AISHE-J - The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
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Emergency Pivot to online Academic Learning Support: Crisis or Opportunity?
No full textThe abrupt closure of Irish Higher Education institutes due to the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a fundamental rethink of how Academic support operates. In Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) a rapid emergency pivot was made to online provision. This pivot will allow CIT Academic Learning Centre to continue providing students with academic support and reassurance. It will also make the service robust to any future closures. The challenge of COVID-19 has presented obstacles, but also opportunities for change
Approaching assignment: A recipe for reflection
No full textThis paper is intended to share my voice with postgraduate learners, in particular, offering a structured approach to assignments after reflecting on my experience as both learner and educator. Recognising the complexity of writing assignments was a lightbulb moment for me – describing what I read within the context of the brief was insufficient, immersing in critical thinking, I learned, is the sine qua non of assignment writing. Postgraduate learners returning to education after many years in the workplace can experience apprehension) when approaching academic assignments as they juggle career, family, coursework and the need to engage in assignment writing. In essence, this paper is a catalyst for novice postgraduate learners, in particular, to experiment with a structured approach to writing assignments while encouraging the development of critical thinking, reading and writing skills. This paper endeavours to enlarge the aperture for approaching assignments by offering a ten-step process for consideration by learners. In my experience as both learner and educator, developing the ability to demonstrate these skills is an ongoing journey of learning which takes time, patience and commitment to reflecting on feedback. Adopting a structured approach, with some key steps and ingredients, as advocated in this paper, is one way to initiate and cultivate the process of assignment writing thus developing the writer’s voice
Teaching literary responses to the Black Death during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textIn this paper, I provide a case study about the experience of teaching literary responses to the Black Death online during the recent closure of universities in Ireland. I outline the rationale for teaching the module, discussing some of the obstacles and opportunities presented by the sudden switch to online teaching. I provide some practical details and include reflections on the experience of the class
Virtual Academic Writing: The Maynooth University Library Experience
No full textThis "rapid response" piece explains how, due to Coronavirus, Maynooth University Library shifted from face-to-face academic writing workshops for librarians to delivery via Zoom. The operation and elements of the one-day workshop are presented. Participants were surveyed using Survey Monkey and their responses are given. The piece concludes that Zoom offers a viable way to deliver academic writing workshops and may have advantages such as inclusivity, that go beyond what a face-to-face workshop can offer.
The Role of Executive Functioning Skills in Achieving Academic Success and Navigating Current Pandemic Uncertainties: Introducing ExS
No full textThe ExS programme is a recently launched autonomous online learning tool designed to help students become more aware of their executive functioning skills. Executive functioning skills are the set of cognitive processes required to enable higher order thinking and are associated with self-regulation and academic success. Based on the work of Dawson and Guare (2016), the ExS online programme helps students identify their executive functioning skill strengths and weaknesses through the completion of an online questionnaire which is then used to tailor a learning path specific to the students’ needs. The learning path consists of three or more tutorials relating to the skills that students have identified as their weakest areas. Each tutorial describes the executive skill in more detail and gives practical advice on how to improve or self-regulate these skills. It also provides strategies that can be used to compensate for weaker executive functioning skills that can contribute to a negative experience in higher education and consequently lead to poor academic success. The online programme also focuses on the importance of setting personal goals and encourages students to work towards them. In the current pandemic climate, stress can have a negative impact on executive functioning skills resulting in underperformance and the ExS online programme is one way to provide support to students who may be feeling overwhelmed by the changes to their learning environment as well as their social and personal live
Visual Thinking Strategies: Experiences of an arts-based curriculum in an Irish University Medicine and Health Faculty
No full textVisual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a student-centred curriculum designed to engage students in examination and discussion of pieces of art/images. Recent studies have identified the use of VTS as an effective tool in improving observation, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills among undergraduate healthcare students. To date, research regarding VTS within healthcare training has focussed primarily on student outcomes. We are not aware of any research investigating facilitators' beliefs and experiences of facilitating VTS.The aim of this study was to gather qualitative, descriptive data exploring facilitators’ and students’ experiences of VTS in the health disciplines of one Irish University. It was conducted in one higher education institution in Ireland where VTS is delivered as part of the undergraduate programmes within medicine and health disciplines. Eight facilitators and seven students participated. A qualitative research design was employed. One-to-one, semi-structured interviews using open-ended questions were conducted. Descriptive thematic analysis was employed to analyse the participants’ responses. Four main themes emerged from the data: VTS as a teaching method, student engagement with VTS, potential of VTS to transfer to clinic and the future of VTS within medicine and healthcare settings. Facilitators reported belief in the potential of VTS, however, expressed concerns that this potential is not yet being reached. Student data supports the use of VTS for development of clinical skills. Timing of delivery of VTS in relation to clinical practice was identified as a key consideration to increase opportunities for clinical transference, thus improving client outcomes. The need for curriculum embedment, further research and resources were identified as important factors contributing to further development of VTS within healthcare curricul
Impact of COVID-19 on teaching an undergraduate children’s nursing module: Rapid Responses.
No full textInnovative teaching practices are constantly developing within nurse education. The nursing curriculum does not exist in isolation and it must reflect the changing nature of health, health service delivery and society. Nursing curriculums must be dynamic, flexible, adaptable and subject to continuous review. As a result of continuous curriculum reviews, integrating blended learning and the promotion of critical thinking the students and lecturers in the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Trinity College Dublin were in a good position to respond to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which rapidly unfolded in March 2020. This paper outlines the delivery of a children’s nursing module using 100% online methods, instead of traditional face-to-face methods, due to the restrictions associated with COVID-19. Delivering a module 100% online was a new experience for lectures and students alike! While blended leaning was not new, the notion of delivering 100% of a module on a professional registration programme was certainly a new undertaking. However, in the course of the module it became apparent that the students were well attuned to digital interaction
EUvsVirus Hackathon project: A case study from a mentor’s perspective
No full textIn early 2020, the COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic reached Europe and triggered a wave of country-wide lockdown restrictions which resulted in a pause on most social, economic and industrial activity and interaction. The EUvsVirus project was a rapid response, large-scale online phenomenon, organised by the European Commission, as a means to both reflect on but also react to this crisis at all levels within European society. Central to the project was the pan-European Hackathon which was conducted over three days from 24th -26th April, 2020. Winners from the hackathon were invited to take part in a follow-up ‘Matchathon’ event from 22nd-25th May 2020 to take the winning and placed projects forward, linking them with investors, developers, companies etc. Although six domains of enquiry or challenges were pursued in the project, the main focus of the case study centres on the Remote Working and Education challenge and in particular, on the author’s experiences as a mentor in this challenge
COVID-19:: Changing experiences of teaching and learning in postgraduate nursing education
No full textThe COVID19 Pandemic has highlighted the contribution nurses make to global health and wellbeing. Much of this contribution is possible due to the high quality education nurses receive at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. The COVID19 pandemic has resulted in challenges for both nurses undertaking postgraduate education along with those responsible for delivering that education. This paper highlights those challenges many of which are specific to nurses and their subsequent meaning. The response by nursing faculty in light of these challenges is also articulate
Mind the Gap: Academic Staff Experiences of Remote Teaching During the Covid 19 Emergency
No full textDuring the Covid-19 emergency, with the sudden closure of Higher EducationInstitutions, many academic institutions turned to remote teaching in order to supportstudents to meet their programme learning outcomes. Academic staff at the Instituteof Technology, Carlow were surveyed to ascertain their experiences of this ‘onlinepivot’. This article takes a phenomenological approach to the staff experience andattempts to draw meaningful inferences and conclusions regarding the teachingexperience under these circumstances. This is intended to inform best practice byboth institutions and staff in the context of remote teaching