Overview of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027

Insight

This Forum Insight provides an overview of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27: Resetting education and training for the digital age (DEAP), published by the European Commission on 30 September 2020. The DEAP acknowledges the key enabling factors for effective digital education and presents a vision for enhancing digital teaching and learning and for improving digital literacy and skills at all levels of education. This Insight summarises the key points of the action plan and references related work in the Irish higher education sector.

Insights from Practice About Impact in Teaching and Learning

Insight

32 projects were funded across 25 Irish higher education institutions through the National Forum’s Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund from 2014 to 2018. These projects involved over 400 members of the Irish higher education community working collaboratively to engage a further 12,500 senior managers, staff and students in the enhancement of teaching and learning over a five-year period. This Forum Insight outlines lessons learned from a review of the impact of these projects regarding how impact can best be achieved, sustained, captured and communicated within the context of teaching and learning in higher education.

Selecting Online Alternatives to Common Assessment Methods

Insight

While some assessment components do not need significant adjustment in the move to online (including at-distance) learning, others require some additional thought and may need to be replaced/significantly adjusted. In support of the move to online/remote assessment in March 2020, this resource provides some indication of the kind of modifications that could be made for these common assessments. It is not an exhaustive list, but we hope it may be helpful in considering some of the available options.

10 Points to Consider in Choosing Alternative Assessment Methods for the Online Environment

Insight

Students can learn through many different but equitable assessment methods. An alternative online assessment is not a lesser form of assessment, but a different assessment to achieve the same aim. Some of the ideas in this Insight are worth considering in the design of alternative assessment methods for the online environment to ensure the quality and equity of the assessment. Developed to support the Irish higher education community in the initial weeks of the move to online/remote teaching and learning in March 2020.

10 Ways to Ensure Online Assessment is Accessible and Inclusive

Insight

Many of those who teach in Irish higher education were faced with the challenge of creating online assessments for the first time in March 2020. These tips, developed in partnership with AHEAD, outline some of the ways you can ensure, as far as possible, that the online assessments you plan are accessible to and inclusive of all your students. Developed to support the Irish higher education community in the initial weeks of the move to online/remote teaching and learning in March 2020.

Towards a National Understanding of Student Success

Insight

The purpose of this Forum Insight is to give a concise overview of the development of a national understanding of student success in Irish higher education. This development is charted through national policy, institutional strategic priorities, insights from students and through ongoing discussions that capture the growing focus on student success as a driver of higher education over recent years. The overview is underpinned by a review of the current literature.

Building Digital Capacity in Irish Higher Education 2013-18

Insight

This Forum Insight provides a short summary of the report, Building Digital Capacity in Irish Higher Education 2013-18. Key developments in building digital capacity undertaken and coordinated by the National Forum are summarised in 5 areas: consulting across the sector and outlining a vision; understanding the digital landscape; structures and guidance frameworks; Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund projects; and perspectives of those who teach, learn and lead.

Developing Learning Analytics Policies to Support Student Success

Insight

This National Forum Insight provides useful guidance for the development of Learning Analytics policies that underpin student success strategies. Based on the format of the National Forum’s Guide to Developing Enabling Policies for Digital Teaching and Learning, it outlines a number of key considerations institutions may wish to reflect in their analytics policies. It also includes links to Irish and international exemplar policies