Irish schools first in Europe to achieve digital education award
Fifteen schools from across Ireland have been recognised for their use of digital technology at the European Digital Schools Awards, a new educational initiative that aims to establish cross-border networks and learning.
Some of first to take part in the initiative, the selected group of Irish schools have helped to set the benchmark for others to follow.
The European Digital Schools Awards encourages and recognises innovation, collaboration, and skills development in the digital sphere. With support from the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme, leading technology companies such as HP and AMD, and several national education agencies, it is the only initiative of its kind in Europe and is aimed at providing pupils with the skills they need to flourish in the modern world.
A total of 100 secondary schools in five European countries took part in the pilot programme, with 79 receiving the top award.
The winning schools in Ireland were:
• Blackrock College, Dublin
• Borrisokane Community College, Tipperary
• Castetroy College, Limerick
• Colaiste Bhaile Chlair, Galway
• Colaiste Bride Enniscorthy, Wexford
• Colaiste Cois Life, Dublin
• Dominican College, Dublin
• Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge, Waterford
• Mercy Secondary School, Dublin
• Muckross Park College, Dublin
• Old Bawn Community School, Dublin
• Our Lady’s Bower, Athlone, Westmeath
• St. Aloysius College, Cork
• Saint Kevin’s Community College, Dublin
• Saint Kevin’s Community College, Wicklow
Following the success of the pilot, the initiative is now being made available to all schools in Ireland, Scotland, Lithuania, Serbia, and Slovenia, with plans also in motion to roll out the programme more widely across Europe.
As the programme expands, it will provide teachers and educational leaders with greater access to support and the opportunity to take learnings from other countries.
To achieve European Digital Schools status, schools must use the European Commission’s SELFIE self-reflection tool to assess their digital learning and teaching practices and identify areas where improvements can be made. They can then access a range of expert support and resources to help them develop their digital curriculum in line with industry best practices.
“As we guide our young people through their developmental years and into adulthood it is essential that we give them the skills, knowledge and confidence to be able to navigate the digital world effectively and safely,” said Anna Doody programme manager, Digital Schools Awards.
“The European Digital Schools Award is not about urging teachers to use technology in the classroom. It is about encouraging an inclusive, and whole-school approach to digital learning, where everyone in the school feels supported and confident to adopt best practices.
“Our pilot programme exceeded our expectations, and we are thrilled to be announcing the roll out of the initiative across our five participating countries.
“One of the key benefits of the European Digital Schools Awards is it creates a network of educational professionals that can learn from one another. The more schools we have within the community, the greater the opportunities for knowledge sharing, and over the coming year we hope to grow the initiative, welcoming new member states and more schools into the fold.”
HP education manager Annmarie Whelan said: “We have been working alongside Digital Schools Awards for a number of years and have seen first-hand the positive impact it has made on hundreds of schools. We are proud to be on this journey and to be a part of the official launch of the European programme. We would encourage all schools to explore the opportunities created through this initiative and look forward to working with others in our sector and educational leaders to roll this out across the continent.”
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