{"id":352248,"date":"2020-06-28T21:41:31","date_gmt":"2020-06-28T20:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/?p=352248"},"modified":"2020-07-08T16:45:27","modified_gmt":"2020-07-08T15:45:27","slug":"fa3-a-look-inside-the-classroom-of-the-future-at-sacred-heart-school-in-tullamore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/making-a-difference-en-ie\/na\/fa3-a-look-inside-the-classroom-of-the-future-at-sacred-heart-school-in-tullamore\/","title":{"rendered":"A look inside the classroom of the future\u00a0at Sacred Heart School in Tullamore\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

A look inside the classroom of the future<\/span><\/b>\u00a0at Sacred Heart School in Tullamore<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

At Microsoft, we are continually inspired by schools across the globe that are enabling remote or blended learning in ingenious ways.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>One such\u00a0<\/span>example<\/span>\u00a0is Sacred Heart<\/span>\u00a0School<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>town of Tullamore,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>which is<\/span>\u00a0leading\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>way in Ireland<\/span>\u00a0when it comes to\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>integrated use of technology in the classroom.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Teachers and students\u00a0<\/span>at the\u00a0<\/span>all-girls\u00a0<\/span>school\u00a0<\/span>now<\/span>\u00a0use Microsoft\u00a0<\/span>Surface\u00a0<\/span>devices that allow them to embrace online tools<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0interactive teaching\u00a0<\/span>techniques\u00a0<\/span>both during school time and from home<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>This\u00a0<\/span>digital<\/span>\u00a0approach to learning came into its own\u00a0<\/span>during<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>COVID<\/span>-19 lockdown<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0w<\/span>ith<\/span>\u00a0teachers and students\u00a0<\/span>able to quickly<\/span>\u00a0adapt to\u00a0<\/span>re<\/span>mote\u00a0<\/span>lessons<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A digital-first approach<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New <\/span>technology at the school<\/span>\u00a0ushered in a\u00a0<\/span>new way of teaching as\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>moved away from the longstanding<\/span>\u00a0\u201cchalk and talk\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The introduction of\u00a0<\/span>new\u00a0<\/span>technology at the school<\/span>\u00a0ushered in a\u00a0<\/span>new way of teaching as\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>moved away from the longstanding<\/span>\u00a0\u201cchalk and talk\u201d<\/span>\u00a0approach<\/span>, where\u00a0<\/span>children watch while the teacher works at the\u00a0<\/span>board<\/span>. Now, teachers can take their<\/span>\u00a0Surface<\/span>\u00a0device and walk around the room, projecting what\u2019s on their device onto\u00a0<\/span>the board and\u00a0<\/span>students can project their screen\u00a0<\/span>to share their work<\/span>\u00a0also<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft OneNote provides a digital canvas<\/span>\u00a0or whiteboard<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that is easily shared with students<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>where teachers can write, type or add links, videos, images\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0audio for students.<\/span>\u00a0It allows for a more interactive and immersive\u00a0<\/span>learning experience.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The classrooms at the school have now become\u00a0<\/span>active spaces where different groups work on different collaborative projects and students can work at a pace that suits them. The teacher can allocate and oversee multiple projects via Microsoft\u00a0<\/span>Teams<\/span>\u00a0and use it to orchestrate the class. All while the students use it to\u00a0<\/span>discuss<\/span>, share files and collaborate on projects in real time, both in and out of the class.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This use of Office 365 can also make learning more accessible, with tools like the Immersive Reader<\/span>\u00a0helping\u00a0<\/span>students with dyslexia by providing audio versions of written documents or by\u00a0<\/span>using<\/span>\u00a0visual clues for words.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Teachers at the school reporting that it <\/span>is already\u00a0<\/span>improving<\/span>\u00a0student grades <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to lessons is ideally suited to a generation of digital natives<\/span>, with the teachers at the school reporting that it\u00a0<\/span>is already\u00a0<\/span>improving<\/span>\u00a0student grades and engagement<\/span>\u00a0with the<\/span>ir<\/span>\u00a0lessons.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"a

Photo Credit: Jeff Harvey<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A seamless shift to remote learning<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When schools up and down the country were forced to close to help stop the spread of COVID-19<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>many struggled to adapt to this new way of\u00a0<\/span>teaching<\/span> as they weren\u2019t set up to operate in this way. For Sacred Heart, adopting a digital-first approach over many years meant that its teachers had the skills to adapt and students were already accustomed to learning in this way.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the lockdown, c<\/span>lasses\u00a0<\/span>were conducted\u00a0<\/span>using Microsoft\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>eams<\/span>\u00a0with each class recorded by the teacher<\/span>\u00a0so\u00a0<\/span>it<\/span>\u00a0could be\u00a0<\/span>easily accessed<\/span>\u00a0by the students.\u00a0<\/span>Microsoft\u00a0<\/span>Teams was also used to correct\u00a0<\/span>assignments<\/span>\u00a0which were\u00a0<\/span>returned\u00a0<\/span>to students using<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a variety of feedback methods, including audio, inking and text comments<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Microsoft solutions being used by the Sacred Heart School\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>helped solve some issues that other schools\u00a0<\/span>experienced when<\/span>\u00a0remote teaching, such as student engagement and management.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the lockdown<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>the school reported<\/span>\u00a0a 90% engagement rate with lessons among its entire student base<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Microsoft Teams Insights tab\u00a0<\/span>provided<\/span>\u00a0Sacred Heart\u2019s teachers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>access to\u00a0<\/span>data on\u00a0<\/span>how<\/span>\u00a0and when\u00a0<\/span>their\u00a0<\/span>students\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0using Teams during the day and the level of engagement o<\/span>f each<\/span>\u00a0student.\u00a0<\/span>During<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the lockdown<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>the school reported<\/span>\u00a0a 90% engagement rate with lessons among its entire student base<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 which is<\/span>\u00a0truly amazing<\/span>\u00a0given the<\/span>\u00a0difficult<\/span>\u00a0circumstances<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"a<\/p>\n

For most teenagers today, technology is their primary form of communication, it is second nature to them<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and introducing it\u00a0<\/span>to the classroom has<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>made learning more enjoyable<\/span>. One student recently told the school principal<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Pauline McKenna<\/span>\u00a0that they are \u201cfinally using technology the way it should be used\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only is the school engaging and weaving the technology into the teaching and learning in a meaningful way, but they’re also engaging with the wider community globally, working with other teachers and other countries sharing best practice and always looking to listen and learn and keep improving.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The experience to date has more than justified the school\u2019s leap of faith eight years ago, proving that a digital approach can work both inside and outside the classroom.\u00a0<\/span>Microsoft Surface devices<\/span>\u00a0enable limitless learning<\/span>, and w<\/span>ith the tools available to teachers to support teaching and learning only set to improve, technology looks set to\u00a0<\/span>play<\/span>\u00a0an increasingly important role in the development of the next generation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read the interview with Sacred Heart Tullamore and Stephen Eustace in the Irish Independent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dr. Kevin Marshall<\/p>\n

Head of Education<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A look inside the classroom of the future\u00a0at Sacred Heart School in Tullamore\u00a0 At Microsoft, we are continually inspired by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":352278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"class_list":["post-352248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-none-en-ie","specials-making-a-difference-en-ie","stories-education-en-ie","stories-how-to-prepare-for-the-future-en-ie","businessPriorities-modern-workplace-en-ie"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352248"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352248"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":358323,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352248\/revisions\/358323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/352278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}