
Globe, and Spice Islands
The involvement of one Irish primary school in both of these projects.
Speaker: Patrick D. Bates, Principal, Coolderry Central N.S., Birr, Co.
Offaly.
Music and IT (Acorn)
A look at two music programs (Beetles and Notate) for Acorn
computers, and their uses in the primary classroom. Speaker:
Patrick Carroll, Principal, Scoil Mhuire, Portroe, Nenagh, Co.
Tipperary.
The conference was well-attended, and took place in a cheerful, positive atmosphere. Atthefinal plenary session, Barry Murphy of Irish Tech Corps (see Primary Computing, October 1996) reported that to date, eleven Irish schools (5 secondary, 6 primary) have been supplied with computer equipment by the Irish Tech Corps.
Exhibitors at the conference included Glanmire Electronics -showing the latest Apple Computer hardware, and Diskovery (18 Lr. Liffey St. Dublin 1) who displayed their extensive range of educational software.
The booklet: Classroom
of the Future - A Guide to using the Internet in Irish Schools written
by Michael Hallissy and John Hurley, and published by Broadcom, was launched
at the conference. This booklet is free to Irish primary schools. (It
may also be viewed on-line at the EdNet Ireland Website). To obtain a
free copy, write to:
Broadcom Eireann,
Kestrel House,Clanwilliam Place,Dublin.
CESI National Executive 1995-6 :
Eddie Guilmartin,(Chairperson), Elizabeth Oldham(Vice chair),Gerry Hogan(Treasurer),Patrick
Bates,Sean
Close,Cyril Drury,Michael Farry,Leo Frost,Michael Hallissy,John Hurley,Luke
mac Auliffe,Gerry Morgan,Marion Morrin,Tomàs O Briain,Tomás
O Gormain,Robert O Leary.