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Dissemination Workshop – Edtech Conference – May 26th

Nuala — Wed, 25 May 2016 20:08:32 +0000

The next dissemination workshop for the Student Success Toolbox project takes place on Thursday 26th May at the Edtech 2016 conference.

If you are coming to this event please consider watching the following video, and definitely ready this document, before coming to the workshop.

The aim of the Student Success Toolbox is to support transitions from thinking about study to the first weeks to increase retention and completion rates particularly for flexible learners (undergraduate adult, part-time and online/distance students) as this is a significant problem in the Irish Higher Education sector. This workshop aims to explore a suite of digital tools designed to support this transition.

This workshop will be conducted by Lorraine Delaney of DCU, Jennifer Gilligan of IT Sligo, and Lisa O’Regan of Maynooth University, along with other team members from DCU and DKIT. These digital tools assist programme teams, lecturers and support staff in providing personalised and strategically targeted feedback to potentially at risk students for learning in the digital world. The Student Success Toolbox project is supported by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning’s ‘Building Digital Capacity’ fund. For more information on these tools go to: http://studentsuccess.ie/the-toolbox/

Dissemination Workshop – IT Sligo – 13th May

Nuala — Mon, 09 May 2016 19:00:26 +0000

You are invited to attend the ‘Student Success Workshop: A set of tools to support adult, part-time & online students’ which takes place on Friday 13th May from 10:00 in Computer Lab E0029.

Places are limited for this event so please do reserve your place by registering at this link: http://bit.ly/277v97c

This workshop will be conducted by Dr James Brunton of DCU and Jennifer Gilligan of IT Sligo along with other project partners from Dundalk and Maynooth. These digital tools assist lecturers and support staff in providing personalised and strategically targeted feedback to potentially at risk students for learning in the digital world. The Student Success Toolbox project is supported by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning’s ‘Building Digital Capacity’ fund. For more information on these tools go to: http://studentsuccess.ie/the-toolbox/

Tool 8: Online Orientation

Nuala — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 11:06:00 +0000

As an online orientation, at the beginning of the academic year, would necessarily be unique to that programme or institution this tool takes a different form to the other seven tools. This tool is created as a guide for those who wish to create an online orientation. This guide describes the elements that should be present in an effective online orientation, gives examples of different approaches to including that element in an orientation and allows users of the tool to build up a plan for how they would create an online orientation for their programme or institution.

Tool 7: Top Tips for Study

Nuala — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 11:02:52 +0000

This tool is designed to provide support for flexible learners from other flexible learners. The site would be based on a Tumblr platform, and would address topics such as developing a healthy study/life balance. Each student would be free to post on the site and it is intended that materials posted would be generic and beneficial for any flexible learner rather than course specific content appearing on the site. Through encouraging interaction between students in this manner it is thought it will benefit all students in overcoming challenges and developing suitable plans for study.

Tool 6: Get Ready to Learn

Nuala — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 10:57:23 +0000

This tool is a five week online course that provides prospective flexible learners with key messages about how to prepare for studying at higher education level as a flexible learner. This tool incorporates a number of the other tools within its structure, in order to aid prospective learners in assessing their readiness for higher education, calculating how much time they have to study, examining what supports they have in their lives, learning about necessary computer skills, and also about the study skills required to study successfully. Additional content (text, audio and video), activities and facilitated online discussion forums, unique to this tool are also used to help prepare prospective learners.

Tool 5: My First Assignment

Nuala — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 10:51:07 +0000

With this tool prospective flexible learners navigate through information slides relating to what an assignment in higher education is. Advice on how to start an assignment and develop a plan in breaking down a research question is also provided, with key elements within a plan being flagged. Additionally a series of student orientated quotes and videos are readily accessible throughout the tool in order to give users a further sense of what it is like to tackle your first assignment in higher education.

Tool 4: My Computer Skills: Am I Computer Ready to Learn?

Nuala — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 10:39:27 +0000

Through the guidance of a student narrator, prospective flexible learners are informed of the necessary computer skills needed in higher education. They are also informed of the technology they will need, and the computer services offered by colleges. Four students stories can also be accessed, which entail flexible learners’ first interactions with email services, online reading materials, Word and Powerpoint. A computer skills quiz is also offered within this tool, allowing users to self-assess their current level of computer skills. Three different navigation pathways are available through this tool pending on the user’s previous experience with computer technology. Online services to assist students in improving their computer skills are also flagged.

Tool 3: Who can I ask?

Nuala — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 09:48:00 +0000

The ‘Who can I ask?’ tool offers prospective flexible learners the opportunity to think about their support network and how they might garner support to help them successfully complete their studies. Through a series of information slides, users are made aware of how they can seek support from Friends, Family, Employers, Universities and Other Students. In addition, examples of student scenarios and how they were supported through their studies can be accessed by clicking on quotes presented throughout the tool. Furthermore advice is offered on how to deal with a lack of support.

Tool 2: Do I Have Enough Time?

Nuala — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 09:37:38 +0000

This second tool provides a self-reflective ‘Calculator’ where prospective students are supported in thinking about the amount of time they spend on different activities during a typical week and how much spare time they might have to allocate to study. The calculator enables people to self-assess whether balancing study with their existing life, work and family commitments is realistically achievable. In completing the tool each person is provided with tips on how to most accurately estimate how they currently spend their time under the sections Work, Family, Household, Hobbies, Leisure and Sleep. On completion of the exercise people are given feedback on whether their personal circumstances are conducive to embarking on further study.

Tool 1: Am I Ready for Study?

Nuala — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 09:18:40 +0000

With the opening tool, prospective flexible learners are presented with the opportunity to reflect and self-assess if they are ready to commit to online study. This quick quiz is comprised of six sections addressing the following relevant topics: Previous Study, Work and Family, Study Intentions, Study Skills, Computer Skills and Work Habits. After answering each question personalised feedback is provided, and upon completion of the quiz every prospective learner is provided with an overall summary of their results and further personalised feedback. Here, each person is either informed they are ready for online study or encouraged to access the provided resource links to discover how they could enhance their readiness to succeed as a flexible learner.