Most learning takes place in a social environment, in which learners obtain knowledge, skills, strategies, beliefs, and attitudes by observing others. At St Joseph's Secondary School, students and teachers hold the idea of helping one another to learn as a fundamental principle of how we do things here. We see one another as resources for learning, and there is a school-wide norm that everyone's learning is everyone’s responsibility. As such we prioritise mentoring relationships where students and teachers discover and address any gaps in their understanding by explaining and demonstrating concepts to their peers. Language and communication becomes the cornerstone of these shared, learner-centred experiences.

Our use of digital technology in the classroom allows for the redefinition of how students demonstrate their learning. Students and teachers are able to collaborate with their peers in new, creative ways to realise their ideas through a variety of innovative formats. The combination of our collaborative approach and our philosophy of mentoring enables our school cohort to conceive, create, edit, reflect upon, and share content in a myriad of ways. Below you will find examples of how we support each other to improve student outcomes.

Our student-led tech support team empowers students to develop technical skills and problem-solving abilities. It promotes a culture of peer support and collaboration, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for technology in the school community. It enhances digital literacy and confidence among students, while also relieving the burden on teachers and staff, ensuring smooth technology integration and support within the school environment. Additionally, it creates leadership opportunities for students and encourages them to explore potential career paths in technology and IT support. 

The student-led peer-to-peer mentoring approach delivered by Learning Leaders fosters a supportive learning community, where students can share knowledge, experiences, and insights. The model helps develop leadership and communication skills, and promotes collaborative learning relationships among peers. 

This is the schedule for an in-house CPD session supported by members of the Digital Learning Team. We have also included the presentation shared with staff for reflection on using the accessibility functions on the iPad to support AEN students, This was first piloted and delivered as optional CPD after school and later to all staff as part of a CPD day.

St Joseph's Secondary School has worked with Wriggle and Select to provide support and training for our teaching staff. We have also engaged with Oide, Scoilnet and the Apple Learning Institute.

The members of our Digital Learning Team have completed a two day course at the Apple Learning Institute to earn the newly established Apple Learning Leader accreditation. This involved creating a digital learning plan for the school, collaborating with peers in other schools, and building leadership skills, with the aim of effecting technological change in our school.

To earn their Apple Teacher certificates, teachers must complete a self-paced programme designed to develop foundational skills and support educators using Apple products for teaching and learning. In order to become an Apple Teacher, teachers must earn badges in eight categories, such as Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iMovie, GarageBand, Fostering Creativity, and Enhancing Productivity.