Trying to Source Part Time IT Course to make up shortfalls for Teaching Council

cathb

Hi There

I am going blind from searching on the web for a course in IT that will make up the shortfalls highlighted by the teaching council that I am required to fulfill to be eligable to teach ICT at post primary. Can anyone recommend a good conversion course in IT that covers pretty much everything as everything I look at seems to be full time and with my financial committments at the moment I can't afford to do it full time so will need to work and study at the same time. Anyones help would be so much appreciated. I had found a course that they agreed to which was ICT in Education (MSc) in LIT but it didn't run last year due to not enough numbers and I have been told it is being pulled this year so I need to source one pretty quickly. Fingers crossed there may be someone out there than can help!

hayser

Hi Cath.

Have you tried the Open University? Or perhaps someone at educationposts.ie might be able to help?

Toto Wolfcastle

Moved from Primary & Pre School.

CraftySue

Hi Cathb,

Mary Immaculate have a part time M.Ed. in Information and Communication Technology, University of Limerick have part time MA in Digital Media Development in Education , or a part time MA in Information and Communication Technology. Maybe they would be of some use.
Do you know if the ICT in Education (MSc) in LIT, has been recognised by the Teaching Council. I have searched their list, but havn't seen it on it. I completed this course a number of years ago, but as yet have not tried to get if recognised as an additional subject.

cathb

Thanks Hayser, have registered on the forum now on educationposts.ie so hopefully will get some more feedback. Looks like a good forum so thanks for pointing me in that direction.

cathb

CraftySue wrote: »

Hi Cathb,

Mary Immaculate have a part time M.Ed. in Information and Communication Technology, University of Limerick have part time MA in Digital Media Development in Education , or a part time MA in Information and Communication Technology. Maybe they would be of some use.
Do you know if the ICT in Education (MSc) in LIT, has been recognised by the Teaching Council. I have searched their list, but havn't seen it on it. I completed this course a number of years ago, but as yet have not tried to get if recognised as an additional subject.

Hi Crafty Sue, in regards to the MSc ICT in Education in LIT the Teaching Council said that if I did that they would recognise me for ICT. Now this was on top of what I had done in my degree so they were classing that as making up the shortfall but if I were you I would definately get them to assess it for you and see what they say. I'm so disappointed they are not running this again. Have emailed the head of department in LIT asking if they are doing any other course that would be similar but havent heard back from her yet. Thanks a million for your reply.

cathb

CraftySue wrote: »

Hi Cathb,

Mary Immaculate have a part time M.Ed. in Information and Communication Technology, University of Limerick have part time MA in Digital Media Development in Education , or a part time MA in Information and Communication Technology. Maybe they would be of some use.
Do you know if the ICT in Education (MSc) in LIT, has been recognised by the Teaching Council. I have searched their list, but havn't seen it on it. I completed this course a number of years ago, but as yet have not tried to get if recognised as an additional subject.

By the way when you refer to not seeing it on their list which list are you referring to? Sorry for stupid question but I am so desperate now I want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Thanks!!

doc_17

Whats wrong with the JEB diploma? What other subjects do you teach?

cathb

That's the thing my initial degree is in Applied Psychology and Computing and I have done the Postgrad in Guidance and Counselling also. Have worked in second and third level but loved second level the most. Had the computing aspect of my degree checked for the subject ICT and they came back with the shortfall I would have to make up. I put forward doing the JEB but they said it wouldn't be enough! I need to get this done asap as at the moment you can be registered by the TC to teach in VEC schools with a teaching subject not having done the HDip but this is all changing from 2013 where you will also have to have the Dip to get registered with TC for that sector. If I can make up the shortfalls while working in the Adult Sector as well then I can get registered and still be then able to do the Dip so basically it would widen my opportunities but it just seems to be so difficult to source a part time IT course that will meet the shortfalls as can't afford to do it full time with financial committments.

doc_17

what are the shortfalls

cathb

doc_17 wrote: »

what are the shortfalls

Hey Doc
There was too much info to put up on boards so have sent you a private message there with all the information I got from the teaching council. Any advice you have to offer would be gratefully appreciated. Thank you

millix

Hi

How long did it take for the TC to tell you what the shortfalls that you needed to address were ? 12 weeks ?

M

cathb

millix wrote: »

Hi

How long did it take for the TC to tell you what the shortfalls that you needed to address were ? 12 weeks ?

M

Hi M, I send all the documentation (and boy was there a lot of that) in to them in September and heard back with the news the day I broke up for my Christmas holidays!! So it was a great Christmas present......not!! What is most infuriating is that I know teachers teaching subjects that they have never qualified in and all I want to do is practice as a guidance counsellor but in order for me to do that I have to have a teaching subject. Am applying for jobs in the adult sector at the minute.

rainbowtrout

cathb wrote: »

Hi M, I send all the documentation (and boy was there a lot of that) in to them in September and heard back with the news the day I broke up for my Christmas holidays!! So it was a great Christmas present......not!! What is most infuriating is that I know teachers teaching subjects that they have never qualified in and all I want to do is practice as a guidance counsellor but in order for me to do that I have to have a teaching subject. Am applying for jobs in the adult sector at the minute.

Are you not limiting yourself here a little? Even if the ICT course is recognised that will be your only subject. Teachers generally aren't employed to teach ICT. Guidance positions are few and far between and in a smaller school a guidance counsellor is not on full hours and has to teach for their remaining hours. Also on the rare occasion when a guidance position does come up, there is often a person already in the school with the guidance qualification ready to take up that position. That is the case in my school. If I was a principal I would be very reluctant to hire a guidance counsellor who had no other subject (as in exam subject). I'm not demeaning ICT, I teach it myself, but it's a filler subject on most people's timetables. It's generally given to maths/science/business teachers and anyone else to make up their hours. In my school it's been cut from the timetable from September for most classes because we've lost more teachers and something had to give and it was computers. The non-essential, non-exam subject.

The other thing: even if you get all of this sorted, you can still only teach in a VEC school. That will severly restrict your ability to gain employment in any school. You are cutting out more than half the schools in the country.

I'm not trying to be a bitch but VEC only with Guidance and IT? Even with the Dip, I don't fancy your chances.