It’s very important to us in GCL that students experience deeper and more meaningful learning. In order to achieve this, effective personalisation of learning must occur. Variation in task is something that students experience in all subjects where they are free to chose their product to express their learning. Students are often split into different groups with different learning outcomes for each and then their learning is ultimately shared. 

Student are encouraged to explore their own interests and talents and to incorporate this into their relevant learning experiences. For example students will often be found capturing their learning in home economics when cooking using time-lapse at school and at home. 

Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh students are given significant choice when experiencing subject in first year and this often lead to a deeper connection with the learning due to the connection they have with the subject matter.

Accessibility for all is mandatory in our school. Equitable access regardless of special education needs for all students is achieved in GCL. To maximise learning for everyone we use the powerful inbuilt features on the iPad such as readers that, zoom on camera, read aloud, speak screen selection, dictation and subtitles. 

Teachers in GCL ensure that students experience immersion with realistic settings. For example they have solicitors visit the school and carry out mock trials, students carry our elections for student council, TY students enter the workforce and carry our charity work and we regularly visit local universities and international industries.

We strive to make connections with the world outside of the school building. We invite visitors in to meet with out students and we also set up face-time with experts.

We encourage students to take opportunities when they arise and to put themselves out in the real world, regardless of risk of failure. GCL students are often featured in the media as experts seek their advice regarding their experiences in 1:1 iPad school. We support and applaud these brave students who are using their voice and are being heard.

Effective collaboration and teamwork with all members of the school community is very important to us. Students, together, through joint reasoning resolve issues and ultimately create a shared product. To achieve this shared product, such as a report, they collaborate in real time on shared documents, experience peer assessment while providing and receiving valuable feedback.

Discussions, debates and student voice are very prominent in our school. With the iPad, students express this type of learning in many ways. One example in is using Explain Everything together to teach a maths concept to the class.

In GCL we have been focusing our attention on developing critical thinking and  problem solving skills in all subjects. We have a specific team who research, collate and share ideas with the staff during our staff meetings. We have identified that the iPad facilitates in setting appropriate tasks that involve analysis, interpretation, synthesis, evaluation and solution generation.

Students are encouraged to work together as well as independently to address tasks and generate new ways to solve problems. Students are encouraged to research critically and assess reliability of sources while gathering and analysing their own data. This is especially apparent where students are taking part in CBAs (Classroom Based Assessments) where students tackle real-world issues and strive for a sustainable future.

Students in GCL are free to select any means of expression that suits the story they are trying to tell or the learning they want to convey. For example students use iMovie or Apple Clips when documenting experiences or sharing aural practice in languages. Students use keynote when designing app prototypes and podcasts to share important discussions.

Students also attend to specific audiences. For example students create digital books for their science CBAs to report their findings and presentations with Keynote when sharing their work with the class. Students are aware that movies need to be tailored differently for teenagers and adults and this was evident when students made separate Internet Safety movies for Safer Internet Day.

Our students have very high standards, they aim to have professional standards and to achieve this they apply principles of design. This is evident when students undergo science journalism with real world projects for the BT Young Scientist and for their CBA’s, using chart where appropriate and designing scientific posters. Principle of design are also considered with graphic design and study of fine arts.