Professional Development

Lóchrann - Intercultural Education.

In a response to a request made by the participating schools for further professional development focusing on diversity, the EII has agreed a fifty hour programme of in-career development with the In-service Division of Trinity College which will be recognized as two modules (50 hours) of a four module (100 hours) structure leading to the award of an Advanced Diploma in Curriculum Studies (Inter-cultural Competence). The Advanced Diploma for those reaching the required standard leads to a Masters Degree (M.St.) in Management/ Curriculum Studies from Dublin University (TCD).

Module 1 of the proposed in-service aims to provide a theoretical framework for the work of cultural mediation which the participants will promote in their schools. The module will also develop participants’ intercultural competence. It will invite participants to explore their own cultural heritage as well as the perceptions, values and mental models which inform their judgments.

As outcomes from the programme, the successful participants will be able to:

Engage in professional discussion regarding race, identity, and culture
Assess how school culture impacts on student self identity and academic attainment
Identify and implement ways in which their school community may benefit from diversity.

Module 1 commences in autumn 2008 at Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9. It is proposed that the module will be delivered on three weekends Friday Evening 6.30p.m. to 9.30 p.m. and Saturday 9.30a.m to 4.30 p.m.

Module 2 will consist of a School Related Project to promote inclusion of families from ethnic minorities in the life of the schools. Assistance will be given to participants, working in groups, to design, implement and evaluate a project in their own schools on a topic related to managing diversity in schools. The assessment of participants for the module will take the form of a report giving a summary of their relevant background reading and a report on the various stages of the project.

As an incentive to staff to undertake the programme fees for the first two modules will be fully paid. Those teachers interested in completing the two additional modules for the Advanced Diploma in Curriculum Studies can pick from the extensive list of modules advertised by the Trinity College In-service Education Division.

For further information please contact:

Br. Michael Murray, the Lantern Centre 17 Synge Street.

Seán Bracken, Coláiste Mhuire, Marino Institute of Education sean.bracken@mie.ie