Junior cycle students from two Limerick schools attend inaugural NEEDS Conference in UL

STUDENTS from two Limerick schools took part in a unique event that celebrated student-led learning and democratic education.

Showcasing projects at the Negotiating the Essentials for Education in Democratic Societies (NEEDS) Schools Conference in the University of Limerick (UL) were students from Coláiste Iósaef Community College, Kilmallock, and John the Baptist Community School, Hospital.

Hosted by UL’s School of Education, the event brought together students, teachers, researchers, and key figures from the education sector to mark a significant milestone in the NEEDS research project.

A first of its kind, the NEEDS project aims to demonstrate and research practical approaches to education through democracy involving authentic student voice and agency.

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NEEDS enables Junior Cycle students to co-create their learning experiences by designing short courses that address real-world issues that matter most to them.

One first-year student said: “It's like you can express yourself more.

“You’re learning and you get to learn from the students as well as teachers.

“In most classrooms, you’re sort of just getting information from the teachers and not from your peers and the other students, but in negotiated learning, you’ve got to hear from the teachers and the students both, together.”

Another added: “It helps us understand the world around us.

“It’s not about learning from a book, it’s about taking action.”

Topics explored by the school students included social media’s effect on mental health, farm safety and mental health, homelessness, surviving the first year of secondary school, the impact of sport on climate change, and challenges in public transport.

Throughout the day, students and teachers shared their learning and experiences through poster exhibitions, oral presentations and short videos.

Nine teachers are involved in the NEEDS project across four participating schools in total.

Noel Ryan, teacher from Coláiste Iósaef, Kilmallock said: “I’ll be very honest that from a teacher’s perspective, we’re used to being at the top of the room, the expert in our fields, there to impart knowledge on the students.

“But now it’s a situation where I’m not the expert, I’m along on the journey with them.

“I was as blind as my students heading into it, and with that, it changed my perception of what you have to do to really facilitate learning as opposed to dictate it.”

NEEDS represents a student-centred approach to curriculum co-construction and democratic education, aligning with global education priorities around student wellbeing, global citizenship education, and the competencies for democratic culture.

Éabha Hughes, PhD researcher with the NEEDS project, said: “These young people aren’t just learning differently, they’re redefining the purpose of education.

“They’re showing that student-led democratic education isn’t just a concept, it can be a powerful, practical pathway to real transformation.”