Ireland Confirmed as New Member of the EUSTORY Network
During the Annual Network Meeting in Lisbon, representatives from the EUSTORY member competitions accepted the Irish application for membership of the Network. Dr Paul Flynn, researcher at the National University of Ireland Galway and organiser of the Irish competition »Breaking the S.E.A.L.«, presented their initiative at the meeting in Portugal.
Having determined a level of disengagement in history learning of secondary school students, the initiative wants to win over the students’ interest with a research and source-based approach towards the topics in the Irish curriculum. »Breaking the S.E.A.L.« encourages students to do individual research projects in archives, practice scientific research and develop critical and independent thinking. Their results are published in a handbook every year at the end of the competition cycle.
»Breaking the S.E.A.L.« first started in 2015, with the second installment finishing this May. The competition has so far seen some 250 participants and will be held for a third time from October 2017. It is an initiative of the James Hardiman Library and the School of Education at NUI Galway. More information about »Breaking the S.E.A.L.« can be found here.