Address by Minister Ahern at the Launch of the ‘21^st Century Learning day’ at Dunshaughlin Community College, 19 March 2008

Ladies and Gentlemen and Students,

I’m delighted to be here today to launch 21^st Century Learning day at Dunshaughlin Community College, one of only twelve schools worldwide invited to be part of Microsoft’s Innovative Schools programme. I am glad to see so many teachers and students here over the school Easter holidays. Getting students into school over any holiday period is an innovation in itself!

As Minister for Innovation Policy, I’ve learned that much of innovation is led by demand and I think schools are no different. Most of the students here, and no doubt several of the teachers, have grown up with the internet.

It’s only natural that, as they spend much of their free time on sites like Bebo and You-tube, that they should expect more than chalk, blackboards and book-based learning when they come to school.

Though this college has been integrating IT into its educational curriculum for about a decade now, and it’s association with Microsoft goes back to 2000, it was just over a year ago, in January 2007, that Dunshaughlin Community College made it through a rigorous selection process to become an elite ‘School of the Future’ as part of Microsoft’s Innovative Schools Programme. This partnership with Microsoft has enabled the college to integrate technology into every classroom, with an emphasis on putting technology into the hands of the students themselves, with broadband and data projectors in every classroom since 2003, and, more recently, Tablet PCs for every student. I’m particularly interested to see how this school has integrated so many functions into one technology platform – an achievement that would require most companies’ decent sized IT department and staff to accomplish.

Teachers too are learning new skills and it is encouraging to see them responding to these challenges. I’m impressed with the enthusiasm they have shown here in endorsing new technologies and learning methods, very different from those some of you might have learned back in your teacher training days! I note that Tommy Maher, a Kilkenny Principal, won an award at Microsoft‘s Worldwide Innovative Teacher’s Forum in Helsinki last October, demonstrating an ability to think ‘outside the box’ in his approach to educating his students. I’m sure this change to a more dynamic workplace for teaching staff will be both worthwhile and rewarding for staff and students alike.

I’m glad to see this college has become a model for schools throughout the country. Secondary-school students nationwide can already thank Dunshaughlin Community College for the widespread introduction of the ‘Truancy Call’ software for tracking student absences, although perhaps not every student would agree!

The Government has already invested approximately €200 million since the late Nineties in the ICT in Schools Programme. The Programme for Government sets out our commitment to implementing a new comprehensive Schools' ICT Strategy.

This strategy will be underpinned by the investment of €252m in the National Development Plan 2007-2013. The Programme outlines how the new strategy will deal with developing an e-Learning culture in schools that will ensure that ICT usage is embedded in teaching and learning across the curriculum, teacher professional development, the maintenance of a national broadband network for schools, the upgrading and renewal of hardware along with the provision of software and digital content for learning. The planned investment will also address maintenance and support requirements.

My colleague Mary Hanafin T.D., Minister for Education and Science, who was here with you last September, appointed a Strategy Planning Group to advise on the prioritisation of measures under the planned investment over the period of the NDP. The Strategy Group has reported to the Minister who will be launching the Report, along with an Implementation Strategy shortly. It is good to see that your former Principal and Meath VEC Education Officer, Seamus Ryan is part of the Strategy Group overseeing this fund and advising on priorities.

The two recent priorities under the ICT in Schools Programme have been networking and broadband. Already virtually every school in the country now has its own broadband internet connection as a result of investment in the Schools Broadband Access Programme. The existence of a school network enables multi-user access to the Internet and facilitates the sharing of software resources and the shared use of peripherals. The development of internal networking facilities in schools, is critical to supporting schools' full exploitation of the potential offered by broadband connectivity, and the efficient use of computer software. Having regard to the Department’s intention to provide broadband connectivity to schools, schools were asked in July 2004 to submit development proposals setting out their local networking needs and requirements. Networking grants totalling some €23.5m have since issued to schools, emphasising the importance of schools having a fully integrated system allowing maximum communication both within the school and with the wider world.

The Schools Broadband Access Programme is being undertaken in partnership with industry. The broadband connectivity is being provided via a Schools National Broadband Network supported by HEAnet, which provides managed Internet access, security controls, content filtering and other services designed to enhance the educational process. A Broadband Support Service Desk has also been established to assist schools with advice and information relating to the roll-out and ongoing use of their broadband connectivity within the schools network. To date 99% of schools have had their connectivity installed.

I welcome the commitment to innovation by both students and teachers here in Dunshaughlin, and am aware of the broader role innovation can play in schools through events such as the Young Scientist of the Year, Science Week and, of course, the Student Enterprise Awards, where I believe congratulations are due to the Mini Carpenters, who will be going forward to the National Finals in Tullamore in May. Of course, it is also vital that we continue to integrate the concept of innovation into the syllabus through business, science and ICT teaching.

The existing education system in Ireland has served us well for a long time, and Ireland can be justly proud of our international reputation as a well-educated people. But if we are to make a successful transition to a knowledge economy, we must surely transform our schools as well.

Dunshaughlin Community College demonstrates how well this can be done, with technological innovation, not for its own sake, but to create an innovative learning environment that truly engages its students.

Finally, I’d like to thank your Principal, Padraic Browne, for inviting me here today and to commend him, and his predecessor and current Education Officer for Meath VEC, Seamus Ryan, for helping create this remarkable example for Irish schools to follow.

May I wish you well for the future.

ENDS/IP36