October Pilot initiative launched to equip primary school children and teachers with coding and AI skills

A new initiative aimed at equipping children with coding and AI skills has been launched at Trinity Primary School in Tuam, Co. Galway.

This pilot initiative seeks to prepare students, in DEIS schools particularly, to engage with and shape an increasingly computing and AI-powered world, while addressing a significant gap in Ireland's computing education system.

The pilot study, led by the School of Education at University of Galway and proudly supported by Google.org, will engage 80 schools and up to 2,000 primary pupils over the next two years.

Despite being enthusiastic, many teachers are not equipped with the resources, time or depth of knowledge needed to teach coding and AI effectively.

This new project aims to tackle this issue by offering upskilling opportunities to teachers in primary schools, with workshops demonstrating how to integrate computing and AI with other subjects in the curriculum, enhancing lessons with AI and understanding AI concepts.

For example, the pupils will then learn how to code robots to draw patterns and shapes and use AI to write music and songs.  

            Professor Cornelia Connolly of the School of Education at University of Galway said: "To grow our digital economy, Ireland needs an advanced workforce ready to take advantage of the opportunities digital transformation brings. Supporting our teachers and embedding these competencies within formal education is the way to do that. Current and future generations need to be able to navigate misinformation and other AI related challenges, and they also need to be able to take the opportunities which will be provided to those who can become skilful developers and operators of AI. This pilot is part of a nationwide computing education project with Trinity College Dublin and University of Limerick.”

This pilot project will initially focus on DEIS and rural schools in the West of Ireland, with plans to expand nationwide as the project scales.

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