Education Commons^™

Assessment Strategies To Promote Peer Learning In An Online Course, Pauline Rooney, Caitríona Ní Shé

Conference papers

The value of peer learning in higher education is now well recognised. Just as we continually learn from eachother in our everyday lives, so our students also learn from eachother as part of informal and formal learning experiences. Within educational programmes, peer learning is facilitated through a variety of pedagogical strategies which promote active participation, collaboration and the sharing of knowledge and ideas. With the increasing ubiquity of social networking and online learning platforms, new opportunities for facilitating peer learning, have emerged. Within online courses – where students often study at geographically disparate locations – peer learning strategies assume arguably …

Components Of, And Approaches To, Effective Feedback, Sarah Gibbons, Jonathan Mccarthy, Paul Mcevoy, Patricia Mordaunt

Practitioner Research Projects

Feedback is the subject of much research and discussion in Higher Education. Nationally the focus has intensified due to reports of low levels of student satisfaction with the feedback process e.g. the Irish Survey of Student Engagement (ISSE). The focus of this report is an examination of effective feedback in undergraduate education. The importance of effective feedback (particularly for those beginning their third level education) is reflected in a project funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, called the Y1Feedback project. This is aimed at increasing the quality of the third level experience and has …

Achieving Graduate Attributes Through Authentic Learning: The Case Of Student Managed Funds, Robert Dunne, James Fitzgerald, Jennifer Manning, Sean O'Reilly

Practitioner Research Projects

According to the Department of Education and Skills (2011), as cited by Murphy and Whelan (2016), there has been a growing emphasis on the importance of graduate attributes in higher education in Ireland. This not only places emphasis on the application of disciplinary specific knowledge, but also on the ‘soft skills’ highly sought by employers. By providing an authentic learning environment, higher education institutes can facilitate the development of graduate attributes while also ensuring graduates are gaining disciplinary specific knowledge. This project explores how Student Managed Funds (SMFs) represent an authentic learning experience through which students achieve a range of …

Problem-Based Learning As An Authentic Assessment Method, Stuart Henderson, Mary Kinahan, Elaine Rossiter

Practitioner Research Projects

Traditional learning and assessment typically focus on students being told what to do, memorising it, and the teacher assigning a problem on how to use it (Savery, 2006). By contrast, in problem-based learning (PBL) and assessment a problem is assigned to a group or individual, the teacher then facilitates the students’ learning as they identify what they need to know, and the students learn and apply a solution to the problem (Savery, 2006). PBL was developed and pioneered by Barrows and Tamblyn in McMaster University as part of the Medical School programme due to students’ lack of application of their …

A Generic Integrated And Interactive Framework (Giif) For Developing Information Literacy Skills In Higher Education, Aoife Donnelly, Maria Chiara Leva, Ayman Tobail, Nikolaos Valantasis Kanellos

Practitioner Research Projects

Information literacy (IL) is defined as “the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning” (ACRL 2015, p.3). The term IL was originally confined to library and IT skills (Behrens, 1994; Johnston & Webber, 2003) but has since received increasing international interest. It is considered as an important 21st century skill in combination with critical thinking (Kong, 2014), and is perceived as basic human right within the digital world (UNESCO, 2008). The importance …

Alternative Methods To Traditional Written Exam-Based Assessment, Shane Dillon, Alan Mcdonnell, Diarmaid Murphy, Lynsey White

Practitioner Research Projects

Donnelly and Fitzmaurice (2005, p.14) suggest that “assessment methods should be in accord with the learning outcomes of the module and should foster a deep approach to learning”. While unseen written exams do develop skills such as “examination techniques, writing under pressure, recall” (Smyth, 2004), there are a number of alternative assessment methods that determine what students actually understand and what they can do, in contrast to what they can recall. As one student noted “I hate to say it, but what you have got to do is to have a list of “facts” …you write down the important points …

Achieving Sdg Targets: The European Approach: Compliance - The Case Of Energy & Irish Universities, Dr. Mary Whitney, Andy Maguire

Conference papers

Ireland, as a nation, has signed up to the SDGs. The main drivers in reaching these targets will be through a set of interventions that are encompassing
- legislation
- compliance to higher regulations
- incentives
- dissemination of effective best practice
When all put together it is a large and complex tapestry of actions.

The presentation takes Energy as an example. It outlines how the targets have been set nationally to achieve Ireland's internationally agreed targets. The resulting approach is highlighted, filtering down to what specific steps are taking place in the public sector. The resulting actions that are …

Doing A Doctorate In Business Administration: The Case For Critical Reflexivity., Catherine Farrell, Sarah Oerton, Eoin Plant

Articles

This paper focuses upon the value of critical reflexivity in illuminating practice-based management inquiry. Drawing upon contributions to debates in the field, the paper demonstrates how critical reflexivity permits interrogation of the dynamic tensions associated with ‘real life’ practice and scholarly research on Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) programmes. It offers clearer understanding of the complex journeys undertaken, greater recognition of the organizational and cultural landscapes inhabited, and broadens concepts of how ‘success’ on DBA programmes may be evaluated. The paper further argues that critical reflexivity plays a key role in highlighting the various processes underlying the design, management and …

Graduates’ Expectations And Experience Of Social Care Work: Strengths And Abilities Being Nurtured?, Fiona Mcsweeney

Other Resources

This paper reports on the views of social care graduates with regard to their expectations of the workplace and subsequent experiences as newly qualified practitioners in the workforce.

Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with the same participants. The first was at the end of their final year in college (n=17) and the second nine to twelve months later when they were in employment (n=14). Findings indicate that participants, while apprehensive, felt ready for the workforce. Similarly graduating students held fears about transitioning to the workplace particularly in relation to increased practice accountability but as workers participants reported themselves as coping …

Bespoke Mobile Application Development: Facilitating Transition Of Foundation Students To Higher Education, Nevan Bermingham, Mark Prendergast

Books/Book Chapters

Smartphone usage by students has increased rapidly over the last number of years, and it is expected that the utilisation of mobile applications in educational environments will continue to increase. This chapter focuses on a bespoke mobile application which aims to facilitate the transition of Foundation students to Higher Education in an Irish setting. Foundation students comprise of Access and International Students participating on pre-degree foundation courses. These students experience a major life change in making this transition and it is important that efforts are made to ensure a successful adjustment experience. Research suggests that mobile technologies can play a …

The #Vleireland Project, Claire Mcavinia, Angelica Risquez

Conference papers

A decade after Martin Weller’s proclamation that ‘The VLE/LMS Is Dead’ (2007) was met with widespread acclaim and debate, virtual learning environmentsVLEs)remain pervasive in most higher education institutions (HEIs) including those in Ireland .

Academic Twitter And Professional Learning: Myths And Realities, Muireann Okeeffe

Articles

Social networking sites provide opportunities for informal and social learning of academic practices in higher education, yet not all academics engage in these spaces. This qualitative study suggests that while Twitter offers informal opportunities for academi development, inhibiting factors prevent staff from establishing their social presence and participating in conversations on academic Twitter.

Supporting Teaching And Learning Transformations Through The National Professional Development Framework: Establishing And Recognising An Inclusive Community Of Practice For All Who Teach In Irish Higher Education., Roisin Donnelly, Theresa Maguire

Articles

The Natonal Forum (NF) for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning has recently completed an inital implementaton of the Natonal Professional Development Framework (PDF) for all who teach in higher educaton. Prior to the publicaton of the PD Framework in 2016, there was no mechanism or route in place natonally to give structure, focus and support to individual staf to avail of relevant professional development and utlise it to realise their full potental in their teaching role. This important work is deepening sectoral understanding of the PDF itself and leading towards natonal recogniton of an individual’s commitment to their professional …

"I Don't Have The Time!" Analysing Talk Of Time In Lecturers' Use Of The Vle, Claire Mcavinia, Deirdre Ryan, David Moloney

Articles

This paper reports on findings from the recent extension of the VLE survey which examined VLE usage from a staff perspective. 580 staff across seven institutions responded to the survey. The survey explored staff perceptions of the VLE and the opportunities for and barriers to its effective use. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed in order to identify the major factors influencing staff engagement with the VLE. Time (or the lack thereof) emerged as the greatest barrier to effective use of the VLE. When time was in scarce supply, staff evaluated where to spend it and prioritised accordingly. The amount …

Developing Meaningful Higher Education Evaluation Systems: Putting China In Context, Ellen Hazelkorn, Lu Liu

Articles

This paper firstly reviews how issues of accountability and transparency have become some of the key drivers of government policy over recent years. It finds that the drive for greater higher education accountability and transparency has encouraged the growth of an international evaluation industry. It secondly discusses issues related to different types of policy and evaluation instruments across Europe, as well as the importance of rankings. It finds that traditional approaches have relied on collegiality, expert judgment, and peer review, and there is a growing focus on indicator-led systems in the belief that indicators are value-free and statistically robust so …

Empowering Students To Perform An Enhanced Role In The Assessment Process: Possibilities And Challenges, Paul Dervan

Articles

Assessment is key to student learning. This paper examines the case for increased participation by higher education students in the assessment process to deepen learning and improve learner motivation. While increased student participation may not solve all problems relating to assessment, a review of the literature dealing with enhancing the role of students in the assessment process, and original research conducted amongst academics and students at the author's institution, suggests improvements can be made leading to increased student satisfaction, motivation and competency. This paper therefore argues for change in the approach to assessment by empowering students to become partners in …

Interculturalism In Higher Education In Ireland: An Analysis From A Strategy, Policy And Practice Perspective, Brid Ni Chonaill

Articles

Education is instrumental in preparing students to participate in increasingly diverse Irish, European and global societies, with higher education having a part to play in the process. Issues around migration and cultural diversity have gained less attention in the higher education sector in Ireland than at primary and post primary level with a few notable exceptions. Higher education is regarded as having a “critical role” to play in terms of “enriching Ireland’s cultural life, nurturing our understanding of our own national identity and that of other cultures and belief systems” [1]. Influenced by developments at European Union level, the approach …

Applying Learning: Student Experience Of Research Skills Module, Sorca Mcdonnell

Articles

Social Care students undertake a research methods module with a focus on quantitative methods. A core aim of the module is for students to develop their research skills by applying them to a project. This paper will explore the student experience of engaging in this process and the impact on their learning and skill development. The impact on the students' engagement in the exploration of ethical issues and critical thinking is also explored. Bloom (1956) [2] emphasises the key ways that learning happens, with higher levels focusing on Application, Analysis and Synthesis. This research explores the extent to which completing …

Developing A Theoretical Framework For Policy Development, Implementation And Evaluation, Marie Brennan

Articles

Three institutes ITT, ITB and DIT explored the benefits of collaborating and seeking designation as a technological university for Dublin following the publication of the Hunt Report in 2011. A high-level steering group was formed that would guide the alliance partners towards the goal of Technological University for Dublin. Support teams and working groups were set up to draw on the expertise of staff from across the 3 institutes. One workshop was set up to discuss the development of a teaching, learning and assessment strategy for a technological university. Further research carried out into the creation of a teaching, learning …