Apple Regional Training Centre

Established in April 2007, the AiPLE centre here in the School of Education  University of Galway, was the first university-based Apple Regional Training Centre in Ireland, promoting excellence in educational technology and pedagogical research, and the creative application of ICT in teaching for Pre-Service, Post Primary Teachers.  It is located in the School of Education, Block D building.  The suite contains 20 iMac desktop computers for students and staff  to use.

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Another great achievement for the School of Education, NUI Galway as the Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas (MGO) has been selected as an Apple Distinguished Programme for 2014 - 2015.

"We are excited to inform you that MGO Programme, National University Ireland, Galway has been selected as an Apple Distinguished Programme for 2014-2015. Congratulations on being recognised as an exemplary learning environment for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence" -  Chris Mcfall, Schools Development Manager, Apple UK. 

This award is the first to a European teaching programme and only the third to an Education Programme worldwide - California State University (who are contributing to the MiTE Conference here in Galway in January) and Oklahoma University being the other two with Education programmes recognised by Apple.

So heartiest congratulations to Dr Brendan MacMahon, Sinéad Ni Ghuidhir and Seán Ó Grádaigh - a great team!

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Staff from the School of Education, University of Galway attended the Apple Regional Training Centre Winter Conference 2014 which was held in Birmingham, UK.

The conference provided an opportunity to get hands on experience, discover new ideas, hone skills and avail of valuable continuous professional development (CPD) in the area of using Apple technology in education.

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NA CÉAD MIC LÉINN SCANNÁNAÍOCHTA DE CHUID ACADAMH NA HÓIGE

THE UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY YOUTH ACADEMY'S FIRST EVER FILM STUDENTS

Tá ceithre gearrscannán nualéirithe ag na daltaí atá ag freastal ar an gcúrsa Soilse, Ceamara, Aicsean! faoi stiúir Eilís Ní Dhúill, iar-eagarthóir le TG4 agus mac léinn PhD i Roinn na Gaeilge, OÉG. Is í An Dr. Rióna Ní Fhrighil comhordaitheoir acadúil an chúrsa.

Primary school students participating in the Lights, Ceamara, Action! couse initiated by Dr Rióna Ní Fhrighil in Roinn na Gaeilge have produced 4 short films. The module was designed and delivered through Irish by Eilís Ní Dhúill, a former video editor with TG4 who is currently completing a PhD in Roinn na Gaeilge, NUIG.

Is iad na daltaí féin a scríobh na scripteanna, a ghlac páirt sna scannáin agus a rinne scannánú agus eagarthóireacht ar na scannáin. Thacaigh Roinn an Oideachais leis an obair scannánaíochta agus eagarthóireachta trí áiseanna a chur ar fáil. Agus iad ag obair in atmaisféar cruthaitheach, d’fhoghlaim na daltaí scileanna scéalaíochta, scriptscríbhneoireachta agus bunscileanna scannánaíochta.

The films are entirely the work of the students. Working in a creative professional environment, the students learn storytelling and scriptwriting techniques, they produce storyboards and shot lists and they learn the core principles of cinematography. The School of Education very kindly supported this work by providing facilities and equipment.

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Seán Ó Grádaigh, Lecturer at the School of Education, University of Galway, was invited to speak at the prestigious Apple Faculty Speaker Series in Apple's Store in Regent Street, London.

‌Seán discussed how he’s using iPad and Apple creation apps to prepare a generation of digitally engaged teachers — and the impact they are having across K12 classrooms.  Seán’s goal is for his student teachers to understand how to use technology effectively in the classroom, including how to create learning materials that engage all types of learners.

His students are developing customized content to build beautiful Multi-Touch books using iBooks Author and are using these books during their student teaching.  Seán talked about how he engages his own students by creating unique learning materials, and then delivering them through  iTunes U collections.  One of Seán’s former students and now full-time teacher, also shared his experience of creating and delivering a digital curriculum.

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On Friday, 17th October 2014, the School of Education, University of Galway hosted a lunchtime seminar on Using mobile technologies to promote and enhance learning, with Dr William Rankin.

Dr William Rankin is Director of Learning on the education team at Apple Inc., with special responsibility for promoting and enhancing innovative teaching and learning.  Prior to joining Apple, he worked as an academic in higher education for 24 years, concluding his time as a Professor of English and Honors College Fellow at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.

As ACU’s Director of Educational Innovation, he helped design the world’s first one-to-one that gave every student an iOS device as a platform for exploring next-wave mobile learning.  With ACU’s Honors College, he helped design a radically new kind of in situ learning that leveraged iPad to deliver just-in-time, differentiated instruction to learners working to solve issues of urban poverty and social justice in South Dallas.

As project lead for ACU’s mobility initiative, Dr Rankin was named Campus Technology magazine’s Innovator of the Year for mobile learning in 2008.  In 2009, he was named an Apple Distinguished Educator and in 2010, he began a three-year tenure on the US Board of Directors for Apple’s Distinguished Educators program.  Interviews with Rankin have appeared in Wired, The Guardian, The Times of London, Businessweek, The New York Times and The Chronicle for Higher Education and at online sites including InsideHigherEd, Ars Technica, and Open Culture.  Rankin has spoken at TEDx Dubai and has also been featured in stories on US National Public Radio, the BBC, the CBC, Vísir (Iceland), SF Zwei (Switzerland), and NBC Nightly News.  He has received numerous awards for teaching and has presented on the implications of educational technology and emerging pedagogies in more than 25 countries.

Rankin holds BAs in English and French from Harding University, an MA in English Literature from the University of California, Riverside, and a PhD in English Literature with an emphasis on Medieval Literature from the University of Minnesota.

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You are invited to participate in MiTE 2015 ( #mite2015 ).  The inaugural International Conference on Mobile Technology in Initial Teacher Education which will be held in Galway (Ireland) on the 23rd & 24th January 2015. Save the date!

Conference website is now live and is accepting paper submissions and registrations.

Contact:

sean.ogradaighnuigalway.ie or sinead.nighuidhirnuigalway.ie for additional information.

Seán and Sinead.

School of Education, NUI Galway

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iPad/Tablet mobility gives todays teachers and students the potential to transform practice in schools by reshaping how, when and where learning takes place (Melhuish & Falloon, 2010) which is clearly evident in these images of MGO students in an Ed Tech tutorial in the boardroom!

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View a short Animoto video of the Cúrsa iBooks Author

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School in a Box (SIAB) is a new initiative that addresses the global problem of inequitable access to modern educational tools.  It is an innovative first world solution to a third world problem and can transform classrooms in rural India and sub Saharan Africa into twenty first century learning spaces.

This deployment in Burkina Faso, West Africa, consisted of 12 iPads and 3 projectors being used to develop and produce localised teaching content for second level schools in Ouagadougou.  Participant teachers were given 6 full days APD (Apple Professional Development) training by Seán Ó Grádaigh, lecturer in the School of Education, University of Galway.

Following his experience on this deployment, Seán commented “The emphasis was on providing science teaching content to share with schools in Burkina as the vast majority of schools have no instruments let alone a laboratory.  Using only the iPad we filmed, edited, labelled and shared the curricular experiments on their localised syllabus. The participants then imbedded the videos in digital books which also provided the rationale and supporting theory.  The standard of the finished content was truly excellent and the students (up to 70 in each class) were really engaged with the new digital content that was projected on the wall of their classroom. The science teachers were so excited about the possibilities this new solution offered that they renamed it their ’Lab in a Box!’ ”

School in a Box is a IADT/FÍS initiative and this deployment in Burkina Faso was also supported by University of Galway & Coláiste Lurgan.

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Over the last several weeks, students from Coláiste Éinde, Galway, have been participating in workshops in the School of Education, University of Galway, exploring the use of iPads in mobile learning combined with performative ensemble methods to engage with, and interpret literary texts.

Facilitated by Eilis Flanagan, Galway Doctoral Scholar, School of Education, Mr Dan Fahey, English teacher, Coláiste Éinde and Dr Tony Hall, School of Education, the students are creating their digital projects based on Willy Russell’s play, “Our Day Out” and the poem, “ The Earth Circles the Sun” by Galway poet and teacher in Coláiste Éinde, Gerard Hanberry.

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The School of Education, University of Galway recently hosted a team of technology support staff from the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Post Primary.  The staff were given intensive training by Seán Ó Grádaigh on the use of iPads in education and digital content creation using Apple's iBook Author software.

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The School of Education exhibited Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography Field Investigation and Woodland Ecology iBooks plus Kitchen Chemistry videos at the recent Galway Science & Technology Festival 2013 on the NUI Galway campus.  All the iBooks were developed and created by students and staff of the School of Education.

The exhibits and shows were centred on the Bailey-Allen Hall, the Arts/Science Concourse, the IT Building and the Orbsen Building with an attendance of approximately 20,000 people.  It was an ideal opportunity for people to see how Science, Technology, Innovation and Engineering can help to boost the development of the economy.

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Áiseanna nua ilmheánacha agus ghníomhach seolta ag Scoil an Oideachais OÉ Gaillimh.

Forbraíodh na háiseanna seo mar iBooks.  Tá siad bunaithe ar an gcuraclam Éiceolaíochta agus ar Thíreolaíocht na hArdteistiméireachta.  Is de thoradh compháirtíochta idir mic léinn agus foireann an DGO (Dioplóma Ghairmiúil san Oideachas) a forbraíodh na iBooks seo faoi scéim EXPLORE agus le maoiniú ó COGG (An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta).  Séan Ó Grádaigh agus Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir ón DGO a bhí mar bhainisteoirí togra agus a stiúraigh.  Áiseanna teagaisc agus foghlama iad atá feilúnach do mhúinteoirí agus do dhaltaí araon, atá daite, mealltach, spreagúil agus lán le pictiúirí, físeáin agus idirghníomhaíocht.

Ag seoladh na sraithe dó, thréaslaigh Gearóid Ó Conluain, Rúnaí Acadúil na hOllscoile le foireann agus le mic léinn an DGO.  Dúirt Seán Ó Grádaigh, agus é ag tagairt do na leabhair tíreolaíochta, “Is fíor annamh a fhaigheann múinteoirí tíreolaíochta an deis a gcuid daltaí a thabhairt amach le hobair allamuigh a chomhlíonadh, ach ag úsáid an cineál seo teicneolaíochta, is féidir linn an tíreolaíocht bheo a thabhairt isteach sa seomra ranga.”.

 “Tá idir scileanna teicneolaíochta, digiteacha agus praiticiúla le feiceáil agus le foghlaim ag baint úsáide as na leabhair seo. Cuireadh go mór le máistreacht ar an ábhar agus le cumas teicneolaíochta na múinteoirí faoi oiliúint agus iad ag forbairt na leabhar seo.” a dúirt Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir.

Is féidir teacht ar an háiseanna seo saor in aisce ar an iBook Store.

 Is féidir tuilleadh eolais a fháil ach ríomhphost a sheoladh chuig: sean.ogradaigh@nuigalway.ie

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These resources were developed as iBooks, based on Woodland Ecology and Geography Fieldwork for the Leaving Certificate. They are the product of a collaboration between staff and students on the DGO (Dioplóma Gairmiuil san Oideachas), under the EXPLORE scheme, and with funding from COGG (An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta). Seán Ó Grádaigh and Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir from the DGO were the managers who led this innovative project.  Suitable for both teachers and pupils, these teaching and learning resources are colourful, engaging, and attractive, and are packed with imagery, video content and interactivity.

Gearóid Ó Conluain, Academic Secretary of NUI Galway congratulated staff and students of the DGO.  Seán ó Grádaigh, referring to the Geography iBooks, said “Geography students rarely get the opportunity to experience the great outdoors, but this type of technology brings the living Geography into the classroom.”

Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir said “Using these books enhances not only content knowledge, but also develops digital literacy and practical skills. The student teachers gained invaluable experience in subject mastery and in educational technological competency during the project.”

iBooks are available on the iBook Store.

For more information contact sean.ogradaighnuigalway.ie

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The latest iBooks produced by staff and students in the School of Education were on show in NUI Galway during the recent 'Explore Projects 2013-14' event.

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Following on from previous ensemble-based and technology workshops in the School of Education, this year's transition year students from St. Jarlath's College, Tuam participated in a day-long workshop focusing on the use of ICT (iMovie on iPads) to create digital poetry interpretation and performance projects.  The workshop was facilitated by Eilis Flanagan, Galway Doctoral Scholar, and Tony Hall, Lecturer, School of Education, University of Galway.  The students created their projects based on Yeats' "Easter 1916", the poem they are currently studying in school.

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The School of Education, University of Galway facilitated a visit by senior staff from Gordon College, Haifa, Israel, as part of their benchmarking process and the Education Department Manager of the iCon Group of companies (Education Solutions Expert), Tel-Aviv.

In addition to visiting the School’s recently upgraded Apple Macintosh suite, they were also given a presentation by Seán Ó Grádaigh (lecturer on the Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas (DGO) programme and Apple Distinguished Educator) on the iPad 1-1 deployment to all the DGO students.

They chose to come to the School of Education, University of Galway as it is now recognised as a leader in the area of iPad integration in Initial Teacher Education.

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In addition, Sinead Ní Ghuidhir, lecturer on the Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas (DGO) programme, has also produced an iBook, 'Obair Allamuigh Éiceolaíochta'

The DGO students who worked on these iBook projects, gained valuable digital content creation skills during the process.

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AN DIOPLÓMA GAIRMIÚIL SAN OIDEACHAS (DGO) SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY IS THE FIRST 1:1 IPAD INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION (ITE) PROGRAMME IN EUROPE!

Tá os cionn leath de Ghaelcholáistí na tíre mar 'scoileanna iPad' agus tá an líon sin le dul I méid an bhliain seo chugainn.  Le freastal ar an athrú seo, tá an Dioplóma Gairmiúil San Oideachas (DGO) mar chúrsa 1:1 iPad i mbliana, agus tá sé ar an gcéad chúrsa 1:1 iPad in Oideachas Tosaigh Múinteoirí san Eoraip.

Dúirt Seán Ó Grádaigh, teagascóir Theicneolaíocht an Oideachais ar an gcúrsa "Ní amháin gur iomaí buntáiste oideachasúil atá anseo i dtaobh an teagaisc agus na foghlama ach go bhfuil príomhoidí ag cuartú na scileanna seo nuair atá folúntais á líonadh".

Tá spéis léirithe ag Ollscoileanna san Eoraip agus i Meiriceá sa mhéid atá curtha i gcrích ar an DGO i mbliana. Dúirt Brendan Mac Mahon, Stiúrthóir an Chláir, go gcuireann na forbairtí seo le rannpháirtíocht na mac léinn agus leis an gceannródaíocht atá ar siúl ar an DGO.

Over half of the country's Gaelcholáistí are 'iPad schools' and this number is set to rise further next year.  To cater for these changes the Dioplóma Gairmiúil San Oideachas (DGO) has become the first 1:1 iPad Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme in Europe.

Seán Ó Grádaigh, lecturer in Educational Technology on the DGO said "Not only does the iPad have huge educational benefits for teaching and learning but principals are actively seeking these skills when vacancies are being filled".

There has been considerable interest from ITE providers in both Europe and the US in the DGO 1:1 iPad deployment. Brendan Mac Mahon, Programme Director, said that these developments promote student engagement and highlights also the pioneering work taking place on the DGO.

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Scratch programming by PDE student teachers

As part of their ICT methodology course in the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE), School of Education, University of Galway students have been developing projects using Scratch, the free visual programming environment developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT. The students are designing and programming basic computer games and simulations for learning. Scratch is ’hands-on’ software well-suited to supporting creative, interactive and collaborative use of ICT by pupils. An extensible, multimedia application, Scratch can be adapted to support learning in different curriculum subjects.

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Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2013

Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs) are part of a global community of education leaders recognised for doing amazing things with Apple technology in and out of the classroom. They explore new ideas, seek new paths and embrace new opportunities. That includes working with each other — and with Apple — to bring the freshest, most innovative ideas to students everywhere.‌

‌More information on the ADE programme can be found at:  http://www.apple.com/ie/education/apple-distinguished-educator/

Congratulations to Seán & Evelyn!

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Following on from their school-based and previous drama and technology workshops in the School of Education, the transition year students from St. Jarlath's College, Tuam participated in a day-long workshop focusing on the use of ICT to animate poetry. The workshop was facilitated by Eilis Flanagan, Galway Doctoral Scholar, School of Education, Ms. Brighid Cannon, Deputy Principal and Ms. Joanne O'Connor, St. Jarlath's College, and Dr. Tony Hall, Mr. Jim Lenaghan, and Dr. Dolores Stewart, School of Education.  The students created stop-frame animations of two of W.B. Yeats' poems, "The Wild Swans at Coole" and "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death".

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The Transition Year students from Coláiste Éinde: St. Enda's Secondary School Galway participated in an ICT workshop in the School of Education, NUI Galway.  The workshop focused on computer animation technology, and the students developed their own creative stop-frame animations on the Apple iMacs in the School's Apple Suite.  The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Tony Hall, Dr. Mary Fleming, Head of School and Director of Teacher Education and the PDE, Mr. Jim Lenaghan and Ms. Eilís Flanagan, School of Education, and Mr. Dan Fahey (PGDE alumnus) and Mr. Declan Benet, Coláiste Éinde: St. Enda's Secondary School.

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The Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) Program began in 1994, when Apple recognised K-12 and higher education pioneers who are using a variety of Apple products to transform teaching and learning in powerful ways.  Today it has grown into a worldwide community of over 2,000 visionary educators and innovative leaders who are doing amazing things with technology in and out of the classroom.  Apple is pleased to welcome Seán Ó Grádaigh, School of Education, NUI Galway to the ADE Class of 2013.

To view Seán's ADE application video, please click on the following link: https://vimeo.com/55114944

This is a double triumph for Seán, as he was also recently awarded certification as an Apple Professional Development (APD) facilitator.

Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs) are part of a global community of education leaders recognised for doing amazing things with Apple technology in and out of the classroom.  They explore new ideas, seek new paths, and embrace new opportunities. That includes working with each other — and with Apple — to bring the freshest, most innovative ideas to students everywhere.

ADEs advise Apple on integrating technology into learning environments — and share their expertise with other educators and policy makers.  They author original content about their work.  They advocate the use of Apple products that help engage students in new ways.  And they are ambassadors of innovation, participating in and presenting at education events around the world.  Being part of the ADE community is much more than an honour — it’s an opportunity to make a difference.

Learn more about this group of innovative educators online at http://www.apple.com/education/ade

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The School of Education, University of Galway, provided it's Professional Diploma in Education students with workshops on creating digital content for the iPad using Apple's iBooks Author software.

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Peer teaching laboratory session with PDE and DGO science students

The School of Education, NUI Galway, provided support for an initiative by three 4th year students from Biochemistry and Biotechnology in the School of Natural Sciences to provide novel training for Leaving Certificate biology experiments.

Students Paul Abberton, Dervla Lillis and Eoin O'Toole targeted the support of new science teachers with the aim of helping them to present the obligatory Leaving Certificate catalase enzyme experiments.  These experiments gives second level students an important perspective on biochemistry, but can be difficult for teachers to get running with limited classroom time and facilities.

The 3 undergraduate students created high quality ’How To’ videos and integrated them into Apple iBooks with background information and quizzes.  This was made possible through the use of the Apple Regional Training Centre facilities and expertise provided by the School of Education.  The students then tested the experiments and creations on a Leaving Cert class at St Enda's College, Salthill with the help of teacher Ms Emma Dalton who is an NUI Galway Biotechnology graduate.

Finally, the undergraduate students facilitated a peer teaching laboratory session for NUI Galway Science Education students on the Professional Diploma in Education and Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas programmes who were able to see and practice the experiments first hand.

This combination of activities created a lot of interest and staff in the Schools of Education and Natural Sciences are hoping to continue the initiative.  This project parallels other student-led efforts across campus, and shows how NUI Galway is building a portfolio of support and enthusiasm for the next generation of local science students.

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The President, Dr James J. Browne, recently launched a series of Science iBooks (Sci - Hook Series), an innovative APPLE iBook resource for science educators (Nov 20th, 2012).  Sci-Hooks are short introductory video clips that aim to grab student attention by capturing what is interesting and engaging about a range of science topics.

Dr Veronica McCauley and Seán Ó Grádaigh, lecturers from the School of Education at NUI Galway, led this Science Education Research (SER) project with a design team of student science teachers from NUI Galway’s Professional Diploma in Education and Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas programmes.  A collection of over 30 Sci-Hooks were created for the Junior Science classroom. Funding from NUI Galway, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) and Apple Ireland supported the project.

These Sci-Hook resources have been developed into a set of three iBooks - Physics, Chemistry and Biology, with over 10 videos and support material available in each category.  The SER Design team included Martin Mc Hugh, John Byrne, Niamh Burke, Charlene Mc Hugh, Thomas Murphy, Niamh Molloy and Corinna Byrne.  The design team created innovative videos that aim to capture novel and engaging aspects of science, and engage pupils immediately with their curious content, quirky film editing and animation fluidity.  These edgy snippets have been created in a way that allows seamless translation into other languages.  As such, a vibrant team of Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas students adapted them for dissemination throughout Irish Medium Schools nationally.

Once viral, dissemination seems to be rapid across the globe.  Prior to its launch, Sci-Hook Series had already received over 600 downloads.  They are available on iBookstores across 50 countries, with the largest market being the US with 32% of all downloads and this is expected to increase further as the Biology resources are published.

Physics Resource Hooks Veronica McCauley & Seán Ó Grádaigh	Chemistry Resource Hooks Veronica McCauley & Seán Ó Grádaigh
Fisic Seán Ó Grádaigh & Veronica McCauley	Ceimic Seán Ó Grádaigh & Veronica McCauley

These iBook resources are free to download on your iPad through the Apple iBookstore and are also available as videos and PDFs on iTunesU and through the Scoilnet portal.

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Dr Veronica McCauley, Science Lecturer, School of Education, NUI Galway presenting on overview of the Science Hooks iBooks project to the invited audience at the launch of the Bright Ideas EXPLORE Innovation event held on campus in the Aula Maxima.

The iBooks were created by students from the Professional Diploma in Education programme and Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas programme, using Apple's iBooks Author software

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St. Jarlath's College, Tuam Shakespeare Workshop

22 Transition Year students from St. Jarlath's College, Tuam participated in a day-long workshop using drama, new media and ICT to explore language and themes in Shakespeare's Macbeth, which is on the syllabus for examination in 2013 and 2014. Students enacted lines from the text and engaged in character analysis using ensemble and performative approaches, while developing stop-frame animations based on key scenes in the play. Pictured at the School of Education, NUI Galway are the Transition Year students from St. Jarlath's College, Brighid Cannon, Deputy Principal and English teacher, Brid Burke, Geography teacher and literacy coordinator, and Eilis Flanagan and Dr. Tony Hall, School of Education (workshop facilitators).

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An iBook Creation seminar was hosted in the Apple iPedagogy Learning Environment, on the 10th July 2012 as part of the School of Education, NUI Galway's, Apple iMac Training Series. The seminar was co-funded between the School of Education, NUIG and Apple Ireland. Course organisers were Seán Ó Grádaigh and Dr. Veronica McCauley.

This Apple iMac training seminar provided the tools to create your own iBook. It was taught in a unique small group environment, to give the participants the confidence in not only creating their own iBook, yet also giving them the tools to lead their own students/colleagues through the same process. Keith Young and Tomas Creighton (Typetec Ltd.) led the seminar, and also reviewed both academic and technical metrics which should be considered in iBook design – basically key tips to make your iBook read and present well.

A diverse group of participants attended, spanning from primary through to tertiary educators. This course was primarily organised to feed into the creation of a set of 6 iBooks, interactive classroom resources for science teachers, to be launched during Science week in November 2012.

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The School of Education, NUI Galway recently hosted a 1 day course in their Apple iMac computer suite on the art of "Video Production for the Web", in conjunction with the NUIG Film Soc, the College of Business, Public Policy & Law and local media consultants Staunton Media.

The focus of the course was on commercial/informational video production for the web, using a practice based, hands-on, teaching approach. The course was designed for the staff and students of NUI Galway utilising existing NUIG equipment and freely available video editing software.

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Students on the School of Education, NUI Galway Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) course take part in a workshop on Scratch programming given by Dr Tony Hall in the School's Apple Mac suite. Developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, Scratch is free, easy-to-use software for developing interactive computer programs: interactive stories, animations, games, music and art. Scratch derives its name from the idea of mixing and remixing different media, in creative and innovative ways. It is hands-on software well-suited to supporting creative, interactive and collaborative use of ICT by pupils. As an extensible, multimedia programming language, Scratch can be adapted to support the learning outcomes of different subject areas - across the curriculum.

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Students in the BA Connect, Huston School of Film and Digital Media are undertaking digital storytelling projects in the School of Education's AiPLE: Apple iPedagogy Learning Environment. The students are developing and post-producing creative film projects using the Apple suite and Apple iLife technologies. This is the second year of this narrative technology collaboration between the School of Education and Huston School of Film and Digital Media.

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The Transition Year students from Coláiste Éinde: St. Enda's Secondary School Galway participated in an ICT workshop provided by fourth year students, B.A. Mathematics and Education and Educational Technology staff in the School of Education, NUI Galway. The workshop covered interactive whiteboards (IWBs) for mathematics; Apple iPads and educational apps for students; and animation technology.

Photos show Ciara Taylor and Nichola Leonard, 4th Year B.A. Mathematics and Education teaching transformation geometry interactively to the TY students using a Promethean Interactive Whiteboard (IWB), and the students designing and producing animation projects using visualisers and stop-frame animation software on the Apple iMacs in the School's Apple iPedagogy Learning Environment (AiPLE).

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Mr. Jim Lenaghan, Chief Technical Officer and Dr. Tony Hall, Lecturer in Educational Technology, School of Education, NUI Galway, attended the Apple Regional Training Centre (RTC) Winter Conference, 24th-25th November; at the North Somerset RTC, Sidcot School, Winscombe.

The conference featured presentations and hands-on workshops by Apple Distinguished Educators and educational technologists who are utilising apps, innovative infrastructures and peripherals, and portable and ultra-mobile technologies to enhance learning and teaching in RTCs across the UK and Ireland.

The School of Education's Apple iPedagogy Learning Environment (AiPLE) is an Apple Regional Training Centre. For latest information and updates on apps, educational technologies and innovations, follow the School of Education on Twitter edtechne.

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Huston School of Film and Digital Media, BA Connect year three students, recently completed a Digital Storytelling course with Ms Bonnie Long, Galway Doctoral Research Fellow and Education Technologist with the School of Education, NUI Galway.  Building on the narratives started during part one of the course, students designed and produced a three to five minute digital story that conveys a theme, message or lesson learned.

Using the School of Education’s 'Apple iPedagogy Learning Environment', students utilised Apple’s iMovie and  iPhoto as well as the audio editing program Audacity for Mac, to edit, illustrate and create a soundtrack for their own stories.  In the creation of their digital stories, students crafted and recorded first-person narratives, devised a storyboard, created soundtracks and collected still images with which to illustrate their digital stories.

See some of the digital stories produced by the students.

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This workshop introduced science teachers to the innovative application of video/animation within and beyond the classroom through the use of mini-camcorders & relevant editing software packages.

It took place in the School of Education's 'Apple iPedagogy Learning Environment' and was facilitated by Drs Tony Hall (Head of School) and Veronica McCauley.

The participants produced short animated videos that can be used in their science classes.

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Fifty teaching staff, including the Principal and Deputy Principal, from the Dominican College, Taylor's Hill, Galway, attended an ICT in education 'In-Service' day in the School of Education, NUI, Galway.

Topics covered included, 'Using the Internet as a Resource & Web 2.0 Tools for Schools', 'Presentation and Creative Technologies in the Classroom'.

Seen here in the School of Education, Apple iPedagogy Learning Environment (L - R) Bonnie Long (Educational Technology Tutor), Eilish Keaveney (Principal). Maura Connolly (Deputy Principal), Dr Tony Hall (Head of the School of Education) and Maria Silke (Educational Technology Tutor).  Missing from the photo, Jim Lenaghan and Dolores Stewart (Technical Officers).

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To celebrate the 'European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009', the School of Education NUI Galway was selected to host the West of Ireland launch of the Euro Creator project and website: http://www.eurocreator.com/. The launch was conducted in two parts: a lunchtime launch and roadshow, for University staff and students in the Kirwan theatre, and an evening public event attended by local schools, teachers, educational organisations, and ICT providers in our AiPLE room.

The day and evening roadshow showcased to the large attendance creativity in digital media and the usability of Euro Creator for the sharing of educational multimedia across Internet platforms, including virtual learning environments.

EuroCreator enables educators and learners, from 27 countries across the EU, to share their educational media and digital resources safely in a moderated environment.

The projects that students and teachers upload to Euro Creator are assessed by educational experts such as Brendan Smith (Digital Enterprise Research Institute, NUIG); and for the media they upload they receive a certificate from Ján Figel', the EU Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism.

The project promotes collaboration and creativity in Irish and European education; and the imprimatur of the European Commissioner for Education is an added incentive to educators and learners to utilise this exciting new educational resource. Euro Creator covers all areas of the school curriculum and special educational needs (SEN). It is also a multilingual project, with the imminent roll-out of the Irish language version of Euro Creator announced at the NUI Galway event. Dr. Edward Herring, Dean, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies officially launched Euro Creator, which strengthens NUI Galway's links with local educators, schools and the community, and further illustrates the University's commitment to innovation and excellence in technology-enhanced learning.

While focused mainly on teachers and schools, http://www.eurocreator.com/ can be utilised by anyone interested in creativity in educational multimedia. For further information about EuroCreator, email either: NUIGalwayeurocreator.com or tony.hallnuigalway.ie.

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Apple Press Release RSS Feed

http://www.apple.com/  
Apple Inc.'s home page

http://www.apple.com/ie  
Apple's website for Ireland

http://www.apple.com/uk/education  
"For decades, Apple has helped schools empower teachers and inspire students to achieve more.  Make amazing music, websites, photo books and DVDs.  All with the new iLife '11."  Click on the link for further information.

http://www.apple.com/uk/education/rtc  
"A UK and Ireland network of Apple-approved Regional Training Centres (RTC) coach primary and secondary teachers in the use of Apple's award-winning software packages".

http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/  
An overview of the features in the latest Mac OS.

http://www.apple.com/ilife/  
See what iLife is all about.

http://www.apple.com/ie/iwork/ 
See what iWork is all about 

http://www.apple.com/education/teachers-professors/online-tutorials.html 
Explore a collection of video tutorials, classroom guides, and web pages for educators. 

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