AISHE-J - The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
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Review of Human Development and Capabilities: Re-imagining the university of the twenty-first century, Boni, Alexjandra and Walker, Melanie, (editors), Routledge, Abingdon, 2013.
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Re-framing the �First Year� Undergraduate Student Experience
No full text The ‘first year’ student experience is a critical transition period for new students. Navigating it successfully can help students in their ‘first year’ at university settle into their studies and provide a foundation for retention and success. It has traditionally focused on students entering year one of an undergraduate degree. However, due to the increased diversity in the student body and various entry routes into different levels of university study, what constitutes the ‘first year’ student experience and the support students’ receive, needs to be re-framed. This paper highlights the changes that have occurred in higher education, and puts forward a new student lifecycle to assist institutions effectively support new undergraduate students in their ‘first year’ of study and beyond across academic and non-academic activities. 
Review of Thompson, P & Kamler, B. (2012). Writing for Peer Reviewed Journals: Strategies for getting published. Routledge.
No full textReview of Thompson, P & Kamler, B. (2012). Writing for Peer Reviewed Journals: Strategies for getting published. Routledge.  
Tertiary Education for Refugees: ACU’s program on the Thai-Burma Border
No full textFrom our Overseas Correspondent: a letter from Duncan MacClaren, Coordinator, ACU Refugee Program on the Thai-Burma Border 
Reflections On An In-House Academic Writing Retreat
No full textThis paper outlines some of the contemporary challenges and opportunities facing lecturers in third level education in Ireland in the area of academic writing. It is argued that nurse academics in particular are charged with the imperative to write and publish in order to foster academic development of what has traditionally been regarded as a practice driven vocation. Some of the challenges to academic writing as identified in the literature are discussed as well as measures undertaken to support Faculty writing and publishing. An account is provided as to how a group of academics in one third level School are attempting to overcome personal inhibitions and resource limitations through the use of a self devised writing support group and an in-house writers retreat. Reflections on the establishment and effects of these initiatives are presented and subsequent conclusions and recommendations are made
Can Clickers Enhance Team Based Learning? Findings From A Computer Science Module
No full textIn this study we describe the use of clickers in a second year data structures and algorithms module. In recent years instructors in higher education have begun introducing classroom technology that allows students to respond to questions during lectures. Studies have shown considerable benefits in terms of attendance, classroom engagement and allowing instructors to gain instant feedback (Caldwell, 2007; Kay & LeSage, 2009). In this study students were assigned to self-selected groups of three. 20% of the final module grade was earned by answering questions during lectures in competition with other teams. We found that the use of clickers had a dramatic effect on both attendance and engagement in the class. Students were far more likely to ask questions and defend their points of view, both before and after lectures. At the end of the semester the majority of students rated the clickers positively. However, the final module grade was lower than previous years. An anonymous survey suggested that although students enjoyed working in groups, they were less likely to take personal responsibility for their own learning when there were others on the team that could do the work. In light of this, we recommend allowing students to discuss questions together during lectures, but awarding marks individually
Reflecting on the Need for Problem Triggers in Multidisciplinary PBL
No full textProblems are central to learning in Problem Based Learning (PBL) curricula. Problem typologies differ across disciplinary areas and high quality problems are fundamental to engaging students and achieving the intended learning outcomes. PBL continues to be deployed in a range of disciplines; however, outside of the medical domain, there is a chronic lack of documented problems. This paucity has particular implications for those aspiring to adopt PBL, especially those who lack faculty support and may be acting on their own initiative. In this paper, the need for quality problems is motivated. A number of sample problems from a range of disciplines are described. It is envisaged that the provision of such problems will seed the initiation of new PBL initiatives in various disciplines outside of the medical domain.  
What students think of peer assessment
No full textFollowing on from previous action research by the author on the role of self and peer assessment in students’ learning within group projects the present case study used an action research framework to examine students’ experience of assessment on a ‘constructively aligned’ (Biggs, 1999) second year module of an Honours degree programme in Early Childhood Education and Care in the South of Ireland. The researcher presented assessment tasks and negotiated assessment criteria with students at the start of authentic projects as recommended in the literature (Topping, 2009, p. 25). Students were required to produce a ‘learning story’ focused on a particular child in accordance with the pedagogy of quality child centred assessment practices (Carr M. , 2001; Dunphy, 2010). The study reports on a number of related areas including students’ opinions of peer assessment, students’ preferred study method and self assessment of learning skills and ratings of assessment tasks. A social constructivist paradigm can facilitate student learning through applying criteria to assess and provide feedback on each other’s work(Rust, et al., 2005). A questionnaire delivered at the end of the module revealed that students do not like peer assessment for various reasons including; the potential for conflict within the class, potential bias and lack of confidence in peer judgements compared to the tutor. The study poses a dilemma for the author and other educators applying social constructivist approaches to learning which attempt to involve the student in peer assessment. The researcher suggests as peer assessment requires collaboration and working together this can be at odds with an individualistic, competitive education system. Further research on student experience of peer assessment may explore the interaction of age and gender on the emotional climate of group work and the transitions within the Zone of Proximal Development as students move to expert knowledge within project work. (Tillema, Leenknecht, & Seegers, 2011; Vu & D'all Alba, 2007; Davis, Kumtepe, & Aydenez, 2007; Taras, 2010). (Key words: peer assessment, problem based learning, learning story
The Impact of Study Abroad on Language Learners' Understanding of the Concept of Citizenship: Some Preliminary Considerations
No full textThe notion often associated with study abroad that it will deepen students’ understanding of citizenship and expand it beyond national borders remains contested. While the Erasmus website (European Commission, 2012a) claims that study abroad and the experiences associated with it ‘give students a better sense of what it means to be a European citizen’ there is little research that documents how students themselves actually conceive of the term citizenship in practice (Streitwieser and Light, 2010, 1) or how a period of study abroad might transform such conceptualizations. In order to contribute to this debate, this paper analyses reflective pieces by undergraduate students on the nature of citizenship written before (n=16) and after (n=8) a year of study abroad as part of an Erasmus exchange programme. It presents an initial attempt to derive a typology of understandings for the term citizen from this data and to assess the impact of study abroad on these understandings. The findings of this pilot study suggest that before students engage with study abroad, they have a tendency to articulate a relatively straightforward understanding of the concept of citizenship with a strong focus on the notion of ‘belonging’ to a country. In contrast, those in the post year abroad group recognise that the concept of citizenship is “difficult to define”, complex and composed of a number of elements. In addition, both obligations and responsibilities increase in importance and become more significant than rights for the post-year abroad group. Implications for a more in-depth study and for further research, in general, as well as for the preparation of students for study abroad are considered