|Read later

Q&A with Feidhlim Ó Seasnáin, Manager at The Super Generation

In this edition, GESS Talks chats with Feidhlim Ó Seasnáin, Manager at The Super Generation, part of The Examcraft Group. The Super Generation is an Irish company established in 2008 that supports forward-thinking schools with learning, well-being and motivation programmes which empower students to learn more effectively and to develop their social and emotional intelligence.

Q.1 – Tell us more about the Super Generation, what is your offering in the education market and what countries are you active in?

The Super Generation supports forward thinking schools with educational learning and well-being programmes to empower students to develop their social and emotional intelligence.

As experienced educators, we understand the correlation between student well-being and academic achievement. We offer innovative, yet practical, and engaging programmes that inspire students to achieve academic success and become confident future leaders.

The Super Generation is an Irish company established in 2008 and is currently working with the majority of secondary schools in Ireland along with international schools in Belgium Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands and Luxemburg.

Building on this success, we are now supporting teachers and students in the UAE with our well-being programmes for secondary schools. All of our programmes have been specially adopted and modified to meet the needs of UAE students and local requirements.

Our Well-being programmes are aimed at embedding learning and well-being into the culture and life of the school. Our programmes ensure that teaching staff are fully equipped to deliver programmes that have real impact on student lives and welfare by providing them with the relevant training and resources.

Q.2 – The face of education has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic, how has The Super Generation responded?

There is no doubt that there has been a radical transformation of education systems globally since the COVID-19 Pandemic. Just like most education systems and schools we have had to adapt and respond the changing needs of schools. Whilst we were already in the process of greater integration of technology and online learning into our products and services we have speeded this process up.

In the face of these changes we have aimed to ensure that our ongoing support to schools has remained constant. Since the start of COVID-19 and school closures we have been providing live online interactive webinar training for students, teachers and parents, our resources are all now available in e-book version and finally we have moved to hosting remote online supportive meetings with schools and staff as requested.
 
To support schools and the education community further we provided free online well-being resources to all UAE schools to share with their students. These free 12 Lesson resources were designed to support the students to develop resilience and become more self-aware as independent learners. Along with this we ran a number of free online training sessions for UAE teachers on how to support Student well-being in Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12. Over 120 teachers from across the UAE and a variety of international schools participated in these training options.
 
Along with all of this we also posted a number of supportive blogs on various social media platforms sharing with students, teachers and parents some simple strategies and to help them cope better with change, develop resilience and adjust more easily to remote learning. And finally we have now created a Super Generation Online Classroom where we are in the process of creating a number of short courses promoting self- paced independent learning by students.
 
Q.3 – What are the benefits of your products/solutions to educators in the face of these changes?
 
The benefits of our products and services in face of these changes are manifold. We offer schools practical programmes which can be easily inserted into the school timetable as part of their pastoral/ moral or social education hours. Along with complete student programme workbook, teachers are supported with prior induction training along with a comprehensive teacher manual and online resources to support their teaching.
 
Our programmes aim to provide teachers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to support students more in their learning and well-being. In relation to benefits for students not only will our programmes help them become more confident, connected and engaged in their leaning but they also give them the confidence, motivation and resilience to develop the mindset to deal with an increasingly challenging world.
 
Q.4 – We’re still not sure what the impact of school closures and the focus on remote learning – what are your thoughts in terms of student learning and their well-being?
 
Whilst a lot of research is being currently undertaken to look at the impact of school closures and remote learning on student learning and well-being, it must first be acknowledged the great work the great work that was done by teachers over the last number of months. These were challenging times and in a very short period of time teachers have had to adapt their whole methodology of teaching. They have done great work to continue to engage with students, encourage them in their learning and support students remotely through these challenges.
 
We all acknowledge the benefits technology has provided us with, in providing a continuum of education to our students and yet we are all aware of the shortcomings as well.  A key element of teaching and learning any student is the person to person interaction between teacher and student. The distance of working across a computer has its limitations in the amount of work that can be achieved, the opportunities for deeper formative feedback on learning and a clearer awareness of where a student may be having some difficulties. This move to online learning happened so quickly that there was little opportunity for teachers and students to adequately reflect on how a student’s learning strategies might need to be adapted. This naturally will have an impact of the quality if not quantity of learning occurring.
 
In terms of student well-being, apart from the natural social anxiety that is currently out there in terms of this pandemic and an end being in sight, a key element of well-being is based on the quality of relationships and social interaction. The normal everyday social interaction and development such as, sharing of experiences, ideas, emotions etc. is one that occurs naturally in the school environment. This is not something that can be easily replicated online. Whilst young people are much more adept at interacting online socially, now they find a much larger part of their social interaction is now happening online.  So naturally not having the normal support structures and avenues for expression and sharing for students can definitely impact their sense of well-being.
 
Q.5 – Why is there a real need to support student well-being in secondary schools?
 
We know that the more happy or content a student is then the more successful they are academically. Studies carried over the last number of years internationally have shown that in schools which have implemented structured well-being programmes into their timetable that students on average are achieving between 9% and 11% above the average grades. So even before this pandemic there was a clear case for the need to support student well-being in schools.
 
So now more so than ever there is a need for schools to share with their students the skills and strategies that will help them develop their sense of well-being and potentially offset future distress. Students starting in secondary school are normally anxious about this transition into a normally much larger, more complex environment but this year having missed out on their final months of elementary school they now also have to adopt to being back in new social situations with peers they might not even have met before. In terms of the other students in secondary school they will need support in processing the social anxiety that currently exists not to mention the personal anxiety and stress they may feel about their own academic achievement and what their futures hold. So basically if ever there was a need for supporting student well-being in secondary schools the need has never been greater than this year.
 
Q.6 – A lot of teachers and students are unsure about what the new academic year will look like in terms of will students be fully back in schools or will there be more of a hybrid model with virtual learning still of equal importance. Tell us more about Super Generation and the work you’re doing support schools to promote student wellbeing in the face of such uncertainty?
 
Regardless of the model of how students return to schools, in terms of fully back in school or a more complex mixture of blended learning it is important to remember that the same stresses for students that previously existed such as relationships, academic achievement, what their future holds, these continue to exist for them, just in a more nuanced way in context of what is happening.  In terms of the work the Super Generation does with schools and students, all our programmes are designed to accompany the student on their journey through secondary school, helping them understand what is happening around them and sharing with them the vocabulary and skills to better cope. All our well-being programmes are available in e-book format. They are designed for the student to work independently if needed or teacher led using the accompanying online teacher resources. Our well-being training for teachers has now moved online, which so far has been very successful for us with very positive feedback from teachers. We have also just launched our Online Classroom where we are adding a range of e-learning courses for students which they can undertake independently.
 
Q.7 – What does the future hold for the Super Generation?
 
In terms of what the future holds for the Super Generation we will continue to develop our range of innovative and practical educational learning and well-being programmes for schools here in the UAE and other countries. In response to the current climate and to the growing need for our programmes in schools we have adapted our modality of training for teachers. So along with our traditional in school training for teachers we are now providing live online webinar training sessions for schools. Our student well-being books are now available in eBook format.  We have just launched our new Online Classroom with e-learning courses for students and will continue to add new courses for students, teachers and parents as the year progresses. So overall we see ourselves growing in this market as we continue to support forward thinking schools in promoting student well-being.
 
Q.8 – Tell us about your current offer of free training and free student eBooks for schools for the coming year.
 
We are very aware of the many challenges facing international schools in the UAE in the coming year especially in terms of the resources available to them. We also place a high value on continuing to support students in their academic achievement and well-being. Therefore for the coming academic year we would like to provide two well-being programmes free of charge to any school in the UAE who would like to implement them in the coming year. All of these programmes have been specially adopted to ensure the content is suitable for UAE school students.
 
Learning to Learn Programme for Grades 7-9 provides students with practical learning and self-awareness strategies that enable them to feel more confident, connected and engaged in their studies.
 
Ways to Well-Being Programme for Grades 10 -12 gives students the confidence, motivation and resilience to develop the mindset to deal with an increasingly challenging world.
 
We are offering schools free eBook versions of the Student workbooks for each student, free eBook versions of the teacher manuals for any teacher along with free online staff training if required by any school.
 

All schools simply need to do to avail of this offer is contact me at Feidhlim@thesupergenration.com or info@thesupergeneration.com

More information on all our programmes can be found at www.thesupergeneration.com