A secondary school on Inis Mór, one of Europe’s most westerly Atlantic islands, is embracing digital learning.
Students at Coláiste Naomh Éinne on Inis Mór have received their first digital schoolbags from Wriggle to bring them up to speed with their colleagues in other schools across Ireland.
Inis Mór is the largest of the Aran Islands and has a population of 840 people living in an area of 31 sq km.
‘With teaching and learning now, we have to examine all avenues, and digital devices give our students great confidence’
– MICHAEL O’CULAIN
Coláiste Naomh Éinne is the only secondary school on Inis Mór and provides full second-level education through the medium of Irish, under the umbrella of Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board.
The school prides itself on welcoming all who want to learn and develop, with the ethos ‘gach iarracht, gach cúnamh do gach duine’ meaning ‘every effort, every aid to every person’.
In this spirit, the school now joins Wriggle’s digital learning programme alongside more than 150 schools using 30,000 devices.
“With teaching and learning now, we have to examine all avenues, and digital devices give our students great confidence,” said principal Michael O’Culain.
“From day one, they are using the device to help research, create presentations and learn through educational games on the device. We do not want our students to be at a disadvantage and, by embracing technology, we see new ways that they can learn and have some responsibility for their own education.”
Digital transformation of Irish schools
Wriggle is a mobile learning initiative that enables schools to transform teaching and learning environments.
It provides mobile devices, access to digital textbooks and interactive content, professional development for teachers, comprehensive support, and expert advice on ICT planning for schools.
“Underlying Wriggle schools’ deployments are the key elements of technology, content and pedagogy, which together play an important part in addressing the digital divide,” said Beryl Furlong, managing director of Wriggle Learning.
“The coláiste is focused on developing digital skills and innovation, reaping the benefits of Wriggle 1:1 digital learning, which include interactive, up-to-date content to engage students and increase attainment; the ability to cater to different learning styles and rates of progression; greater collaboration; and instant feedback.”
