The Education Committee’s Inquiry into Shared and Integrated Education took a closer look at the Dissolving Boundaries programme as it continued evidence sessions on its Inquiry into Shared and Integrated Education. On hand to give evidence on the Dissolving Boundaries programme were, Professor Roger Austin, University of Ulster; Antoin Moran, Principal, Ballyhacket Primary School, Castlerock; and Alison McConnell, teacher, Carrs Glen Primary School, Belfast. The programme which was jointly funded by the Department of Education (Northern Ireland) and the Department of Education and Skills (Republic of Ireland) invited primary and post-primary schools to form partnerships and to develop a relationship based around a particular curriculum-related project. There were three objectives: to engage pupils in collaborative curricular projects; to promote mutual understanding through collaborative cross-border links; and to promote sustainable use of technology in schools. The programme ran from 2000 – 2014. Professor Austin opened the session by noting that over 14 years and (supported by face to face meetings with teachers and pupils) the programme had linked 50,000 young people, 570 schools and 2,600 teachers through cross-border work in primary and post primary schools. Giving a little more background on the history of the programme, Professor Austin explained that in the early stages, schools were nominated by Education and Library Board ICT advisors. A grant was available to schools to cover administration costs and a small grant was also provided to facilitate a face-to-face meeting for pupils during the year. Teachers who completed the agreed work programme were also given a small grant in the first year, which reduced for any subsequent years. The average cost per pupil participating in the programme was given as £75. On average schools stayed with the programme for 4 years. The University of Ulster employed two members of staff to oversee the programme and to provide training, monitoring of work and administering of grants to schools. Although the programme was evaluated as successful by the Education and Training Inspectorate and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), funding for the programme ended in 2014. In respect of the Committee’s inquiry into Shared and Integrated Education, Professor Austin argued that the use of ICT may enable more sharing between schools and serve to overcome the logistical, transportation and cost problems highlighted by many other respondents to the inquiry. He further argued that the focus on ICT within the programme matches the focus on the same kind of cross-curricular skills for Key Stages 1,2 and 3. He noted that the programme supports community cohesion by promoting face-to -face or ICT-based contact between peers in school. https://youtube/watch?v=-qPy0uW74MQ
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 10:21:54 +0000