Education Commons^™

Inter-University International Collaboration For An Online Course: A Case Study, John O'Connor, Claudia Igbrude, Dudley Turner

Conference papers

This paper is a practical account of the experience of collaboration between two international partners – one in Europe and the other in the United States. This collaboration experience is a lens through which the authors outline the origin, design and implementation of an inter-university teaching experience. The processes, strengths and difficulties are outlined and the rationale for utilising a virtual world is given, along with the participants’ perspectives of the experience. No institutional changes or formal agreements were needed.

The same course was validated and accredited by each institution and designed to address the requirements of each with the …

Going The Distance: Best Practices In Designing And Sharing Reusable Learning Objects, Philip Russell

Conference Papers

This paper presents an overview of the suite of online interactive tutorials that have been developed at the Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT Dublin); with a particular emphasis on best practices for pedagogy and instructional design in terms of creating eLearning tools. The author also details how these learning objects have been made available for reuse on a national and international basis as open educational resources via online repositories.

A Study Of Learning In Youth Elite Footballers In Ireland, Andrew Myler

Theses

Elite youth soccer players in Ireland reach a significant point in their development when recruited to the national elite Under 19 (U19) League. At this point players have a two year period in which they aim to become proficient enough to earn a professional contract with their club of choice. They encounter a steep learning curve during this period in their sporting education with increased competition and additional physical and mental demands. This case study examines the type of learning that takes place within an U19 elite team, the learning theory driving the coaching practice and its influences on player …

Analysing The Impact Of Digital Photography Projects On Student Engagement And Performance In A Higher Education Engineering Discipline, Michael Gleeson

Conference papers

Developing and implementing engaging activities aligned with the learning outcomes of a module within a higher education programme is essential to successful teaching practice in the 21^st century. Substantial research evidence indicates that student engagement plays a pivotal role in the academic performance and success of the student. The aim of this research is to compare student performance after adopting an alternative pedagogic approach utilising digital photography as a tool to engage the student in an engineering discipline. The activity was designed to promote student engagement by integrating digital photography, replicating authentic construction professional practice and focusing on images …

Spelt, Dermot Seberry

Articles

Rankings In Institutional Strategies And Processes: Impact Or Illusion, Ellen Hazelkorn, Tia Loukkola, Thérèse Zhang

Reports

Higher education is undergoing rapid change in response to developments occurring at national and international level. Today, universities’ performance worldwide is increasingly being measured using rankings which have been developed by governmental and/or commercial agencies, at both national and international level. The Rankings in Institutional Strategies and Processes (RISP) project is the first pan-European study of the impact and influence of rankings on European higher education institutions. The project has sought to build understanding of how rankings impact and influence the development of institutional strategies and processes and its results are presented in the publication.

Gaihe Survey Report Results, Andrew Gibson, Ellen Hazelkorn

Other resources

This conference presentation details the results of the survey from the Governance and Adaptation to Innovative Modes of Higher Education Provision (GAIHE) Project (funded by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) through the Lifelong Learning Programme), and discusses their implications.

Can The Use Of Online Learning And Reflective Journals Improve Students’ Performance And Engage Them In Independent Learning For A Practically Taught “Timber Jointing Module, Jennifer Byrne

Articles

The Technological University Dublin is one of the largest multi-level higher education providers in Ireland. The Institute’s traditional mission has always been focused on teaching and learning in the field of advanced technical vocational education and training (TVET), and one of its agendas is to foster and encourage changes in teaching practice and methodology in order to enhance the student learning experience.

This research concerned the performance levels of first year students of the Timber Product Technology (TPT) programme. I wanted to investigate whether the use of independent online learning and reflective journals would encourage these students to continue their …

Online Resource Platform For Mathematics Education, Marisa Llorens, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean

Conference papers

Engineering education is facing many challenges: a decline in core mathematical skills; lowering entry requirements; and the diversity of the student cohort. One approach to confronting these challenges is to make subject content appropriate to the communication styles of today’s student. To achieve this, a pedagogical shift from the traditional hierarchical approach to learning to one that embraces the use of technology as a tool to enhance the student learning experience is required. By including the student as co-creator of course content, a greater sense of engagement is achieved and a change to one where students become agents of their …

Spatial Skills As Predictors Of Success In First-Year Engineering, Sheryl Sorby, Edmund Nevin, Avril Behan, Eileen Mageean, Sarah Sheridan

Conference papers

Numerous research studies have highlighted the importance of well-developed 3-D spatial skills for success in STEM related programs. Poor spatial skills, particularly among first-year students, can place them at a distinct disadvantage when completing introductory courses in mathematics, CAD, descriptive geometry, and graphic communications - first-year requirements in many STEM related programs. This in turn can lead to poor grades and retention issues. Women are disproportionally among the group of students with weak or poorly developed 3-D spatial skills meaning that they are at a greater risk of leaving engineering when compared to their male counterparts. In this study, the …

“If You Build It, They Will Use: Creating And Sharing Open Educational Resources To Advance Information Literacy”, Philip Russell

Conference Papers

Since 2010, the library at the Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT Dublin) in South County Dublin, Republic of Ireland, has been developing a suite of interactive online information literacy tutorials covering research, referencing, plagiarism and core academic skills. These open educational resources (OERs) provide users with a vibrant, challenging learning environment and facilitate flexible, 24/7, independent learning. The learning objects are accessible via multiple delivery platforms and are available for reuse under Creative Commons licence via national and international teaching and learning repositories.

This paper outlines the development of these OERs and how the creation of these learning tools has …

Report On The Survey Of Governance And Adaptation To Innovative Modes Of Higher Education Provision (Gaihe), Andrew Gibson, Ellen Hazelkorn, Barry Colfer

Reports

Higher education around the world is undergoing significant change. Globalisation and competition from new modes of provision have sparked a strong debate about how to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of higher education. These developments challenge the “traditional” model of university education and its future. How does the management of European universities adapt to these innovations? What are the new modes of education provision across Europe? What is the role of university governance and government policy in establishing and regulating innovative modes of education provision? What are the motivations, barriers and drivers for innovative education provision?

The definition of innovation …

Historic Former Asylum In A Perilous State, Sylvia Thompson

Media

It is in a perilous state of dereliction with only the southern end of the building remaining standing. The linking arcades on the wings of the building are long gone. The roof has collapsed inwards. The windows have all been broken and are either boarded up or covered with gratings. It is surrounded by overgrown vegetation and in some places, there are trees rooted into the walls.

Initial Investigation Into Spatial Skills As Predictors Of Success In First-Year Stem Programmes, Sheryl Sorby, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean, Sarah Sheridan, Avril Behan

Conference papers

Through numerous research studies conducted over the past fifty years, the importance of well-developed 3-D spatial skills for success in engineering and other STEM fields has been widely demonstrated. Research conducted in the U.S. and elsewhere, has demonstrated the high level of 3-D spatial skills found in engineering students; however, not all of our first-year students have strong spatial skills when they start their post-secondary studies. Poor spatial skills put these students at a distinct disadvantage when completing introductory courses in mathematics, CAD, descriptive geometry, and graphic communications - first-year requirements in many engineering and STEM programs. In turn, this …

New Dit Campus Opens At Grangegorman To First 1,000 Students, Irish Independent Newspaper

Media

No abstract provided.

Dit Grangegorman Faces A Car-Free Future, Irish Independent Newspaper

Media

I went round the new campus for Dublin Institute of Technology at Grangegorman last Thursday. It is stunning, with great views of the Dublin mountains, masses of open space and sympathetic restoration of the grand old buildings of the original hospital.

Culinary Internship And The European Mobility Action Plan Part Two: Towards An Understanding Of The Culinary Life And Internship, Frank Cullen

Articles

In the context of the paper, the role of part two is to provide an overview of culinary life and of the many celebrated chefs who travelled to gain culinary experience before Erasmus funding was available for internship. I also use this paper to provide a synopsis of kitchen systems and present a review of studies related to internship. I attempt to provide some insight into internship and culinary practice in order to augment the understanding of culinary internship. This paper commences with a short review of Georges Auguste Escoffier, one of the most celebrated chefs of all time and …

Culinary Internship And The European Mobility Action Plan: Part One, Frank Cullen

Articles

International mobility for work placement has experienced exponential growth over the past five years with the assistance of European Leonardo da Vinci and Erasmus funding for European internships. The main purpose behind the European Commission funding ventures for internship (experiential learning) is to enhance the students’ cultural awareness, cultivate their language skills and develop their professionalism in their field of study. It is generally accepted that experiential learning in the workplace provides many learning opportunities for students (Billett, 2001:121, Fuller and Unwin, 2003, Guile and Griffiths, 2001, Cullen, 2010a, Cullen, 2010b, Kristensen, 2004). In spite of acceptance that experiential learning …

Locals Angry At Campus Building Site Disruption, Joyce Fegan

Media

Residents living near the planned DIT Grangegorman campus are up in arms over the level of disturbance they say they are being forced to endure.

Making The Academic Transition To College, Mary O'Rawe

Other resources

Students encounter many changes and challenges in making the transition to college. As well as a different vocabulary around the learning environment, students will be supported to take charge of their own learning, and encouraged to move beyond rote learning and to start thinking around the material and the subject area. This newspaper article helps students to understand how to step up to this independent learning, and presents a range of tips for success.

Student Retention In Third Level - Have The First Year Experience And College Interventions Impacted Student Retention?, Anne Hurley

Reports / Surveys

The focus of this paper is on exploring the impact of interventions during the first year of college. The paper considers the performance of students and their points level at entry, their participation in structured learning classes, tutorials etc. and their gender.

This analysis will inform the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism strategy around the first year experience. It is also hoped it would provide valuable insights for the Institute as a whole and for developing TU4Dublin first year experience strategy.

The school to date has prioritised enhancing student retention in first year with particular emphasis on the first …

Work In Progress: Online Resource Platform For Mathematics Education, Marisa Llorens, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean

Conference papers

Mathematics is intrinsic to engineering and as such plays an integral role in the education of engineers. New challenges are being faced in higher education particularly in the areas of student motivation, engagement and attainment. As a result mathematics is often the focus of engineering education research. Traditional methods of delivery such as lectures and tutorials need to evolve to counter these challenges with new pedagogical approaches explored including the use of new technologies. Today’s students are immersed in an increasingly technological world and are willing to adapt to new technological advances. This paper describes a study being undertaken in …

Doing More With Less, Making Research Informed Decisions About Your Teaching:Fifth Annual Graduate Student Conference, Learning, Teaching, Technology Centre, Roisin Donnelly

Graduate Student Conferences

Proceedings and abstracts of the 5th. annual graduate student conference, 17 June, 2014, in DIT, Aungier Street, Dublin.

Genesis Of Educational Research: Proceedings And Abstracts Of The First Annual Graduate Student Conference, 15 June, 2010, Learning, Teaching And Technology Centre, Roisin Donnelly

Graduate Student Conferences

Proceedings and abstracts of the first annual graduate student conference held in DIT, Aungier Street, 15 June, 2010

Gourmande International Book Awards 2014, Dermot Seberry

Articles

Ireland. A Culinary Journey in the North-East

'Winner of 2 Categories'

THE BEST COOKBOOKS, DRINK BOOKS AND FOOD TELEVISION OF THE YEAR 2013

Promoting Social And Academic Attainment Through Emotional And Social Skills Development, Aiden Carthy, Sinead Mcgilloway

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

A Technological University: Student Role In Delivering Quality, Frank Mcmahon

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Using Vles And Mobile Technology To Aid In The Provision Of An Upgraded Delivery Mechanism For The Basic Principles Of Quantity Surveying, Charles Anthony Mitchell

Conference papers

Building measurement has its roots on the construction site not in the classroom. As a result of this it is a subject which is better taught in a practical manner, rather like an apprenticeship. Many students entering the course, whether as standard entry or as mature students, will have had little or no exposure to building measurement as carried out by the quantity surveyor unless they have had some experience of working with a quantity surveyor. As a result students may find the initial learning process very intense. The maths used are relatively simplistic. Building measurement is about analysing the …

Breaking Down Barriers To University-Business Cooperation In The University: Change Through Incentivisation, Lyndsey El Amoud, Séamus Ó’Tuama

Conference Papers

Irish universities are currently engaged in a process of shifting their reliance on state subvention as their primary source of income to one that includes developing new streams of non-exchequer funding. This scenario emerges from a long-term trend of reduced state subvention which was dramatically accelerated by the virtual collapse of the Irish economy, which required an external rescue package brokered with the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (which became know as the Troika) from November 2010. While Ireland has officially exited this arrangement, its public finance will remain severely constrained for an extended …

Database Of Secondary Schools Attended By Irish Cabinet Ministers 1937-2012, Brendan O'Rourke, John Hogan

Other

This excel file shows the computations of the authors of the influence, exclusiveness and eliteness of the Irish and UK secondary school systems in the production of cabinet ministers. These computations are based on the influence, exclusiveness and eliteness indices that are developed in a paper that is forthcoming in the journal Politics.