TEU successfully through to the second stage

The proposal for a “Technology-enhanced Learning (TEL) Week” aims to build digital literacy and engagement for students and teachers by exploring the question: “What works and why?” The basic premise is there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to the effective use of new digital technologies for teaching and learning. The answer to this question needs to be found through critical reflection and rich professional dialogue grounded within institutional contexts and discipline specific practices.

The proposal is anchored in a recent Australian study, which explores the gap between the rhetoric and realities of technology-enhanced learning (Henderson, Selwyn & Aston, 2015). This study highlights the need to problematize claims about the potential of technology-enhanced learning to more fully engage a wider range of stakeholders in capacity development.

The TEL Week will have a strong focus on the discipline specific contexts in which teaching and learning takes place, with a common goal of helping to promote better outcomes for learners. The professional learning will be designed around a partnership model which engages a range of stakeholders in order to harvest and broker what we know works and why through a variety of events.

To enhance the long-term impact of the TEL Week this initiative includes the launch of a Mentoring Circles initiative to build stronger communities of practice across our cluster and within disciplines. Specific deliverables associated with this proposal include:

• A minimum of 20 separate development events
Launch of a minimum of eight peer mentoring circles
• Establishment of a minimum of 10 TEL Innovation Projects
• A staff survey of “what works and why” in practice
• A student produced video wall of “what works and why” in practice
In summary, this proposal focuses on impactful professional development for staff through a range of events which are linked by a common overarching question.

 If you would like further details about the research project please contact teaching.enhancement@dcu.ie.