Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

A Teaching Practice Review Of The Use Of Multiple-Choice Questions For Formative And Summative Assessment Of Student Work On Advanced Undergraduate And Postgraduate Modules In Engineering, Aidan O'Dwyer

Articles

This paper reflects on, reports on and evaluates the use of multiple-choice questions, in both formative and summative assessment modes, on control engineering modules taken by advanced undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students, over four academic years. The material covered by the modules is analytical in nature. The rationale for examining the assessment strategy was the poor performance by students in a closed book traditional terminal examination on one of the advanced undergraduate modules over some years. The change in assessment strategy has improved student learning, as measured by assessment data; student feedback on the assessment methods is broadly positive. The …

Striving For World Class Excellence: Rankings And Emerging Societies, Ellen Hazelkorn

Books/Book chapters

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Exploration Of Oral Communciations Apprehension, Marann Byrne, Barbara Flood, Dan Shanahan

Articles

Prior research has identified communication apprehension, or fear of communicating, as a major factor which inhibits an individual’s willingness to communicate and his/her capability to develop effective communication skills. While many prior studies have measured oral communication apprehension of students, there has been little qualitative exploration of the phenomenon. This study was conducted by interviewing first-year business and accounting students at a higher education institution in Ireland who were identified as encountering varying levels of oral communication apprehension. The experiences of the students in communicating in different contexts are analysed and the impact of factors such as fear of peer …

Developing A Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment Between Students In Cross Disciplines To Meet The New College Structure, Ruairi Hayden, Fiacra P. Mcdonnell

Teaching Fellowships

p> Integrated project delivery is a rapidly developing approach to design and construction that uses business structures, new technologies and newly developing practices to collaboratively use the talents and contributions of all participants in the design and construction process. This project replicates this approach by creating a collaborative project between the Department of Construction Management and Technology and the Department of Quantity Surveying. The term “collaborative learning” refers to an instruction method in which students at various performance levels work together in small groups towards a common goal. The students are responsible for one another’s learning as well as their …

An Activity-Based Approach To The Learning And Teaching Of Research Methods: Measuring Student Engagement And Learning, Eimear Fallon, Terry Prendergast, Stephen Walsh

Teaching Fellowships

The project had three separate, linked objectives: (a) the development of a module in Research Methods which embraces an activity based approach to learning in a group environment;(b) to improve participation by all students and (c) to devise more rigorous and equitable assessment methods. This module was previously taught through a traditional lecture-based format. It was felt that student engagement was poor and learning was limited. It was believed that successful completion of the development of the module would equip students with a deeply learned battery of research skills to take into their further academic and professional careers. Student learning …

Oral Communication Apprehension: An Exploration In Addressing Fear Of Public Speaking, Dan Shanahan

Teaching Fellowships

Several research studies have identified oral communication as a skill employers desire of their workforce, and so, accounting and business education programmes place considerable emphasis on the development of communication competencies among students. However, not all students appear to benefit as desired from communication skills development. Prior research indicates this may arise from a fear of communicating, commonly known as oral communication apprehension, a factor which inhibits his/her capability to develop effective communication skills.

Many prior studies have measured oral communication apprehension of students in different disciplines, and there has been some qualitative exploration of the phenomenon. This paper reports …

Critical Thinking, Critical Theory: Cross-School First Year Module In Critical Analysis, Tim Stott, Mary Ann Bolger, Noel Fitzpatrick, Niamh-Ann Kelly

Teaching Fellowships

The objective of the project was threefold. Firstly, to propose a first year module entitled “Developing Critical Skills”, to be available across Technological University Dublin (DIT), which would promote, through the analysis of cultural artefacts, the analytical and rhetorical skills of first year students across different disciplines. Secondly, to test and evaluate appropriate assessment procedures for such a module. Thirdly, to explore innovative methods of curriculum design process for interdisciplinary learning. The anticipated benefits of such a module were originally imagined to be the development of students who would possess critical competences with broad application, who would be reflective and …

Shared Ambitions Support Educators In Practitioner Action Research, Roisin Donnelly, Michael Russell, Nuala Harding

Papers, presentations and other resources

When teachers share ambitions for their practice, they are raising both their own awareness of their personal theory and articulating a shared conception of educational values. In contrast to traditional research methods modules which encompass a variety of methodologies, a new module has been collaboratively developed between two higher education institutions in Ireland to focus on action research, specifically requiring participants to engage in and document a research project linked to practice. Research methods as a subject can prove challenging for teacher-researchers especially in applying the concepts to their own practice-based projects. This module, aimed at practitioners in further and …

Supporting Lecturers In Writing And Publishing Educational Research, Roisin Donnelly, Martina Crehan

Other resources

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. Critical thinking can only be acquired with practice and this study describes a pedagogic intervention with …

Exploring The Barriers To Independent Study And Learning In First Year Undergraduate Engineering Students?, Robert Martin Morris

Papers, presentations and other resources

This mixed method case study was carried out in the Technological University Dublin, Ireland and was conducted with the co-operation of four experienced lecturers of engineering and three groups of first year undergraduate engineering students.

The main aim of the research was to identify factors which represent barriers to the independent study and learning of first year engineering students.

Many first year engineering students do not return to college for the second year of their programmes. Many reasons for this are identified in the research, including the failure of students to pass assessments and exams as a result of the …

Phenomenological Study Of Postgraduate Researchers' Experiences Of Nanoscience And Nanotechnology Research, Deepa Chari, Paul Irving, Robert Howard, Brian Bowe

Articles

Over the past few decades, scientific disciplines have changed significantly with the introduction of new and complex aspects of interdisciplinary research, particularly in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology (N&N). The current attempts to develop science education programmes in N&N area to adopt these complex changes however are mainly focussed towards the core scientific knowledge, and, not much attention has been paid to identify the attributes knowledge, skills and competences necessary to successfully undertake N&N research. Identification of these attributes is important so that the core scientific knowledge can be embedded in the curricula more effectively. Also, to work successfully …

Identifying The Knowledge, Skills And Competences For Nanoscience And Nanotechnology Research, Deepa Nathamuni Chari, Robert Howard, Brian Bowe

Articles

Nanoscience and nanotechnology research has influenced the research activities in various scientific disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, molecular biology and biotechnology. The postgraduate researchers working on nanoscience and nanotechnology related research projects in any of these scientific disciplines experience the world of nanoscience and nanotechnology research closely. The examinations of the postgraduate researchers’ lived experiences can certainly unfold the characteristics of nanoscience research as experienced by the researchers themselves and can further illuminate the knowledge, skills and competences required to successfully undertake this research.

Work Placement Blogs To Harness Diverse Learning Experiences And Foster A Community Of Practice, Julie Dunne

Conference papers

Students on work placement will have very different experiences from each other, however they are generally not connected to their peers, but working with professionals under the guidance of a college tutor. Therefore during placement they are not formally supported by peers and cannot learn from the diverse range of activities their peers will experience. An active learning community and a sense of connectedness to others are critical to real learning (LaPointe, 2008), while learning through participation in a community of practice involves sharing experiences and discovering how to improve by regularly interacting with peers (Wenger, 2002). The aim of …

Engaging Students In The Classroom: How Can I Know What I Think Until I See What I Draw?, Paul Donnelly, John Hogan

Conference papers

Recognizing the world into which our students will emerge upon graduation, a world characterized by constant change, and our belief in the need to develop our students as “critical beings” (Barnett, 1997) and as “citizens capable of governing” (Giroux, 1997: 259), we embrace a critical pedagogy that is not just about theory (Dehler, Welsh & Lewis, 2004), but can also be implemented experientially in the classroom through the use of freehand drawing. With this as context, our aim in the classroom is to create a learning space where our students develop their capacity for critical self-reflection. As such, we use …

Formative Assessment Practices In Built Environment Higher Education Programmes And The Enhancement Of The Student Learning Experience, Lloyd Scott, Chrisopher Fortune

Conference papers

It is widely accepted across Higher Education (HE) that assessment has a strong link with learning and a key factor in this link is formative assessment. Formative assessment is generally defined as an activity taking place during a programme or unit of learning with the express purpose of improving and enhancing student learning. However, there is still considerable disagreement over the roles of lecturers and students in this process. It is therefore very important to understand how lecturers in built environment (BE) undergraduate education perceive their own roles and the role of their students in using assessment strategy to deliver …

Does A Link Exist Between Examination Performance And Lecture Attendance For First Year Engineering Students ?, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The objective of this study is to examine if a link exists between lecture attendance and examination performance of Level 7, Year 1, Electrical Engineering students at Dublin Institute of Technology in the Electrical Systems subject. Lecture attendance was monitored and analysed over four academic years (2007-8, 2008-9, 2009-10 and 2010-11). The average lecture attendance for students in the three academic years from 2007-10 was 55%, increasing noticeably in the 2009-10 academic year. A statistically significant weakly positive correlation between lecture attendance and examination performance was established. Each 10% increase in student attendance at lectures improved both Module 1 examination …

Improving Core Skills In Apprentice Education, Peter Kenny

Conference Papers

Many Motor trade apprentice students enter the later years of their studies ill prepared for the level of the material encountered. This is due to several factors including the level of mathematics they have on leaving school. A lot of basic material has been covered during earlier years of their training but by the time they reach the third year of their apprenticeship (Phase 6) it is not safe to assume that they have a full grasp of the basics required. I have developed a diagnostic test to measure the level of preparedness of these students. This test covers basic …

Introducing The Failure Mode Effects Reflective Analysis Technique For The Field Of Higher Education And Research, Frances Boylan

Papers, presentations and other resources

The Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) technique is a well-established “key tool” [1] for risk assessment and management in the field of engineering that has been ‘borrowed’ extensively in recent years by other areas such as the field of medicine, chemical process industries, and the automotive industry, where it has been utilised as a quality improvement tool. In a very structured way the FMEA enables a team of individuals to assess and manage risk by clarifying potential failures or problems with the product, service or process under review, highlighting the effects or consequences of those failures, and agreeing procedures …

Encouraging Attendence In Tutorials For Quantity Surveying Studies Through Assessment, Dermot Kehily

Conference papers

Construction Economics and Management in Technological University of Dublin (DIT) educates and prepares students to become Quantity Surveyors (Construction Economists) in the Construction Industry. Arguably the most important subject on the course and the cornerstone of the profession is the ability of the students and graduates to carry out a technical function called ‘measurement’ or ‘take off’ from construction plans and drawings. Graduates of Construction Economics and Management may spend up to two years carrying out measurement for their employers before they progress to the more professional practices of Quantity Surveying. The importance of measurement and take off inthe profession …

Review Of Technological University Of Dublin's E-Learning Platform For Effective Teaching Fromative Assessment And Feedback, Dermot Kehily

Conference papers

This paper investigates Technological University of Dublin’s (DIT) ‘webcourses.dit.ie’ created for DIT with Blackboard Learning System software as an effective e-learning tool on a module in the School of Real Estate and Construction Economics in DIT. Webcourses.dit.ie is an e-learning platform providing support and assistance to both lecturers and students as part of their daily teaching and learning experience. Webcourses as it is known in DIT is both a course management system for lecturers and a computer assisted learning and assessment tool for students. Prior to using the system class content was delivered by presenting electronic slides in class and …

Seeing What Is Questionable, How To Begin Research: Proceedings And Abstracts Of The Second Annual Graduate Student Conference, 14 June, 2011, Learning, Teaching And Technology Centre, Roisin Donnelly

Graduate Student Conferences

Proceedings and abstracts of the 2nd. Graduate Student Conference, 14 June, 2011 held in DIT, Aungier Street, Dublin.

Can The Use Of Clickers Or Continous Assessment Motivate Critical Thinking?: A Case Study Based On Corporate Finance Students, Lucia Morales

Articles

This study explores the use of clickers as a tool to support, encourage and motivate critical thinking in higher education students. A case study was carried out with a cohort of undergraduate students undertaking the BSc. in Accounting and Finance during the academic year 2009/10, were corporate finance was a major component. Since the students in this sample had previously demonstrated passivity during their corporate finance classes, it was proposed that clickers would help motivate them to participate during face to face sessions. Previous research on the use of clickers shows evidence that this tool has a positive effect on …

Student, Practitioner, Or Both?:Separation And Integration Of Identities In Professional Social Care Education, Fiona Mcsweeney

Articles

This paper presents and discusses some of the findings from a qualitative study of identities in work-related learners. The theoretical framework of structural symbolic interactionism is outlined and the two identities of interest, that of student and practitioner discussed. The aim of professional education is viewed as enabling the practitioner to deal with ambiguity and change through critical examination of work practices and location of these within theoretical frameworks. It is argued that for knowledge and behaviour to transfer to the work setting the student and worker identities need to be integrated rather than kept separate. Factors identified as influencing …

From Action Accounting To Beyond The Basics, Tony Kiely, Frances Boylan, Alice Luby

Other resources

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Basics, Tony Kiely, Alice Luby, Frances Boylan

Other resources

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Pbl Tutor Within Blended Academic Development, Roisin Donnelly

Journal Articles

The central idea of this study is using blended problem-based learning (PBL) in an academic development context with key roles emphasised: academic staff in the role of students and the academic developer as the tutor. The context is a module entitled „Designing eLearning‟ on a postgraduate programme for academic staff in Ireland. It is acknowledged that an e-learning literature exists that calls for more effective use of technology. Part of that exploration of e-learning value requires a refocusing on pedagogy. Increasingly PBL is one of the pedagogies associated with the learning technologies available to educators today. Data was collected from …

“An Exploration Of The Barriers To Independent Study And Learning In First Year Undergraduate Engineering Students”, Robert Martin Morris

Theses

Abstract

This mixed method case study was based in the Institute of Technology and was conducted with the co-operation of four experienced lecturers of engineering and three groups of first year undergraduate engineering students. The main aim of the research was to identify factors which constitute barriers to the independent study and learning of first year engineering students.

A large proportion of first year engineering students do not return to college for the second year of their programmes. Many reasons for this are identified in the research, including the failure to pass assessments and examinations as a result of the …

Dit Teaching Fellowship Reports 2010-2011, Jen Harvey

Teaching Fellowships

No abstract provided.

A Quantitative Study Into Grade Inflation (Perceived And Actual) In The College Of Business, Technologicl University Dublin, Derek Simon

Theses

Most academics have an opinion on the existence or otherwise of grade inflation. Some people deny the existence of grade inflation. Some argue that it is damaging to academia while some argue that it is a normal phenomenon and is not damaging while others assert that it is impossible to measure. Due to the difficulty in measurement of grade inflation this study was devised to measure firsts and distinctions to ascertain the quantity of grade inflation. This study takes a two pronged approach to discovering the real and perceived existence or otherwise of grade inflation in the College. In the …

Enhancing The Learning Experience: Learning For The Unknown Future, Barry Ryan

Conference papers

In this presentation the effects of an altered teaching methodology, in which the "student as producer" approach was adopted, are outlined. Currently, many students exist as knowledge consumers; however, Neary and Winn (2009) have suggested the positive effect on students learning through the inclusion of research-like activities at the core of the undergraduate curriculum; the students act as "producers" of knowledge.