A PILOT programme to help schools introduce coding at Junior Cycle is to be extended to a second phase from September. Four Limerick secondary schools, Coláiste Chiarain, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, St Munchin’s College and Thomond Community College, were among 50 selected nationally in 2017 to pioneerJunior Cycle Coding in Action, an initiative spearheaded by the Department of Education, Junior Cycle for Teachers support service; Lero – the Irish Software Research Centre; Science Foundation Ireland and Intel Ireland. A review of the initiative showed the positive impact on the almost all post-primary schools involved in the first phase and called for the programme to be extended to a new group of 50 schools in a second phase. See www.jct.ie for more.
