County Donegal Education Support Centre - Week 41 Newsletter (05/10/26 to 11/10/2026)

Week 41 2026 - Weekly Event Newsletter

(05/10/26 to 11/10/26)

‍Dear Principal/Teacher,

Included below is a summary of all CPD events for the upcoming week beginning 5th October 2026 aswell as some other highlights in October 2026 and beyond.

You can also review all of these CPD events in either the Primary or Post Primary courses section of the centre website.

Here is a summary of some other great events/initiatives your school may be interested in:

• NCSE Events - Details of any upcoming NCSE Teacher Professional Training can be found here.
• Oide Events - Details of any upcoming Oide Teacher Professional Training and how to register can be found here.

News Feature of the Week

Experience AI Training Session with Patrick Hickey (Primary and Post Primary)

We are delighted to be able to host this training session in our Centre on Wednesday 21st October 2026 from 4pm to 7pm.

This training will be delivered by Patrick Hickey, an internationally recognised educator, researcher and EdTech leader who empowers teachers and schools through innovative digital learning, inclusive education, assistive technology and professional coaching.

Experience AI is an innovative training programme that introduces educators and students to artificial intelligence and machine learning. The training will equip you with lesson plans, slide decks, worksheets, and videos to teach your students about AI. This course is best suited to educators working with young people aged 11+ years.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explain key AI-related terminology, including bias and ethics
• Outline the benefits and issues of using AI applications
• Use a machine learning tool to import data and train a model
• Recognise a range of opportunities for using AI-related activities with young people
• Use relevant materials from Kinia Academy and Raspberry Pi Foundation

Please click here or on the flyer below to register.

Latest Surveys

• Marine Institute Explorers Education Programme Evaluation Survey - As the Explorers Education Programme reaches its 20th anniversary milestone, we are reflecting on its impact and planning for the future. To help us shape this next chapter, we are asking primary and post primary educators to complete a short evaluation survey (15–20 minutes). Your frontline experience is truly invaluable to us. By sharing what has worked best with your students and where we can make improvements, you will play a direct role in guiding the future of marine education across Ireland. To access the survey, please Click Here.

• Dyscalculia Research Survey - Dyscalculia Network are working alongside University College London (UCL) on a new questionnaire/study for education staff (from all around the world) about supporting children with dyscalculia. This survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and explores teachers' awareness, training, and confidence in relation to dyscalculia. The findings of this study will be used to inform professional development priorities, and school-level support. To access the survey, please Click Here.

• Women in Learning & Leadership (WILL Network) - The WILL network would like to capture the experiences of future and current female leaders in education. This is the first time that research with this focus and scale has been done in the Irish context. A report will be published with the research findings. This will be shared with WILL members and possibly to relevant national and international audiences. It is intended that the results will be shared with the aim of informing systemic support for educational leadership development and career progression across the sectors. It will take you approx. 20 minutes to complete, click here.