All Ireland Society for Higher Education
| Name: | Geraldine , O'Neill, |
|---|---|
| Email: | geraldine.m.oneill@ucd.ie |
| Institution: | National University of Ireland, University College Dublin. |
Mac Labhrainn, Iain, iain.maclaren@nuigalway
The Irish higher education system has recently seen the development of more certified courses available for University staff in the area of teaching and learning. The development of new Higher/Postgraduate Diplomas in Teaching and Learning is becoming more widespread around the Universities in Ireland. In addition, there are frameworks developing to link these with new Masters and PhD's in the area of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. In dealing with academic staff attending such courses, the co-ordinators (educational developers) are challenged to practise what they preach in the areas of self-directed, student-centred learning, innovative assessments, reflective practice etc. How have the co-ordinators risen to these challenges? The cultural environment of the different Irish institutions has influenced the manner and structure in which these courses have developed. There uniqueness is a strength and Le Metais (1999, p108) supported the idea that 'it is deemed desirable to tailor learning experiences to the changing needs of the learners and the national economy'. In contrast, there are often concerns for academic standards in trying to support various cultures. How do they therefore link in with the mission of higher education in Ireland and how do they compare with similar international courses? Traditionally staff had access to one-day courses, but there was often no follow through from these days. With the introduction of courses that are more continuous, how is it impacting on the improvement of teaching and learning practices in the Institutions? This workshop will explore these questions based on the experiences to date in two institutions that have recently commenced these courses, i.e. National University of Ireland, Dublin and National University of Ireland, Galway. Reference: Le Metais, J. (1999) In, Values and aims in curriculum and assessment frameworks: A 16 nation review. Pp 93-113. In, Curriculum in Context. Ed. Moon, B. & Murphy, P. London: Sage Publications.
(Abstract ref: #35.)