The document discusses the importance of digital teaching and learning in schools. It advocates for communities of practice where teachers can learn from each other about digital pedagogy. Individual teachers should be supported in their own digital interests, like podcasting or animation. Students benefit from opportunities to create digital media but also engage in coding, programming, and developing logical thinking skills. Schools need policies that promote positive and critical communication across digital platforms to fully realize the potential of technology in education.

1. Portmarnock Community School
Donal O' Mahony

2. I want to
thank
Gerry Breslin
of the
Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland
for the opportunity to represent him here today.
Donal O' Mahony

3. I came to Digital teaching and learning about seven
year ago via a Masters Degree in eLearning from
Dublin City University.
I was initially interested in Online Learning
Environments, particularly Moodle
and
the development of critical thinking skills for students
in online discussion fora.
Donal O' Mahony

4. As I introduced online applications I began to
understand that teachers
engage best with Digital media
through group-experiences, through communities of
practice
....whether these be face to face or online
Donal O' Mahony

5. - In Portmarnock we used to call these Moodle
Mondays
- On the daily CESI List from the Computer Education
Society of Ireland
- every Monday night when some teachers in Ireland
and beyond have a twitter chat on an issue in Irish
education at #edchatie
Donal O' Mahony

6. A digital school is one that discussed online pedagogy
We need to hear more often questions of the form
• “what is your pedagogical approach” when using e.g.
Google Docs
• How do you Skype in formative assessment?
• How can you write a significant relevant statement as
a Tweet?
Donal O' Mahony

7. It is important to see that the six key skills of the
new Junior Cycle have a place for digital
technology within each of them!
And therefore a place for such pedagogical questions.
Donal O' Mahony

8. The other thing that happens in schools is that once
teachers are introduced into the online environment
is that some teachers develop their own particular
digital interests
We have see that particularly in podcasting and digital
animation - in every school around the country there
are such teachers - support them - these are your
digital champions.
Donal O' Mahony

9. Students love presenting their learning through digital
media.
But presenting is not enough.
They need opportunities to make, to create, to own and
to share
Some of this is simple enough with applications like
Voki, Kidblog , Glogster, WordPress
Donal O' Mahony

10. .......but we also need students making at more
profound levels –
1. whether coding
2. developing skills in logic using Arduino boards
3. increasingly I am reading of the importance of
Rasberry Pi's for developing thinking around
programming. Unfortunately I am reading of the
latter, primarily outside Ireland
Donal O' Mahony

11. We Irish love to communicate, Lord David Puttnam, Digital
Champion in Ireland talks of the importance of Oracy, our
ability to talk well and stresses it alongside literacy and
numeracy.
• So it is important that we help students and teachers have
voice online – in digital space that is positive and affirming.
• Schools need to write social- media policies for teaching and
learning that promote this.
• Acceptable Usage Policies are very much of the "Thou shalt not"
variety rather that go forth and communicate
Donal O' Mahony

12. Summary – the digital school
Pedagogy as part of communities of practice
Supporting teachers who are digitally aware
Supporting students to create
Developing policies that allow affirmative and critical
communication across digital media
Donal O' Mahony