Edtech in Irish Schools – An educators view

Ian Gaughran, Director of Schools at Olive for Education, in conversation with

Sarah Gibbons, Deputy Principal at Old Bawn Community School in Tallaght.

(as featured in NAPD Leader Magazine, Autumn 2024 edition)

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you chose a career in education. 

I am currently working as a Deputy Principal in Old Bawn Community School in Tallaght, Dublin 24. I have been in this role for five years. Prior to my appointment I was working as an Economics and Business teacher in the school for  9 years. While I really enjoyed teaching my subjects, I found out quite quickly that my passion was actually working with students to reach their potential in so many different ways – from producing the school musicals to developing programmes to support those with additional needs. Looking back, I feel my passion reflects how I became a teacher as believe that I fell into the role as opposed to knowing that it was the career for me. My family would say I was always going to become a teacher, spending my childhood lining up teddy bears and correcting them for falling off their chairs but I resisted the idea for quite some time. I studied Economics and Politics in UCD and whilst completing my Masters in Economics I became a tutor for First Year Statistics students. Given the grave yard shift of 9am on a Thursday morning, I assumed I would have no students and agreed. During this time I realised that I loved seeing people realise their ‘Ah ha’ moment, that split second where it all clicks. It was then that I decided that teaching was a viable option. Outside of work, I am found as close to the sea as possible, surfing, paddle boarding, swimming and even just being, not something expected of someone raised in land locked Carlow! 

Why do you consider EdTech tools to be essential in the classroom in 2024? 

I believe education is so much more that acquisition of knowledge. Einstein stated that “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think” and in my years as a teacher I have always reminded myself of this. EdTech allows us to support students to do so much more than regurgitate what is presented to them by one textbook. They have access to a wealth of information and ideas where they can form their own opinions, critically evaluate and present their thinkings using a medium of their choice. EdTech presents autonomy and choice to students, provides an inclusive environment where access to information is not just for those who are neurotypical or those who learn in one particular way and edtech provides variety. Students are developing essential skills for their futures while embracing technology in their learning, whether people are ok with it or not, technology is unavoidable from banking to booking a cinema ticket we use technology in most of our daily lives. I believe that schools are a microcosm of the community reflecting the reality of  society outside our buildings. With that comes huge responsibility as we try to instil values and tolerance, develop skills and acquire knowledge. While edtech does not do it all, it certainly supports the teacher and the learners in so many different ways. 

How do you think EdTech tools can make teachers’ lives easier?

EdTech tools, once learned and practised can save time, support targeted and individualised support and create a more enjoyable learning environment for both students and teachers. It is so important to remember that it does not happen straight away but there are huge benefits to using edtech once a teacher is comfortable with it. Edtech can also be used to streamline collaboration between students and students, teachers and teachers and also students and teachers. It also saves time avoiding some of the more mundane elements of school life such as the photocopier, having to remember to carry multiple copies of everything for those forgetful students, and carrying 30 copies in and out of the car taunting you to be corrected. As a teacher becomes more comfortable with edtech, different methodologies such as the Flipped classroom become seamless, with lesson elements prerecorded and time spent supporting students instead of explaining multiple times, detailed rubrics can be used to support learning and quick feedback and differentiated tasks increase student engagement. 

How can teachers best integrate EdTech tools into their classrooms?

By not trying to use too many too soon and to only use what suits their teaching, their students and their subjects. Playing around with different apps that are being discussed by others and speaking with colleagues is often the best place to start. The staff room is a hive of activity and some of the best discussions and informal learnings happen over a cuppa. Asking a colleague to show what they may be taking about is a great starting point and then just giving it a go. Being open to it failing is also very important. I have tried so many different apps and have accepted defeat as they do not suit my style or my end goal. And finally, when introducing a tool into the class, let the students know that you are trialling this, giving it a go and learning with them. I have found that students respond so well to seeing the human side of their teachers and are fantastic when they are co creating the learning environment. 

What are some of the pain points that teachers might feel around EdTech?

A lot of the issues that I have come across stem from the switch from subject expert to learner. Teachers, especially those with a number of years of experience are subject experts and are extremely confident in their classrooms and in their ability to deliver content to their students. They have honed their skills and have seen student success. Introducing EdTech can feel like starting again and there is a misconception that students know more. They don’t! Students are great at gaming and some have exceptional coding skills but it is amazing at how few have word processing skills or the ability to correctly format an email when they start in 1st year. Teachers also have to embrace their vulnerabilities and allow the students to help them. Students are very opened minded and learn quickly when using apps, and they are willing to help teachers out once they know that the help is needed. Some of our greatest transformations with teachers in the school have been as result of the teachers opening up to students and the class all learning together. I also think that huge frustration arises from everything not being perfect. If there is a slight delay in a programme opening or a short outage with the WiFi it is very easy to resort back to traditional methods and state that things are always broken. If we did that every time the photocopier was jammed there would be a lot more trees!! An understanding that mistakes happen, perfection is near impossible and the power of a backup plan goes a long way – all ideas that we instil in our students. 

Do you think technology can be used to help combat the feeling of teacher burnout, rather than just adding more to a teacher’s plate?

I do, but it is a very fine line. The pace at which technology changes can be very overwhelming and if there is an expectation on teachers to keep up with the change, burnout is inevitable. In saying that, streamlining processes, utilising tools for administrative tasks, embracing the role of facilitator as opposed to lecturer where the focus is on the students doing most of the work in the class can all ease some of the pressures that teachers feel on a daily basis. Technology can do all of that but it takes a big investment both in time and physical resources. 

How can EdTech tools increase students’ access to learning?

EdTech has completely changed how  students access their learning. From those with physical impairments such as visual or auditory, those who are neurodiverse such as dyslexia or dyscalculia, homes where English is the predominant language, to students who lack motivation, students are presented with so many alternatives when edtech is embraced. When I was in school there was one way to do everything – listen to the teacher, learn off notes, and complete a test. Now students can use different tools to support the information being provided by the teacher. Immersive Reader can simplify the reading conditions or read aloud, students do not have to sit at the front of the class to see the board, students can present their learning through a medium that suits them and choice and variety acts as a huge motivator when completing work. Tools like Replay in OneNote allows students to look back at the work that the teacher completes on the Whiteboard when working independently, and teachers presenting Powerpoints through PowerPoint Live allows students to translate to whatever language they are most familiar with as they also learn English. EdTech has always been a great support to those that needed it for a specific reason but not many students qualified for it. Now all students reap the benefits of these tools and learning is truly accessible to all. 

Your school is a 1:1 school – what does this mean for anyone new to it and what made you choose to go 1:1?

Being a 1:1 school means our students are leaving Old Bawn with the skills that we feel they need for life after Old Bawn. Each student has their own device and it is part and parcel of their day in the school. Much like their calculator, it is used when deemed necessary but is not out at all times. Students use their laptops for interactive lessons, completing class and homework, creating presentations, videos and podcasts, for accessibility purposes and most of all for independence. Students still use pen and paper and are well practiced for their state exams but they also have some more variety in their workload. Work that is completed in a traditional way is uploaded to OneNote and stored there for feedback and also for revision purposes. Making the decision to become 1:1 to was a lengthy process with a huge amount of thought and consideration. Ultimately, we wanted our students to have the same opportunities as any other young person irrespective of their background or socio economics and 1:1 provides that through inclusion, accessibility and skill development.  

What advice can you give to school leaders about investing in technology for teachers?

1. Why – On top of anything else, knowing and explaining why before you launch into it. Teachers want what is best for their students but they are inundated with changes, initiatives and increased workload. 
2. Time – being landed with a laptop but no real idea as to how to use it can be daunting and can easily turn staff off. Time is crucial and finding learning opportunities wherever possible – including short and small demos in each staff meeting, the SLT leading by example and always using technology, having key personnel available to help when teachers look for individual support, linking up with other schools in similar positions to share ideas. 
3. Investing in the best possible hardware and wifi that the budget allows. Providing the best possible equipment for teachers alleviates some of the concerns and stressors that come with using technology. When technology is reliable and robust, taking the time to learn and adjust becomes worthwhile. 

Is there a piece of educational technology that you’re really excited about right now or that you would suggest to other educators? 

While this is not new, IndiCars from Sphero have been one of the best investments for our school. These cars introduce screenless coding but are so much more. They encourage teamwork, collaboration, problem solving and are suitable for all ages – our students used them to teach Junior Infants in another school as well as them being a huge hit in a teacher CPD session when we first introduced them. They can be used across the curriculum and I have seen them used to teach directions in French, chord progressions in Music and co-ordinate geometry in Maths. 

How are you and your school planning on rolling out the use of AI in the classroom?

I am very excited about rolling out AI but as always, we are moving slowly and not putting pressure on staff to use it if they do not feel comfortable. We dipped our toes in AI with CPD last year and teachers are using CoPilot to support their lesson planning, to create self correcting assessments and to avoid passive learning with AI created content. Teachers have found AI extremely beneficial for differentiated tasks and also for proving alternative assessment methods across all subjects. This academic year, we are going to integrate AI into our Wellbeing curriculum. Ethics, responsibility and bias will be central to the programme and students will be learning how to use AI for creativity, and CoPilot as a teaching assistant for study skills. We are extremely aware that there are fears around cheating and plagiarism but that exists with all traditional assessments. We do not believe it is enough of a threat to stifle the potential that AI brings to the classroom.  

What impacts do you think AI will have on teaching and learning?

I feel AI has the potential to revolutionise teaching and learning if embraced correctly. It will never replace the invaluable role of a teacher but it can significantly enhance both teaching and learning. Like all changes, fear of the unknown hinders progress and with AI there is so much unknown. I think with AI, we now have the opportunity to fully embrace the key skills of the Junior Cycle, support our students to engage in tailored learning experiences and allow students to unlock their creativity.

Integrating AI into planning can streamline administrative tasks, refine assessment and analytics and support personalised and targeted learning opportunities and free teachers to focus on what they do best – working with their students in the classroom environment. 

What piece of tech/app etc do you use outside of work that you are currently obsessed with?

This made me laugh and I have to answer it honestly – absolutely none! Outside of education I am so technology shy so much so that those who know me outside of being a teacher simply can not understand my passion for edtech. Air fryer technology has changed my life though!