SAMI Blog

So, Christmas is long forgotten, January has rolled around once more, which must mean it’s IPPN Conference time again!

We take a look at effect of Budget 2012 on students, so it was with some relief that, while bad enough, there are no major or unexpected knock-out blows.

In a webcast last week on the website of the NCCA, Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn gave his full support (almost!) to the recently published document ‘Towards a new Framework for Junior Cycle’.

So, the 2011 Leaving Cert results are out and congratulations to all the students who have come through it in one piece!  We should also congratulate all the teachers and parents whose support was crucial throughout a stressful 12 months for our latest school-leavers.
It was disappointing yesterday to see the media commentators mainly focussing on negative aspects of the results, so we’d like to add a little balance to the issue.

The 2011 Irish census will show a worrying change from the 2006 survey. Whereas then, Ireland was a young country with a lot of highly-skilled people in employment, this updated national survey will indicate the country's high unemployment, and high emigration levels. Should we be fearful? We must remember that media headlines are designed to catch our eye and grab our attention. With huge multi-national information technology companies like Google, Microsoft, Dell, Apple, HP, and Facebook operating from these shores, there is a burgeoning technology sector, which should be cultivated and expanded. At primary school level, we still have bright young pupils who want to learn and explore new ideas using Microsoft software for schools. Growth in broadband services, cloud-computing, and smartphones have meant that everywhere on the island of Ireland is accessible, all the time, every day of the year. What we need though is more money in the technology education sector. Our young people need to be taught valuable...

Software Asset Management Ireland is delighted to receive the Deloitte Tech Fast 50 award this week in our first year of entering the competition. The fact that last year's winners were Daft.ie, Ireland's most well-known property website, illustrates t...

With so much talk in the media about tablets like the iPad for reading and online connectivity, how long will it takes schools in Ireland to ditch paper?

Undoubtedly, the rapid advancement in technology innovations is transforming the classroom and learning environment today. This explosion of new technologies has altered traditional workplaces, communities and classrooms and has made new skills a prerequi...