September 2016 NUI Galway Masters Programme Awarded Apple Distinguished Programme for Second Year Running

NUI Galway’s Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas (MGO) programme has been awarded the Apple Distinguished Programme 2016-18’. The award identifies centres of excellence in the use of technology in education.

In February 2015, the MGO was the first third-level programme outside the USA to be awarded the Apple Distinguished Programme award.

Professor Gerry MacRuairc, the newly appointed Professor of Education and Head of School at NUI Galway said: “The potential of this type of technology to enrich learning for all is extraordinary. The depth of learning and the variety of the learning experiences enabled by the iPad material designed by Seán Ó Grádaigh, the MGO team and most importantly the MGO students themselves in the School of Education is an exemplar for how we need to use technology to enrich the learning of our teacher educators and the student they teach.”

The MGO is a two year, full-time programme offered through the medium of Irish, by the School of Education at NUI Galway. The MGO is unique in that it is the only initial teacher education programme that prepares future teachers to teach in second-level Irish medium schools. The programme equips student teachers with the professional knowledge, theoretical and conceptual tools necessary for developing creative, flexible and reflective approaches to teaching. A particular emphasis is placed on teaching through the medium of Irish and on the development of strategies for teaching and learning both content and language (CLIL).

Director of the MGO programme, Dr Brendan Mac Mahon said: “We are delighted to receive this award again this year. It is testament to the excellent work of the programme team and student teachers in the ongoing development of educational technology.”

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Gradam Apple do Chlár Iomráiteach bronnta ar Chlár Máistreachta OÉ Gaillimh don dara bliain as a chéile

Bronnadh gradam Apple do Chlár Iomráiteach 2016-18 ar an Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas (MGO) in OÉ Gaillimh. Tugann an gradam aitheantas d’ionaid barr feabhais in úsáid na teicneolaíochta san oideachas.

I mí Feabhra 2015 ba é an MGO an chéad chlár tríú leibhéal lasmuigh de Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá a ghnóthaigh gradam Apple do Chlár Iomráiteach.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Ollamh Gerry MacRuairc, an tOllamh nuacheaptha le hOideachas agus Ceann Scoile in OÉ Gaillimh: “Tá cumas iontach sa chineál seo teicneolaíochta chun cur leis an bhfoghlaim do chách. Tá doimhneacht na foghlama agus éagsúlacht na n-eispéireas foghlama a chuirtear ar fáil de thoradh an ábhair iPad atá deartha ag Seán Ó Grádaigh, ag foireann an MGO agus go háirithe ag mic léinn an MGO iad féin i Scoil an Oideachais ina dhea-shampla den chaoi ar cheart dúinn úsáid a bhaint as an teicneolaíocht chun cur le foghlaim na dteagascóirí agus na mic léinn atá á dteagasc acu.”

Clár lánaimseartha dhá bhliain é an MGO a chuireann Scoil an Oideachais in OÉ Gaillimh ar fáil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá an MGO uathúil mar go bhfuil sé ar an t-aon chlár in oiliúint tosaigh múinteoirí a ullmhaíonn múinteoirí le múineadh i ngaelscoileanna dara leibhéal. Cinntíonn an clár go mbíonn an t-eolas gairmiúil, na huirlisí teoiriciúla agus coincheapúla riachtanacha ag múinteoirí faoi oiliúint chun cur chuige cruthaitheach, solúbtha agus machnamhach teagaisc a fhorbairt. Cuirtear béim ar leith ar theagasc trí mheán na Gaeilge agus ar fhorbairt straitéisí do theagasc agus d’fhoghlaim ábhair agus teanga (CLIL).

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Stiúrthóir an chláir MGO, an Dr Brendan Mac Mahon: “Tá an-ríméad orainn an gradam seo a bhaint amach arís i mbliana. Is cruthúnas é ar an tsárobair a dhéanann foireann an chláir agus na múinteoirí faoi oiliúint i bhforbairt leanúnach theicneolaíocht an oideachais.”

-Críoch-