Clustering of schools to exchange materials, tools and practices

Hosted by , contributed by Kyriaki_Vakkou on 13 December 2022
Dimension:
Availability of ICT tools and applications
Connection with local/regional stakeholders
Stakeholders involved:
Technology providers
Educational providers
Main challenge:

Many schools in rural areas have limited access to broadband and are isolated from other schools. A school in Ireland with limited broadband attempted through clustering with other schools nationally to enhance digital teaching and learning and share practices with them.   

Action and initiatives:

The school participated in EU and “National Digital Clusters Schools of Excellence” (NDCSE) initiatives that funded rural schools through development programs. Specifically, the programs provided the opportunity for collaboration with private stakeholders to provide connectivity to the surrounding school community. These stakeholders provided, under GDPR and with the necessary Apps for web safe security, and in consultation with the teachers, hardware and specific connectivity/ numeracy/ literacy/ wellness software to the schools. In addition, the school participated in the national initiative “Schools of Excellence Digital Cluster” with the project entitled "Creative Problem Solving and Digital Education in 21st Century Teaching, Learning and Assessment". In the context of the project, schools of the cluster used new technologies in robotics and programming to facilitate student problem solving abilities and share their experience and materials.  As part of the NDCSE, full continuous professional development, with specific focus also on the project deliverables was provided to all teachers in all schools, throughout the initiative.

Main change/improvement/impact:

The main impact of participation was that the school acquired adequate broadband and hardware. Moreover, the project facilitated the development of students’ problem-solving skills and creativity, through the use of digital technologies, such as Beebots, Microbit circuit boards, Lego We Do, Izak9 Cubes, tablets and more. This project showcases how schools can share equipment with each other and collaborate to create a common learning material. Schools went to great lengths to ensure that there was a sharing of hardware and equipment every term. The ICT Digital teams and senior management teams facilitated this endeavor.

Already implemented by the following schools
No content available.