Meet CUA Learning and Teaching Colleagues

Meet Colleagues from the Learning and Teaching Subgroup

Dr Niamh Plunkett, Head of Teaching and Learning at IT Sligo

We are currently devising a roadmap to outline where each of the three institutes are with UDL practice and the next steps for each so that we are continually striving forward with the same agreed agenda and process. We have established a CUA UDL working group for that purpose. Our aim is to establish a Higher Education Centre of Excellence in Inclusive Practice which would be the first of its kind in Ireland.

Niamh represents IT Sligo on the CUA Learning and Teaching subgroup. In IT Sligo Niamh manages and develops the strategic planning of, and delivery of the academic support programmes offered by the institute to their students. She is passionate about giving all students equal opportunites to learn. She and her colleagues have worked hard on increasing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) awareness among staff across the CUA. Niamh says: “Strong buy-in was achieved through seminars, workshops, UDL digital badge attainment, and active engagement with UDL related projects and research demonstrating the benefits of UDL for all learners, rather than focusing solely on disability.

What is UDL?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn, including Students with Disabilities. UDL aims to improve the educational experience of all students by introducing more flexible methods of teaching, assessment and service provision to cater for the diversity of learners in our classrooms. This approach is underpinned by research in the field of neuroscience and is designed to improve the learning experience and outcomes for all students.

www.ahead.ie/udl

Meet Colleagues from the Learning and Teaching Subgroup

Dr Deirdre McClay, Senior Lecturer in Teaching, Learning and Student Engagement at LYIT

The joint CUA projects are bringing about more collaboration in teaching and learning and pooling of resources to support staff and students in lots of different and positive ways from strategic principles, frameworks and policy development to workshop and course development.

Deirdre represents LYIT on the CUA Learning and Teaching subgroup. In LYIT she leads on National Forum funded projects and on implementing the LYIT learning, teaching and assessment strategy which aims to enhance learning, teaching and student engagement across the institute. Deirdre is also the LYIT team lead on the National Forum funded joint CUA project, Reimagining Assessment for Student Success, the Learning Enhancement Project, and the Technological University Transformation Fund (TUTF) joint project, Foundations for CUA MIS and Learning Analytics.

Reimagining Asssessment for Student Success

This CUA project is reviewing the wide range of assessment practices in place. It is also establishing a collaboration of three programme board groups. The project will support the development of assessment strategies, guideline resources, delivery of masterclasses, and a showcase on assessment strategies - what works and why?

Learning Enchancement Project

The Learning Enchancement Project selects and supports staff-led teaching and learning projects. In 2020-2021, it culminated in an online showcase of nine projects. A digital repository of these projects is forthcoming.

Foundations for CUA Management Information Systems (MIS) and Learnng Analytics

This project builds on work by the CUA partners in learning analytics and in the development of multi-source analytics and management information systems (MIS) to identify and support student engagement and achievements. It shares existing practice and knowledge and develops a learning analytics policy and practice that will facilitate the future harmonisation of these services across the CUA.

Meet Colleagues from the Learning and Teaching Subgroup

Dr Carina Ginty, Head of Teaching and Learning Office, GMIT

The CUA have collaborated on the development of a range of strategic principles and frameworks, to support teaching and learning enhancement for the CUA and the new technological university (TU).

Carina represents GMIT on the CUA Learning and Teaching subgroup. She leads the CUA iNOTE/DigitalEd Project (DigitalEd.ie) and is Co-lead on the HigherEd 4.0 Theme 1 Project. In addition to her work with her CUA colleagues, Carina coordinates the implementation of the Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) strategy in GMIT. She brings considerable expertise and experience to the new TU as she had led several innovative projects to develop teaching, learning and assessment, and digital capabilities in higher education.