{"id":598648,"date":"2021-12-09T15:07:58","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T14:07:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/?p=598648"},"modified":"2021-12-10T17:45:23","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T16:45:23","slug":"fa1-sacred-heart-tullamore-achieving-sustainability-through-reimagined-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/transform-en-ie\/na\/fa1-sacred-heart-tullamore-achieving-sustainability-through-reimagined-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Sacred Heart Tullamore achieving sustainability through reimagined learning"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Irish rural secondary school has boosted sustainability and increased collaboration, while building a deep culture of trust through its innovative approach to education.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sustainability and promoting collaboration are vital goals in education today. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sacred Heart Secondary School in Tullamore, Co Offaly is achieving both by harnessing the transformative power of digital tools in education.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe now offer our students education on the student\u2019s terms for the first time ever,\u201d says school principal Pauline McKenna. \u201cThey get a device and immediately start to collaborate with their class mates on a platform with which they are really familiar and comfortable. We are always exploring new ways to learn and share knowledge\u201d.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe offer education on the student\u2019s terms\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Rather than the old-fashioned, one-way mode of a teacher addressing a class, students and staff at Sacred Heart are taking a different approach by working together, using Surface Pro 2 Devices and Microsoft Office 365 tools. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe are able to sustain an environment of change and innovation in our school because of our use of Microsoft software and devices.\u201d<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sacred Heart Tullamore - achieving sustainability through reimagined learning\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/BC0yNZFYNYg?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:%2F%2Fpulse.microsoft.com\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">A dramatic move to sustainable education<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The school now uses<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"none\">over <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">80% less paper than it<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">did five years ago and has also cut its use of toner cartridges, pens and related packaging accordingly. Almost none of the students use paper textbooks.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;469777462&quot;:[1358],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[1]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">That has transformed the sustainability profile of the school and has also freed up budget for the creation of more teenage-friendly classrooms and congregation areas, explains Pauline. \u201cNow, when you walk through this school, you see it as a modern, teenage environment. It\u2019s all part of rethinking education.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;469777462&quot;:[1358],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[1]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cTeachers\u2019 average annual continuous professional development (CPD) hours skyrocketing to 36, from seven hours previously<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sustaining staff to be at their best<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;469777462&quot;:[1358],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[1]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Furthermore, the school is causing fewer carbon emissions. F<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">or example, teachers no longer have to travel 90km to attend in-person training in a hotel. Instead, they attend webinars, which has seen their teachers\u2019 average annual continuous professional development (CPD) hours skyrocketing to 36, from seven hours previously.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;469777462&quot;:[1358],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[1]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe pace of curricula change is faster now and the challenges in the student cohort are more complex,\u201d says Pauline. \u201cTo keep great staff, we need to sustain them and support them to flourish through CPD. That is where we can nurture them and keep feeding\u202ftheir knowledge.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Enabling students to learn at their own pace<\/span><\/b> <span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The transition to digital learning has also given students a sense of control and creativity over their own work, while also raising the average reading age of students.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Being able to access recordings of teachers explaining complex topics has proven empowering for them and they appreciate being able to access this knowledge after class. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8220;The technology empowers students to take control of their own education. It&#8217;s not a one-size-fits-all anymore\u201d, notes Pauline<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"none\">It also saves teachers time in having to spend additional one-to-one time with students who may have been absent or find the topic challenging.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8220;The technology empowers students to take control of their own education. It&#8217;s not a one-size-fits-all anymore.&#8221;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">As staff and students use OneNote heavily, the teachers are also pleased to have moved on from the days of constantly carrying heavy bags of paper notes and copy books.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In fact, students and staff across the school make the most of Office 365, and in particular, Microsoft Teams, Forms, FlipGrid, as well as Minecraft. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Access to expertise and support<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Throughout Sacred Heart\u2019s move to digital-first, which began nine years ago, the school has liaised with Microsoft and partner Wriggle. Stephen Eustace, a Surface specialist for the public sector at Microsoft, advises on the school\u2019s use of devices and helps to shape staff training.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI maintain regular contact and provide insight and updates into what is happening in education,\u201d he says, \u201censuring they maximise the value from their membership in the Microsoft Showcase community and highlight the great work that happens in the school.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Fostering parent-school relationships<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">With parent-teacher meetings now online, parents are saved from having to drive to the school and queuing over two to three hours to see teachers. Moreover, all communications from the school to parents are online, saving postage and administration time. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The real benefit in going digital-first, however, has been how it has enabled the school to build deep trust with parents. \u201cIt was a lot to ask parents to buy into this at a small rural school five years ago,\u201d says Pauline. \u201cNow the school is really trusted to make decisions. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe have proven ourselves,\u202fas really good relationships with parents have been maintained during the pandemic. They trust us and know we will be moving on to tackle the next big thing,\u201d she adds. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>\u201cWe tell them, \u2018Innovative things will be happening in your daughter\u2019s classroom\u2019, and that culture of innovation has absolutely increased their trust in us.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Shaping resilient and future-ready students<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cEnjoying a digital-first education also prepares students for adult life more broadly\u201d, adds Pauline, \u201cespecially given the relentless pace of change we all face.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWhen you have this level of innovation with students, you already have kids who are not afraid of change, because every day they are doing something different. It is all about mindset.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe introduction of one small device changed many cultures and practices in our school. As a result, we are preparing young women to go into a world that will be totally shaped by change and most of them will be very well able to manage that change.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Learn <\/span><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/education\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">how your school can reimagine education<\/span><\/b><\/a><b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> in a new era of digital learning.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Irish rural secondary school has boosted sustainability and increased collaboration, while building a deep culture of trust through its innovative approach to education.\u00a0 Sustainability and promoting collaboration are vital goals in education today. Sacred Heart Secondary School in Tullamore, Co Offaly is achieving both by harnessing the transformative power of digital tools in education.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":665,"featured_media":598771,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1805],"class_list":["post-598648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-stories-en-ie","specials-transform-en-ie","stories-how-can-i-make-my-company-more-innovative-en-ie","stories-innovation-en-ie","businessPriorities-digital-transformation-en-ie"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598648"}],"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\/665"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=598648"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":599240,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598648\/revisions\/599240"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/598771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=598648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/en-ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=598648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}