PrintAmerican Ambassador visits Loreto Secondary School for demonstration of the Infinity Project introduced by DIT Lecturer
The American Ambassador, Mr. Thomas Foley, recently visited Loreto Abbey Secondary School in Dalkey for a demonstration of the US derived Infinity Project. Michael Tully, from the DIT School of Electronic and Communications Engineering, introduced the Project to the school, where teachers and students have adopted it enthusiastically.
Ambassador Thomas Foley demonstrates his speech as a digital signal to students Alice Hassett and Ciara McGowan, along with Michael Tully, Project Director
Loreto Abbey is the first female only secondary school in Ireland to adopt the Infinity Project, as an innovative way to interest students in technology, and to help them connect what they learn in maths to their daily lives. According to Tully, 'The visit by the Ambassador was a great success as the students were delighted with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of digital technology.'
Loreto Abbey School staff, students and guests at the Ambassador's visit.
There are five schools in Ireland teaching the Infinity Project in this its first year. Apart from Loreto Abbey, the programme is taught in Oatlands College in Rathfarnham, CBS Clonkeen Road, in south Co Dublin, Coláiste Raithin in Bray, Co Wicklow, and Castlecomer Community School in Kilkenny.
Ambassador Foley presents Loreto student Alice Hassett with the Infinity Certificate
The Infinity Project began in 1998 in the United States as a co-operation between industry and education at Southern Methodist University Dallas, and is the first US based project to be implemented in Irish secondary schools.
The project has enabled transition year students in Loreto Abbey to discover why maths and science are so important in daily life, and helps them to apply what they have learnt in maths class to understanding how digital technology works.
Recently, teachers involved with the Infinity Project, and working with students on their selection of subjects for the Leaving Cert, have reported a dramatic improvement in interest in higher level maths, chemistry and physics. These results were reported in The Irish Times, Wed May 9th 2007.
For further details on the Infinity Project go to www.electronics.dit.ie/infinity or contact michael.tully@dit.ie or vivienne.ororke@dit.ie