Featured Teacher
If we tell our students that failure is fine,
we must also be willing to live by that
code of conduct. Providing teachers
with the opportunity to take part in
learning activities for free, and in their
own time, is very important. Events like
Tech Fest can support CPD processes
and hopefully ignite a self-propelled
learning journey that the teachers then
steer themselves. At DESC, we have
just set up an in-house CPD hub where
my colleague, Malachy McGrogan and
I deliver technology-related training.
I hope to roll this project out further,
including the parental community later
in the year. As a recently approved
Apple Certified Trainer, I can deliver
free of charge courses to our staff.
Empowering our teachers to integrate
more technology into learning and
teaching should have a positive impact
on our students.
Share with us two successful
ICT projects that you ran in
the school.
We started to use Minecraft in the
classroom about twelve months ago.
I was a little wary at first. This was,
after all, a rather simplistic game that
looked like digital Lego. However, I
soon realised that the students found
it liberating. Within the Minecraft
environment, they can be architects,
engineers,
builders,
historians,
scientists - and there are no limits
to what can be created. Even the
quiet students, who sometimes lack
confidence, can express themselves
freely in digital format. It is a truly
powerful tool that can be used to
support learning in any curriculum area
(from understanding how medieval
castles are constructed, to making
the inside of a computer that actually
functions). We now use Minecraft
in Computing and ICT to engage
students with difficult concepts. We
ask them to build structures that solve
problems.
experience iterative design processes,
harness their creative skills and enjoy
working on a project as part of a
team. Our students thrive on creative
freedom and this project allows them
to express that openly.
What were some of the
surprises that these projects
revealed?
A surprise was that students could
be creative in many different ways. I
now understand that they should not
feel boxed in by the teacher. Look at
the learning outcomes and then try
to imagine the different ways that
the students can achieve them and
demonstrate progress. Allow them to
make choices - don't dictate to them
how a project should be completed.
Let them try to reach conclusions for
themselves.
How can other teachers
implement similar projects?
Teachers can plan similar projects if
they think of the bigger picture - in
other words, think about how the
global community is connected, and
how those links can be exploited via
educational pathways. This can be
achieved in many different ways as long
as access to the Internet is available.
The most important resource is the
student and their willingness to learn.
Creating an innovative learning project
takes planning and time. Staff need
to embrace the idea of collaboration
and project management, especially if
we wish our students to do the same.
Push the boundaries and generate
challenges that are exciting, real world
and meaningful.
What project do you have next?
My next project is a student innovation
competition - "The Next Big Idea".
We launched it in the third week of
November, to coincide with Hour of
Code and the recent Innovation Week
in the UAE). Free to work individually
or in small teams, our students will
be able to suggest innovative ideas
that could change the way the world
works. The shortlisted finalists will be
showcasing their ideas at the KHDA's
What Works event in mid January,
which is dedicated to STEAM. They
will also be participating in the first
DESC Innovation Jam that will be held
in February ("24 hours to change the
world"). I am hoping to persuade some
local entrepreneurs (or even DESC
staff) to help mentor the students
and provide advice to them as they
formalise their innovation ideas. The
Innovation Jam will allow students to
develop their concept and generate
a 1-minute video that explains their
innovation idea to the world. These
will be posted online for the DESC
community to view and experience.
What is the best advice that
you would give to teachers
who are nervous about
integrating technology into
their lessons?
Don't be afraid to fail - failure can be
powerful. It can be transformational,
just like technology. I would not advise
any teacher to use technology all the
time in the classroom. Consider the
pedagogical outcomes first and then
think about how the technological can
be transformational. That is when the
magic happens!
Lisa stands next to the 3D printer
inside the sixth form building at DESC.
A successful project that involves
ICT is our Year 7 Superstructures
STEAM project. Students must work
collaboratively to create the design and
prototype for a new structure. It must
have a real purpose and should solve
a social problem. Students must first
investigate existing superstructures
from around the world - examining
location, weather conditions, building
materials, design and architecture.
They then apply their knowledge to
the design of a new structure. This
prototype is created in Minecraft and/
or 3D printed. Students have evaluated
and refined ideas, as per the Design
Thinking handbook. We want them to
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