Two Maynooth University lecturers finalists for the 2014 Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.

Two Maynooth University lecturers, Dr Patricia Kennon and Dr Liam Mac Amhlaigh from the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, were finalists for the 2014 Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning. The award recognises and rewards the innovative use of ICT for educational purposes and creative practices in teaching and learning in Ireland. The shortlisted project, “Using multimodal technology to bilingually and critically explore literature for children”, is believed to be a first in Irish teacher-education:  a dual-language, blended-learning elective on children’s literature which supports student teachers to create enriching links between theory and practice. The elective design developed students’ sensitivity to the pedagogical potential of story, scaffolding assessment for learning and the students’ identities as reflective practitioners in the study of literature for younger readers. Dr Kennon and Dr Mac Amhlaigh will be giving a poster presentation on their project at the Maynooth University Teaching and Learning Show on Friday 6th June.