STEAM, Game Design, Coding – sometimes it’s hard to know where to being. This is where the Microsoft Dream Space team come in. The Dream Space team will be in Monaghan Education Centre for this two-day EPV course which will introduce you to the STEAM approach taken across all of their educational programs and their alignment to the Irish primary school curriculum.

Across the two days, participants will learn about the elements of game design, storyboards, digital art and coding retro Arcade games with Make Code Arcade (no previous experience needed). By the end of the two days, participants will be ready to STEAM Ahead with Game Design and with confidence in how they can deliver a module in game design in the new academic year (to upper primary school age groups), whilst overlapping with some curriculum areas as they do.

Technical Requirements

All our courses require broadband Internet access and participants need to be familiar with using the internet, downloading and installing software.

Course Objectives

• This course is designed to help teachers explore how they can use technology to create inquiry and project-based activities that can be used across the primary curriculum.
• Participants will engage in hands-on activities using a range of digital tools and explore ways they can change their own practice to better support STEM learning.
• Participants will understand how to apply the SSE guidelines and the Digital Learning Framework to their own teaching and understand how developing their own ICT practice can have an impact at school level.

Expected Outcomes

• Participants will understand what is meant by STEM at primary level and be familiar with the STEM Policy Statement
• Participants will learn how technology use can enhance opportunities to develop STEM (21st century) skills and assist in the creation challenging tasks that will motivate their students.

Course Duration

August 15th & 16th:  Monaghan Education Centre
August 17th – 19th:  Online

This is a blended course, 2 Days in Monaghan Education Centre, Armagh Road, Monaghan and the remainder (Approx 8 hours) of the course online at teachnet.ie, between August 17 – 19th.  Participants are required to attend the the face-to-face workshops and engage meaningfully with online content for approximately 8 hours. Whilst participation and engagement with the course content will be primarily judged on the quality of their contributions, an attendance roll will be kept and a log of their time spent working online.

Face-to-face Workshops August 15th & 16th

09:30-10:30: Daily Intro and WALT

10:30-12:30: Activity One

12:30-13:15: Lunch

13:15- 15:15: Activity Two

15.15- 16:15: Lesson plan applications

Online Modules Course Author

Kevin Maguire is principal of Glenasmole National School. Co. Dublin. Previously Kevin was a lecturer in Education (Digital Learning) in the School of STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies In DCU Institute of Education. He has a keen interest in STEAM/ STEM and technology in education. He has completed a Masters of Education in Digital Learning through DCU in which he completed a research project focusing on the benefits of game based learning (Minecraft) to promote 21st learning skills with 6th class students. He is a long standing contributor to the TeachNet Blog highlighting effective teaching and learning practices with emerging technologies. and has also provided facilitation on TeachNet’s online and blended CPD.