Gaelscoileanna STEM Programme
Year Awarded
2021
Amount
€163,930
- Organisation:Royal Dublin Society (RDS)
- Audience:Primary Students
- Format:Informal Education
- Location:Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
- Topic:Science
Project Summary
The RDS has been active in science education for over 250 years. As a philanthropic organisation our founding purpose is to ensure that coming generations fulfil their potential.
In delivering our flagship primary science programme, ESB Science Blast, we identified a gap in service provision in STEM at primary level in Ireland.
In Ireland 45,000 primary students are excluded from many STEM initiatives. Disadvantage occurs because these students attend Gaelscoileanna, meaning that they learn exclusively through a minority language, Irish.
In 2020 the RDS established a pilot to test interest amongst Gaelscoileanna. It was based on ESB Science Blast, using the same model and ethos. ESB Science Blast encourages the entire class to undertake a STEM investigation during the school year and present their findings at a Showcase event designed to excite and engage children(8-12)
Demand from Gaelscoileanna was strong with positive impacts on STEM knowledge, confidence, teaching and skills. Teacher feedback demonstrated a desire for a national STEM programme through Irish.
The RDS will collaborate with the two patron bodies of Gaelscoileanna, COGG and An Foras Pátrúnachta, to build on the pilot’s momentum and establish a national programme for Gaelscoileanna as part of ESB Science Blast.
It will:
-be the largest dedicated primary science programme in Ireland, exclusively through Irish
-ignite an additional 5,750 students’ (8-12) innate curiosity about the world around them
-engage with and support 230 teachers
-recruit 110 Irish speaking judges to engage with students on class projects/act as STEM role models
-be externally evaluated (2023)