Celebrating the past and future through the power of digital technologies at MindRising Games 2016

The winners of MindRising 2016 were announced on Saturday, June 18th with St. Joseph’s Boys, Derry collecting the senior award and CBS Mitchelstown winning the junior category in an all island initiative which enables schools and youth groups to develop their digital skills. The West of Ireland, Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley was depicted in a 1916 musical medley by junior winners CBS Mitchelstown while St. Joseph’s Boys, Derry brought the Rising and the Battle of the Somme to life through a fusion of comic book creations and video role plays.

Over 450 participants took part in this year’s event. The winning schools were awarded a €5,000 digital upgrade by Microsoft.

MindRising is a collaboration between DCU Institute of Education, MindRising and Microsoft.

Speaking about MindRising 2016, President of DCU Brian MacCraith said: “This year's winners were chosen from an outstanding field of top quality projects that demonstrate digital technology, the power of storytelling and history at its best. MindRising has been an innovative and exciting initiative, enhancing the student and teacher experience.

This collaboration between Microsoft and DCU Institute of Education shows how digital technologies can be used to integrate learning from across the school curriculum, bringing together subjects such as history and geography against the backdrop of 21st technology. This is the first year of MindRising and, bearing in mind that it is the 100th anniversary of 1916, it was fitting that the theme focussed on telling the stories of the island of Ireland by looking back to 1916 and projecting forward to 2116. What we received was an exciting and diverse array of projects presenting history in a totally new manner. Congratulations to all of this year's prize winners.”

Launched in February of this year, MindRising aims to transform the teaching of history in schools using digital storytelling, design thinking and games based learning while teachers also used Minecraft to enhance the student experience.

MindRising participant and teacher at Educate Together, Balbriggan Laura O’Shaughnessy said: “MindRising has generated a huge level of interest among the children in school. It was also interesting to note that when we were doing sample papers on spatial awareness and non-verbal sections, those involved in “minecraft” appeared stronger in this area. I noticed the connection immediately and identified that this was most probably as a result of their time spent looking at and working with shapes and trying to make decisions.”

MindRising’s development of Minecraft toolkits with sample lesson plans, tools and suggested teaching content will launch again in September.

MindRising’s Orlaith Nugent has encouraged teachers and students to enter the upcoming competition.

To view the 2016 MindRising projects go to www.mindrising.ie