The Keep on Track Project is a unique collaborative, cross curricular project connecting 15 schools from Galway to Dublin along the Inter City Rail Line, culminating in a launch day which was held in the Radisson Hotel in Galway on June 9^th 2011 at 12 noon, at which schools presented their Project Findings.

A Special Iarnród Éireann train brought all schools involved to and from Galway for the day of celebration. The schools involved in the project and the station they have adopted were as follows:

1. Scoil Chaitríona Renmore, Galway
2. Athenry Boy’s N.S: Athenry
3. Attymon N.S, Attymon
4. Woodlawn N.S.: Woodlawn
5. St. Augustine’s N.S., Clontuskert: Ballinasloe
6. St. Mary’s N.S.: Athlone
7. Scoil Bríde: Clara
8. Scoil Mhuire: Tullamore
9. Scoil Bhríde: Tullamore
10.  St. Joseph’s N.S., Ballyadams: Portarlington
11. St. Peter’s Boy’s N.S: Monasterevin
12.  Scoil Bhríde Noafa: Kildare
13. Scoil Bhríde, Sallins: Sallins/Naas
14. Primrose Hill, Celbridge: Hazelhatch/Celbridge
15. Holy Spirit B.N.S.: Dublin

Each school adopted a station to tell the rich story of that station in a variety of formats. Classes from Senior Infants to Sixth class took part in the project, researching materials and engaging in learning experiences relevant to their own curricular level.

Schools compiled their work across all curricular areas and presented project materials and outcomes on a joint project blog, the first project of its kind in the country using the Scoilnet Blogs platform. www.keepontrack.scoilnet.ie

Iarnród Éireann (www.irishrail.ie) as Keep on Track Sponsor and has made archive materials available to aid the implementation of the project and facilitated Railway Station visits from each school.

Myles McHugh, Service Planning Manager for Iarnród Éireann, said “we are proud to have supported the Keep on Track project, and to facilitate a unique education project which will be of benefit to the schools involved individually and collectively.  Railways are about connecting communities, and we hope the shared experiences and learning for the schools along the line involved will be rewarding for the children involved.”

The project is also supported by the Education Centres in the relevant catchment areas: Galway, Athlone, Portlaoise, Kildare and Drumcondra Education Centres collaborated to enable schools and teachers in their region to participate.

Director of Galway Education Centre; Bernard Kirk says “This project is one of the most exciting projects we have been involved with since I became Director of the Galway Education Centre over thirteen years ago. The reason is simple. The project has been conceptualised, organised and driven by a group of committed primary school teachers under great leadership from Kate Murray and Cathal O’Connell. The Keep on Track Project goes to the heart of CPD for teachers by facilitating the sharing of practical ideas, concepts and curriculum implementation among peers in a supportive, constructive and excellently led project. The website and the resources already created and available as part of the project, highlight the depth and breadth of the Revised Curriculum at its best.”

A Workshop Day for Teachers took place in Athlone Education Centre on the 20^th of January 2011. Each Education Centre facilitated their schools with regards to attendance on the day. NCTE, the National Centre for Technology in Education ( www.ncte.ie )  has committed to the project  through the use of Scoilnet Blogs and also through access to Scoilnet Maps www.maps.scoilnet.ie This is the first opportunity for Primary Schools in Ireland to access this resource. In Galway, Josephine Vahey, of the County Library Service aided schools sourcing research material and class novels for the project.

The Keep on Track Project was chosen to represent Ireland at the Microsoft Innovative Education Forum in Moscow in March of this year. The purpose of this event was to promote international sharing of innovative practices of technology integration and provide Europe-wide networking opportunities among top innovators. It also focused international attention on the importance of technology innovation in education.

Dr. Kevin Marshall, Academic Programme Manager in Ireland stated that “Microsoft was proud to facilitate this exciting opportunity to bring the most innovative teachers from around the continent together to share their experiences and practice.”

Keep on Track offered huge opportunities for teachers and students to engage with ‘real life’ learning experiences in a cross curricular manner. It also cements the collaboration between schools, Education Centres and the NCTE and provides a model for co-operation between schools and industry. The 21^st century learning models engaged in by the students will be on display for all to see at the Keep on Track Launch in Galway next Thursday 9^th of June.

The Keep on Track Project will represent Ireland at the Microsoft Innovative Education Forum that takes place in Moscow from the 22nd to the 24th of March. The project consists of sixteen schools taking part in a unique collaborative, cross curricular project called Keep on Track that connects schools from Galway to Dublin along the Inter City Rail Line.

The Microsoft Innovative Education Forum has been since 2004 an international gathering of exceptional educators presenting their learning projects achieved through innovative usage of technology. It is an integral part of Microsoft’s Global Partners in Learning Program. So far European Innovative Education Forums (www.innovativeteachers.com) were held in London, Stockholm, Tallinn, Paris, Zagreb, Berlin and now Moscow. The purpose of this event is to promote international sharing of innovative practices of technology integration and provide Europe-wide networking opportunities among top innovators. It also focuses international attention on the importance of technology innovation in education.

Dr. Kevin Marshall, Academic Programme Manager in Ireland stated that “Microsoft is proud to facilitate this exciting opportunity to bring the most innovative teachers from around the continent together to share their experiences and practice.” The agenda for the Forum includes keynotes by well known experts on education and education technology issues. It will focus on structured collaborative sessions that allow the sharing of best practices with teachers from around Europe. The Forum will culminate in a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on the evening of March the 24th 2011.

The Keep on Track Project has been chosen to represent Ireland at this event. As part of the project each school has adopted their local station to tell the rich story of that station in a variety of formats. Classes from Senior Infants to Sixth class are taking part in the project, researching materials and engaging in learning experiences relevant to their own curricular level. Schools have compiled their work across all curricular areas and present project materials and outcomes on a joint project blog, the first project blog of its kind in the country using the Scoilnet Blogs platform. www.keepontrack.scoilnet.ie

Keep on Track offers huge opportunities for teachers and students to engage with ‘real life’ learning experiences in a cross curricular manner. It also cements the collaboration between schools, Irish Rail, Education Centres and the NCTE and provides a model for co-operation between schools and industry.
Irish Rail (www.irishrail.ie) as Keep on Track Sponsor has offered huge commitment and support. It is making archive materials available to aid the implementation of the project and is facilitating Railway Station visits from each school. The project is supported by Galway, Athlone, Portlaoise, Kildare and Drumcondra Education Centres. Director of Galway Education Centre; Bernard Kirk says “This project is the most exciting project we have been involved with since I became Director of the Galway Education Centre over 13 years ago. The reason is simple. The project has been conceptualised, organised and driven by a group of committed primary school teachers under great leadership from Cathal O’Connell and Kate Murray. The Keep on Track Project goes to the heart of CPD for teachers by facilitating the sharing of practical ideas, concepts and curriculum implementation among peers in a supportive, constructive and excellently led project. The website and the resources already created and available as part of the project, highlight the depth and breadth of the Revised Curriculum at its best.”

NCTE, the National Centre for Technology in Education (www.ncte.ie) has committed to the project through the use of Scoilnet Blogs and also through access to Scoilnet Maps www.maps.scoilnet.ie This is the first opportunity for Primary Schools in Ireland to access this resource. The Schools Library Service led by Josephine Vahey has offered their services to the project and are providing sets of Class Novels such as ‘The Railway Children’ by Edith Nesbit and ‘Stop the Train’ by Geraldine McCaughrean, and research material to the schools involved. This will allow schools to operate online book clubs to discuss and explore the novels. Nemeton TV; www.nemeton.ie provided the group with copies of their excellent programme on the history of Irish trains, Bóithre Iarann. This will aid school research in the area of history. Teachnet; www.teachnet.ie have supplied schools with free copies of Microsoft’s Education Package, which has been hugely beneficial in the execution of the project.
A launch day will be held in the Radisson Hotel in Galway on June 9th 2011 where schools will present their Project Findings. A Special Irish Rail train will bring all schools involved to and from Galway for the day of celebration. The project’s blog www.keepontrack.scoilnet.ie is updated by schools on a regular basis. During the Innovative Education Forum updates from school mascots will appear on the blog to inform everyone of the progress of the project in the competition. Read more about this exciting project on www.keepontrack.scoilnet.ie

One of the teachers coordinating the project, Cathal O’Connell, will be attending the Forum in Moscow to represent the project and will be posting reports back from Moscow here on the blog.

Follow the adventures in Moscow on Twitter @keepontrackpro

This Project will take place between January and June 2011. The aim of Keep on Track is to link fifteen Rail Stations on the Galway-Dublin Railway Line.

The Project is supported and sponsored by Irish Rail, the NCTE, the Empowering Minds Group and forms an exciting new alliance between Galway, Athlone, Portlaoise, Kildare and Drumcondra Education Centres.

The Keep on Track Project is a collaborative, cross curricular project connecting 16 schools from Galway to Dublin along the Inter City Rail Line.
Each school has adopted a station to tell the rich story of that station in a variety of formats. Classes from Senior Infants to Sixth class are taking part in the project, researching materials and engaging in learning experiences relevant to their own curricular level.

Schools will compile their work across all curricular areas and present project materials and outcomes on a joint project blog, the first project of its kind in the country using the Scoilnet Blogs platform. www.keepontrack.scoilnet.ie

 Irish Rail (www.irishrail.ie) as Keep on Track Sponsor and has offered huge commitment and support.  Irish Rail is making archive materials available to aid the implementation of the project and is facilitating Railway Station visits from each school.

 The project is also supported by the Education Centres in the relevant catchment areas:

1. Galway Education Centre
2. Athlone Education Centre
3. Portlaoise Education Centre
4. Kildare Education Centre
5. Drumcondra Education Centre

A Workshop Day for Teachers took place in Athlone Education Centre on the 20^th of January 2011. Each Education Centre facilitated their schools with regards to attendance on the day.

NCTE, the National Centre for Technology in Education ( www.ncte.ie )  has committed to the project  through the use of Scoilnet Blogs and also through access to Scoilnet Maps www.maps.scoilnet.ie This is the first opportunity for Primary Schools in Ireland to access this resource.

A launch day will be held in the Radisson Hotel in Galway on June 9^th 2011 where schools will present their Project Findings. A Special Irish Rail train will bring all schools involved to and from Galway for the day of celebration.

The project’s blog www.keepontrack.scoilnet.ie is currently being updated by schools on a regular basis. Keep on Track offers huge opportunities for teachers and students to engage with ‘real life’ learning experiences in a cross curricular manner. It also cements the collaboration between schools, Education Centres and the NCTE and provides a model for co-operation between schools and industry.