Education Commons^™

Developing Mobile Apps For Improving The Orientation Experience Of First-Year "Third Level" Students, Nevan Bermingham, Mark Prendergast, Trevor Boland, Mary O'Rawe, Barry Ryan

Conference papers

Smartphone usage by students has increased rapidly over the last number of years, and research points to an expectation for increased utilisation of mobile applications in college educational environments. First year students have particular needs when they transition to higher education (or 'third level'), as they can experience a number of personal, social and cultural difficulties. Orientation is a critical stage for these students and the earlier students have access to important orientation information, the less stressful the initial stages of college are. At Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the authors designed a bespoke mobile application tailored to the particular …

Gamification To Improve First Year Engagement, John Colleran, Aoife Lloyd Mckernan, Julie Ann Naughton, Brian Vaughan

Practitioner Research Projects

The purpose of this project was to examine the role of Gamification in increasing first year student engagement within the third level educational setting. A literature review was carried out in order to explore the teaching philosophy behind gamification in education and review the quantitative and qualitative evidence regarding its use. Gamification can be broadly described as the application of gaming methods and elements in non-gaming contexts in order to improve user engagement and user experience (Deterding et al., 2011). Qualitative analysis suggests these factors result in beneficial emotional and social impacts on students, particularly in the area of increasing …

Embedding High Definition Videoconferencing In Higher Education To Create Global Graduates, Lon Appleby, Paul Dervan

Internationalization, Globalization and Exchange in Higher Education

Study abroad programmes designed to meet industry needs for graduates with inter-cultural skills and a global outlook have low participation rates in Canada and Ireland due mainly to financial barriers. Embedding the use of High Definition Interactive Videoconferencing (HD IVC) in higher education has the potential to create ‘Global Graduates’ with the skills sought by employers today. The ‘Global Class’ is a concept which has been developed at Durham College, Canada. Using HD IVC, students from different countries can participate in a ninety-minute class facilitated by Durham College and led by an invited thought leader with expertise in a specific …

Observation, Gavin Duffy

Assessment & Feedback Cases

Observation – get engagement with group learning process, group discussions and self- directed phase. Their actions dictate learning. The tutor must try to gauge learning through monitoring interaction.

Partnering For The Future: A Case Study In Building Long Term Academic Industry Relationships, David Kirk, Gas Networks Ireland

Conference Papers

A proactive approach to engagement with industry is increasingly forming an integral part of Higher Education Institute (HEI) strategy. At the heart of this engagement focus is the recognition of the need to transition from shorter term transactional relationships to longer term interactive relationships (Jeffrey, 2009)

Recognising this need, Technological University Dublin (DIT), one of the largest Higher Education Institutes in Ireland and a pioneer in technological education, sought to create a framework which could foster ongoing dialogue between industry and Institute thereby creating an informed, trusting and supportive environment within which mutually beneficial interaction could be progressed.

Accordingly, in …

Get Smart! An Evaluation Of An Initiative In Personal And Professional Development Among First Year Undergraduates, Mary O'Rawe

Teaching Fellowships

The third level learning environment today is characterised by many demand and supply-led challenges. Problems of student engagement, motivation and ability to perform in a third level education environment are well documented, as are the opportunities and challenges posed by new modes of delivery. Knight and York highlight the importance of developing a strong set of personal skills, understandings and personal attributes that make graduates more likely to gain employment and to be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefit themselves, the community and the economy

In response to this complex relationship between the expectations of industry, student and academics …

The Measurement Of Success In External Engagement Activities, Mike Murphy

Conference papers

Our ambition is to identify, through the presentations and the discussion, a number of key insights and necessary actions for development of more and deeper partnerships between Higher Education Institutions and Employers.