Scoilnet
Why should I upload resources to Scoilnet?
INOTE is delighted to have Scoilnet integrated into our new site. We’re a small island but we have a big appetite for sharing knowledge. As a result, we felt we needed a resource sharing hub that would have long-term capacity and security for the resources we would like to share. Having one central location to store all of our resources just makes sense. Using the Scoilnet search bar, top of this post and permanently on the site home screen, will populate a list from just the English resources on Scoilnet. Try it now before reading on! Othello, Larkin, Leaving Cert. Paper 1…you’ll be surprised at how much can already be found.
We would encourage INOTE members to take a minute to sign up now for Scoilnet and over the coming weeks, months and years to share as much as you can.
Scoilnet supports teachers in sharing and finding quality resources such as for the classroom. It currently links to 13,000+ resources of varying types and languages and comprises lesson plans, videos, podcasts, simulations, notes, presentation amongst others. 1,400 relate to English, and have either been created or handpicked and reviewed by teachers for their relevance to the Irish curriculum. Each resource review also contains practical suggestions on how it may be integrated effectively into the teaching and learning process.
Though Scoilnet has been in existence as the Department of Education and Skills portal for Irish education for 15 years, it had a major revamp in the summer of 2014. One of the features of the new Scoilnet is the facility for any teacher registered in Ireland to upload resources they’ve created themselves or link to a resource they find useful. Popular for teachers to upload are links, teacher’s own PowerPoint presentation, Word documents, videos, sound files or images.
A key motivation behind this innovation was a desire to make Scoilnet more community of practice driven and to take advantage of the thousands of resources that teachers create and file locally. Such a move is challenging but many teachers recognise the need to change the culture of sharing resources with each other in Ireland as a mechanism for providing collegial support and facilitating a more stimulating learning experience. Some schools have a policy of encouraging sharing within their departments but the practice is not universal. Scoilnet provides a platform for teachers to share outside their immediate school environment. Therefore, if teachers can buy in to a culture of sharing that the quality of digital resources available to support their teaching would be greatly improved.
Scoilnet is a highly recognisable brand within Irish education. Around 20,000 resources are opened each week and yearly visitor numbers exceed 1 million. Sharing resources through will bring them to a wide audience and make a real difference to teaching and learning in Ireland.
Make it your own by using and contributing the best learning and teaching resources!
