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Problematizing Second Language (L2) Learning using Emerging VR SystemsThere is little doubt that there is nothing like being immersed in the country of the language you are trying to learn. Not only do students who wish to learn English as a Second Language (ESL) enjoy the experience of inter-cultural learning contexts from a sensory and affective sense, it is often the case that they gain emotional and intellectual maturity while living abroad. The reality of travelling abroad to learn English however for many International students is often a difficult transitional one especially at pre-sessional or beginner/foundation levels in terms of language acquisition, expense, feelings of isolation while in some cases, struggling with pressures to maintain scholarships. As it stands, existing English language centres work hard to advance students onto higher levels of language competencies. They offer students opportunities to avail of further language courses, which help them progress onto undergraduate studies. As part of such programmes, colleges often plan visits to historical and cultural sites to encourage non-formal learning. Such trips often impart historical information, however, that is outside students’ immediate language levels, and this oversight does not optimise the experience as potentially pedagogical in developing competencies as outlined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). While not intending to replace present ESL courses, we propose that the use of VR systems can successfully compliment Internationalisation programmes in Ireland. The emergence of commercially available VR head-mounted displays offers opportunities for immersive ESL virtual environments. VR technology can enable spaces for creative learning structures during foundation/beginner courses by delivering VR-based learning within Irish virtual site visits from their home-based colleges. This will work to tailor courses to where students’ levels are at in actuality before they progress to their respective host Englishspeaking countries at higher levels in class-based environments. While in Ireland, it is envisaged that the VR supports will facilitate visits to on-site locations that are followed up by virtual site equivalents to maximise language learning in structured, innovative ways. VR can also engage with online colleges that do not have a physical campus in offering students a diversity of online courses while offering students the option to stay at home to best suit their own personal life situations. A collaborative project between researchers at Limerick Institute of Technology and Hibernia College Dublin aims to capture the structural and acoustic data of various historical buildings and iconic landmarks in Ireland. The acquisition of structural features will involve the use of a 3D laser scanner and a record of construction materials. The acquisition of acoustic data will involve measuring the impulse response of the space using a dodecahedron speaker, reference and binaural microphones. Using this data, digital equivalents incorporating spatial attributes of both auditory and visual modalities will be rendered for the Oculus Rift VR headset and standard headphones. These renders will seek to position both the ESL learner and English language lecturer at virtual Irish historical sites to articulate immersive learning to find full expression in realising the digital campus.
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Comparing Online Learning with Blended Learning in a Teacher Training ProgramThis paper describes the establishment and delivery of a Blended Learning Higher Diploma in Education, being a professional qualification for Primary School teachers in Ireland. This innovative course represents a major departure from the traditional mode of delivery of teacher training in Ireland. A careful analysis of student feedback and examination scores is therefore of crucial importance to inform further development of the course and to contribute to innovation in teacher training both in Ireland and internationally. The two primary modes of course delivery, that is an Entirely Online mode and a Blended Learning mode, were compared in terms of qualitative feedback from the students themselves and quantitative results from the formal assessment procedures. Across a range of questions that covered learning outcomes and learner outcome satisfaction, balance of delivery, tutor and peer engagement, workload, technology and perceived career benefit, student satisfaction was shown to be good across both modes of delivery. Some differences were noted in workload and student support; workload was perceived higher, but student support was more satisfactory in the purely online elements. There was a small but significant grade improvement for Blended Learning courses over Entirely Online courses. However, alternative hypotheses make it difficult to attribute this grade increase to the mode of course delivery. The mode of delivery of course content does not affect student satisfaction or the ability of students to perform well in formal assessment. It is therefore concluded that a blended learning educational system that includes online education is a highly appropriate mode for the training of primary school teachers.
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Essays on Intercultural Education - from Policy to PracticeThis is a compilation of essays written by twenty five students who were undertaking a module entitled ‘Intercultural education1’; one component of a Master’s of Arts in Teaching and Learning ‐ a Level 9 programme on the National Framework of Qualifications. These students were current teachers in various educational sectors including early childhood education and care, primary and post‐primary schools. The assessment for this module was a 3000‐word essay, based on a reflective analysis of the conduct of a designed classroom or school‐based intervention, aimed to promote intercultural awareness and improve social inclusion.
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A CASE FOR USING SWIVL FOR DIGITAL OBSERVATION IN AN ONLINE OR BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTThis paper examines the use of digital video in order to enhance professional development for online and blended learning programs in higher education, with particular reference to initial teacher education (ITE). While digital observation in the context of teacher education has been the subject of some discussion, the technology considered in this article is relatively new. Swivl is an innovative technology which allows for nonintrusive digital observation of, for example, school placement. The benefits of using digital observation for professional development are numerous, including the recording of information that may not otherwise be captured and allowing for the retaining of that information for reflection and analysis purposes. This paper assesses the potential benefits for both staff and students who work in an online and blended learning environment, as well as identifying some challenges this technology may present. The paper places a particular focus on the practical application of Swivl technology in a blended learning postgraduate program for ITE in Ireland. The aim of this paper is twofold: (1) to explore the use of an innovative technology called Swivl for online or blended higher education and (2) to present an overview of a proposed pilot study in which a randomized controlled trial group of student teachers (N = 50) will use Swivl to self-reflect during school placement. A second paper, in early 2019, will provide a detailed analysis of the impact of the use of digital technology in a treatment group as part of the pilot study
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Assessing children's psychosocial well-being: Norwegian early childhood education and care teachers’ challenges when completing a global screening toolIn this article, the authors illustrate some of the challenges and dilemmas that Norwegian early childhood education and care teachers experienced when completing a global screening tool (UPSI-5: Universal Psychosocial Indicator for 5 Year Old Boys and Girls) concerning the psychosocial well-being of five-year-olds as part of an international research project. Based on interviews with 31 teachers, the authors present in-depth analysis of the critical reflections of 19 teachers concerning the assessment forms. While previous research has criticized standardized testing and screening in early childhood education and care, there is a need for the critical voices of practitioners to be heard. The aim of this article is to illustrate which aspects teachers find challenging and how they respond when in doubt. The authors found that teachers’ assessments are inextricably linked to the early childhood education and care context, and the values, ideas and norms that are prevalent in Nordic early childhood education and care settings.
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BeSAD (Bereavement, Separation, and Divorce): The Response of Pre-service Teachers to Pupil Well-beingThe current research explored the frequency in which pre-service teachers encountered pupils during their placement (e.g. teaching practice) experiencing loss as a result of bereavement, separation and divorce (BeSAD). The research examined how they responded to BeSAD and the training they received at Initial Teacher Education (ITE). The report describes the findings of a mixed-method research programme involving a survey with pre-service teachers (N=354), and semi-structured interviews with experts (N=6) in the area of BeSAD. Centres for ITE provided a sample for the survey from Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (RoI). The quantitative component of the research indicated that nearly half of pre-service teachers had encountered pupils who had experienced some form of BeSAD. Respondents lacked confidence when supporting pupils experiencing BeSAD, particularly in relation to separation and divorce. Personal intuition was reported as the main way in which respondents support pupils experiencing bereavement and this was closely linked to their own personal experience of death. Nearly one quarter of respondents said that inability to concentrate in the classroom was the biggest impact on pupils. A decline in attendance was also noticed along with physical and emotional responses including withdrawn behaviour, fear of coming to school, and anxiety. Nearly half of respondents did not answer the question which could mean that no reaction was evidenced by these respondents. The majority of respondents were unaware if policy existed relating to BeSAD and stated that they had either not received training or if they had, it was "briefly". The interviews conducted with experts from NI and the RoI (N=6) identified a range of roles and responsibilities for teachers in supporting pupils who have experienced BeSAD. They identified the core role that teachers play as advocates for children and supporting families who have experienced BeSAD. They identified key challenges within the current education system for both jurisdictions and drew attention to core training needs required during ITE and through Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
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Teaching, Learning, and Assessment during Covid-19: Reflections from the frontline of higher educationThis article explores how Hibernia College, as a higher education institution, adapted to full-time online teaching, learning, and assessment during Covid-19. It reflects on changing pedagogies and the formation of are imagined identity for teacher educators.
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Integrating 21st-Century Skills into Irish Primary Schools: A Pilot Study on the Outcomes, Experiences and Observations of Teachers PreparedThe implementation of 21st-century skills and competency-based learning in European and OECD countries' educational curricula indicates affirmative action across global educational systems to develop a wider breadth of skills beyond traditional literacy and numeracy skills. There is broad agreement and significant common interest across national and international competency frameworks concerning the importance of 21st-century skills. This consensus is underpinned by the need for education to equip learners with transferable knowledge and skills rather than relying upon well-worn procedures. From the Irish primary school context, there is an explicit focus on, and pathway to, the development of 21st-century skills beginning with Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework and progressing to the development of the new draft Primary School Curriculum. This skills and competency pathway continues into post-primary school settings as students transition into the Junior and Senior Cycle stages of their education. With this explicit focus on competency and skills-based education, many schools seek to develop skills through innovative teaching methods or by employing specific skills-based interventions. This report presents a small-scale pilot study of the 'Magical Leaders' programme, a 21st-century skills intervention programme suitable for primary school students between 10 and 12 years of age. The mixed-methods study investigated teachers' attitudes and perspectives of the Magical Leaders programme, the 21st-century skills outcomes, the programme's resources and the core peer-to-peer teaching methodology. Using focus group discussions and adapted reliable and validated scales, the findings of this research have highlighted the positive development of students' 21st-century skills, teachers' and students' perspectives of engaging with the programme and the peer-to-peer teaching methodology. Several challenges to programme delivery were identified, including the programme's digital components, teacher training, lesson preparation time and adherence to programme fidelity.
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Can teachers be trained online?This paper describes the establishment and delivery of a Blended Learning Higher Diploma in Education, being a professional qualification for Primary School teachers in Ireland. This innovative course represents a major departure from the traditional mode of delivery of teaching training in Ireland. A careful analysis of student feedback and examination scores is therefore of crucial importance to inform further development of the course and to contribute to innovation in teacher training both in Ireland and internationally. The two primary modes of course delivery, that is an Entirely Online mode and a Blended Learning mode, were compared in terms of qualitative feedback from the students themselves and quantitative results from the formal assessment procedures. Across a range of questions that covered perceived workload, satisfaction with objectives and learning outcomes and perceived career benefit, the mode of delivery had no effect on student levels of satisfaction with the course. There was a small but significant grade improvement for Blended Learning courses over Entirely Online courses. However, alternative hypotheses make it difficult to attribute this grade increase to the mode of course delivery. The mode of delivery of course content does not affect student satisfaction or the ability of students to perform well in formal assessment. It is therefore concluded that a blended learning educational system that includes online education is a highly appropriate mode for the training of primary school teachers.
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The Results: Using Swivl for Digital Observation in an Online or Blended Learning EnvironmentThis paper is a follow-up article on the examination of the use of digital video to enhance professional development for online and blended learning programs in higher education. Our first article published on IJIOE presented a case for using Swivl robot for digital observation. The article provides particular reference to initial teacher education (ITE) and pre-service teachers. The results of a pilot study are examined to evidence pre-service teachers use of Swivl to self-reflect during school placement (i.e., time spent teaching in a classroom as part of an assessment). The results from the study provide strong evidence that the digital video footage created by pre-service teachers in order to self-reflect was highly supportive in developing their self-reflective practice and provides an overview of the usefulness of the technology employed. A more detailed overview of the project methodology can be found in our first paper: “A case for using Swivl for Digital Observation in an Online or Blended Learning Environment”. The aim of this paper is to provide the findings of this pilot study, its effectiveness within a blended learning college, and provide recommendations for those wishing to use similar technology.
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Inclusion or Containment? A reality for learners with autism in mainstream primary schoolsIn March 2018, Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). A fundamental aspect of this Convention is to develop a respectful, inclusive education for people with disabilities among their non-disabled peers. Ireland, while late to the notion of inclusive education, is working towards and with the EPSEN Act, and has legislated for a concept of inclusion in education (Government of Ireland, 2004). The question of who needs ‘special’ education in an ‘inclusive’ setting has come to the fore, highlighted by the education needs of children with autism. This article presents evidence of placement and educational experiences of children with autism that requires us to consider how inclusion is constructed and structured in our mainstream primary schools. It provides evidence of the stark reality that inclusion in practice reflects a ‘containment’ approach. Further, we are maintaining a concept that being a ‘different’ learner requires a ‘special’ approach and environment. This article argues that ethical sinkholes are created when there is little introspection on the ideology and practice of inclusion.
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Discovering Gems: Authentic Listening to the ‘Voice’ of Experience in Teaching Pupils with AutismEmpirical research on evidenced-based practice provision for people with autism values quantitative methods (Bond & Symes, 2014; Westerveld et al. 2015) over the qualitative methods that relay ‘voice’ through, for example, teacher interviews. Any attempt to justify educational practice must include the voice and views of all experts (Perry 2009). This article challenges the notion that the application of evidenced-based scientific programmes for autism specific intervention are the sole ‘best-practice’ approaches in schools. Presented as direct support is evidence on literacy teaching and learning - particularly from a ‘voice’ perspective - regarding the professional and ethical practice of a case study teacher as she ‘discovers gems’ when teaching pupils with autism. The article relates to findings from a programme of research that explored literacy practices, involving pupils with autism (N=35), their parents (N=34) and teachers (N=14), and observations of teaching and learning (N=189 hours) in autism specific classrooms (N=7) in mainstream primary education in Ireland.
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Dinosaurs in the Classroom: Using the Creative Arts to engage young children with autismAutism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders that are characterised by challenges with social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviours and interests (American Psychological Association, 2013). Young children with ASD frequently have impairments in early social communication skills including language and joint attention (Tager-Flusberg, 2000). This paper draws on a longitudinal research project that included in-depth qualitative case studies of young children with ASD transitioning to early education settings. Findings include the importance of nuanced approaches to inclusion for children with ASD, and the recognition that all children, including children who are nonverbal, have a voice. Drawing from a review of the relevant literature, this article is structured around a discussion of the following themes: the challenges experienced by children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) participating with peers, the need for bespoke approaches to inclusion drawing on the creative arts and the importance of children’s voice and agency when children communicate differently.
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Creating Communicative Opportunities for Autistic ChildrenOur approach to working with children with autism in this article is not about the engagement philosophies but rather is focussed at a social communicative level: not just hearing and seeing but listening and understanding, therefore, communicating respect and dignity to the child. This article provides case examples from a qualitative research project on the literacy practices of children with autism. The role of the qualitative researcher in this project is to seek to advance knowledge to assist practice and policy. This article sets out to engage you, the reader, in considering how you connect and communicate with autistic children in your practice. It is about communication and what communication might look like if we open our understanding to all possibilities. It is also about the balance of agency in the learning environment for children with autism
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How field experience shapes pre-service primary teachers’ technology integration knowledge and practiceThe expectation for teachers to integrate technology within their classroom practice is growing. However, few studies examine the influences on pre-service teachers’ technology integration knowledge and practice, and the role of field experience in shaping these. Narratives from semi-structured pre-COVID interviews with 35 preservice primary school teachers in one teacher education programme in Ireland, some of whom used a digital camera, were analysed using an inductive thematic approach. Opportunities for pre-service teachers to develop their knowledge and practice were shaped by their interaction with the primary school context, the people within it and the digital resources provided, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). While the initial teacher education programme provided opportunities and digital resources to support the primary teachers’ learning, the Zone of Promoted Action, these were ultimately shaped by the ZPD. The results have implications for professional development programmes striving to support teachers in developing innovative practice in a post-COVID era.
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Webinar: The Hibernia online tutorial - what is it and what could it be?Hibernia College has pioneered the use of online teaching in Ireland and one of the key features of all programmes today is the "online tutorial" where tutors and students meet live online. However, have you ever wondered, "What goes on in these spaces and what is their purpose?" Michael's doctoral research has explored the role of the online tutorial within the MATL programme. He will discuss the concept of an online tutorial in the context of the literature and the professional practice he observed. Finally, he will ask should each programme within Hibernia design a signature pedagogy for their online tutorials, so tutors and students are clearer as to their purpose and their role within them.
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A handbook and tool kit for teaching, learning and assessment in independent higher education institutions in IrelandThis handbook serves as a companion for college teachers to accompany their professional development journey. It provides the most up-to-date understanding of age old insights. Underpinning the entire work is an appreciation of central role of scholarly reflection and portfolio development as a means of teacher professional enhancement.
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Building teacher professionalism in teaching-learning interactions between online tutors and learners during synchronous tutorials – a case study from Hibernia College.This case-study is set within the context of a new online Masters Programme for teachers within Hibernia College, the Masters of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL). It explores how tutors and students interact using synchronous computer mediated conferencing (SCMC) technologies during live tutorial sessions. The study found that students and tutors did not have an agreed set of ground rules for these online events and thus there was a need for a signature pedagogy to clarify this. It was observed, using the Flanders Interaction Analysis Categories (FIAC) and tutor interviews, that the level of interaction during these tutorials was predominantly teacher led with little evidence of student voice. Further analysis found that there was also limited evidence of critical discussion. The study has developed a toolkit comprising an expanded FIAC framework and an adapted version of Brookfield and Preskill’s Dispositions for Critical Discussion. The toolkit is designed to enable tutors to reflect on their tutorial practice. Using a cyclical process tutors can capture, codify and analyse their existing knowledge with a view to developing critical discussion as the signature pedagogy for their online tutorials. In this way Hibernia College can assist tutors in building their own professional practice knowledge with the ultimate goal of enhancing student learning on the programme. The study is set against a backdrop where higher education institutions are placing greater significance on online interactions and this is placing new demands on the pedagogical repertoire of their faculty.
