Prior Learning

I am a second level teacher of Mathematics and ICT currently working in Palmerstown Community School. I have a BSc Degree from University College Dublin (Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry) (1983), Higher Diploma in Education from University College Dublin (1985) and a MEd Degree (2.1 Honours) from Trinity College Dublin (1994). The BSc degree was achieved after following a 3 year full time course, the Higher Diploma in Education was awarded following a 1 year full time course and the MEd degree was conferred upon completion of 2 year full time course.  The thesis that I completed in the second year of this Masters Degree in Education programme was a substantial piece of work, involving software development and research, entitled The Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Multimedia System to Assist the Learning of Elementary Integers and Algebra. I used Visual Basic and Multimedia Tools to develop the software. I had an article published in Studies in Education (A Journal of Educational Research Edited by Daniel Murphy and Valentine Rice) in 1996 (Volume 12, Number 2, Autumn 1996). I also taught the Management Information Systems module of a MSc in Educational Management course, on Thursday nights, for 6 years in TCD (from 1995 to 2001).

I represented Ireland (with one other person) by being chosen by the Department of Education and Science to participate in a EU Socrates Open and Distance Learning Workshop in Alsace, France in 1996 and subsequently in a year long online follow up programme that led to the work Ideas and Inspiration for using Educational Software in Maths Teaching being published on CD-ROM by Orfeus in 1998. I have a range of experience in educational (and other) software development having worked for a number of companies outside of teaching. I set up my own company (DigiLearn Software Ltd.) in 1998 and I published and sold educational CDs for 11 years from 2000 to 2010.

My current areas of interest are instructional design / authoring systems, Learning Management Systems (LMS) / Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), online assessment tools and Mobile Learning. I have just begun to use Adobe Captivate 9 (on Mac and PC), I have used Schoology (LMS) in my teaching and I have just discovered and begun to use Socrative and Kahoot as mobile assessment apps in my school. Adobe Captivate 9 will allow me to publish to PC, Mac, iOS and Android. In 2016/17, I will be using 8 new iPad Mini 4s that my school has just purchased to test out Maths apps as part of a numeracy initiative (for 2nd year JCSP students). I am also currently testing out Mangahigh in my school with a 2nd Year Higher Level Maths class. I use GeoGebra (dynamic geometry software), Excel (with coding and Macros) and EasiTeach (lesson creation software) with interactive whiteboards extensively in my teaching.