1st Year Google Skills Workshop

On the 9th and 10th of December, First Years had the opportunity to acquire knowledge on all the various Google Suite components. This workshop was led by Transition Year students Zoe Cartmell, Ella Andrews, Holly Goodwin, Ferghal Dunne and Tymek Kempa. This excellent team of TY students underwent a number of weeks' preparation and practice led by Ms. Dempsey in order to carry out this workshop to the highest standard. Each base class session lasted two hours and was action-packed with all the information they require to utilise their online experience.

We began with giving them lessons on how to construct formal and informal emails to teachers and friends. Holly then taught them how to operate Google Drive so they can access, upload and organise it efficiently. Next, there was a crash-course on Google Docs, which saw the students complete a Google Document about their favourite animal. They now know how to make a copy of a template and insert pictures and links to their work.

The next section was especially important as there was a prize for whoever completed it to the highest standard. Between the First Years in each base class there was a competition on who could create the best Google Slide, informing us on their two favourite hobbies. The winners will be announced tomorrow from each respective base class, but I have had a quick peek at the projects and they all look of the highest quality. We finished off the workshop with a quick guide on how to use the voice recorder and add it to your chrome extension. The language teachers will hopefully get no more muffled messages during oral homework!

It was a very informative day for our First Years. Computer and IT skills are vital for these students to learn at the beginning of their secondary school experience as most of the work they do, will be completed through Google Classroom and other various Google Workspace applications. On top of this, students will carry out CBA in second and third year, the skills they learned in this workshop will aid them massively when they need to research and write their CBAs.

Reporter: Zoe Cartmell

Photographer: Ella Andrews