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

Key Digital Teaching and Learning Strategy, Policy and Practice Considerations for Higher Education
2019-06-05 10:00 - 13:00 UTC | Waterford
Learning Outcomes:

Participants will appraise the key considerations and challenges when developing blended or on-line programmes
Participants will evaluate their current strategy and policy considerations regarding blended and on-line delivery
Participants will be able to assess and critique different strategic approaches to technology enhanced learning
Participants will articulate and share their key questions/concerns and challenges regarding blended and on-line delivery

Please see eventbrite registration link below for further information.

The Impact and Experiences of Delivering a Programme using Team - Based Learning (TBL)
2019-06-04 10:00 - 13:00 | Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland
Learning Outcomes:

Explain the essential elements of a TBL unit
Discuss your experience of TBL as a participant
Explain how TBL can be used as a driver for change in the assessment culture in higher education
Describe some of the benefits and challenges of using TBL particularly across an academic programme
Reflect on how TBL could be used in your own educational programmes

Students as self regulating partners in assessment. Design, development, implementation and evaluation.
2019-05-30 09:30 - 12:30 | Dublin
Learning Outcomes:

Critique evidence of the benefits of learners engaging in self regulation through peer review
Critically reflect on the enablers to peer review
Discuss and synthesise the links between self regulated learning and peer review learning
Explore how peer review can be implemented in practice within academic settings
Design a template for implementation which is reflective of the unique discipline and setting for attendees

Giving online a go: Reflections on developing a new academic discipline programme using technology - enhanced learning, teaching and support
2019-05-29 10:30 - 13:00 | Sligo
Learning Outcome

Acquire insights into persuading colleagues with traditional teaching and learning experiences to agree to and transition to a new discipline programme and a new technology led delivery model
Recognise the external and internal alliances and partnerships required to establish successful blended, online and technology enhanced programmes
Consider the steps to creating an effective induction and support system for parttime learners in an innovative online learning environment
Identify the challenges and strategies to being an effective online teacher in an ‘always on’ society

Higher education on your doorstep, bridging the gap
2019-05-24 11:00 - 16:00 | Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland
Learning Outcome

Analyse how student success is defined and supported within their own institution/school/organisation
Outline how a programme similar to WIT’s LJAP could be replicated in their own institution/school/organisation
Identify the benefits of and potential barriers to implementing such a programme
Identify areas of outreach collaboration and potential stakeholders within their own institution and with the wider community
Understand how such programmes empower participants to pursue further education and fulfil their potential

Global connections - support strategies for international placements
2019-05-24 09:30 - 16:00 | Cork, Cork, Cork
Learning Outcomes:

Identify structures and scaffolds available to support International students to successfully undertake work placement in Ireland and support Irish students who undertake placements abroad
Develop good practice in relation to preparing International/ non-EU students to achieve a work placement in Ireland
Evaluate the advantages and challenges of international placements for Irish students, with a particular focus on the impact of Brexit; what’s in it for them?
Identify the challenges associated with international work placements
Recognise the requirements of employers when placing EU and Non-EU students on placement within Europe. Documentation required and difference with insurance practices

Developing Wikipedia as an innovative teaching tool in medieval and early modern studies in Ireland
2019-05-24 09:30 - 15:50 | Maynooth
Learning Outcomes:

Facilitate knowledge exchange about the use of Wikipedia in the university classroom
Identify best practice of integrating Wikipedia as an assessment, learning and teaching tool
Develop a network dedicated to teaching and learning for scholars of medieval and early modern studies in Ireland

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

Evolving identities: Collaboration to enhance student success.
2019-05-23 10:00 - 15:30 | Dundalk
Learning Outcomes:

Understand how working on cross disciplinary collaborative initiatives builds capacity and contributes to student success
Learn how collaborative and reciprocal learning takes place between academic and professional staff and students
Identify and create opportunities for cross disciplinary, collaborative projects

Evaluating student success in widening access initiatives: How do we know what works?
2019-05-22 | Galway
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will have the opportunity to:

Explore the concept of student success
Examine approaches to evaluating student success
Critique the data sources supporting the evaluation of student success in the context of widening participation
Consider the challenges in determining ‘what works’ in terms of widening access within your institutional context
Explore approaches to sustainability in widening participation in higher education

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

Delivery of the Digital Badge in Postgraduate Research Supervision
2019-05-22 | Letterkenny
Learning Outcomes:

Identify key regulations and policies around the education of research postgraduates, and clarify roles and responsibilities of supervisors
Apply regulations and policies in response to a number of case studies/scenarios
Review video or paper resource and reflect on your own supervisory approach based on this
Identify key actions from this learning for your own supervisory practice

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

Webinar: Learning Analytics: What Works?
2019-05-21 00:30 - 13:30
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Webinar Recording
This webinar, which is open to all in Irish higher education, will explore innovative approaches to harnessing data, and the growing recognition of its potential to support whole-of-institution strategies for student success.
Primarily aimed at Ireland’s higher education teachers and policy-makers/managers, this interactive online event will discuss what an effective data-enabled student success strategy looks like. It will also explore a range of national and international best practice on dynamic data-led student success initiatives.
The speaker line-up includes Linda Hanna who will discuss her experience of implementing a successful institutional learning analytics strategy at the University of Essex. The award-winning use of everyday software to provide personalised feedback to large student groups will be presented by GMIT’s Dr Cormac Quigley. Dr Niamh Nestor and Diane Cashman will explore UCD’s advanced learning analytics initiative.
This webinar gives participants an opportunity to share and collaborate with Irish higher education colleagues on how to best use data as an evidence base to highlight opportunities for enhancing student success approaches at an institutional level.

Realigning teaching, learning and assessment: Integrating assessment for learning in challenging times
2019-05-17 10:00 - 14:00 | Cork, Cork, Cork
Learning Outcomes:
Participants in this seminar will:

Reflect upon the relationship between teaching, learning and assessment for learning
Consider the challenges of effective management of assessment from an institutional, teacher/lecturer and student perspective
Reflect on how assessment design, integration with the curriculum, marking and feedback could best be supported
Discuss, share good practice and consider current assessment procedures and how they might be enhanced with different student cohorts/group sizes
Have considered some practical/ impactful assessment for learning techniques that they may like to use in the future

Promoting 21st century learning: The use of technology to enhance problem-design, collaboration, feedback and assessment in PBL
2019-05-17 | Limerick
Learning Outcomes:

Illustrate the skills for future work environments
Examine how PBL can address emerging skills gaps
Explore how technology can be utilized to enhance PBL
Recommend different technologies that can be used to enhance the PBL experience for students

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

Empowering students through big data
2019-05-16 11:30 - 13:00 | Dublin
Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrate the positive impact of analytics when used by students themselves as part of the learning process
Outline the types of data readily available to staff and students
To shift the focus of learning analytics from surveillance to positive student empowerment

Please register via the website link provided below.

Developing peer mentoring skills to enhance CPD in teaching and learning and better enable learning communities
2019-05-16 10:30 - 16:00 | Cork, Cork, Cork
Learning Outcomes:

Deepened their understanding of the nature and benefits of peer coaching.
Gained a heightened awareness of how coaching skills can be used to enhance individual and group learning.
Gained insight into how a departmental wide peer mentoring model is evolving in CIT.
Increased their knowledge and expertise in the use of coaching skills in their professional roles.
Have practiced their coaching skills in challenging situations.
Constructed an action plan to utilise the workshop content to improve their peer coaching skills so they can better support their peers and engage in purposeful conversations regarding professional development, development of learning communities and communities of practice.

How do students spend their time? The results of a survey of first year students at Maynooth University
2019-05-14 10:30 - 13:00 | Maynooth University, Ireland
This seminar examines the results of a ‘time budget’ survey conducted with Critical Skills students at Maynooth University. In addition to examining the data, this seminar will show how the activity contributes to a data-enabled student success strategy by promoting reflection and as part of a data visualization assignment.
Venue: Room 1.33, Iontas, Maynooth University, North Campus, Maynooth.

Digi-tech: Digital teaching tools for mathematics in higher education
2019-05-14 10:00 - 15:30 | Cork, Cork, Cork
Learning Outcome

Confidently integrate digital tools and technologies into the mathematics education environment to enhance their teaching and learning practices in academically relevant ways
Reflect on their digital skills and capacities
Engage in a collaborative dialogue around the use of digital technology within a mathematics education community of practice
Appraise the value of using education technology in their educational context while becoming cognisant of its limitations
Champion educational technology in mathematics education in their home institution.

Building towards programme learning outcomes through effective assessment and feedback strategies
2019-05-09 | Dublin
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

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 DIT’s LEAF Teaching Fellowship LEAF (Leading Enhancement of Assessment & Feedback) to inform curriculum design practice
Review their programme assessment strategies with the aim of streamlining approaches to better take account the needs of an increasingly diverse student population and the requirement for staff and students to be provided with regular feedback on learner
progress and achievement
Design an effective, efficient, inclusive and sustainable assessment programme strategy which provides the foundation towards the key course/programme outcomes and empowers students to become autonomous learners

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

Developing engagement with feedback
2019-05-08 | Waterford
Learning Outcomes:

Appraise how explicit assessment criteria can support student self-regulation
Identify assessment and feedback practices that reflect a transformative approach
Critically reflect on personal approaches to assessment literacy, design and feedback
Apply innovations to assessment and feedback design

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

Programmatic assessment in physiotherapy education; exploring a new approach to student assessment in the clinical workplace
2019-05-08 | Limerick
Learning Outcomes

Be able to describe what is meant by programmatic assessment
Be able to differentiate between “assessments of learning” and “assessments for learning in their current physiotherapy curricula
Critically appraise current methods of assessment used in their physiotherapy education programmes
Consider the need for programmatic assessment in current physiotherapy curricula by debating it pros and cons
Discuss the feasibility of programmatic assessment in current physiotherapy curricula nationally

Enabling policies for digital teaching and learning: One year on
2019-05-02 10:30 - 14:30 | Dublin
Learning Outcomes:

A picture of the experiences of policy developers grappling with the challenges of Digital Technology
An understanding of the specific policy areas that are affected by the increased use of digital technology in teaching and learning
Insight into some of the solutions to the issues above that policy developers are considering

Peer coaching for the improvement of teaching and learning
2019-05-01 | Waterford
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will:

Deepen their understanding of the nature of peer coaching
Gain a heightened awareness of their capacity to listen with unconditional positive regard
Increase their knowledge and expertise in the use of questioning to raise awareness
Develop their skills in offering impactful feedback
Construct an action plan to utilise the workshop content to improve their own communication skills so they can better support their peers

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

The case for problem-based learning in the behavioural and social sciences
2019-04-26 13:30 - 15:35 | Limerick
Learning Outcomes:

Compare and contrast different approaches to problem-based learning in the behavioural social sciences across a number of higher education institutions in Europe
Evaluate some of the opportunities and challenges of implementing problem based learning in the behavioural and social sciences
Discuss ideas for implementing innovative teaching approaches (including problem based learning) with colleagues from different disciplines, different institutions, and different countries
Prepare brief action plan for how to incorporate new knowledge gained in this workshop into current teaching practice

Mental health in higher education: Personal wellbeing for professional development
2019-04-25 09:30 - 18:30 | Dublin
Learning Outcomes:
After the conference, attendees should be able to:

Describe the issues relating to mental health in HE
Identify the importance of personal wellbeing in HE
Discuss the representation of personal wellbeing in Domain 1 of the National Forum’s Professional Framework
Develop procedures that safeguard staff mental health in HE

Accrediting systems of training for postgraduate tutors and lecturers in STEM
2019-04-12 11:00 - 15:00 | Maynooth
Learning Outcomes:

Participants will assimilate knowledge of a best practice UK model of discipline specific structured training for HE staff which is amenable to accreditation
Participants will assimilate knowledge of an innovative model of structured training for staff working in Mathematics Learning Support. This model, which is informed by National Forum Professional Development Framework, is amenable to accreditation
Participants will explore how to transfer the models presented to discipline specific staff development in their own institutional context
Participants will have the opportunity to contribute insights from their own experience into how models presented might be funded, sustained and supported in a constantly evolving Irish HE landscape

Website: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/mathematics-and-statistics/tutorlecturercredits

Assessing threshold Crossing: Another look at a troublesome issue by Dr Julie Rattray, Durham University
2019-04-10 | Carlow
Learning Outcomes

To establish a common layer of discernment on the polysemous understanding of assessment
To explore self-evaluation of current practises in assessment
To explore and measure the common spoon feeding approach to T&L and how that is determining the limits of assessments”

Pigs might fly? Changing the assessment narrative through Transforming the Experience of Students Through Assessment - TESTA's programme approach
2019-04-09 10:00 - 13:00 | Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland
Learning Outcomes:

Participants will learn how to take a programmatic approach to undersand and change patterns of assessment OF, FOR and AS learning
Participants will gain an appreciation of student centred approaches to designing assessment and feedback
Participants will be able to deploy TESTA research methods and change theories
Participants will know how to integrate learning oriented assessment into curriculum design
Participants will gather a wide range of tactics for making feedback more dialogic and personal, and AFL more meaningful

Mentoring as a pedagogical approach in early childhood education and care
2019-04-06 | Tralee
Learning Outcomes:

Situate the role of mentoring in ECEC degrees
Share good practice in training mentors
Explore the role of technology in supporting mentoring

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

Internationalising the curriculum for student success
2019-04-05 10:00 - 13:00 | Waterford
We live in an increasingly globalised world that brings with it a myriad of complexities and opportunities. The challenge of preparing students to participate fully in such an environment is more relevant than ever. This seminar by renowned expert in the area of internationalisation of higher education, Professor Elspeth Jones, will focus on ways to internationalise the curriculum and will enable participants to:
Learning Outcomes:

Appraise how internationalising the curriculum can support success for all students throughout and beyond their studies
Evaluate approaches to curriculum internationalisation in different national and institutional contexts
Identify new approaches to internationalising the curriculum within an Irish context
Plan for institutional integration of curriculum internationalisation within disciplines

Presenter: Emerita Professor Elspeth Jones (Leeds Beckett University) and editor of Internationalization in Higher Education series, Routledge is Emerita Professor of the Internationalisation of Higher Education, Leeds Beckett University and Honorary Visiting Fellow, Centre for Higher Education Internationalisation (CHEI),Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan. She has undertaken work for universities around the world and for organisations including the European Commission, European Parliament, British Council, European Association for International Education (EAIE), and IEAA Australia. Her specialisms include personal, professional and employability outcomes from international mobility and internationalisation of curriculum at home. She has published widely, is founding series editor of Internationalization in Higher Education (Routledge) and winner of the EAIE Award for Excellence in Research.
Lunch will be provided for attendees at 1pm.

Professional development on teaching international students through a language other than their mother tongue in a higher education context
2019-03-29 | Dublin, Ireland
Learning Outcomes:

Participants will have a deeper awareness and understanding of the challenges facing international students and all learners studying through a language other than their
mother tongue
Participants will have strategies which they can implement in designing and delivering courses which will support learning through a language other than the mother tongue
Participants will have a deeper awareness of theories and principles of language
learning in the context of curriculum design

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