Video conferencing provides interactive learning for subjects not physically available to students.
Saint Fintinas school in Longwood County Meath has 160 students. Three fifth-year students wanted to study Chemistry but the subject was not available. A solution came in the form of video conferencing technology. As part of a pilot project between Dell, Microsoft and Meath VEC, the three students were offered the opportunity to participate virtually in a chemistry class that is being held physically at Dunshaughlin Community College.
Under the initiative, students attend classes online, submit their homework by email and occasionally travel to Dunshaughlin to carry out the practical side of the course in person. Student Ciara MacDonald says that after a while you forget about the camer and the computers.
You just literally become part of the class in Dunshaughlin.
County Meath VEC is looking at the prospect of rolling out this technology to offer a wider range of subjects across its nine VEC schools. Principal John Stack says that the technology offers the possibility to offer students greater choice when it comes to subject options.
With this technology, we now have an opportunity to provide and combine students from a few schools together with one teacher.
Education officer Seamus Ryan says that the initiative is designed in such a way that it can be replicated at any school in Ireland.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 16 December 2009. The reporter is Laura Fletcher.
