Scoil Uí Mhuirí

Comenius 3 Project
Irish Network Partner: Scoil Uí Mhuirí

This is the final year of the Comenius 3 project which I have been involved with. The title of the project was EcoMedia (Education, Communication Media). Further information is available on the ecomedia website www.ecomedia-europe.net

Staff and students might remember that the steering group members from all over Europe visited Scoil Uí Mhuirí in 2007. I visited Austria in 2007 and Poland in October 2008 and met up with the project partners to discuss the documents which we were required to submit to Brussels. My role was to research Irish ICT in Education infrastructure statistics and present the findings to the leader of my group. As Irish network partner, I was part of Working Team 1: ICT basics (Videoconferencing, communication and presentation technologies, ICT based language learning, "new" knowledge based society), organised by Kristin Helen Andersen of Trondheim University.

The report was launched in Latvia in June 2008. The theme of the conference in June was "Strategies, Media and technologies in European Education Systems". The next seminar takes place in Belgium in April 2009.

The first Thematic Conference and Comenius Contact Seminars for the EcoMedia-Europe Comenius III Network entitled "Educational challenges through media and ICT in Europe" which is under the patronage of the President of Austria, Dr. Heinz Fischer took place in the Conference Centre in Wolfsberg, Austria from October 4th - 8th, 2006.

Ireland was well represented at this conference with 6 delegates in attendance. The Irish Network partner, Ms. Jacqueline Matthews from Scoil Uí Mhuiri in Dunleer, Co. Louth was delighted with the support she received from teachers in her own school; Mr. Alan Hurley and Ms. Miriam Howard, and also Mr. Ciaran Moloney Principal of the primary school in Stabannon, Léargas officials and the NCTE.

A Comenius contact seminar for Comenius 1 and Comenius 2.1 projects focussing on the topic ; to develop new school partnerships and to establish connections between schools and different forms of educational institutions was also held in Wolfsberg. Ms. Howard and Mr. Hurley attended this meeting on behalf of Scoil Uí Mhuirí and forged links with teachers from Slovenia and Austria. The result of these meetings is that Scoil Uí Mhuirí applied to be part of a Comenius 1 project involving these countries, the theme being "Young Entrepreneurs in Europe".

Another initiative highlighted at the conference is a Comenius 2.1 teacher training project for teachers of science at primary school. Further information regarding Comenius projects is available at www.leargas.ie

To summarise: In 2005, the European Commission accepted the Socrates-Comenius 3 Network EcoMediaEurope project. It is the most promoted EU network project. Its main objective was improved quality of European education standards in the fields of ICT particularly aiming at defining qualitative/innovative aspects of education. Comprehensive exchange of experience was also to be implemented between schools and education authorities of 19 participating countries, particularly initiating substantial network activities in new member states and applicant-status countries.


Jacqueline Matthews
European Projects Co-ordinator