Letterkenny Institute of Technology’s (LYIT) Certificate in Computing in Coding Principles for Teachers has gone from strength to strength since the programme launch in 2017. The programme welcomed its next cohort of teachers in February 2018, with almost every secondary school in Donegal now having at least one teacher in the current offering. Teachers aren’t just coming from Donegal to participate in this programme; teachers from as far away as Kerry are now enrolled in this unique programme for teachers - a programme with Teaching Council recognition.
With the increased emphasis on teaching computing in schools, and the recent announcement that Computer Science will be a Leaving Certificate subject from 2018, it’s not surprising that the programme has grown exponentially in popularity over the past two years. So much so that the programme is now going to be delivered by staff from LYIT’s Department of Computing in the Athlone Education Centre, in addition to being delivered at the Letterkenny campus.
Thomas Dowling, Head of Department of Computing, commented, “The Certificate in Computing in Coding Principles for Teachers has evolved due to demand; we are offering the programme from the Education Centre in Athlone, simply due to programme demand, and ease of accessibility for teachers in the Athlone and surrounding regions. This programme is a unique special purpose 10 credit award that is recognised by the Teaching Council. We have since developed a further 10 credit follow-on programme for teachers interested in developing their skillset in this area, and we are now seeking accreditation for a full Higher Diploma (HDip) in Computing in Coding for Teachers and Educators. Both of our 10 credit modules form part of the proposed HDip and thus teachers who complete one or both of these modules, prior to the launch of the HDip, will gain exemptions from these two modules on the 60 credit course.”
Thomas further added, “We are the only Institute of Technology offering a programme of this kind. We are proud to be leading the way in supporting teachers interested in progressing their studies in computing, and we strive to develop programmes that fit the needs of our second level teachers to help them with the delivery of the new Leaving Certificate curriculum in Computer Science. We currently have 40 teachers undertaking this programme from as far away as Belfast, Drogheda, Kerry and Wexford. We are confident that the success of this programme will continue in the months and years ahead. Over 50 teachers have completed the Coding Principles for Teachers programme to date, and we currently have 27 teachers on the follow-on programme. The feedback from the graduates on these programmes has been fantastic, and the high number of participants, many from outside the county, is evidence that we are delivering a programme that matches the needs and wants of teachers at the moment.”
For more information on the Certificate in Computing in Coding for Teachers, or follow-on programmes available at the Department of Computing, contact thomas.dowling@lyit.ie.