"Maths anxiety is a psychological phenomenon in which a person experienced fear, tension, or discomfort when faced with mathematical tasks or situations. It is a common problem among students in higher education, particularly in subjects that requires a strong mathematical foundation such as physics, engineering, and economics. Maths anxiety could have a range of negative effects on a student's academic performance and well-being and could also have wider implications for a student's academic and career prospects.
Joined the Irish Branch of the Mathematical Resilience Network for a Maths Anxiety Awareness Day workshop!"
"Maths anxiety is a psychological phenomenon in which a person experienced fear, tension, or discomfort when faced with mathematical tasks or situations. It is a common problem among students in higher education, particularly in subjects that requires a strong mathematical foundation such as physics, engineering, and economics. Maths anxiety could have a range of negative effects on a student's academic performance and well-being and could also have wider implications for a student's academic and career prospects.
Joined the Irish Branch of the Mathematical Resilience Network for a Maths Anxiety Awareness Day workshop!"
"Maths anxiety is a psychological phenomenon in which a person experienced fear, tension, or discomfort when faced with mathematical tasks or situations. It is a common problem among students in higher education, particularly in subjects that requires a strong mathematical foundation such as physics, engineering, and economics. Maths anxiety could have a range of negative effects on a student's academic performance and well-being and could also have wider implications for a student's academic and career prospects.
Joined the Irish Branch of the Mathematical Resilience Network for a Maths Anxiety Awareness Day workshop!"
MTU Funding Opportunities to Support TLASE Projects
"The Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU) and AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office are delighted launched our annual Combined Funding Call to support staff and students who wish to undertake short term projects related to teaching, learning, assessment and student engagement (TLASE) activities.
This funding call enables teams of staff and/or students, to develop ideas that might enhance teaching, learning, assessment and student engagement across the student life cycle.
The purpose of this session was to provide more information about the funding process itself, describe what supports are available and provide participants with an opportunity to hear from previous recipients in terms of what they achieved and how they felt about the experience and the impact these projects have on staff and students."
MA in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Information Session
Do you wonder if there are better ways of going about your teaching and/or assessment practices?
Perhaps you would like to learn more about current thinking and best practice in teaching, learning, technology and assessment in higher education?
Maybe you are interested in gaining a Level 9 qualification in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education?
If so, you might consider participating in the MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education that is offered by the Teaching and Learning Unit.
In Semester 1 2023/24, the TLU will be offering the following modules which may be of interest to you:
EDUC9043: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
EDUC9046: Curriculum Design & Evaluation
EDUC9050: Mentoring in HE
EDUC9016: Education Research Proposal
This information session provided an overview and introduction to the programme, more detailed information about the programme itself including options to step off with a Level 9 Certificate or Level 9 Postgraduate Diploma and will explain how to apply.
"The TLU have developed a CPD programme entitled EAT-PD: Enabling Academic Transitions through Professional Development Programme, aimed at new and early career academic staff, i.e., staff that have been teaching full-time for three years or less (or some equivalent). This programme enables staff relatively new to teaching to develop their competencies in the classroom. The focus of this programme is to expose staff to a range of research-based teaching strategies that can be used to enhance lectures and support learning.
The purpose of this session was to provide more information about the programme, including more details about the programme itself as well as information on how to apply."
UDL@MTU –Towards Embedding UDL Practice and Principles at MTU
The project is concerned with opening the institutional dialogue about the benefits of adopting the principles of Universal Design for Learning in our practice.
How Learning Communities are benefiting staff and students across MTU
"Since 2019 the TLU have launched and supported over 40 learning communities across MTU. During this session we heard from Learning Community members about who they are, what inspired them to start/join a Learning Community, what they have achieved and how others might initiate or join an existing learning community.
Professor Jim O’ Mahony also spoke about how funding can be awarded and used effectively to transform teaching and learning both within and across disciplines."
Advance HE Teaching and Learning Fellowships Information Webinar
As part of MTU’s commitment to excel in teaching, research and development work, for the benefit of staff, students, industry and the wider community, MTU is offering staff the opportunity for professional recognition of their teaching practice and leadership.
Advance HE Teaching and Learning Fellowships Information Webinar
As part of MTU’s commitment to excel in teaching, research and development work, for the benefit of staff, students, industry and the wider community, MTU is offering staff the opportunity for professional recognition of their teaching practice and leadership.
Advance HE Teaching and Learning Fellowships Information
As part of MTU’s commitment to excel in teaching, research and development work, for the benefit of staff, students, industry and the wider community, MTU is offering staff the opportunity for professional recognition of their teaching practice and leadership.
MTU funding opportunities to support TLASE projects
"The Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU) and AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office are delighted to announce our annual Combined Funding Call to support staff and students who wish to undertake short term projects related to teaching, learning, assessment and student engagement (TLASE) activities.
This funding call enables teams, of staff and/or students, to develop ideas that might enhance teaching, learning, assessment and student engagement across the student life cycle.
The purpose of this session was to provide more information about the funding process itself, describe what supports are available and provide participants with an opportunity to hear from previous recipients in terms of what they achieved and how they felt about the experience and the impact these projects have had on staff and students."
MTU funding opportunities to support TLASE projects
"The Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU) and AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office are delighted to announce our annual Combined Funding Call to support staff and students who wish to undertake short term projects related to teaching, learning, assessment and student engagement (TLASE) activities.
This funding call enables teams, of staff and/or students, to develop ideas that might enhance teaching, learning, assessment and student engagement across the student life cycle.
The purpose of this session was to provide more information about the funding process itself, describe what supports are available and provide participants with an opportunity to hear from previous recipients in terms of what they achieved and how they felt about the experience and the impact these projects have had on staff and students."
The Learning Community Fund is a funding stream available from the Teaching & Learning Unit (TLU) which can be accessed each year as one of three funding streams through the TLU and AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office’s Combined Funding Call.
The Teaching and Learning Development Fund is a funding stream available from the Teaching & Learning Unit (TLU) which can be accessed each year as one of three funding streams through the TLU and AnSEO- The Student Engagement Office’s Combined Funding Call.
The Teaching and Learning Development Fund is a funding stream available from the Teaching & Learning Unit (TLU) which can be accessed each year as one of three funding streams through the TLU and AnSEO- The Student Engagement Office’s Combined Funding Call.
Educational Research in MTU: TLASE Laboratory Launch
"The Teaching Learning Assessment and Student Engagement (TLASE) Research Laboratory represents the research wing of the Teaching and Learning Unit, MTU Cork Campuses and was funded by the TUTF. The focus of this laboratory is on larger-scale high quality educational research that will enhance Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Student Engagement functions within MTU and beyond.
The TUTF funding will support two research projects that aim to enhance feedback and assessment in work-placement activity across the university and feedback and assessment within large first-year classes. This session launched the TLASE Research Lab."
Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Student Engagement (TLASE) Research Laboratory
In September 2021, the TLU secured funding under the recent TUTF (Technological University Transformation Fund) call to establish a Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Student Engagement (TLASE) Research Laboratory.
The Laboratory’s objective is to undertake large-scale, rigorous, research in order to generate evidence based TLASE strategies and enhance learning across MTU and beyond. Large-scale, rigorous research in TLASE is important to identify what works, how it works, when it works and where it works. The immediate focus of the TLASE Research Laboratory will be on Assessment and Feedback in areas such industry work placement settings and large, first year classes. We intend to use both the international literature and smaller scale MTU research projects (e.g., projects completed as part of the MA in Teaching and Learning, Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) funded projects, projects coming from Learning Communities, etc) to identify strategies of interest and focus on exploring the extent to which they work when implemented on a larger scale.
The Active Learning Movement is an initiative to support staff to implement active learning strategies in their classroom It is essentially a learning community where you, as a member, will have the opportunity to experiment and investigate new approaches to teaching and engaging your students with the support of like-minded colleagues and the TLU.
The Active Learning Movement is an initiative to support staff to implement active learning strategies in their classroom It is essentially a learning community where you, as a member, will have the opportunity to experiment and investigate new approaches to teaching and engaging your students with the support of like-minded colleagues and the TLU.
There are many challenges with engaging students actively in both synchronous and asynchronous environments. To support staff to address some of these challenges the Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU), in Munster Technological University (MTU) developed the ‘Be ACTIVE’ Framework. It is an exploratory framework to support staff and institutions to implement and embed active learning in their everyday teaching practice.
Active Learning to Engage Students and Enhance Learning - Part 3: The 'Be ACTIVE' Framework
"This seminar was split into three with the first part of the seminar exploring “10 Ideas on how to Enhance Interaction and Student Engagement in your Teaching”. It selected examples that highlight the importance of student engagement in learning. Active learning strategies, suitable to a range of different learning environments, online, blended, and face-to-face were explored, with consideration given to different group sizes. These 10 ideas and practical tips were provided alongside a collaborative discussion amongst attendees, where best practice were shared.
Munster Technological University are active members of the Active Learning Network (ALN) which is a group of people from around the world (over 35 institutions represented) who share an interest in active approaches to learning. In the second part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the work of the ALN and shown how to connect with the Network.
In the third and final part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the “Be ACTIVE” Framework, a new and exploratory framework focusing on Active Learning. Participants had an opportunity to actively engage in the development of a plan to implement active learning in their individual context using this framework. The framework empowered participants to plan strategies that work for them in their context to get the most out of students and develop a structured overall approach to active learning.
Those who participated in this seminar:
Discussed practical ways to Enhance Student Interaction in their Teaching
Evaluated effective student engagement strategies for their context
Described the challenges of student engagement and shared best practice
Applied the “Be ACTIVE” Learning Framework and created a structured plan to embed active learning in their own teaching and learning context"
Active Learning to Engage Students and Enhance Learning - Part 2: Introduction to the Active Learning Network
"This seminar was split into three with the first part of the seminar exploring “10 Ideas on how to Enhance Interaction and Student Engagement in your Teaching”. It selected examples that highlight the importance of student engagement in learning. Active learning strategies, suitable to a range of different learning environments, online, blended, and face-to-face were explored, with consideration given to different group sizes. These 10 ideas and practical tips were provided alongside a collaborative discussion amongst attendees, where best practice were shared.
Munster Technological University are active members of the Active Learning Network (ALN) which is a group of people from around the world (over 35 institutions represented) who share an interest in active approaches to learning. In the second part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the work of the ALN and shown how to connect with the Network.
In the third and final part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the “Be ACTIVE” Framework, a new and exploratory framework focusing on Active Learning. Participants had an opportunity to actively engage in the development of a plan to implement active learning in their individual context using this framework. The framework empowered participants to plan strategies that work for them in their context to get the most out of students and develop a structured overall approach to active learning.
Those who participated in this seminar:
Discussed practical ways to Enhance Student Interaction in their Teaching
Evaluated effective student engagement strategies for their context
Described the challenges of student engagement and shared best practice
Applied the “Be ACTIVE” Learning Framework and created a structured plan to embed active learning in their own teaching and learning context"
Active Learning to Engage Students and Enhance Learning - Part 1: 10 Ideas on how to Enhance Interaction and Student Engagement in your Teaching
"This seminar was split into three with the first part of the seminar exploring “10 Ideas on how to Enhance Interaction and Student Engagement in your Teaching”. It selected examples that highlight the importance of student engagement in learning. Active learning strategies, suitable to a range of different learning environments, online, blended, and face-to-face were explored, with consideration given to different group sizes. These 10 ideas and practical tips were provided alongside a collaborative discussion amongst attendees, where best practice were shared.
Munster Technological University are active members of the Active Learning Network (ALN) which is a group of people from around the world (over 35 institutions represented) who share an interest in active approaches to learning. In the second part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the work of the ALN and shown how to connect with the Network.
In the third and final part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the “Be ACTIVE” Framework, a new and exploratory framework focusing on Active Learning. Participants had an opportunity to actively engage in the development of a plan to implement active learning in their individual context using this framework. The framework empowered participants to plan strategies that work for them in their context to get the most out of students and develop a structured overall approach to active learning.
Those who participated in this seminar:
Discussed practical ways to Enhance Student Interaction in their Teaching
Evaluated effective student engagement strategies for their context
Described the challenges of student engagement and shared best practice
Applied the “Be ACTIVE” Learning Framework and created a structured plan to embed active learning in their own teaching and learning context"
Active Learning to Engage Students and Enhance Learning - Part 1: 10 Ideas on how to Enhance Interaction and Student Engagement in your Teaching
"This seminar was split into three with the first part of the seminar exploring “10 Ideas on how to Enhance Interaction and Student Engagement in your Teaching”. It selected examples that highlight the importance of student engagement in learning. Active learning strategies, suitable to a range of different learning environments, online, blended, and face-to-face were explored, with consideration given to different group sizes. These 10 ideas and practical tips were provided alongside a collaborative discussion amongst attendees, where best practice were shared.
Munster Technological University are active members of the Active Learning Network (ALN) which is a group of people from around the world (over 35 institutions represented) who share an interest in active approaches to learning. In the second part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the work of the ALN and shown how to connect with the Network.
In the third and final part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the “Be ACTIVE” Framework, a new and exploratory framework focusing on Active Learning. Participants had an opportunity to actively engage in the development of a plan to implement active learning in their individual context using this framework. The framework empowered participants to plan strategies that work for them in their context to get the most out of students and develop a structured overall approach to active learning.
Those who participated in this seminar:
Discussed practical ways to Enhance Student Interaction in their Teaching
Evaluated effective student engagement strategies for their context
Described the challenges of student engagement and shared best practice
Applied the “Be ACTIVE” Learning Framework and created a structured plan to embed active learning in their own teaching and learning context"
"Established in June 2020, those involved in organising and facilitating work placement in MTU Cork set about forming a learning community to collectively work towards improving the work placement experience for all key stakeholders, i.e., students, staff, employers and the institute. This learning community has gone from strength to strength and is now university wide with in excess of 90 members, including those from the MTU Kerry campus.
They have put together a steering group as follows to represent various placement programmes across the college.
Annette Coughlan, NCMI
Catherine Murphy, Accounting & Information Systems & TLU, MTU Cork
Clive Atkinson, Process Energy & Transport Engineering, MTU Cork
Eleanor Baldwin, Physical Science, MTU Cork
Marian Quinn, Childhood Studies, MTU Cork
Mary Moloney, Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, MTU Cork
Rachel O' Farrell, Process Energy & Transport, MTU Cork
Sean Donovan, Management & Enterprise, MTU Cork
Shirley Millar, Tourism & Hospitality, MTU Cork
Trevor Hogan, Media Communications, CCAD
This session was effectively a meeting of the MTU Work Placement Learning Community, but those involved in, or interested in becoming involved in, work placement were also encouraged to come along to gain insights into the work of this highly successful learning community."
Learning Communities 2022: Update on established and emerging LCs in MTU
"Learning communities provide a space and a structure for people to align around a shared goal. Effective communities are both aspirational and practical. They connect people, organisations, and systems that are eager to learn and work across boundaries, all the while holding members accountable to a common agenda, metrics, and outcomes. These communities enable participants to share results and learn from each other, thereby improving their ability to achieve rapid yet significant progress.
Over the last three years, the TLU have initiated and supported over 30 learning communities across MTU. This seminar provided a short update from each of our learning communities which highlighted their successes and challenges. The session was also useful to those wishing to learn more about the benefits of initiating or joining learning communities in MTU."
Learning Communities 2022: Update on established and emerging LCs in MTU
"Learning communities provide a space and a structure for people to align around a shared goal. Effective communities are both aspirational and practical. They connect people, organisations, and systems that are eager to learn and work across boundaries, all the while holding members accountable to a common agenda, metrics, and outcomes. These communities enable participants to share results and learn from each other, thereby improving their ability to achieve rapid yet significant progress.
Over the last three years, the TLU have initiated and supported over 30 learning communities across MTU. This seminar provided a short update from each of our learning communities which highlighted their successes and challenges. The session was also useful to those wishing to learn more about the benefits of initiating or joining learning communities in MTU."
"This one-day course was designed for education professionals who work closely with those who have dyscalculia either in a teaching or supporting role or those who wish to develop their own knowledge and understanding of the area. The one-day course had a particular focus on identifying dyscalculia in learners in a post 16 setting. By the end of the one-day course, participants got an understanding of:
What is Dyscalculia?
How is dyscalculia different from maths learning difficulties?
How can dyscalculia and maths learning difficulties be identified in Post 16 learners?
What is maths anxiety?
What is good practice in supporting learners with dyscalculia?
"