Mr. Robert O'Leary:

The recommendations are to provide primary schools with sufficient financial resources to invest in up-to-date technology infrastructure, ensuring all learning areas have access to a range of ICT equipment, as well as provision for the incorporation of student mobile devices. Schools should be supported in developing plans for the phased integration of digital resources at the earliest possible opportunity. An integrated approach should be adopted to procurement that takes full account of the operating costs of ICT equipment and technical support provision. The provision of high-speed broadband for primary schools must be prioritised, as all schools need a high-speed, reliable network that extends to all areas of the school. All computers should be networked, facilitating access to online and locally based server resources.

As an immediate measure, schools that have achieved digital schools of distinction status should be provided with high-speed broadband in order to allow them to continue developing and acting as beacon schools in the locality from which other schools can learn. The re-establishment of middle management posts should be prioritised in primary schools in order to facilitate a co-ordinated approach to the integrated development of technology usage across the curriculum in all classrooms in every school. Digital content should be developed to support the Irish primary school curriculum to meet the diverse needs of pupils in these schools. We should prioritise and develop a wide range of formal ICT continuing professional development opportunities for teachers, recognising and supporting informal structures to facilitate teachers in collaborating in professional learning. We should prioritise and encourage schools in the use of ICT resources and assistive technologies in order to facilitate the inclusion of students with special educational needs. We should support teachers to enable them to provide learning opportunities that support cross-curricular learning approaches, student-directed learning and collaborative discovery-based learning activities.