The ACCS ICT Conference is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 21st September in the Mount Wolseley Hotel. We are delighted to welcome, Dr Michael Hallissy, H2 Learning and Deirdre Redmond, Project Officer, ICT Infrastructure, PDST Technology in Education, Community & Comprehensive school leaders, teachers, and students to the event. ACCS Data Protection & Legal Advisor, Hilary Treacy and, ACCS Director of Further Education Support Unit (FESU), Catherine O’Sullivan will also be available to support and advise on the day.

Agenda

9.30-10.00 Registration

10.00-10.40 Workshop 1

10.40-11.10 Tea/Coffee Break

11.10-12.30 Panel & Whole Group Discussion

12.30-1.45 Lunch

1.45-2.30 Workshop 2

2.30-3.00 Plenary session facilitated by ACCS ICT Sub-Committee Chairperson, Paul Thornton

3.00 Close of Conference, ACCS President, James Duignan 

While the panel discussion will explore the management of ICT and digital planning in schools its main focus will be on how the technology can enhance teaching and learning and support effective assessment and reporting. 

1.  Where does digital fit and in reality, what role should it play in our schools, post Covid?

2.  How can digital technology extend the walls of the classroom and what does this look like for the teachers and for ‘all’ learners?

3.  Have schools a role to play in developing the learner’s skill set for a digital life after school?

4.  ‘Blended learning' in formal education and training is the term used to describe when a school, educator or student takes more than one approach to the learning process. It can be a blend of school site and other physical environments (companies, training centres, distance learning, outdoor, cultural sites, etc.), or blending different learning tools that can be digital and non-digital. What might the “blended learning cookbook” for C&C schools look like? Why should we consider this as a worthwhile initiative?

The Workshops: (Participants can choose one workshop in the morning and one in the afternoon)

Morning Workshops 

Workshop 1:  Effective planning for the digital journey

Three different schools explore the Digital Strategy for Schools 2027 and how this strategy builds on the achievements in ICT and supports learning in their schools. The schools will share an example of a current Digital Learning Plan and will advise on how schools can align their DLP with the SSE principles and framework. 

Workshop 2: Using technology to enhance feedback in teaching and learning 

Using Digital Technology to Provide Effective Feedback

How schools use the various Office 365 applications to provide digital feedback
Enhancing social and emotional learning through digital feedback
Students from Kinsale Community School voice their opinion on the effectiveness of digital feedback
Workshop 3: GDPR and data protection online: A Case Study of one school’s experience of “hacking” 

How the hackers got in; how they carried out a fraud; how they were detected; how the school reacted and what they did once the hacking was discovered; what losses were suffered and what losses were avoided.

Afternoon Workshops 

Workshop 4: Adult Education – learning from blended learning strategies 

This workshop will explore the ADDIE model, a tool for designing blended learning courses which was used by Community and Comprehensive Schools during COVID. The model focuses on: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. A range of digital tools to support Blended Learning in Further / Adult Education will also be presented.

Workshop 5: Research on the use of mobile phones in class and effects on learning

The use of mobile phones within the school environment. Research on the use of mobile phones in class and effects on learning. The impact of smart phone usage on student learning, wellbeing, and engagement in schools. How are different policies effective, the pros and cons of using mobile phones within our schools.

Workshop 6: ‘Which Device?’  

The pros and cons, ins and outs, ups and downs of using iPads and other devices. Two schools’ stories, seven or more years on. 

Workshop 7:  ICT Infrastructure Planning

ICT Infrastructure to support your Digital Learning Plan
Digital devices for teachers and students, school networking/Wi-Fi, cloud platforms, projectors, and technical support options
Purchasing options, frameworks, and alternatives where suitable frameworks don't exist.
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Travel Information for participants travelling to the ICT Conference in Tullow and wish to avoid traffic which may be journeying to the ploughing championships in Laois on the same day.

For those traveling from the Southwest, it is best to travel through Waterford and then to travel up the M9 until junction 5 signposted Carlow and Tullow. You are about 15 minutes from Tullow after this junction.

·     For those traveling from the West and the Midlands, you are best to navigate to the M4/M7. If travelling from the M4 or the M6 you would come across Clane (R407) to pick up the M7 and the M9. Again, you travel to junction 4 of the M9 and you are approximately 15 minutes from Tullow.

·     For those who are coming from near the ploughing championships, you either direct yourself towards Kilkenny and on to Tullow from there or again travel to the M7 junction for The Curragh (R413) and Kildare Town and join the M9.

We hope that you will be able to join us for this exciting event. Schools who have yet to register, please do so on the ACCS Online Portal. To access the school portal, log on to https://www.accscloud.net or click on “ACCS portal” on the home page of www.accs.ie. You will require your Username (last 4 digits of the main school phone number) and Password and a math’s captcha to login. Please contact ACCS Head Office if you require assistance.

John Irwin,

General Secretary, ACCS