Tag: schools

Mothers are leading the way in their children’s use of technology

A new report shows how the growing OurKidsCode network of creative coding workshops and clubs for families is enabling parents in communities across Ireland to be more proactive in their children’s use of technology, with mothers comprising 72% of the parents involved.

The OurKidsCode project, based in the School of Computer Science and Statistics in Trinity College Dublin, has built an infrastructure and partnership network with county councils across Ireland, including for leveraging Ireland’s rural grid of broadband connection point community centres, and Microsoft Dream Space, as well as with the National Parents Council.

This network of relationships is successfully enabling OurKidsCode to deliver facilitator-led workshops and a ‘Start a Club’ programme that supports the establishment of parent-led creative coding clubs for families with primary-level children.

The OurKidsCode programme builds parents’ confidence and skills in technology alongside their children at informal, hands-on creative coding workshops. These take place outside of school hours in libraries, primary schools and rural broadband connection point community centres.

Creative coding is the playful use of computer programming to make art, stories, or interactive projects, combining coding, crafting and making. OurKidsCode workshops are appealing to parents who are looking for ways to increase their children’s active creation rather than passive consumption of technology.

OurKidsCode has collaborated with Microsoft Dream Space since 2022 to support young people, families and educators in rural communities through inclusive STEM opportunities. Core to this collaboration are the opportunities given to rural clubs to come together to enter The Dream Space Showcase, a national STEM event that celebrates innovation and creativity found within rural clubs, schools and communities.

OurKidsCode has established fiscal and operational partnerships with county councils across Ireland and has worked closely with an increasing number of county council broadband officers since 2021. In 2024, OurKidsCode began to expand its work with county councils to include partnerships with county libraries.

Facilitated by county councils and through its broadband officers, OurKidsCode offers workshops and provides support to clubs at broadband connection points across the country, which are publicly accessible sites in rural and remote areas that have been provided with a high-speed broadband connection.

Funded by Research Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development, OurKidsCode has reached 5,240 parents and children in 111 predominantly rural locations across Ireland. The report shows females (mothers and girls) comprised 55 per cent of participants, with males (fathers and boys) making up 43 per cent, busting the gender stereotype that females are not as interested in computing as males.

OurKidsCode is committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths). By partnering with DEIS schools, local development agencies and NGOs, it strives to make workshops that are accessible to all families.

Speaking at the recent launch of OurKidsCode’s Impact Report, OurKidsCode project lead and assistant professor in the School of Computer Science and Statistics at TCD, Dr. Nina Bresnihan, said: “OurKidsCode is committed to increasing opportunities for parental involvement in children’s computing education and contributing to greater diversity, inclusivity and equal access, with a particular focus on rural communities where access to such initiatives is often limited. Getting parents involved in their children’s coding education can have powerful outcomes.

Research in our new report shows how this boosts knowledge and confidence. It also sustains families engaging together in computing activities and promotes computing as a subject choice and future careers in STEAM-related fields. Furthermore, it challenges stereotypes by promoting female participation in computing based on mothers’ interest in their children’s early education. We see mothers who take part in our workshops acting as powerful role models for their daughters, demonstrating that STEAM is a viable and rewarding path.”

Parent and club leader of the OurKidsCode club Rossmore Scratchers, Co Tipperary, Rona Toft, said: “There’s something really special about learning side-by-side with your kids and other local families in a safe, welcoming space. From starting with the OurKidsCode taster programme to running the now award-winning Rossmore Scratchers, in Rossmore, Tipperary, the friendships and fun we’ve found along the way have been the absolute highlight. I watched my kids take a project from a blank screen to something they built themselves ─ figuring out the bugs, problem-solving, and seeing it through. I’ve never been prouder; it’s amazing to see their confidence grow.”

The full OurKidsCode 2021-2024 Impact Report is available to download at www.ourkidscode.ie/impact.

Find out more at www.ourkidscode.ie.

Microsoft launches Community Fund for South Dublin organisations

Microsoft is unveiling a new fund to support individuals, community groups, schools and non-profits that want to deliver impactful community projects in South Dublin.

The Microsoft Community Fund for South Dublin, managed by non-profit ChangeX, is dedicated to helping support thriving and sustainable communities near the company’s data centre campus in Clondalkin – funding projects related to environmental sustainability and digital skills.

As part of this year’s €100,000 fund, communities will be able to choose from a portfolio of exciting, proven ideas that have already had a positive impact in other communities around the world including a citizen science monitoring scheme to protect water sources, a programme to support the development of school gardens and local biodiversity, and a project aiming to tackle plastic pollution through turning waste into valuable materials.

Applications for funding are open to individuals, groups, schools and non-profits across the South Dublin County Council area. Funding of up to €4,500 per project is available, with a simple step-by-step application process in place to support groups to secure funding. Funding is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with all applicants required to complete a 30-day challenge to unlock funding, which includes establishing a clear project action plan.

The launch of the Microsoft Community Fund for South Dublin builds on the support Microsoft has already provided to local communities. Sixty community projects, focusing on the development of digital skills and empowering local sustainability, have benefitted more than 16,000 community members since 2021 alone. Moreover, since 2008, Microsoft has invested more than €4 million in initiatives that support thriving, sustainable communities in the vicinity of its data centre operations in Clondalkin.

Commenting on the launch of the fund, Lavinia Morris, General Manager of Microsoft data centre operations for EMEA, said: “Last year, Microsoft unveiled our Data Centre Community Pledge, highlighting our commitment to local economies and communities where we operate. As we build and operate a global network of advanced data centres, we recognise the crucial role communities play in this ecosystem. The latest Microsoft Community Fund for South Dublin, announced today, will help deliver on the key pillars of this pledge, advancing community prosperity and well-being, while contributing to a sustainable future, and operating responsibly as a good neighbour.

“Over the past 17 years, Microsoft has invested more than €4m in empowering communities close to our data centre operations in Dublin, helping to enhance people’s digital skills, fostering sustainability and advancing community prosperity and well-being. As part of this investment, Microsoft has directly benefited more than 16,000 local people in communities in South and West Dublin and supported the local organisations that help them thrive. We look forward to witnessing the continued positive impact we can make in creating vibrant and sustainable communities through the roll out of the latest South Dublin community fund.”

Commenting on the initiative, Sandy Hazel, who received support by way of the Fund in 2021 and started an Open Orchard project, said: “We wanted to grow more food but buying fruit trees is expensive. When we heard about the funding provided by Microsoft, we realised it was perfect because it allowed us to get the idea off the ground. The idea behind adding fruit trees and berries to our community garden was to give local children the chance to pick their own fruit and have that experience, which is hard to access when growing up in an urban environment. Spending the funding in local nurseries also helped to support small businesses in the area and give back to the local community.”

Niamh McKenna, co-founder and head of impact at ChangeX, said: “Our partnership with Microsoft has already empowered tens of thousands of local changemakers around the world, and we’re excited to continue that work in Dublin this year.”

To find out more and apply, visit this link: https://bit.ly/3VMcLkr

Microsoft Ireland Hosts Inaugural Microsoft Dream Space Showcase

Over 300 students from 13 schools and seven clubs in rural Ireland gathered in Microsoft Ireland’s campus in Leopardstown, Dublin, for the inaugural Microsoft Dream Space Showcase to demonstrate the many ways in which their digital skills can help to solve some of today’s sustainability challenges.

The first-of-its-kind event saw 320 students from across Counties Longford, Tipperary and Kildare travel to One Microsoft Place to showcase their STEM-based projects. The innovative projects presented by the students addressed various challenges related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include wearable tech for improving young people’s wellbeing, inclusive and accessible voting systems, initiatives to clean the ocean and prevent illegal dumping, as well as measures to reduce water wastage and so much more.

The collaboration between Microsoft Dream Space, Microsoft Ireland’s STEM innovation and education programme, OurKidsCode and the Department of Rural and Community Development, as well as the participating schools and clubs, began back in September 2022, when the Microsoft Dream Space education team visited Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) in Counties Longford and Tipperary to conduct hands-on STEM education sessions as part of the do your :bit challenge.

This engagement led to schools participating in a further 10-week Dream Space programme, which empowered the students to explore the world of STEM and computer science through various curriculum subjects like geography, P.E., visual arts, and more. They also harnessed the power of the micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer, to foster computational thinking, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.

The Showcase event provided students with an opportunity to present their STEM-based projects with a number of schools/students being recognised on the day for the outstanding technology solutions they developed. This included Drum National School in Templemore, Co. Tipperary for the project ‘Weaving Wellbeing’ which uses technology to weave wellbeing in the lives of young people and Lackamore National School, Newport, Co. Tipperary which was recognised for its project on collecting plastic rubbish in the ocean.

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President for Microsoft Global Operations Service Center, said: “Today is a very exciting day for Microsoft Ireland as we hold the inaugural Microsoft Dream Space Showcase at One Microsoft Place. Last year, we announced our intention to invest a further €3m in the expansion of our immersive Microsoft Dream Space STEM experience to ensure that every student across the island of Ireland has the opportunity to develop the skills needed to succeed in a digital economy. Today’s showcase is an important step on the road towards making that ambition a reality as well as a step forward in helping to close the digital skills gap that often exists between rural and urban communities.

“It also marks the culmination of many months of hard work by primary school students and clubs from Counties Longford and Tipperary as they sought to create innovative solutions to today’s major sustainability challenges. I’d like to congratulate all the students who are showcasing their work at this inaugural event and hope they will continue to nurture an interest in technology and innovation as they further their education.”

Bella Ryan, 6th class student, Drom National School said: “I’m very excited to be here today as part of Microsoft’s Dream Space Showcase. Dream Space has really opened my eyes to the endless possibilities presented by technology and the ways in which it can be used to solve so many of today’s problems. It has been the best memory of my eight years at Drom National School. After months of working on our projects, it feels great to be able to show them off today and hear what people think about our solutions to today’s challenges.”

Amadean Moore Walsh, Principal of Drom National School, Templemore, Co. Tipperary said: “It is such an honour to be here at One Microsoft Place as we celebrate our students’ hard work and dedication to creating digital solutions for today’s sustainability challenges. We’re so grateful to Microsoft Ireland and the Dream Space team for not only sparking an interest in STEM among the students, who often have limited access to digital opportunities, and giving them an opportunity to showcase their efforts here today, but also for supporting us as teachers to develop the digital skills needed to continue to nurture this interest in the classroom.”

As evidence of the programme’s impact, in March, Longford County Council secured funding under the Public Service Innovation Fund 2023 to become the first county in Ireland with Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate option in all nine secondary schools. The grant recognised the contributions made by Microsoft Dream Space in Longford to date. Numerous locations in County Tipperary have also been nominated for the prestigious .IE Digital Town Awards 2023, further highlighting the project’s local success.

Dell Technologies and MIC host primary schools from across the Mid-West for the regional finals of the Dell VEX Robotics Competition

Over 500 students from 17 primary schools from the Mid-West region took part in the regional final of the Dell VEX Robotics Competition recently. Hosted by Dell Technologies in conjunction with Mary Immaculate College (MIC), the regional final saw students take part in a game-based engineering challenge to design, code and build robots.

Five schools from the Mid-West took home awards from the final, which was held at the Dell Limerick campus in Raheen. Barryroe National School in County Cork and Thomond Primary School in County Limerick both won the Teamwork Champion Award, with Barryroe also winning the Excellence Award. Limerick’s Nicker National School were presented with the Judges Award, while the Gaelic Gladiators team from Gaelscoil Aonach Urmhumhan in Nenagh, County Tipperary won both the Design Award and the Robot Skills Champion awards.

The robotics challenge begins in the classroom each year, with school children across the Mid-West working with their teacher from September to January to design, build and programme a robot. Teams from Dell and MIC volunteer their time to support the children and teachers as they prepare for the competition and also organise practice sessions. Classes can also opt to compete in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology (STEM) project, the theme of which this year was Mathematics in Nature. The students record and submit a video on their STEM projects to a panel of industry and education experts.

Since its introduction in 2014, the Dell VEX Robotics Competition has expanded nationwide with a growing number of young people inspired to engage in STEM at the earliest opportunity. The winners of the regional competition will take part in the national finals of the Dell VEX Robotics Competition on the 22nd and 23rd February at Munster Technological University in Cork. Almost 50 employees from Dell & MIC were involved in this year’s Mid-West final event.

According to Dr Maeve Liston, Director of Enterprise & Community Engagement at MIC: “We are delighted to be working with Dell Technologies again this year, bringing robotics to primary schools around the Mid-West region. The Dell VEX Robotics programme, run in partnership with MIC in the Mid-West, is an example of a unique collaboration between schools, industry and higher education. This involves a process of collaborative design and delivery between mentors from industry and experts in the field of STEM education from MIC, reinforcing what is being taught in the curriculum and extending learning beyond the curriculum into real world contexts.”

Commenting on the competition, Sean O’Reilly, EMEA Vice President of Logistics and Limerick Site Leader for Dell Technologies, said: “STEM learning is central to inspiring the next generation of developers and engineers whose skills will help shape our future as an innovation island. That is why our team in Limerick once again came together with Mary Immaculate College to host primary schools across the Mid-West for the Dell VEX Robotics regional competition. It is a fun way for us to engage young people in technology and foster their creativity. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Mary Immaculate College as we expand the competition in the region. Well done to all the students and teachers who put on a powerful demonstration of their problem solving and computational skills during the recent regional final at our campus in Limerick.”

Students learn many technical skills like robotics, engineering, design, programming and coding. The teams also fundraise for robot parts, building skills and knowledge in areas such as teamwork, marketing and financial planning. This year the programme encouraged the students to look more closely at the world around them through the ‘Mathematics in Nature’ STEM project, leading students to explore applications including bees and the hexagonal shapes of hives and the honeycomb; the Fibonacci sequence in nature; fingerprints; and one team who investigated how Pythagoras’ Theorem helped them access a space in their attic.

Patricia O’Sullivan, Enterprise & Community Engagement Manager at MIC congratulated all the schools involved, saying: “We are so proud of all the schools here today. We began working with all these teachers and children from schools around the Mid-West Region in September 2022. It is great to see the results of all their hard work during such an exciting day here in Dell for the regional finals.”

Dell and MIC have been collaborating on the Dell VEX Robotics Competition for 5 years and were awarded The Teaching Council’s Collaboration Award in 2019. The project was chosen by the Council as an example of the transformative role that teachers play in our communities and society through collaboration.

MIC supports teachers integrate the programme into the curriculum and also offers Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for teachers in the Dell VEX Robotics Competition, which are run in conjunction with staff from Dell.

MIC works with Dell on many projects and Dell has also been a strong advocate and supporter of its new CRAFT Maker Space which is due to open in March 2023.

To find out more about the Dell VEX Robotics Competition or to register for next year’s programme visit www.stemcraft.mic.ul.ie