Mary Immaculate College’s (MIC) Continuing Professional Development Unit is offering two courses designed to enhance the skills of primary teachers this July with Gaelic Games and STEM to the fore.
Partnering with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), MIC will once again offer a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course on the teaching of Gaelic games. The Leading Gaelic Games in the Primary School Teacher Summer Course has long been a fixture in the partnership between MIC and the GAA’s Munster Council. This blended course, involving two in-person sessions on 1 and 2 July at each centre, followed by 12 hours of online learning, will be available in MIC Limerick, but also in nine locations across Ireland. These additional offerings are co-ordinated by the respective Education Centres and facilitated by GAA Game Development Officers and local GAA coaches.
Dr Richard Bowles of MIC’s Department of Arts Education and Physical Education explained the importance of this work, saying:
"The 2023 launch of the MIC Munster GAA Centre of Excellence in Child Coaching and Gaelic Games Promotion marked an important step forward in enhancing our professional development offerings for teachers, with a particular focus on promoting, developing, and advancing Gaelic games and coaching education from pre-school to post-primary levels. This course is designed to supplement teachers’ knowledge and skills in coaching Gaelic games at primary school level, while also equipping teachers with the tools to support both their own and their pupils' enjoyment and participation.”
Dr Cathal De Paor, Director of Continuing Professional Development at MIC’s Faculty of Education, also praised the initiative, particularly the wider availability of the course:
"This initiative, which we began last year, allows us to support teachers in other regional locations in the teaching of Gaelic games. We’re delighted to have extended our collaboration with the GAA in this way."
In addition to the Gaelic Games course, MIC will also run a CPD programme in the MIC campus from 1 to 5 July on Integrating Robotics into the Primary School Curriculum. Delivered by the MIC CRAFT Maker Space, and funded by Oide—Ireland’s national professional development service for teachers—this course offers hands-on learning for teachers interested in STEM education. The course is delivered by the CRAFT Maker Space in partnership with local teachers that are championing the use of innovative technologies and robotics in their schools, and mentors from DELL technologies.
Dr Maeve Liston, Director of Enterprise & Community Engagement at MIC, explained: “This course explores how teachers can deliver on the objectives of the new primary curriculum framework in STE: Science, technology, and engineering. The course covers curriculum planning and pedagogies in STE, through the use of a variety of technologies and robotics, with a particular focus on Vex Robotics. The course, which is very practical will allow teachers the time to reflect on their practices and to explore how STE can be fully integrated across the curriculum."
MIC’s Continuing Professional Development Unit offers a wide range of learning opportunities for teachers, including summer courses, seminars, and workshops throughout the year. These courses are tailored to reflect the dynamic and evolving needs of the teaching profession. All courses are EPV-approved and offered through various formats, including on-campus, blended, and fully online delivery.
Click here for more details and to apply for CPD courses in MIC.
Teachers interested in the Leading Gaelic Games in the Primary School course can also contact their local Education Centre directly for course availability in Athlone, Drumcondra, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Mayo, Tuam, Waterford and Wexford.
