ICT Policy

Plean Scoile ICT

Mission Statement

As well as being an important educational resource, the ability to use ICT effectively is a vital life skill in modern society. Our aim is to produce learners (pupils and teachers) who are confident and effective users of ICT. We strive to achieve this aim by:

· Helping all teachers and pupils to explore the learning resources provided by ICT
· Helping all children to use ICT with purpose and enjoyment
· Helping all children to develop the necessary skills to use ICT
· Helping children to become autonomous users of ICT
· Helping all children to evaluate the benefits of ICT and its impact on society
· Celebrating success in the use of ICT

Rationale

Why does our school require ICT?

1. To provide the best possible education for all our pupils
2. To provide a powerful and up to date teaching resource for all our teachers
3. To allow for more effective administration
4. To help provide more effective communication with parents
5. To prepare children for life in a technologically advanced workplace.

For what uses shall ICT be used?

1. School Administration
2. Research software, e.g. Britannica Online through ScoilNet
3. Drill and Practice software
4. Adventure games that stimulate higher order thinking skills and problem solving
5. Word Processing of children’s work
6. Research on the internet
7. Photographic and digital recording
8. Storage of Records of Achievement / Portfolio Assessment
9. Special Needs pupils

Advantages

1. The most up to date information may be accessed speedily
2. Presentation of work is greatly enhanced
3. Pupils with special needs are greatly empowered though use of ICT
4. The computer has endless patience when used for drill and practice applications
5. The computer can allow for individual differences, and can tailor programmes to the child’s progress
6. Children find computers a fascinating source of learning

Considerations

1. There are major financial implications in equipping a school with ICT
2. Curriculum overload is an ever present problem
3. Introduction of ICT to a school greatly increases the workload.
4. Teachers need to continually update their ICT skills
5. Technical and hardware problems can seriously disrupt a lessons progress.

Summary of School Audit

Current Infrastructure

In keeping with our mission, we perceive the computers being used as a tool of teaching and learning in each classroom; therefore we have supplied each classroom and the Learning Support Rooms with a PC. In total the school has 15 desktop computers. Each is running XP Pro except PC5, which uses XP Home as its operating system. All computers have AVG anti-virus software installed.

All computers are networked using a peer-to-peer network for file sharing and Internet purposes.

We use a broadband connection with a router for Internet Access and although the computers are networked we have no server.

The principal’s office and secretarys office are also equipped with a PC and a colour laser printer to which the schools networked computers are connected.

The school has 21 laptop computers and a charging trolley, as well as 2 digital cameras and data projector.

Each classroom and one learning support room has an Interactive whiteboard system as a teaching aid, complete with a teaching laptop, data projector, speaker system and a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Current Software Provision

The school has acquired a comprehensive library of computer software.

Current Usage of Facilities

Computers are used as a medium of teaching and learning in all the classrooms.

In certain classrooms usage includes pre-reading and early reading work; pre-number and early number work; mathematical application; development of thinking and problem solving skills; word processing; use of multimedia encyclopaedia and typing skills; internet work; communication; scanning and presentation of project work.

Gaelscoil Choráin Hardware Equipment

PC 1 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb RAM; DVD RW) PC2 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb RAM; DVD RW) Pc3 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb RAM; DVD RW) PC4 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb RAM; DVD RW) PC5 Dell (Pentium 4; 256mb RAM; DVD RW) PC6 PC Pro (Pentium 4; 384mb RAM: CDRW) PC8 Dell (Pentium 4; 256mb RAM; DVD RW) PC9 (PC Pro (Pentium 3; 256mb RAM; CD ROM) PC10 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb RAM; DVD RW) PC11 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb RAM; DVD RW) PC12 Dell optiplex 170L Pentium 4 512 mb RAMPC13 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb x 2 RAM; DVD RW) PC14 Dell (Pentium 4; 512mb RAM; DVD RW) PC15 PC Pro (Pent. 4; 632mb RAM; DVD & CDRW) PC16 Compaq (Pentium 2; 64mb RAM; CD ROM) 21 Laptops: Dell Inspiron 1300 1.5Ghz, 504MB RAMData Projector: Epson EMP S3 CAMERA 1 : Pentax Optio 33L ( 3.2 mega pixels) CAMERA 2: Canon G10 ( 14.7 mega pixels) SCANNER : Canon CanoScan LiDe 70

Gaelscoil Choráin Software Titles
BéarlaArthur’s BirthdayArthur’s Teacher TroubleHarry and the Haunted HouseI want to read.Jen plays tricks.Just Grandma and me.Maths, Reading and Writing.Now I’m reading.Stanley’s sticker stories.Storybook weaver deluxe.The tortoise and the hareWord SharkClicker 4Creative Writer 2Creative Writer & Fine ArtYoung Writers WorkshopEnglishWellington SquareThe Mega CollectionStairVikings. Interfact.Encyclopaedia of HistoryChronicle of the 20th Century75 Years of RadioRomansAr thóir na lochannachAncient GreeceThe Children of Lir.AztecsHistory of the WorldEverlasting VoicesRomansMy First Amazing History ExplorerThe Normans in IrelandIreland’s MillenniaMillenium Quiz MatamaiticMaths made Easy.Adding and SubtractingMighty Maths – number heroes.TablesCounting and SortingAll about the euroI love MathsMaths InvadersMaths made Easy 4Fraction Tasks. GranadaMoney go RoundMaths WorkshopMighty MathsNumber SharkTír EolaíochtWeatherRainforestsGeographyWhere in the world is Carmen Sandiego?Window of the Universe.The Children’s DictionaryChildren’s EncyclopaediaWho took the book?OceansMy First Amazing World ExplorerIrish GeographyFacts about IrelandResources for Irish Primary SchoolsEalaíonTarzan Print StudioKid Pix Studio GaeilgeAn Cheád Choiscéim ( 2 chóip)An Scríobhneoir ÓgFocail DraíochtaCormac & OrlaDrochlá RuairíFoghlaim Gaeilge!SeanfhocailDrochlá RuairíCéard é sinEolaíochtThe Ultimate Human BodyScience Explorer 26Science ExplorerEncyclopaedia of ScienceS.P.H.E.Fellowship of FreedomBe Safe on the FarmÓg & AostaRafikiTaighdeDinosaurWorld Book.1998 Multimedia EncyclopaediaDiscover a world of WonderComptons EncyclopaediaFraincísLearn FrenchI.C.T.The Computer ClassroomPractical Projects in the ClassroomGinearáltaAchmhainní Foghlama.Primary School Clipart

Teacher Training

The area of teacher training and upskilling is an ongoing priority and is considered very important in the school. Each teacher is individually responsible for doing courses to refresh and update their ICT skills.
Information on ICT courses organized locally, are distributed to all the staff.

ICT Co-Ordination

The school has a Special Duties Teacher, Caoimhín Ó Drisceoil, who holds responsibility for ICT as part of a designated schedule of responsibilities.

Access
Pupils and teachers have regular access to ICT. Currently a timetabling schedule of access for Rang 3 to Rang 6 is in operation.

File Sharing Practice
Children will not be permitted to save any files or unfinished work on the computers hard drives. This may be done on the teacher’s or the classroom’s external flash drives. This is to protect pupils from accessing each other’s information or schoolwork.

Special Needs
A computer is provided in the Learning Support Rooms, and Resource Rooms, as we recognise the potential of ICT to enhance the learning opportunities for pupils with special needs. Children with specific writing, reading and numeracy needs are using ICT to provide alternative and complementary educational experiences.

Exceptional Students
ICT is used in classrooms to challenge and extend the educational opportunities for pupils with above average attainment.

Maintenance
James Mulally of ‘MJ Technologies’ is currently our ICT maintenance contact.

Sustainability
It is our goal to establish an ICT infrastructure that is user friendly, and a level of competence and confidence among the staff, which will allow us to embrace ICT jut as effectively as other change has been embraced in the past

The Schools’ Goals Regarding ICT

Technology Integration and Projected Vision
Our original aim was to ensure that technology would be used to support the teaching and learning in all areas of the curriculum. This has been attained to some degree. Our next main objective is to provide a fully networked computer room of 30 computers. We will continue to expand and update our software library on an ongoing basis. The skills needed to develop I.T usage need to be expanded both with teaching staff and pupils so as to include the computer for project presentation, word processing, reference work, digital media presentation, information handling applications and research and to ensure it is more widely used throughout the school community.

Hardware Purchase
· Each class now has a Multimedia Computer with Internet access and a full Interactive whiteboard system.
· The Office has a central laser printer, to which all the networked computers are linked.
· All computers are networked.
· A scanner, 2 digital cameras and a data projector have been acquired.

Software Purchase
Software purchase is ongoing in order to develop a comprehensive software library.

Internet safety
An AUP policy is in operation with those pupils using the Internet.

School website
The school hosts a website at http://homepage.eircom.net/~scoil/

School newsletters and other news items are regularly added.
School policies that are relevant to parents may also be added to this site.