Using multimedia concept maps to enhance the learner experience in business law

Students&rsquo; learning experience can be affected by difficulties in understanding the interrelationships between concepts and also between topics. Concept maps have been used in many disciplines (Kremer &amp; Gains, 1996) to structure information and express relationships between them. Their holistic approach with multiple pathways through the learning resource can make relationships and linkages between topics and subtopics obvious, and contribute to a meaningful and positive learning experience. This paper outlines the development and formative evaluation of two hypermedia concept maps which led to the development of a series of eleven concept maps to enhance the learning experience of students in a first year undergraduate business law unit.As part of the Stage 1 formative evaluation, two concept maps were developed together with supporting multimedia resources and trialled on the learners. Feedback was also obtained from technical staff. This phase was designed to assess and control the quality of the learning resource as well as the impact it had on the learning experience. The paper closes by discussing how information gained in Stage 1 was used in Stage 2 as a basis to modify the initially trialled maps and to develop the other supporting maps.<br /

Developing an interactive writing tool for business law students

Students&rsquo; performance in assessment tasks requiring logical written answers to case study problems can be adversely affected by difficulties in constructing a full length, logical written argument that demonstrates understanding to the level expected. This paper describes a teaching and learning tool developed to assist students in constructing logical full-length answers to given problems, using individual understanding of underlying concepts and their application. The tool allows students to see their thoughts and reasoning written into full-length answers of different styles. Developed initially for Business law students, this Answer Styles tool has scope to assist students&rsquo; writing in many disciplines.</div

Attitudes about gifted education among Irish educators

In 2018, gifted education has not been formalized in the Irish education system. To better advocate for the needs of high-ability students in Ireland, a survey was distributed to educators across the country (N = 837) regarding gifted education. A majority of respondents indicated their schools had systems in place to identify gifted students. Respondents were moderately supportive of special services for gifted students, but they were also moderately opposed to grade acceleration, a service option that has significant research support for its effectiveness. More school leaders than teachers believed teachers have the support they need to differentiate instruction, a potential challenge for the provision of services. A majority of classroom teachers did not perceive they had access to specialists to assist them in providing for their high ability students’ needs. Comments from respondents indicate they would like to provide services, but lack the time, training, and resources to do so. Educators appear to be receptive to expanding gifted education in Ireland, but the survey results suggest a need for greater communication between school leaders and teachers, along with professional development on appropriate provisions

Achieving Graduate Attributes through Authentic Learning: The Case of Student Managed Funds

According to the Department of Education and Skills (2011), as cited by Murphy and Whelan (2016), there has been a growing emphasis on the importance of graduate attributes in higher education in Ireland. This not only places emphasis on the application of disciplinary specific knowledge, but also on the ‘soft skills’ highly sought by employers. By providing an authentic learning environment, higher education institutes can facilitate the development of graduate attributes while also ensuring graduates are gaining disciplinary specific knowledge. This project explores how Student Managed Funds (SMFs) represent an authentic learning experience through which students achieve a range of graduate attributes. In addition to the literature review that follows, we also provide details of the recently established Technological University Dublin (DIT) Student Managed Fund (SMF) and a step-by-by guide to the establishment of an SMF, whilst also showing how the DIT SMF learning experience maps to the DIT graduate attributes. Finally, we have developed an infographic that summarises how SMFs are authentic learning experiences that achieve graduate attributes and provide tips for practitioners wishing to set-up an SMF

Exploring Goodness of Fit: Social Cognition Among Students with Gifts and Talents in Ireland and India

Utilizing previous research focusing on the Stigma of Giftedness Paradigm (SGP), this study explains social cognitive beliefs with the help of self-efficacy among students with gifts and talents (SWGT) in Ireland and India. The study considers the concept of person-environment fit with respect to how the SWGT feel they are being seen by others and how they react to their environment, where their self-efficacy plays a role. Irish and Indian students (N = 430) were matched by age (15-17) and gender. Data were collected using the Social Cognitive Beliefs scale as an indicator of person-environment fit, and the Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy. Statistically significant differences were found in social cognition among the two groups with SWGT from Ireland (both males and females) scoring higher, suggesting a poorer fit with peers among them. However, the younger (15 and 16 years old) Indian SWGT had lower scores in peer-related social cognition than all Irish SWGT indicating a better fit with peers. Further, a hierarchical linear regression revealed self-regulated learning as a positive contributor and enlisting parental and community support as a negative contributor to explain social cognition beliefs among both Irish and Indian SWGT. Interestingly, while resisting peer pressure was a positive contributor for the Irish SWGT, it was a negative contributor for the Indian SWGT. Variations in results observed among the SWGT of the two countries are discussed with respect to cultural differences. The study not only contributes to an argument for SWGT to learn in environments where they are surrounded by intellectual peers with similar seriousness and abilities, but also draws attention to both fit in the environment and students’ confidence in their abilities by bringing in a cross-cultural perspective

Social Coping and Self-Concept among Young Gifted Students in Ireland and the United States: A Cross-Cultural Study

Social coping and self-concept were explored among Irish (n = 115) and American (n = 134) grades 3–8 students. Denying one’s giftedness or the impact it has on peer relationships were associated with poor self-concept in both samples. Among Irish students, denying giftedness was associated with more positive self-concept when paired with a high activity level. Engaging in many activities in the US sample and helping one’s peers in the Irish sample were positive predictors of academic self-concept. Findings suggest young gifted students may benefit from learning more about their exceptional abilities and their impact on peers. They should also be encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities and find ways to use their exceptional abilities to support their peers

Evolutionary History and Novel Biotic Interactions Determine Plant Responses to Elevated CO2 and Nitrogen Fertilization

A major frontier in global change research is predicting how multiple agents of global change will alter plant productivity, a critical component of the carbon cycle. Recent research has shown that plant responses to climate change are phylogenetically conserved such that species within some lineages are more productive than those within other lineages in changing environments. However, it remains unclear how phylogenetic patterns in plant responses to changing abiotic conditions may be altered by another agent of global change, the introduction of non-native species. Using a system of 28 native Tasmanian Eucalyptus species belonging to two subgenera, Symphyomyrtus and Eucalyptus, we hypothesized that productivity responses to abiotic agents of global change (elevated CO2 and increased soil N) are unique to lineages, but that novel interactions with a nonnative species mediate these responses. We tested this hypothesis by examining productivity of 1) native species monocultures and 2) mixtures of native species with an introduced hardwood plantation species, Eucalyptus nitens, to experimentally manipulated soil N and atmospheric CO2. Consistent with past research, we found that N limits productivity overall, especially in elevated CO2 conditions. However, monocultures of species within the Symphyomyrtus subgenus showed the strongest response to N (gained 127% more total biomass) in elevated CO2 conditions, whereas those within the Eucalyptus subgenus did not respond to N. Root:shoot ratio (an indicator of resource use) was on average greater in species pairs containing Symphyomyrtus species, suggesting that functional traits important for resource uptake are phylogenetically conserved and explaining the phylogenetic pattern in plant response to changing environmental conditions. Yet, native species mixtures with E. nitens exhibited responses to CO2 and N that differed from those of monocultures, supporting our hypothesis and highlighting that both plant evolutionary history and introduced species will shape community productivity in a changing world

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Converged learning environment to support all learners

Universities face an uncertain future unless they significantly alter their teaching and learning approaches and become more client focused. They need to reach more and more students who do not fit the standard residential degree. This has meant that lecturers have had to facilitate learning for on-campus students on local and overseas campuses as well as for off-campus students based locally and globally. Given the context, flexibility has been recognised as a key idea making it imperative to explore innovative models for flexibility that bring together and accommodate and support all learner groups.This paper describes a project to support students of an undergraduate Business Law unit via the development of such a converged learning environment. It attempts to draw together the different communities of students (on-campus and off-campus based locally and overseas) enrolled in that unit. In order to assist others interested in supporting flexible learning in a similar way, the paper shares details of formative evaluation and planned summative evaluation, together with reflections on lessons learned by the teaching academic and educational designer during its development process.<br /