Collaborations

The Blended Learning Unit collaborates on a number of national and international projects.

National Projects

Funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement for Teaching and Learning

Research Expertise Exchange (REX)

An online social network for Irish teachers and other educational researchers.

 

The Research Expertise Exchange, or REX, is an online social network for Irish teachers and other educational researchers.

If you’re an in-service, registered teacher, a pre-service teacher, or an educational researcher, REX is a place where you can find others with similar interests, discuss research, and even collaborate on projects. Here you can raise questions, find support for your work, set up research groups and share resources, and work toward a bigger, more connected educational research community in Ireland.

All Aboard

A ‘National Digital Skills Framework’  which is rich, dynamic and community-owned.

 

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All Aboard aims to identify the wide range of skills and knowledge that students, and all those who work in higher education, will need to feel confident and creative when learning, working and exploring the digital world.

All Aboard is rising to the challenge identified in the national Digital Roadmap of building our ‘digital capacity,’ not just in terms of infrastructure, but also in terms of people, their skills, their levels of confidence and their ability to critique and challenge pre-conceptions.

A Learning Journey MOOC/ Get Ready Education

A MOOC which supports students in the transition from 2nd to 3rd level education in Ireland.

 

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There are a number of factors cited that make it difficult for students to adjust to third level life including:  financial pressures; the wrong choice of programme or module; difficulties with making friends or being homesick; and difficulties with adjusting to new ways of learning.

This ‘Learning Journey MOOC’ has been designed to address the needs of students making this transition from 2nd to 3rd level education. It is available to second level students in Ireland from transition year to leaving certificate. The MOOC combines online content with optional teacher-led classroom activities, online forums and quizzes. Digital Badges are awarded to participants.

International Projects

Epigeum Blended Learning Programme

 

The Blended Learning programme is the culmination of the expertise of a group of leading experts and universities to establish and share best practice in blended learning. Mary Immaculate College was one of the development Group members for this international project.

This programme is aimed at academic staff considering a blended learning approach in their teaching and those looking to improve their skills and understanding of combining face-to-face with online teaching and assessment.

The programme aims to bridge the gap between strategy and delivery by empowering faculty to translate principles and aims into effective teaching and learning practice. This will in turn lead to corresponding improvements in student performance, engagement, satisfaction and retention.

Development group members include:

  • Bournemouth University, UK
  • Federation University, Australia
  • Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Germany
  • Gulf University for Science and Technology, Kuwait
  • Institute of Technology Sligo, Republic of Ireland
  • Limerick Institute of Technology, Republic of Ireland
  • Mary Immaculate College, Republic of Ireland
  • Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Norway
  • University of Canberra, Australia
  • University of Limerick, Republic of Ireland
  • University of Newcastle, Australia
  • University of Ottawa, Canada