The formal collaboration strengthening Bridge21 between Suas Educational Development and Trinity College Dublin’s Centre for Research in IT in Education (CRITE) was signed  on February 20th and witnessed by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn.

Minister Quinn has pointed out the need for radical reform of Junior Certificate and for our students “to be provided with more active learning opportunities that promote real understanding, creativity and innovation.”

Bridge21 embodies the best in progressive educational thinking and practice. Its new approach to learning encourages creativity, problem solving and collaborative skills and a sense of personal responsibility for learning.

The model for team-based, technology-mediated learning involves a highly structured team-based learning method that facilitates collaborative working; a sufficiency of technology to facilitate the objectives of the team while promoting resource sharing; teachers who guide rather than direct; peer to peer learning; cross curriculum project based work and a learning space designed and configured to support the work of the teams.

It has been trialled and tested in an out-of-school context and, in the formal classroom on a pilot basis nationwide in selected second level schools. The eight schools involved are Mercy Goldenbridge, Mt Anville, CBS Westland Row, St Mark's Tallaght, Mercy Sligo, Scoil Chonglais Baltinglass, John Scottus and Coláiste Bríd Clondalkin. The goal is to expand that network to 25 schools in 2012 and 50 in 2013. 

Speaking at the launch Colman Farrell, CEO of Suas Educational Development said: “Bridge 21 can play a leading role in realising the potential of young people and in particular those who suffer disadvantage in the current system.”