Capita Managed IT Solutions has launched a QuadBlogging project with Northern Ireland primary schools, designed to encourage young people to improve their communication skills and increase collaboration between schools.
Created by education consultant David Mitchell, QuadBlogging joins four classes together who take it in turns to write a blog for the other three groups to comment on. Since its inception in 2011, more than 500,000 students from over 65 countries have taken part.
David Mitchell’s support of the concept follows his influential keynote presentation during the Inspire 2017 conference for NI school leaders in November. David presented on the educational benefits of QuadBlogging with a focus on the real improvements in young people’s literacy and communication skills, encouraging schools to sign up to the project on the day of the conference.
More than 100 primary schools from across Northern Ireland have committed to participating in the project which will begin on the 19th of February and will run until the Easter break.
Schools will participate in clusters of four, with primary six and seven pupils reporting on a topic of their choice via the Capita and C2k Newsdesk or Irish language version Seomra Nuachta. Topics can include anything from a class curriculum or a current affairs topic to a creative writing piece.
The programme will run on a rotation basis across a 4 week period, with each one of the cluster schools taking the lead on a different week. The lead school will upload their blog either in written or video format to Newsdesk or Seomra Nuachta and the other cluster schools will participate by adding feedback and comments.
Ed Brown, managing director, Capita Managed IT Solutions adds: “Capita is delighted to launch the QuadBlogging project and with more than 100 schools participating we are confident it will be a success and deliver real educational achievements for every student and school involved. Newsdesk and Seomra Nuachta are fantastic platforms for pupils to showcase their school work and creative skills. We hope every student involved finds the project beneficial”
Following completion of the QuadBlogging project, Capita is planning to run a transition project for primary seven pupils and year eight pupils from their local post-primary schools to share their experience of moving to a new school.
