9/10/2008

A NEW DAWN FOR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

As a result of the highly innovative cross border digital creativity project ten television programmes that aim to support the professional development of primary teachers north and south will be made available on Information TV on Sky Channel 166 during November and December 2008. Information TV can also be received on Freesat via any satellite equipment pointing at the Astra / Eurobird satellites (see reception information at www.information.tv/HowToReceiveInformationTV/ The programmes can also be accessed via the web during transmission slots at www.information.tv and at any time at www.ppds.ie or www.neelb.tv

Phase 2 of the Cross Border Digital Creativity Project (CBDCP2) commenced in September 2007 and is funded by the Teacher Education Section of the Department of Education & Science in the south and by NEELB and the Department of Education in the north. The main objective of this innovative project is to provide a media based platform for the continuous professional development of all teachers. This platform can potentially provide both Departments of Education and their agencies with access to all stakeholders in education via satellite or web based broadcast on a 24/7 basis.

The programmes for teachers were developed by the Curriculum Advisory and Support Service of NEELB in the north and by the Primary Professional Development Service in the south. They include studio discussions illustrated by footage of classroom teaching and the development of key themes currently relevant to schools. The production was made possible using the resources of the “Truck”, the NEELB mobile Digital Creativity Centre.

The programmes will be broadcast and repeated as listed below during November and December 2008. CASS programmes are highlighted in black while PPDS programmes are highlighted in blue.

This cross border project is the culmination of a joint collaboration between the North Eastern Education Library Board and Monaghan Education Centre and has been running for almost three years. The project is coordinated by Jimmy Mc Geough & Jim Mc Gee (Monaghan Education Centre) and Ray Gilbert & Peter Simpson (NEELB). The project programmes were coordinated and developed by Marie Mc Loughlin (former National Co-ordinator PCSP), Sean Gallagher and Fiona Rushe PPDS and Siobháin Mc Killop and Lorna Gardiner, Advisers with NEELB’s Curriculum Advisory and Support Service.

A special word of thanks is extended to the CASS and PPDS co-ordinators and advisors for their professionalism and commitment to the project. A thanks is also due to the transition year students from Monaghan post primary schools who worked as camera and sound crews during recordings in the south. And finally the project is also indebted to the participant teachers and pupils from Monaghan and NEELB primary schools.

 The Truck onsite during recording at a primary school