De-Mystifying Electronics at Secondary School Level
In the 11th year of cooperation between UCC and the Department of Electronic Engineering at the Cork Institute of Technology, 20 Professional Diploma in Education student teachers and Irish Science Teachers Association (ISTA) teachers, have received Certificates of Achievement after completing a 5-week introductory course to Electronics.
With significant backing from the Electronics and Microelectronics industry locally and nationally and in particular from CEIA.ie, Cork’s Technology Network, the training programme is based on the ‘Exploring Electronics’ Transition Year Module developed at CIT and is aimed at de-mystifying electronics in the Second Level Class room. It introduces the theory and practice of Electronics Circuit design using practical teaching aids and concise lessons. The module includes links with the Junior Certificate Science Curriculum and aims to provide a useful resource that will support teachers who want to introduce their students to Electronics and Physics in a very practical way.
Valerie Cowman, Chairperson of the CEIA Skills Group said, “We are delighted to support this initiative and thank our member companies who sponsor this course. Teachers can have a great influence in the lives of their students and this Transition Year course will give students an appreciation of the role of electronics in everyday life. The course will also give teachers the tool kit to support a Transition Year electronics module”.
The course is made possible by the ongoing cooperation between Dr Declan Kennedy, Senior Lecturer in Science Education at UCC, Dr Joe Connell and John Harrington of the Department of Electronic Engineering at CIT, Dr Eamon Connolly, CEIA and Second-Level Physics teachers Rosemarie Ferriter, Simon Hill and Sean Finn.
