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IFI Education has the national remit for film education in Ireland. With a bi-annual programme of film screenings, workshops, resources, teacher training and related events, we engage with over 15000 children and young people around the country throughout the school year. Working within a broad ethos of film and moving image education, we take an approach that includes film as subject support, film studies in Transition Year, film in Leaving Certificate and film to stimulate wider learning. Partnerships for this programme are from local arts venues, young film festivals around the country, local cinemas and youth groups. We regularly work with teachers through subject organisations, delivering training and resources that will facilitate their professional development in this area.

Outside of school, a monthly teen film club extends the regular IFI programme to young people aged 15 upwards. The monthly family programme culminates in the annual IFI Family Festival in July. For older audiences, the bi-monthly Wild Strawberries Film Club offers an eclectic mix of films including mainstream, indie, classics, European and more, to appeal to all tastes. Our annual adult learning courses focus on a particular aspect of film or film culture and give IFI members and general public the chance to broaden their knowledge and engagement with film through screenings and follow-up discussions.

As an overall ambition, IFI Education endeavours to provide access to a wide range of film and moving image among diverse audiences, and to facilitate critical and active engagement. To this end, we work with teachers and students, contribute to education policy and development, and promote the case for media literacy in national and international education debates.

Our two-year research project, Film Focus, has yielded some fascinating results and places us at the forefront of discussion around learning and teaching in the 21^st century. By drawing on models of good practice in film education both in and out of school, exploring possibilities for wider learning through film and media, and capitalising on young people’s enthusiasm for and abilities in film and gaming culture, we will ensure our work has immediate relevance and make a case for education that facilitates all young people’s critical, cultural and aesthetic development.

The Irish Film Institute, in collaboration with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland/BAI and with the support of the Arts Council, is carrying out a research project into digital media literacy among 12-13 year olds across the country. For more information contact amcgivern@irishfilm.ie