At 365 Learning, through our own extensive experience leading schools around Ireland, we are committed to working with schools to ensure teachers and students have technology resources available that will enhance the learning experience and create more productive, collaborative learning communities. As the called out in the National Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, effective ICT integration in schools is a challenge.
“All too often schools are not clear as to what ICT integration looks like and therefore are unsure how they can achieve it”
Our priority is always ultimately to enhance great teaching practice. Through a tailored, strategic approach to technology integration across a school’s varied processes and stakeholders, we work with schools to ensure that technology is never implemented for the sake of it, but integrated effectively to allow for more meaningful teaching time, more productive subject planning, and more effective school management & administration.
The key pillars of our engagements with schools are a tailored strategic planning, educator led continued professional development, supported technology deployments and independent guidance.
Padraig Browne
With over 30 years experiences both the education and IT sectors, with a primary BSc degree, post-graduate Computer Studies Dip and M Ed., a career teaching (Physics, Maths, Computer Applications) and school management (Deputy Principal and Principal), I have the depth of knowledge required to understand how technology can make a huge impact to the daily management of any school. With this wealth of experience working with networks and systems, experienced in MIS and database development, I understand how important the correct deployment and support of any IT infrastructure within a school is.
It is with this experience that I oversee the setting up systems to facilitate and manage smooth transition from local servers to cloud-based services for data and applications thus reducing cost and problems associated with maintaining ‘local’ servers. I work hand-and-glove with colleagues to develop a ‘Teaching and Learning’ based framework to incorporate IT in a way which will ensure that schools are more productive and can concentrate as much time as possible on the number one priority, providing an environment in which every student can realise their potential.
Seamus Ryan
From my background as a post primary teacher, school principal and ETB Education Officer I have a acquired a comprehensive understanding of the transformative role of technology in education. For the past three years I have been working to bring IT solutions to both primary and post primary schools with the ultimate aim of enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. This work has built on my previous experience within a school and network of schools where we were seen as a global leader in the integration of technology in teaching and learning. Recognition of this came in the form of being one of the first ever Microsoft Innovative Schools awarded by the then CEO, Bill Gates in 2006.
The availability of free technology solutions today to schools alone does not bring the necessary changes to teaching and learning to harness these tools. Much of my time is now spent in a coaching role with school leaders and whole staff to realise the potential of these services and tools in their classrooms. To date this approach has proven very successful and we have created new models of CPD delivery to fit within the very congested teacher timetable and helped schools create a coherent framework for the use of technology across the school.
Tommy Maher
Tommy Maher has recently retired as Principal of Scoil Naomh Fiachra, a rural primary school in Kilkenny. He also served on the Management Committee of Kilkenny Education Centre, worked part time as an ICT Tutor with the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) and the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) and was part time lecturer with National University of Ireland, Maynooth on their Higher Diploma course “The Application of ICT in Education”.
Throughout his teaching career he led initiatives at local and national level to develop and promote ICT as an enabler for cross-curricular integration and constructivist learning in primary schools. In recognition of this work his school was selected as one of the first four schools in the Empowering Minds Project, which pioneered the use of control technology in primary classrooms. This initiative has since expanded to over 50 schools nationwide.
In 2007 he won the Microsoft World Innovative Teacher Award for Education Content with a project called “Don Quixote, Impossible Dreamers”, which employed robotics to integrate the curricular areas of Arts and Science. Subsequently Microsoft chose his school as one of its 30 worldwide Pathfinder Schools.
One of Tommy’s other interests is the teaching of history and he co-authored a “Time Traveller” (publ. C.J. Fallon Ltd.), a history series for primary schools. In 2013 he won the Best Concept Award at the Microsoft European Appathon Finals in London for a project designed to facilitate schools commemorating the historic period around the struggle for national independence.
Tommy believes that ICT, in the hands of innovative teachers, can promote collaborative and constructivist learning; can enable children to become active agents in their own learning and can help meet the needs of pupils with a range of ability levels and a diversity of needs and interests.
To speak with the team, please complete the contact form here.