Google Ireland joins local schools to ease transition to digital learning
Google Ireland has partnered with six primary and post primary schools located in Ringsend and the surrounding community to address the challenges of transitioning to digital learning necessitated by Covid-19.
The Local Education Task Force was established to develop several initiatives for local students, including creation of pilot projects supporting digital skills development for students, parents and teachers while helping to protect students’ digital wellbeing.
Google Ireland collaborated with the National College of Ireland, +Kinia, the education charity, and Webwise, the Irish Internet Safety Awareness Centre on the scheme.
The pilot projects include:
- Online Safety Parent programme – hosted by Barnardos, This webinar provided practical tips for parents to help them keep their children safe and resilient online.
- Digital and STEM Support Programme – hosted by Kinia, this is a pilot, tailor-made programme for teachers and students, to ensure the local schools progress to the next level with their digital teaching and learning, and to give students access to future-focused skills.
- Digital Outreach Programme for students and families – hosted by the Early Learning Initiative (ELI), from the National College of Ireland, this is a bespoke Community Family Learning Programme for families in the Ringsend and Pearse Street areas, which aims to address the digital divide and support children’s STEM learning.
The taskforce also worked with Webwise to extend its Student Ambassador Training programme to the area. The Safer Internet Day Ambassador Programme is a peer-to-peer youth programme that gives students an opportunity to start an online safety campaign in their own school.
The Local Education Task Force commenced work on these projects in 2021. Already, six students from two local post primary schools, Ringsend College and Marian College, have completed the Student Ambassador programme have received awards to recognise their achievements. Six other students currently completing the programme also received recognition awards.
“The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated our transition to digital learning and the need to build more digital skills,” said Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science Simon Harris. “We know that there will be increasing demand for digital skills to support our growing economy, so I want to commend those involved in the Task Force helping today’s students develop these skills. We need to ensure we enable students to do this in a safer digital world and so I’m happy to see this addressed in some of the projects the Task Force is implementing.”
“I am delighted to be here today to recognise the important work of the Local Education Task Force,” said Shane Nolan, managing director, new business, Google Ireland. “At Google Ireland, we are committed to supporting our local community and working closely with them to address challenges they face. The establishment of the Task Force here in the local community allows us to share our digital expertise and experience with our young neighbours. We see the opportunity that embracing digital skills provides and how today’s students who acquire and build on these skills can become the innovators of tomorrow. I look forward to working with our partners, building new pilot projects and reaching more students – ultimately bridging the digital skills divide and creating a safer online world for our children and students.”
“Crucial to achieving an equality of opportunity for our children and young people is in affording them the opportunity to develop the skills that will provide access to learning, to connectedness and to employment – the very skills being taught through these pilot projects,” said Kevin Humphreys, chairperson of the Local Education Task Force. “I would like to thank our partners for their contributions, in giving their time, resources and knowledge and to commend them in recognising the value and opportunity that bridging this digital skills gap will bring to this community. I would also like to congratulate our participants, students, teachers and parents and congratulate those who received awards today.”
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