Digital Strategy for Schools

2. THEME 1: TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT USING ICT
In adopting ICT for teaching and learning the Department will ensure that information will be
accessible to all learners in line with requirements under the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities. The Convention emphasises;
• the obligation to ‘provide accessible information to persons with disabilities’ (Article.4);
• the need for ‘the design, development, production and distribution of accessible ICT’ (Article.9);
• the right to education ‘without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity’ for persons
with disabilities (Article.24).
ICT has the potential to support learners, whose first language is not English, to enhance their oral
and written literacy. In general, there is a recognition that digital technology has the potential to
create a more inclusive education system for all learners.
ICT is a principal enabler for children at risk of educational disadvantage, with low levels of
achievement in the formal education system. When it is appropriately embedded into an educational
setting, ICT can enable students to learn in new and exciting ways, encouraging their engagement
and making communication easier. Furthermore, there is evidence to indicate that the creative
application of ICT in education can allow students at risk of early school leaving to connect with
learning in new ways, resulting in improved motivation, attendance and application across subject
areas.
The Strategy recognises that ICT has the potential to enable parents/guardians to become more
actively involved in their children’s learning by engaging in conversations with teachers and by
accessing and commenting on students’ work. ICT can also offer new learning possibilities by
connecting with other schools.
DIGITAL CONTENT
The Strategy recognises that schools need to have access to a wide range of relevant, high-quality
digital content, which serves to support learners at all stages of our education system.
The Strategy will continue to promote Scoilnet - Ireland’s official education portal - and associated
sites as the national reference point for schools for high-quality digital content and the Arts
in Education Portal 35 as the national reference point for schools for a high standard of content
supporting digital arts in education.
There is now an opportunity for teachers, students and parents/guardians to reduce reliance
on textbooks and move in a planned way towards alternative forms of content that may include
teacher or student-generated resources. In this context, schools can use the Book Grant Scheme
to purchase a range of digital resources relevant to the curriculum. These may include student
subscriptions to online maths or reading programmes, school site licences or app downloads.
PDST TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
PDST Technology in Education (PDST-TiE) promotes and supports the integration of ICT in teaching
and learning in schools. PDST-TiE is part of the national support service, the Professional
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Arts in Education (http://www.artsineducation.ie)
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