National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Millennial Students' Digital Content Consumption Habits Explored
2019-11-06 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Recognise student’s digital habits and how they are spending their time online
Reflect on the platforms that 15 to 25 year olds are regularly interacting with
Develop an appreciation of the content preferences of the digital generation
Investigate how the format of communications has changed
Gain insight into student’s expectations of technology in learning in higher education

Webinar: Learning Analytics: Innovative Practices
2019-11-06 12:30 - 13:30
This event has passed. Click here to view the recording.
In line with our key strategic priority focused on student success, the National Forum is delighted to announce the second in our series of learning analytics webinars, which will take place on Wednesday, 6 November from 12:30-13:30. The purpose of this event, which is open to all, is to highlight a number of innovative learning analytics initiatives that will be of interest to staff who teach and policymakers/managers in higher education institutions who wish to learn more about how data can be used to enhance student success.
Topics will include investigating how to achieve effective interventions prompted by LA data (Erasmus+ Onwards from Learning Analytics (OfLA) project), the use of low stakes formative quizzes to dynamically inform impactful teaching design (WIT). We will also see how data is being used to coordinate module assessments, manage students’ workload and identify students that may be at risk (DCU).
In addition to giving participants an opportunity to hear more about good practices in other institutions, this webinar will also enable them to connect with colleagues across the sector who may share areas of interest or expertise in relation to data-enabled student success.
The recording of our first LA webinar, Learning Analytics: What Works? is available here.
Registration
To register for this webinar, please click here.
Questions can be directed to Lee.OFarrell@teachingandlearning.ie.

Promoting Inclusivity through Universal Design for Learning
2019-11-06
Learning Outcomes

Identify and understand the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Discuss the advantages of applying UDL in third level education
Evaluate approaches to UDL taken in other institutions and note successes and challenges in implementing UDL principles in different settings
Apply UDL principles in their own practice to promote and implement an inclusive teaching and learning environment

Open Course: Getting Started with Professional Development – PACT
2019-11-05
We are delighted to announce that CCT and WIT are teaming up in partnership with the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education to facilitate the Digital Badge for PACT in a fully online format this Autumn/Winter. This course was developed by the National Forum as part of the Forum’s open courses initiative. The course will run for 6 weeks from Nov 5th 2019 and will provide participants with a strong introduction to the Professional Development Framework for all who teach
Registration closes Friday, 1 November 2019
Click here for more information including online registration

World Conference on Online Learning 2019
2019-11-03 - 2019-11-07 | Dublin Convention Centre, Spencer Dock, N Wall Quay, North Wall,, Dublin 1, Dublin, Ireland
The 28th ICDE World Conference on Online Learning in Dublin, Ireland is now less than a year away and the team in National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) at Dublin City University (DCU) has been busy over recent weeks preparing for the conference. They promise a truly unique Irish experience along with an exciting and engaging conference programme. The call for papers opens on Monday 19th November and in the context of the conference theme of “transforming lives and societies’ there will be a range of opportunities for participants to discuss many of the contemporary issues facing today’s educators. But there will also be plenty of opportunities for delegates to mix socially and enjoy the sights and delights of Dublin. Watch out over the next few months for further news and updates, including how to enter a special monthly draw to win tickets to visit the iconic Guinness Storehouse during your stay in Dublin.
The National Forum is delighted to be a sponsor of this event.
Visit https://wcol2019.ie for more information.

Assessment and Feedback at the Module and Programme Level
2019-10-31 10:00 | TU Dublin, City Campus, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Identify key concepts underpinning Programme
Focused Assessment (PFA) that draw upon key findings/recommendations from the UK TESTA project www.testa.ac.uk and the TU Dublin LEAF Teaching Fellowship (Leading Enhancement of Assessment & Feedback)
Review and rethink programme based assessment and Feedback strategies at institutional, programme and module level, taking into account current research findings within the context of existing institutional subject disciplinary practices
Identify key assessment and/or feedback challenges/issues as a collaborative enterprise and work together to develop a sustainable assessment enhancement action plan that is appropriate for the needs within their subject discipline and across a programme
Contribute to institutional strategies that focus on developing a methodology to support programmes/departments/schools to enhance assessment and feedback at a programme level

Infusing Critical Thinking into Undergraduate Business Programmes
2019-10-29 10:00 - 16:00 | TU Dublin, City Campus, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Explore the relationship between critical thinking, reflective practice and writing
Share experiences of critical thinking in action across business disciplines
Develop ideas for infusing critical thinking into the undergraduate Business curriculum and learn how to integrate it into classroom and online teaching
Apply critical thinking in the process of programme level assessment
Appraise the scholarship supporting this necessary skill

Evidence Based Strategies for Those Who Teach International Students
2019-10-29 10:00 | Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LyIT), Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Examine evidence of strategies to support staff in teaching international students
Develop strategies for student success
Explore best practice across the sector

Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund 2018 - Project Reviews
2019-10-25 09:00 - 17:00
On Friday, 25 October you have the opportunity to watch a live-stream of the second set of 2018 National Forum Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund projects. The live-stream will be available for all 8 project review presentations starting at 9.00 until 14.40.
These projects were selected for funding as new initiatives with the potential to enhance teaching and learning in Irish higher education. All of the projects reflect one of the National Forum’s four strategic priorities. Each presentation takes 15 minutes and might provide the spark for ideas for projects you have been considering as well. Please join us if you can and share in all the new ideas and innovative activity taking place.
View schedule for the day

International Review Panel
Christian Tauch
Head of the education department of the German Rectors’ Conference .
Christian Tauch worked at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland and at the European University Institute in Florence/Italy before joining the Technical University of Dresden (Germany) as director of the International Office. From 1995 to 2005 he was head of the international department of the German Rectors Conference in Bonn and from 2006 till 2010 he worked in the higher education unit of the European Commission in Brussels. Since then he is back with the German Rectors‚ Conference, where he is in charge of the education department, dealing inter alia with the implementation of the Bologna Process in German higher education institutions, qualifications frameworks, the shift from teaching to learning‚ how to increase completion rates in HE, cooperation with employers‚ associations on higher education issues, etc. Diane Schmitt
Senior Lecturer in EFL/TESOL (retired), Nottingham Trent University.
Diane Schmitt was a Senior Lecturer in EFL/TESOL for 25 years at Nottingham Trent University. She taught on the MA in English Language Teaching and a range of English for Academic Purposes courses. She has previously served as Chair of BALEAP, Chair of the Programme Quality Committee for NCUK and as a member of the TOEFL Committee of Examiners. She regularly presents, publishes or consults on the following areas: academic writing, plagiarism, vocabulary acquisition, language testing, materials development, the international student experience and fostering language development in English Medium Instruction contexts. Therese Zhang
Deputy Director for Higher Education Policy, European University Association (EUA), Brussels
Thérèse Zhang is the Deputy Director for Higher Education Policy at the European University Association (EUA). She works on topics related to learning and teaching and the development of pedagogies, European policy developments in higher education, and global relations with other regions of the world.
Thérèse has been active in higher education policy/management and, more generally, project management in education and culture, for over fifteen years. When she first joined EUA in 2008, she focused on quality management and institutional development, with responsibilities in various projects and in EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Programme. As a Project Manager at the Belgian French-speaking quality assurance agency, she coordinated evaluations and contributed to developing evaluation methodologies. Her earlier experience includes serving as a French teacher for several years.
Thérèse holds Master’s degrees in Romance Philology and in European Studies, as well as a teaching degree from the Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium. She completed part of her studies at the University of Bologna, Italy. She also conducted research on postcolonial studies as a Visiting Scholar at Brown University, United States. Teun J. Dekker
Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences Education University College Maastricht
Teun J Dekker (1980) is Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences Education at University College Maastricht, where he teaches courses on the intersection of the Social Sciences and the Humanities, including History of Political Thought and Distributive Justice in Contemporary Political Philosophy. As Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences Education, he conducts theoretical and philosophical research concerning the nature of Liberal Arts education in the European context, as well as its social, political, and educational significance, and seeks to promote liberal education throughout Europe. Kevin McStravock
Deputy President/ Vice President for Academic Affairs, Union of Students in Ireland
Kevin McStravock is the Vice President for Academic Affairs for the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). Prior to joining USI in July 2019, Kevin served as a student officer for Ulster University Students’ Union (UUSU) for three years, of which he served two as the overall President of the Students’ Union.

Kevin is a Journalism with French graduate, and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK. Kevin has served on a number of boards and committees during his time in the student movement, including serving as a member of the Student Advisory Committee for the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in the UK

Student Success Symposium: Developing our national understanding of student success
2019-10-24 | Morrison Hotel, Dublin, Ormond Quay Lower, North City, Dublin, Dublin
The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, in partnership with the Higher Education Authority (HEA), is organising a Student Success Symposium in the Morrison Hotel, Dublin, on the morning of 24 October 2019.
The purpose of the symposium is to provide participants with the opportunity to contribute to the development of a national understanding of student success, to learn how student success is currently being conceptualised within institutions nationally and to consider approaches that have been adopted internationally. Participants will be asked to discuss how institutions can be best supported in developing inclusive policies for student success.
The National Forum and HEA are seeking participation from across the higher education system – senior management, students, deans of teaching and learning, those who teach, equity of access professionals, finance and administration staff, learning support staff, library staff, etc. All are welcome and the success of the event will be enhanced by the diversity and range of participants. It will be a highly interactive event that will engage the views of all who attend.
An agenda and details of registration will be available in September 2019.
Download Flyer

Regional Workshop: Developing Enabling Policies for Digital and Open Teaching and Learning
2019-10-23 10:30 - 15:30 | Dublin Business School (Castle House), Room 2.8 South Great George's Street Castle House Dublin 2, Dublin, Ireland
The National Forum will facilitate a workshop on Wednesday 23 October to support those in Irish higher education who are engaged in institutional policy development, or who would like to contribute to institutional policies, in the areas of digital and/or open teaching and learning. This is the second in a series National Forum regional workshops, following a similar event in Galway in June 2019, to inform and support the development of national and institutional policies related to teaching and learning in an open digital world.
The workshop will provide a forum to share challenges and aims and to explore relevant digital/open policies and policy resources from higher education institutions and other bodies, within and outside of Ireland. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to review and discuss digital/open policymaking approaches relevant to their own contexts – with a focus on approaches that are effective, inclusive and responsive across all aspects: policy elements, core processes and partners, consideration of risks and beneﬁts, policy implementation and review.
These workshops are also opportunities to provide feedback and suggestions to the National Forum on how best to support all engaged in institutional digital/open policy development and how to communicate and share this work across the Irish higher education sector.
The workshop runs from 10:30am to 3:30pm on 23 October at Dublin Business School (Castle House). All are welcome, but registration is required. Further details, including registration, is available at the Eventbrite link below. Any questions can be directed to Catherine.Cronin@teachingandlearning.ie.
Regional policy workshops focused on digital and open teaching and learning support the strategic aims of the National Forum in 2019-21 to inform and support the development of national and institutional policies related to teaching and learning in an open digital world.

Professional Supervision for Social Workers
2019-10-18 10:30 | University College Cork, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

To understand the principles, functions and purposes of supervision
To understand the components of, and be able to negotiate, a viable supervision contract
To understand and be able to apply the Morrison and Clare’s reflective practice cycle as a problem solving model in supervision
To review and develop supervisory core competencies

Irish National Digital Experience (INDEx) Survey
2019-10-14 08:00 - 2019-11-21 17:00

Launch of Irish National Digital Experience (INDEx) Survey
2019-10-14
The Irish National Digital Experience (INDEx) Survey will be launched on Monday 14 October 2019 in the Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin, at 10-30-12.00. This national event will mark the start of the INDEx Survey, Ireland’s first ever survey of the digital experience, expectations and engagement of two key groups – students and all staff who teach in Irish higher education. The INDEx Survey gives the 29 participating higher education institutions a rare opportunity to contribute to the evidence that informs decision-making around digital within their institutions.
The INDEx survey will:

explore the perspectives of all staff who teach on the institutional digital environment and use of technology for teaching, learning and assessment
identify and highlight what makes a difference to students and staff who teach with respect to digital infrastructure, digital skills, digital tools and digital literacy· understand more about students’ digital experiences and expectations
gather feedback and empirical evidence from students and staff who teach, together and in a spirit of partnership, as a basis for future strategic decisions about digital initiatives and investments, i.e. “building our future together”
enable international benchmarking with other countries who have completed a similar survey (UK, Australia, New Zealand).

This national launch event marks the start of the survey campaign countrywide, which will be open for responses, from students and staff who teach, during October/November 2019. Each participating institution will choose its own three-week window within this period to run their survey on campus.
A national steering group led by the National Forum, including nominated representatives from across the sector, will oversee the implementation of the survey at institutional level.
Click here for more information including registration

Predictive Analytics - More Than Just The Academic
2019-10-11 11:00 - 13:00 | Dublin Business School (Aungier Street), Aungier Street 1.2, Aungier Street, Dublin 2, Dublin, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Add to the conversation around predictive analytics by moving the focus solely from academic engagement to academic, emotional and social engagement
Add to the conversation around student success; it’s not just about the academic, and propose our own definition of ‘leading your own race’

Further information is available via the Eventbrite registration link below.

Practical Comparative Judgment for Formative Assessment
2019-10-04 11:00 | Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Explain the fundamentals of comparative judgement methodology as a component of student assessment
Discuss and critically reflect on participant’s own current assessment practices
Use appropriate digital tools to use comparative judgement in assessment with students

Imagining the Future of GMIT as a Sustainable Community of Practice
2019-10-03 | Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Dublin Road Campus, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Explore innovative methods of community engagement for transiting towards a low carbon climate
resilient future including: citizen juries; technical scenario analysis and modelling; community visioning; living labs; and participatory mapping
Inform the design and development of a democratic sustainability methodology to identify and embed education for sustainability initiatives across all programmes in GMIT as part of 2019/2020 programme review
Critically analyse a dialogue to action process where staff, students and community stakeholders will co-define, co-design and co-create sustainability learning opportunities (revised learning outcomes, updated curriculum content, re-imagined assessment and innovative place-based pedagogy) that will be piloted across selected programmes during the 2019/2020 academic year

Digital Badge in UDL - Oct-Dec 2019
2019-10-03 - 2019-12-10
We are delighted to announce that AHEAD and UCD Access & Lifelong Learning are teaming up in partnership with the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education to facilitate the Digital Badge for Universal Design in Teaching and Learning in a fully online format this Autumn/Winter. This course was developed by AHEAD and UCD as part of the Forum’s open courses initiative. The course will run for 10 weeks from Oct 3rd 2019 and will provide participants with a strong introduction to the Universal Design for Learning Framework and give them the opportunity to implement UDL approaches within the teaching activities they are currently undertaking. The course involves approximately 25 hours over the 10 week period, averaging 2.5 hours per week with a 5 hour add on later in the course for those interested in becoming future facilitators of the course themselves.
This free iteration of the course is particularly aimed at individuals or groups of individuals who are interested in rolling out the badge themselves as a facilitator at a later date (e.g. for staff in their institution). For more information on the digital badge more generally and how facilitators can roll it out themselves, visit the webpage. Please note, since one of the aims of this iteration of the course is to train future facilitators, we are limiting the number of participants per institution that can sign up to 3 should the course be over subscribed. If we reach full capacity, we will contact the latest participants to register from each institution to notify them of the situation.
There is no cost involved for participants.
ABOUT THIS BADGE
Implementation of Universal Design principles in teaching & learning promotes inclusivity and equity while also ‘future-proofing’ your teaching. As our classrooms and lecture theatres become increasingly diverse, our practices must also adapt to reflect the changing landscape of higher education. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, which guides the development of flexible learning environments that can accommodate individual learning differences and cater for the wide range of diversity in our lecture rooms. This CPD course will give you an introduction to the concept of Universal Design for Learning and invite you to review and update your own teaching and learning practice.
PARTICIPANTS ON THE COURSE WILL:

Reflect on the diversity of students in their Institutions
Gain a good understanding of the Universal Design for Learning framework and how it can support diverse learners
Redesign some elements of their teaching and learning practice based on their knowledge of UDL principles
Consider how they will change their practice more broadly in line with a UDL approach

The course is delivered via a mixture of webinars and guided multimedia resources, with participants also working through group activities in online meetings as a group of three known as a Peer Triad. They will work together with their Peer Triad throughout the course.
The Peer Triad system means that you experience the course with other colleagues and share perspectives on the course content. At the end of the course, each member of the Triad confirms to the facilitators that the others have taken part in the process and that plays a major role in the release of the digital badge to certify completion.
One of the major activities participants will undertake is to redesign a teaching activity they are actively delivering in line with UDL principles and to implement the redesign during the course. This redesign happens during weeks 5-9 of the course, after the participant has undertaken significant learning about the UDL framework and sought advice from colleagues in their Peer Triad. Because of this, participants must have some form of teaching activity scheduled during this period which they can redesign (e.g. a lecture, workshop, training event, assignment etc.).
At the end of the process, the Peer Triads will meet to discuss what they learned with each other and share a brief report on their experiences. Participants must:

Be working as an educator in a teaching and learning capacity in further or higher education (can include any role where teaching/training is delivered to students/staff e.g. teacher, librarian, teaching enhancement staff, disability officer that delivers training)
Have a teaching activity (lecture/training session/class/assessment etc.) taking place between week 5 and 9 of this course (Oct 31st – Dec 04th) that they can redesign as part of the course.
Have an interest in playing a part in rolling the course out themselves as course facilitators in the future (e.g. to other colleagues on campus)

Please note, since one of the aims of this iteration of the course is to train future facilitators, we are limiting the number of participants per institution that can sign up to 3 should the course be over subscribed. If we reach full capacity, we will contact the latest participants to register from each institution to notify them of the situation. This course will feature both webinars and small group online meetings which means you will require a laptop/pc with speakers/headphones, a webcam and a microphone (for best audio quality a headset rather than an internal laptop mic). The Zoom platform will be used for webinars so it’s a good idea to try and join this test Zoom link now in advance of the course starting and contact your IT administrators for advice if you have any problems. Similarly, the Big Blue Button platform is used for online meetings – You can test your computer/microphone/webcam for use with Big Blue Button in advance of the course beginning by clicking here, entering your name and clicking Join under the HTML5 link.
Since lots of the material on this course is delivered through multimedia, the course also requires a reasonably good internet connection capable of streaming video. Participants should put the key times and dates listed below in their diaries. All other course work can be done at times that suit (within specific time frames). You can download the full course schedule here.

13:00 – 13:45, Thursday Oct 3rd – Orientation Webinar – Course introduction, tour of the platform, introduction to Peer Triads, week by week breakdown
13:00 – 13:30, Tuesday Oct 8th (suggested date/time to be confirmed with your Triad colleagues) – Triad Online Meeting #1 – Introducing yourself to your colleagues
13:00 – 13:45, Tuesday Oct 22nd (suggested date/time to be confirmed with your Triad colleagues) – Triad Online Meeting #2 – Group discussions on barriers to learning and UDL solutions
13:00-13:30, Wed Oct 23rd – Webinar #2 – Introducing the Redesign Activity
13:00-14:00, Wed Oct 30th – (suggested date/time to be confirmed with your Triad colleagues) – Triad Online Meeting #3 – Brainstorm your UDL redesign
13:00-13:30, Thurs Dec 5th – Webinar #3 – Submission and Getting Your Badge
13:00-13:45, Tues Dec 10th – (suggested date/time to be confirmed with your Triad colleagues) – Triad Online Meeting #4 – Brainstorm your UDL redesign

Live Fund 2019 Q&A
2019-10-01 00:30 - 13:30
As the deadline for the submission of proposals for the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Funding in Higher Education 2019 is next Tuesday, 8 October, we have been receiving a number of queries from institutional leads regarding the submission process. To ensure all questions are answered and our responses shared with all institutions, the Director of the National Forum will lead a Q&A webinar today, Tuesday 1 October 2019 from 12:30 -13:30.
A recording of this webinar is now available, please click here.

SURE Network Conference 2019
2019-09-27
The SURE Network is delighted to host the Second Annual Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Conferences (SURE 2019) on 27th September 2019 in Institute of Technology, Carlow, Technological University Dublin and Institute of Technology, Sligo. Students from institutes of technology throughout Ireland who are completing their final year project in 2018-19 are invited to submit their undergraduate research work to this conference. The aims of the conference are to:

Provide current students with an opportunity to gain an understanding of the work which has been undertaken by recent graduates, and the career opportunities that exist for graduates in Scientific disciplines.
Provide recent graduates with an opportunity to gain a reviewed publication based on the scientific research undertaken by them during their undergraduate studies.
Celebrate the academic achievements of recent graduates in the scientific disciplines.
Provide a multi-disciplinary scientific forum through which undergraduate research outputs can be disseminated to students, researchers, academic professionals and industry.

The National Forum is delighted to sponsor this event.
The conference flyer is available here. For more information, see here.

Technological Disruptions to Legal Practice - How Should Legal Educators Respond
2019-09-25 10:00 | Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland
Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to demonstrate awareness of how legal technologies will affect the legal services industry and the career opportunities that will be opening up in the legal sector as a result
Lecturers will engage in constructive discussion with experts and industry about how legal educators should respond to the changes brought about by technology in the sector and will be able to formulate proposals for course development
Students will have an opportunity to network with local firms with a view to furthering their placement/employment opportunities
A Research Report will be produced based on the facilitated workshop on trends in Technological Disruption in Legal Practice.

Further information is available via the eventbrite registration link below.

CETL-MSOR 2019: Bringing together mathematics communities
2019-09-05 - 2019-09-06 | Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
The CETL-MSOR 2019 Conference will take place in Dublin City University on 5-6 September 2019.”>The CETL-MSOR 2019 Conference will take place in Dublin City University on 5-6 September 2019. This popular annual conference of those involved in mathematics, statistics and operations research teaching, learning and support in higher education, is being held for the first time in Ireland.
This year the conference will focus on the following themes:

Developing communities of learners in mathematics and statistics support within, and across, the disciplines.
Teaching specialist mathematicians.
Inclusive design for mathematics learning.
Supporting students on the transition into and out of higher education

The National Forum is delighted to sponsor this event.
For more information on the conference, see here.

27th Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences Conference
2019-09-04 | TUDublin, Bolton Street, Rotunda, Dublin 1, Ireland
The 27th Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences (HUCBMS) conference will be held on 3-4 September 2019 at TU Dublin. This conference is relevant to all those with an interest in policy and practice developments in higher education and research. Established in 1993, the mission of HUCBMS is to promote the development and enhancement of biomedical sciences teaching and research.
The conference will cover the following broad themes:
– International Challenges
– Teaching and Learning Developments
– Research, Innovation and Impact
– Future Strategies
The Director of the National Forum, Dr. Terry Maguire, will be an invited speaker at the conference, providing insights on recent advances on the enhancement of teaching and learning.
For more information see here.

2018 Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund Reviews
2019-08-28 08:00 - 17:00
On 25 October, eight of the project teams funded through the 2018 Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund will take part in open forum presentations where their projects will be reviewed by a panel of international experts who will provide feedback on progress to date and guidance for the future.
Of the 16 projects funded through the 2018 call, eight took part in reviews in June 2019 and this October review will include the other eight project teams. Project teams taking part in the October review represent higher education institutions across the country, with lead institutions including Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, NUI Galway, University College Cork, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Waterford Institute of Technology and Mary Immaculate College.
A live stream of the presentations will be available on the day from 9.00 until 14.40, with each presentation lasting 15 minutes. A schedule and link to the live stream will be published on the National Forum website the day before the event.
The 16 funded projects selected for funding in 2018 focus their teaching and learning enhancement initiatives across the four strategic priorities of the National Forum, including the professional development of all those who teach, teaching and learning in a digital world, teaching and learning enhancement within and across disciplines, and student success.

National Seminar Series Call 2019-2020 Deadline For Applications
2019-06-28
Applications are now open for the 2019-20 National Seminar Series. It is anticipated that the National Seminar Series 2019/2020 will include up to 50 seminars. The range of funded seminars will reflect the broad range of topics associated with the four funding streams. We look forward to seminars that give those involved in higher education the space and opportunity to continue to meet and discuss with colleagues across the country.
Call for applications closes 5pm Friday, 28 June 2019

Preparing students for study abroad
2019-06-21 | Cork, Cork, Cork
Learning Outcomes:
Staff who attend this seminar will:

Understand the field of study abroad research, particularly in relation to intercultural communication
Learn from the experience of practitioners regarding the linguistic, cultural and intercultural preparation of students who will study abroad
Be able to apply the knowledge to their own teaching in order to better support students going abroad

Eventbrite registration link will be available soon, in the interim please contact the organiser directly for further information.

European First Year Experience Conference 2019
2019-06-17 - 2019-06-19 | Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland
European First Year Experience Conference 2019
EFYE2019 takes place in Cork Institute of Technology on June 17, 18 and 19 June 2019.
The annual EFYE conference is planned by the EFYE Network, a group of academics and support staff from across Europe who are interested in improving the experience of students as they enter and progress through higher education. The EFYE conference is a great opportunity for participants to expand their theoretical knowledge, to hear and learn about best practice, to get inspired from examples that see real results and to expand their network. This marks the first time the EFYE conference comes to Ireland. The theme of EFYE2019 is A Good Start is Half the Work. The National Forum is a proud sponsor of this conference.

The National Forum will facilitate two conference workshops ‘Using Data to Support Student Transitions into the First Year: Explore How Learning Analytics & Big Data can be Integrated into Real World Practices’ and ‘10 things we Learnt about Transitions into/through Higher Education in Ireland’ and is leading a post conference event ‘National Think Tank on Student Success in Higher Education’. This post conference event is led by the National Forum, in partnership with CIT, with international expert input from the board of EFYE and the conference keynote speakers.

Assessment for learning speech disorders and phonetics for speech and language therapy students in Ireland
2019-06-17 | Dublin
Learning Outcomes:
The participants will be able to:

Summarise current approaches to assessment and teaching of Speech Disorders and Phonetics and training of perceptual judgement in the Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) programmes in Ireland
Critically appraise the different approaches for assessment and teaching of Speech Disorders and Phonetics and training of perceptual judgement in a wide variety of speech disorders, in the shape of a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats)
Discuss the competencies in phonetics, perceptual judgement, and speech disorders expected of SLTs at entry level
Analyse the SLT students’ experience of assessment and how it relates to learning /skill building in this area
Discuss the application of technology (i.e. building of a shared online resource) to establish an agreed approach for assessment and teaching the relevant area in order to maintain high standard of professional education

Eventbrite registration link will be available soon, in the interim please contact the organiser directly for further information.

Evidence-based teaching
2019-06-17 | Letterkenny
Learning Outcomes:

Discuss critically the concept of evidence-based teaching and learning practices within their own professional context
Plan a systematic search of the extant literature and available data within their professional context and disclipine area
Critically appraise research evidence (literature and data)
Describe appropriate evidence-based teaching, learning and assessment strategies for use within their professional context
Devise learning outcomes for an evidence-based practice module within their professional context, in line with the Professional Development Framework

Eventbrite registration link will be available soon, in the interim please contact the organiser directly for further information.

EDEN 2019 Annual Conference
2019-06-16 - 2019-06-19 | VIVES University of Applied Sciences, Xaverianenstraat 10, Bruge, Brugge, 8200, Belgium
EDEN Annual Conference Bruges #eden19 – Call for Contributions Open
Invitation
EDEN is pleased to announce its 28th Annual Conference hosted by the VIVES University of Applied Sciences in Bruges 16-19 June 2019.
CONNECTING THROUGH EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
In search for contemporary learning environments
How can information and communication technology in the age of Industry 4.0 create and enhance synergies between online learning programmes, the increased diversity of stakeholders, the workplace experience, socio-cultural influences and students’ work-life balance?
Technology is with us everywhere which validates the horizontal-holistic approach for imperative questions of the period. For the transforming education landscape, challenges come increasingly from the socio-cultural-economic, structural and policy fields. Education has to be visionary to reach efficiency gains, new sources – and to offer sustainable services, reflecting the complexity of modern societies.
Market realities put similar pressures on the corporate and University worlds. Stakeholders expect academia to respond to needs beyond teaching and research, better promote innovation and the knowledge economy, manage the new student populations. Universities are expected to detect and attract talents, be magnet of inputs from practitioners, resulting cooperative surplus.
Vocationalisation of education also means the emergence of new skillsets. The progress in industrial automation and ICTs opens possibilities for lifelong learning resources, for work based learning and integration of human-machine intelligence models.
Educational technologies are about connections among information, knowledge, action, emotion and value: knowledge construction, learning activities by sharing and thinking, interactivity, aggregative mechanisms, cooperation and integration – to meet the requirements of the knowledge age, to satisfy the needs of social transformation and learning innovation.
New generation of learning technologies and networks are ubiquitous, embedded and mobile which reshape access to and delivery of learning. Cutting edge fields are artificial intelligence, learning analytics, microlearning, new credentialing, revolution of assessment, massive open online courses (MOOCs), personalized learning, game-based learning, flipped classroom, Digital Makerspaces and alike.
The question remains: Which one(s) of these will have significant and sustained impact in the future? Can the network society become an enhanced learning society?
Conference tracks
For the EDEN 2019 Annual Conference, the major tracks set-up will be:

Global connections: How to organise online study programmes that enhance the students’ international competences, provide connections with international partners and promote virtual mobility?

Connections with workplace: How can innovative study programmes be developed to involve the workplace impact and experience (virtual dual learning, (distance/digital) internships)?

Connections with the community: How to organise study programmes that focus on relations of curriculum, delivery and the socio-economic environment – like community service learning, social partnerships, interdisciplinary projects?

Connection with learners: caring about the work-life balance of the students, attentive to learners’ needs, expectations and the changing behaviour of diverse student populations including career, other studies, family-life.

Call for contributions
Contributions are invited which resulted from own research, project achievements, case studies, theoretic and conceptual work onthe conference theme and tracks and the creative use of educational technology.
Submissions, taking into account the conference theme and related to at least one of the conference tracks are welcome in paper, poster, workshop or panel discussion session and demonstration/technical presentation formats.
Networking and interactivity, sharing and discussion will be core aspects of the conference, focusing on what you can learn from and with your peers.
Join the conference in Bruges to share your research, projects and experience to make the conference showroom of best ideas and cases!
For more details on the conference, please visit the conference website.
