Developing Data Literacy for Data Enabled Student Success

Tapping in to the potential benefits of learning analytics requires staff and students in higher education to be proficient in data literacy. This poster reports on a project to review and identify professional development needs for learning analytics, with an emphasis on the effective use of learning data to promote student success. We report on the development of an evidence based strategy and implementation plan that addresses the skills gaps and professional development requirements of students and higher education staff who teach or lead teaching and learning enhancement. The outputs will enable upskilling of staff and also facilitate students to be more aware, and make greater use of, their own data ‘footprint’. This facilitates the development of important life skills such as self-regulation and self actualisation. In the broader institutional context, this should have the resulting impact of more widespread adoption of evidence based decisions that support student success initiatives

The first year experience of a peer assisted learning program in two institutes of technology in Ireland.

This paper describes a collaborative action research study in which peer assisted learning was deployed simultaneously across a range of disciplines in two institutes of technology in Ireland. The aim of the research was to determine if peer assisted learning enhances the learning experience of first year participants. An action research approach was selected and involved three phases between 2009 and 2011. The implementation of each phase was informed by a review of the previous phase. The third phase also incorporated the rollout and evaluation of a new peer assisted learning student leadership module (an elective 5 ECTs European Credit and Accumulation Transfer System) in both institutes. This paper focuses on both quantitative and qualitative data from the first year experience student survey, which was designed and deployed in phase one and repeated in phase two. The survey is supplemented by data from focus groups with student leaders and session reviews. Qualitative data was analysed using both the constant comparison method and text analysis. Our findings illustrate the challenges associated with implementing and embedding a long-term peer assisted learning program as part of the first year student experience. In addition, we found wide ranging benefits for the two institutes of technology that collaborated on the development, rollout, and evaluation of the program. An evidence based model emerged, which involved a partnership between management, academic staff, student services, and learning and teaching advocates. These partners continue to work together to sustain the program

Building Digital Teaching and Learning Capabilities with DigitalEd.ie in Response to a Global Pandemic.

The COVID 19 emergency has fundamentally changed the way we all live and work, and this is having an enormous impact on the teaching and learning experience.  The physical closure of our five campuses in GMIT, forced everyone online in a hurry and transitioned our learning, teaching and assessment activities to a new platform. The transition has been challenging, but it has also presented a number of opportunities for developing digital capabilities among the teaching community and alternative strategies for student engagement. Transitioning to online teaching and learning in GMIT was made possible due to a number of factors including: the advances in education technology globally in recent years and the seamless integration of Microsoft Office 365 suite and Moodle; Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA) engagement with a HEA funded digital education development project called iNOTE, and the development of https://DigitalEd.ie; the Teaching and Learning Office’s digital teaching and learning online support resources; rapid response digital education workshops and a suite of flexible online learning development courses; and the flexibility and dedication of the teaching community engaging with professional development in digital teaching, learning and assessment strategies. This article will outline a range of programmes and initiatives established since March 12th, 2020, that are building digital teaching and learning capabilities in GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT (the CUA, Connacht Ulster Alliance). Rapid response interventions included: the development of a digital champion team; Ask Me Anything (AMA) clinics; digital teaching and learning small group workshops; a digital education webinar series; alternative assessment strategies workshops; Show and tell insight sessions on digital education topics and technologies; the iNOTE digital education development pathway for the academic community in the Connacht-Ulster Alliance (CUA).

Moodle and Social Constructivism: Is Moodle Being Used as Constructed? A Case Study Analysis of Moodle Use in Teaching and Learning in an Irish Higher Educational Institute

 Moodle was originally developed by Dougiamas in 2002 to help educators create an online teaching and learning platform that embodies a social constructivist pedagogical framework. Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), an Irish higher educational institute, began using Moodle in 2006 but very little research has been carried out on whether Moodle facilitates social constructivism in practice in GMIT. The main research question for this study is to explore if engagement with Moodle facilitates social constructivism principles in the final year of a GMIT business degree. The paper begins with a literature review which considers theoretical perspectives on social constructivism. It abstracts four principles from the overall theoretical framework to support a methodological basis to gauge what is occurring in Moodle in this GMIT business degree from a social constructivist perspective. These key principles include scaffolding, knowledge construction, active learning and social interaction and shows that Moodle can facilitate such principles in theory. The research strategy was a case study using a mixed methods approach. The data collection instruments include surveys and focus groups with final year business students and lecturers. The main finding that emerged from the study is that Moodle does not facilitate social constructivism principles in this group to any great extent. However, the study found that Moodle does facilitate limited scaffolding and in particular, conceptual scaffolding. In addition, a number of barriers were identified to using Moodle to facilitate social constructivism principles. These include a lack of training and time, availability of alternative technologies, more effective face to face social interaction and student inhibitions. The study concludes by offering some recommendations on how GMIT’s School of Business might move closer to a position that harnesses Moodle’s potential to facilitate the social constructivism principles which underpin it. These recommendations are categorised under cultural, technical and policy enablers

Building Digital Capabilities with DigitalEd.ie: Learnings from the Digital Transformation Journey at ATU

In 2019, the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Ireland (previously known as GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT) were awarded a HEA Innovation and Transformation award to build digital capabilities across 8 campuses. The project is called iNOTE and it provides opportunities to transform the higher education experience in the CUA institutes (2019-2022). The Teaching and Learning Centre (Galway-Mayo) is leading the development of DigitalEd.ie Knowledge Platform and digital teaching and learning development initiatives (i.e., Work Package 2 of the iNOTE project). DigitalEd.ie, is a digital teaching and learning knowledge platform, which provides access to professional development pathways and a suite of digital resources, to build digital capabilities and pedagogic expertise, so that educators can design, deliver and support flexible and online learning programmes effectively. This paper will discuss: the development journey of DigitalEd.ie; building a digital education community; designing digital learning pathways; creating a digital resources directory; insights and impact of building digital teaching and learning capabilities during the pandemic; and the creation of a suite of digital education services and resources, that is transforming the higher education learning experience. The development journey of DigitalEd.ie knowledge platform uncovered several resources and learnings, including a discovery tool, digital tools to support online student engagement, meaningful and robust assessment strategies, digital badges and learning pathways, and teaching and learning techniques moving from online to hybrid delivery. In addition, 20 digital teaching and learning impact case studies were developed across eight themes (https://DigitalEd.ie/book), outlining how and why educators transformed their teaching and learning practice and the impact on student engagement. This paper will conclude with feedback from participants who undertook digital learning opportunities through the DigitalEd.ie monthly training programme, the Discovery Tool, Digital Badge pathways, and an accredited postgraduate Certificate in Digital Teaching and Learning. The feedback gathered through the action research study provides insights on the value of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and considerations for the digital learning environment in higher education, post Covid-19

Building Lifelong Learning Participation with the ATU Higher Education 4.0 Project: Recognising Prior Learning (RPL) and Providing Career and Learning Pathways with MyCareerPath.ie

Higher Education 4.0 (HE 4.0) is an ambitious, innovative, and collaborative project from the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ireland. A €12.3 million project supported by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in Ireland under the HCI, Human Capital Initiative. It is a vision for future agility in higher education and provides for opportunities into and through higher education. The Careers and RPL Learning Pathways platform under HE 4.0 incorporates a regional service from the ATU for the assessment of Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and the development of personalised career and learning pathways. This new university service is delivered through an online platform at www.mycareerpath.ie and an RPL information site for the ATU at www.myexperience.ie The online MyCareerPath.ie platform involves engagement with employers and potential students to the Atlantic Technological University. The service involves advising candidates on the learning pathways available and appropriate to them, and how to achieve their career objectives or improve their employability. This paper will explore the ATU Career and RPL learning pathways project development journey to date and how the findings emerging from the research and evaluation activities, are informing the establishment of a regional careers and RPL service, supporting lifelong learning participation and upskilling in the workforce. In addition, the process is informing enhancements to the university’s RPL assessment process, policy development and access to higher education initiatives. To conclude, industry pilot case exemplars will be discussed and their engagement with MyCareerPath.ie assessment services, an RPL assessment portfolio and a variety of micro-courses supporting the transition to higher education

Building a Student Success Model at GMIT: Student Centred Learning Opportunities, Employability and the Professional Development of Teaching

GMIT provide a range of student engagement and teaching development opportunities to support retention and to empower learners to be successful at third level and in their future careers. GMIT has faced a number of challenges including: supporting students as they transition into higher education; retaining students on STEM programmes; developing the teaching community; an increasing demand for academic writing and maths support; research and academic integrity; and the need to support students as they transition out of higher education and into employment. In 2015, in response to these challenges, GMIT agreed strategic priorities and assigned resources to develop initiatives across various functions and academic departments. This paper will present the student success model that emerged in GMIT in 2019, following the collaboration of multiple functions and discipline groups. This paper will discuss initiatives in GMIT that enable student success, support student engagement, promote employability and the professional development of teaching in higher education