Digital skills workshop ‘Switch-On’ launched across 30 schools

8 May 2014

Ireland’s Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte, TD, has launched a series of national ‘Switch On’ digital skills workshops, the first being in the Monaghan Education Centre in Monaghan Town.

The 30 workshops’ focus are on how schools can take advantage of digital tools and online education resources to improve both the teaching and learning experience. Schools will be provided with information and case studies, as well as signposting to further resources to help them harness their full digital potential.

So far, six counties representing an enrolment of more than 14,000 students are participating in the initial ‘Switch-On’ workshops – the first of which are being held this month in the education centres in the northern counties of Donegal, Mayo and Monaghan.

Speaking at the ‘Switch-On’ launch in Monaghan, Rabbitte said, “The ‘Switch-On’ workshops are designed to build on our investment in fast, reliable connectivity by helping teachers to make optimum use of technology in the classroom. Even more crucially, we need to ensure that our teachers can seize the opportunities and are empowered to build the digital future in our schools.

“The forward-looking schools and teachers here today are looking to grasp those opportunities. Digital, used smartly, can be a real asset both in teaching as well as in efficient school administration.”

Digital schools image via Shutterstock

Colm Gorey
By Colm Gorey

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic. He joined in January 2014 and covered AI, IoT, science and anything that will get us to Mars quicker. When not trying to get his hands on the latest gaming release, he can be found lost in a sea of Wikipedia articles on obscure historic battles and countries that don't exist any more, or watching classic Simpsons episodes far too many times to count.

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