Education Commons^™

The Management And Creation Of Knowledge: Do Wikis Help?, Catherine Bruen, Noel Fitzpatrick, Paul Gormley, Jen Harvey, Claire Macavinney

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Wikis are frequently cited in Higher Education research as appropriate and powerful web spaces which provide opportunities to capture, discuss, and review individual, group, project or organisational activities. These activities, in turn, offer possibilities for knowledge development by utilising wiki collaborative active spaces. The chapter uses selected case studies examples to illustrate the use of wikis to support online community based tasks, project development/process, collaborative materials development and various student and peer supported activities. A key focus of the chapter centres on evaluating the effectiveness (or otherwise) of wikis to create online communities to support knowledge management (development, retention and …

Personalised Role Playing Simulations, Eileen O'Donnell, Mary Sharpe

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This research explores the use of personalised role playing simulations to encourage active student engagement in the learning process. Personalised role playing simulations could provide educators with an alternative teaching methodology, and students with course content tailored to their needs. The personalisation of student learning resources could be based on: level of achievement; prior experience; learning preferences; relevance of learning resources to individual students’ requirements; and lecturers or students choice of direction through the units of learning provided. Some of the advantages of using personalised role playing simulations include: inexpensive to produce; easy to create; re-usable; not life threatening; engaging; …

Supporting Academic Writing Through The Lens Of Critical Thinking, Roisin Donnelly, Marian Fitzmaurice

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Academic writing in the context of producing quality research articles is something which all academics engage in and there is evidence of increased attention to supporting the development of the writing and subsequent output of academics and research students. However, while scholarly writing is learnt in complex ways, critical thinking is an intrinsic part of such writing. In practice the teaching of critical thinking is difficult and there is a lack of discussion about what it means within the context of the writing process. This study describes a pedagogic intervention with a group of academic staff to support he participants …

Crucial Connections: An Exploration Of Critical Thinking And Scholarly Writing, Roisin Donnelly, Marian Fitzmaurice

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Academic writing in the context of producing quality research articles is something which all academics engage in and there is evidence of increased attention to supporting the development of the writing and subsequent outputs of academics and research students. However, while scholarly writing is learnt in complex ways, critical thinking is an intrinsic part of such writing. In practice the teaching of critical thinking is difficult and there is a lack of discussion about what it means within the context of the writing process. Critical thinking can only be acquired with practice and this study describes a pedagogic intervention with …

Teaching, Research And Engagement: Strengthening The Knowledge Triangle, Ellen Hazelkorn

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The presentation looks at the the changing mission of higher education, and how the Knowledge Triangle can be used to help formulate a new understanding of higher education's interaction with society and the economy.

The Contribution Of Irish Higher Education Institutions In Meeting The Recessional Needs Of Tourism And Hospitality Students Through Entrepreneurship, Ann Conway

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This paper will be in two parts; the first section will examine the current tertiary education situation in Ireland amid the global economic crisis and will review what should education’s contribution be to help alleviate the crisis. Through doing this both the state and the market, who have interests in the academy and their graduates produced, will become part of the review, as building stronger links with the academy and the economy to help raise skills, efficiency and productivity is becoming more important in ensuring global competitiveness and retaining equality and accessibility in the academy (see Gaffikin and Morrissey, 2003: …

The Imperative For Achieving Diversity, Ellen Hazelkorn

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Diversity is seen as a basic norm of higher education policy because it best meets educational and labour market. This presentation examines the concept of diversity as it applies to institutional mission and differentiation, and to research. It argues that in response to rankings and the global financial crisis, policymakers are tending to make a simple correlation between rankings, elite higher education and global competitiveness. There is increasing emphasis on selective excellence and focusing on the 'economic value of research outputs'. However, pursuit of ‘world class’ is skewing policy and institutional priorities.

Lost In Translation? How The Culture(S) Of The Technological University Dublin (Dit) Could Be Analysed Via A Lens Of Critical Discourse Analysis (Cda) Of Its Strategic Plan, And Other Documents, During Its Transition To Grangegorman, Ann Conway

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This paper discusses some of the theoretical foundations to critical discourse analysis (CDA) and will review the principles of CDA. It will attempt to answer how CDA can be understood and what conceptual tools it offers as a lens to view DIT’s changing culture and role in education and society during its transition to Grangegorman. This move from multiple sites to a ‘one size fits all’ campus is believed to be about better servicing the needs of society by ‘supporting the economic, social and cultural life of its people in one main campus’ (DEGW, 2009). CDA focuses on the links …

Culinary Life Skills Recipe Guide, Dermot Seberry

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A book of recipes designed to teach men in rehab, the life skills to cook in their home. Designed to develop domestic skills, social skills and achievement of a FETAC accredited award towards a culinary qualification.

What Have We Learned About And From Rankings?, Ellen Hazelkorn

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The presentation discusses the pros and cons of higher education rankings, and examines the impact and influence that rankings are having.

'Lifeline Recovery' Life Skills Programme For Rehabilatating Men, Dermot Seberry

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A Level 3 FETAC assessment manual developed alongside a structured culinary life skills programme. Designed to accredit candidates an award for successfully learning to cook nutritious food self sufficiently in a domestic environment.

Students' Overview: The Impact Of Technology On Learning In Higher Education, Eileen O'Donnell, Mary Sharp

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This research explores students’ views on the impact and transformations that technology has brought to the learning experience of students in higher education. The students who kindly participated in this study are from: The School of Computer Science and Statistics, Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, Trinity College Dublin and The Faculty of Business, Technological University Dublin, both based in Dublin City, Ireland. The use of technologies in third level education facilitates flexible learning environments. The pedagogic approach employed by e-learning development officers or lecturers when designing e-learning platforms or learning management systems has the capability to transform student learning. …

Resource Pack On Active Learning, Roisin Donnelly, Marian Fitzmaurice

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Introduction - The massification of higher education is now a global phenomenon - Huge changes in the teaching and learning milieu within colleges - The forces of massification have brought multiple challenges with regard to pedagogy - What kind of pedagogy to employ? - The role of the lecturer is to empower learning and it is challenging and complex - There is a need to employ a pedagogy which requires students to do things, to access information, to solve problems, to reflect on what they are doing and make connections to real world problems.

Educational research has revealed a number …

A Critical Reflection On The Research Into The Motives And Choice Behaviour Of Mature, Non-National Students Enrolling And Progressing In A Part-Time, Night Time Hospitality Management Program Within The School Of Hospitality Managa Critical Reflection On The Research Into The Motives And Choice Behaviour Of Mature, Non-National Students Enrolling And Progressing In A Part-Time, Night Time Hospitality Management Program Within The School Of Hospitality Management And Tourism, Technological University Dublin.Ement And Tourism, Technological University Dublin., Ann Conway

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This paper reviews a micro-research study into mature, part-time, night-time students’ motives and choice behavior as they enroll in, and progress in a third level institution. A critical reflection on this research process outlining the advantages of its design and implementation and also highlighting its limitations and ethical concerns will be conducted. It will briefly review some of the literature in the areas of students as consumers and their motives for learning and being part of an educational institution while guiding the focus from the research design, the methodology and methods employed to conduct the interviews. As transcripts or analysis …

Celebrating A Decade Of Innovation And Good Practice In Learning And Teaching, Learning, Teaching And Technology Centre

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No abstract provided.

Higher Education At A Time Of Economic Crisis: Is It Good-Bye To The Celtic Tiger?, Ellen Hazelkorn

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This presentation provides an overview of the effect of the global economic crisis on Irish higher education.

What Should Be The Contribution Of Further And Higher Education In Ireland To The Current Global Economic Crisis?, Ann Conway

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This paper will be in two parts; the first section will examine the current tertiary education situation in Ireland amid the global economic crisis and will review what should education’s contribution be to help alleviate the crisis. Through doing this both the state and the market, who have interests in the academy and their graduates produced, will become part of the review, as building stronger links with the academy and the economy to help raise skills, efficiency and productivity is becoming more important in ensuring global competitiveness and retaining equality and accessibility in the academy (see Gaffikin and Morrissey, 2003: …

Trends In Higher Education: What’S Happening In Ireland, Ellen Hazelkorn

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This presentation provides an overview of trends in higher education policy worldwide, and their implications for Ireland.

Benefits Of Continuing Professional Development In The Visual Communications Sector In Ireland, Con Kennedy

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This research is concerned with identifying the benefits of Continuous Professional Development for the Visual Communications sector in Ireland, with the aim of establishing what benefits exist for both the employee and employer. Research is undertaken to identify CPD programmes that currently exist in other industries in Ireland for the purpose of establishing commonalities and how this may apply to the Visual Communications sector. This is achieved through a combination of literature review, desk research, surveys of employees and employers in the Visual Communications sector and a number of semi-formal interviews with representatives from various industry sectors with established CPD …

A Strategy For Small Nations In A Time Of Economic Crisis, Ellen Hazelkorn

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This presentation presents a higher education strategy for small nations.

Global Positioning Of Irish Higher Education: The Way Forward, Ellen Hazelkorn

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This presentation addresses the question as to how Ireland should globally position itself, and what are the appropriate policies and processes that should be adopted to best enable Ireland to respond.

Giving Adult Learners A Voice After The Inquest: A Review Of A Mixed Method Approach To Educational Research, Ann Conway

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This paper highlights the necessary application of mixed methods in educational research within the field of adult learners and lifelong learning in higher education to provide adult learners with a “voice”. The paper will introduce the reader to educational research through focusing on mixed methods and the theoretical frameworks within. Critical hermeneutic epistemology or transformative research (as espoused by Freire and Habermas in critical realism cited in Morrow and Torres, (2002)), social constructivism within phenomenology (see Vygotsky’s (1934) and Bruner (1996) work cited in Carlile and Jordan, 2005: 21-22) and pragmatism within the critical realism school (The Chicago School of …

Moving Beyond Institutional Rankings: Towards A World-Class System, Ellen Hazelkorn

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No abstract provided.

E-Learning And Dit’S Strategic Plan, Eileen O' Donnell

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This presentation explores the question can e-learning be used to enhance the student experience and further prepare students to work in industry?

Rankings And The (Re)Construction Of Knowledge, Ellen Hazelkorn

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No abstract provided.

Utilising Research ‘Praxis’ To Enhance Teaching Practice In The Domain Of Apprenticeship Education: A Report On A Research Capacity Building Pilot Project Run In The School Of Construction Skills, Technological University Dublin, Ireland In 2008., Aidan Kenny, Niall Delaney, Aidan Ryan

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The Technological University Dublin is one of the largest multi-level higher education providers in Ireland, catering for over 22,000 students annually. Under the 1999 Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, DIT became an awarding body in its own right. Programme provision covers apprenticeships, short continuous professional development courses, taught undergraduate and postgraduate, research MPhil and PhDs. While the Institute’s traditional mission1 was focused on teaching and learning in the field of advanced technical vocational education and training (TVET), over the last decade the importance of developing a research informed culture has become prominent in the strategic policy development of the Institute. …

Recognition Of Prior Learning In Irish Culinary Arts, Dermot Seberry

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The emerging agenda for higher education (HE) in Europe promotes lifelong learning, social inclusion, wider participation, employability and partnership working with community organisations. Consequently, higher education authorities are increasingly recognising the significant knowledge, skills and understanding which can be developed as a result of learning opportunities found at work through individual activities and personal interests. The accreditation of learning and prior achievement is now one of the central functions of the Higher Education Authority (HEA, 2007). In exercising this function, higher education providers are increasingly considering how learning that has taken place in a range of contexts, may be assessed …

Eportfolios: Fit For Purpose?, Jen Harvey, Roisin Donnelly

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No abstract provided.

Widening Participation In Higher Education And The Resultant Diversity Of Learners: A Review Of Government Policies, The Academy And Market Demands That May Influence This Trajectory., Ann Conway

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This paper will look at participation in higher education in Ireland and the current focus of encouraging students from non-traditional and underrepresented groups to understand the ‘why’ of the widening participation debate in higher education. It will then review the evolution of government policies in relation to higher education and in particular of widening access and participation, for example Bologna and Erasmus at EU level and the encouragement of mobility of students within the EU. The resultant shift and change in higher education policies to focus on widening participation has changed the traditional view of the academy which was once …

The Global Obsession With Rankings: How Should Ireland Respond?, Ellen Hazelkorn

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No abstract provided.