The #VLEIreland Project

A decade after Martin Weller’s proclamation that ‘The VLE/LMS Is Dead’ (2007) was met with widespread acclaim and debate, virtual learning environmentsVLEs)remain pervasive in most higher education institutions (HEIs) including those in Ireland

Online Continuing Professional Development: An integrative approach

[EN] This paper reports on the design, development, delivery and evaluation of an online continuing professional development (CPD) course in the area of online teaching by three Irish Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The course was developed in the context of a nationally coordinated effort to promote CPD of those that teach in Higher Education through digital badges. Survey results suggest a very high overall satisfaction rate with the course as a whole, increased levels of knowledge and confidence in relation to teaching online, and also intended transference to practice. While the external motivator of demonstrating engagement through the digital badge arose in the surveys and focus groups, it did not feature particularly strongly. Implications for CPD are discussed in relation to internal and external drivers and motivations around CPD for higher education teachers, and the need for opportunities for participants to interact and engage in the manner reminiscent of a community of practice approach.Risquez, A.; Cassidy, D.; Ó Súilleabháin, G.; Garvey, R.; Spain, S. (2019). Online Continuing Professional Development: An integrative approach. En HEAD'19. 5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 641-648. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD19.2019.9423OCS64164

Usage and uptake of virtual learning environments and technology assisted learning: Findings from a multi institutional, multi year comparative study

In early 2008 five Irish tertiary institutions conducted an online survey of their students’ usage of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) in their respective institutions. In 2009, the survey was run again with an expanded set of institutions and supplemented by a staff survey and detailed institutional case histories. The survey instruments used a common set of questions, and on condition of anonymity, the institutions pooled their results to allow us to compare and contrast the results. While many institutions routinely conduct in-house surveys or studies from time to time, this study is relatively unique in that it draws on data from multiple institutions, across multiple years, and diverse VLE platforms. The institutions who participated represented a diversity of organizational histories and VLE systems. The study identifies some of the key drivers and barriers to uptake and usage of an institutional VLE and identified that it is organizational factors, such as system maturity, rather than technical ones around system choice, that are the most significant factors in the uptake, usage and utility of the VLE systems. The paper also notes issues around the conduct of the survey, confidentiality and data sharing, and lessons from the experience

Placing the library at the heart of plagiarism prevention: The University of Bradford experience.

yesPlagiarism is a vexed issue for Higher Education, affecting student transition, retention and attainment. This paper reports on two initiatives from the University of Bradford library aimed at reducing student plagiarism. The first initiative is an intensive course for students who have contravened plagiarism regulations. The second course introduces new students to the concepts surrounding plagiarism with the aim to prevent plagiarism breaches. Since the Plagiarism Avoidance for New Students course was introduced there has been a significant drop in students referred to the disciplinary programme. This paper discusses the background to both courses and the challenges of implementation

MOOCs and educational sustainability? An educational developer\u27s perspective

This article explores the author\u27s views and open questions on the potential use of different open educational approaches to promote educational and professional sustainability. The debate is contextualised around my personal experience in relation to open structured non-accredited education opportunities for continuous professional development. This offers a contrast between open education models that focus on escalability versus those that focus on community and connections.PUBLISHEDnon-peer reviewe

Peer electronic mentoring for transition into university: a theoretical review

The European Space for Higher Education and the calls for lifelong learning highlight the responsibility universities have to facilitate their students´ access and success, and places career guidance (especially in the early transition phase) as a central element of institutional quality. While doing this, it is important to promote community development as part of the integration of each student in the higher education system, so peer mentoring initiatives have become widely adopted across European universities. In this context, information and communication technologies can help to reduce isolation and distance between students, facilitating student collaboration, creating community feelings among students and making it possible to European universities. In this context, information and communication technologies can help to reduce isolation and distance between students, facilitating student collaboration, creating community feelings among students and making it possible to create new guidance programmes that improve access, support and guidance to students. In the confluence of three main areas of research and practice (transition to university, student guidance through peer mentoring, and computer mediated communication (CMC), this paper proposes peer electronic mentoring (e-mentoring) as a new guidance alternative to facilitate student transition to university. Therefore, we review the scarce literature existing in the area, gathering theoretical reviews, anecdotal experiences and programme results, and finally we propose questions for future research

MOOCs and educational sustainability? An educational developer's perspective

This article explores the author's views and open questions on the potential use of different open educational approaches to promote educational and professional sustainability. The debate is contextualised around my personal experience in relation to open structured non-accredited education opportunities for continuous professional development. This offers a contrast between open education models that focus on escalability versus those that focus on community and connections

E-mentoría: avanzando la investigación, construyendo la disciplina

Aunque la mayoría de las iniciativas de mentoría electrónica están basadas en buenas intenciones y a menudo buena financiación, su efectividad ha sido raramente investigada. Unos pocos autores han sugerido marcos teóricos a priori para cubrir esta laguna de investigación, a menudo derivando sus hipótesis de la literatura en comunicación mediada por ordenador (CMO) y mentoría presencial. Este artículo describe y analiza la e-mentoría con especial atención a su aplicación en entornos de educación superior, exponiendo las diferencias entre la e-mentoría y su versión presencial. Se recogen las preguntas de investigación propuestas en las escasas publicaciones en el tema, y ofrece nuevas ideas sobre futuras vías de investigación. El artículo concluye que la e-mentoría ha de ser considerada “en su propio derecho” y no en comparación con su versión tradicional presencial

Current developments around open education in Irish higher education

This paper explores open educational practice in the context of the recommendations by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Digital Roadmap around open education (National Forum, 2015); and a subsequent focused research project which aimed to explore the use of learning resources and open access in Higher Education institutions in Ireland (Risquez et al, 2015). In addition, the author explores the recognition of structured non-accredited opportunities as a valid professional development activity by the National Forum through its recent digital badges initiative. In order to open the debate, the author goes on to discuss her recent personal experience in relation to open structured non-accredited education opportunities for continuous professional development. This offers a contrast between open education models that focus on scalability (as MOOCs) versus those that focus on community and connections

E-mentoring: an extended practice, an emerging discipline

This chapter integrates existing literature and developments on electronic mentoring to build a constructive view of this modality of mentoring as a qualitatively different concept from its traditional face-to-face version. The concept of e-mentoring is introduced by looking first into the evasive notion of mentoring. Next, some salient e-mentoring experiences are identified. The chapter goes on to note the differences between electronic and face-to-face mentoring, and how the relationship between mentor and mentee is modified by technology in unique and definitive ways. Readers are also presented with a collection of best practices on design, implementation, and evaluation of e-mentoring programs. Finally, some practice and research trends are proposed. In conclusion, the author draws an elemental distinction between both modalities of mentoring, which defines e-mentoring as more than the defective alternative to face-to-face contact