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Issue No.16 Spring 2004
The project has two central
aims. Firstly, the development of an interactive learning resource and
digital archive of life in Derry & Donegal in the 20th century. Secondly,
the provision of an educational programme of workshops and hands on creative
activities for post primary schools in both counties focusing upon the
new curriculum of citizenship. At present four schools from each county
are participating on the programme. Year 10 pupils from Thornhill
College were the first to take part in the project. The pupils studied
the 1916 Easter Rising, specialising in the lesser known role of women
partaking in that period of history. Other schools will be studying World
War 1 using the same format taking a look at life in the trenches. The
multimedia techniques deployed will be ongoing throughout the project.
It is the emphasis of the Project’s Educational team that the focus
of the project is to encourage and develop the creativity that will undoubtedly
lie within the pupils. The pupils designed a 'Power Point' presentation
followed by the making of a short video from that period. They were guided
by the project team consisting of History Teachers, I.T. Tutors and Camera
and Sound Support specialists. Dr. Henry Jefferies Head of
History, commented: “We are delighted with this high level of ICT
training at The Nerve Centre. It strongly supports our use of computers
in teaching history at Thornhill College. I wish to thank all the staff
involved at The Nerve Centre for providing our students with an experience
in which they learnt a great deal and came away with skills they can use
throughout their schooling”. One pupil Ayleen said “I really
enjoyed using PowerPoint, learning ICT and womens' roles in history”.
Another pupil, Rachael said, “it was great how we were encouraged
to be creative and we had a really enjoyable experience”. This was certainly evident in
the range of creative PowerPoint presentations and videos the girls produced.
The centre exuded enthusiasm over the three days of the workshop and that
same enthusiasm in turn produced flair in abundance. At the beginning
of the workshop the girls were encouraged to be imaginative and creative.
Teenagers, in a general sense, seem to take naturally to technology as
did this group but they duly delivered on the imaginative and creative
element of the course. Looking at the finished videos,
for example, the pupils mixed the old with the new imposing some contemporary
music over old film of O'Connell St. in ruins after the battle. It was
certainly different and worked quite well. Another group impressed by
scripting a historiography, which was scrolled alongside the credits at
the end of the film. The absence of music with the script created a certain
mood emphasising the devastation in the aftermath of the event. The two pronged approach to
the project ensures that everyone is catered for. The archive when completed
will be accessible to a broad target audience, with the youth being catered
for by the creative learning resource. This will without doubt prove to
a very valuable teaching and learning resource. |
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