TLU Resources

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."

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.

MTU Teaching & Learning Unit

"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"

"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"

"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"

"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"

"This workshop briefly described the why and what of Active Learning. Members of the Active Learning Movement shared their experiences and key learnings. This was a great opportunity to learn from others about what active learning practices work in the MTU context. The perils, positives and possibilities of Active Learning were also be discussed and developed in this interactive and engaging workshop. "

"Are you tired of giving lectures and feeling like you’re the one doing all the work? Would you like to create a more positive learning environment for yourself where students are more involved and engaged in their learning? This was a highly interactive and engaging workshop that was divided into two parts to address these issues and provide some valuable insights into what can be done. Part one, involved discussions around: Why active learning could be part of your teaching What is active learning and what it might look like in your teaching context How you could engage in active learning in your classroom Some colleagues shared how they are currently using active learning strategies within their own teaching practice to engage their students in MTU Cork together with some other simple strategies that require little preparation. Part two, involved participants putting some of what they had learned into practice. They were asked to consider a module they teach and examine how they typically structure a lecture and what opportunities there are for students to engage during the lecture. They then redesigned their first lecture for this module to integrate some generally applicable AL strategies that they felt might work for them, their students, their discipline and the concepts they wanted their students to learn. To conclude, they were introduced to the Active Learning Movement, a new TLU initiative that will provide ongoing support to Lecturers should they be interested in implementing Active Learning (AL) strategies in their classrooms. "

Are you tired of giving lectures and feeling like you’re the one doing all the work? Would you like to create a more positive learning environment for yourself where students are more involved and engaged in their learning? This was a highly interactive and engaging workshop that was divided into two parts to address these issues and provide some valuable insights into what can be done. Part one, involved discussions around: Why active learning could be part of your teaching What is active learning and what it might look like in your teaching context How you could engage in active learning in your classroom Some colleagues shared how they are currently using active learning strategies within their own teaching practice to engage their students in MTU Cork together with some other simple strategies that require little preparation. Part two, involved participants putting some of what they had learned into practice. They were asked to consider a module they teach and examine how they typically structure a lecture and what opportunities there are for students to engage during the lecture. They then redesigned their first lecture for this module to integrate some generally applicable AL strategies that they felt might work for them, their students, their discipline and the concepts they wanted their students to learn. To conclude, they were introduced to the Active Learning Movement, a new TLU initiative that will provide ongoing support to Lecturers should they be interested in implementing Active Learning (AL) strategies in their classrooms.

Are you tired of giving lectures and feeling like you’re the one doing all the work? Would you like to create a more positive learning environment for yourself where students are more involved and engaged in their learning? This was a highly interactive and engaging workshop that was divided into two parts to address these issues and provide some valuable insights into what can be done. Part one, involved discussions around: Why active learning could be part of your teaching What is active learning and what it might look like in your teaching context How you could engage in active learning in your classroom Some colleagues shared how they are currently using active learning strategies within their own teaching practice to engage their students in MTU Cork together with some other simple strategies that require little preparation. Part two, involved participants putting some of what they had learned into practice. They were asked to consider a module they teach and examine how they typically structure a lecture and what opportunities there are for students to engage during the lecture. They then redesigned their first lecture for this module to integrate some generally applicable AL strategies that they felt might work for them, their students, their discipline and the concepts they wanted their students to learn. To conclude, they were introduced to the Active Learning Movement, a new TLU initiative that will provide ongoing support to Lecturers should they be interested in implementing Active Learning (AL) strategies in their classrooms.

Many lectures can be designed to follow a similar structure and being aware of this structure can help you to design effective lectures. In this session we will look at some recommended practices for structuring a typical lecture. A central aim is to engage those students that attend so that learners leave with the feeling that the lecture was worth attending.

Many lectures can be designed to follow a similar structure and being aware of this structure can help you to design effective lectures. In this session we will look at some recommended practices for structuring a typical lecture. A central aim is to engage those students that attend so that learners leave with the feeling that the lecture was worth attending.

"Team based learning (TBL) is an instructional method that puts students into roles of greater autonomy and responsibility for their learning. Groups are collections of individuals. Teams are groups who have developed a shared purpose and sense of collective responsibility. Groups evolve into teams when an instructor creates the proper conditions for effective collaboration. Well-designed tasks plus strategic course design create the conditions and environment that teach group members to listen to one another, value each other's contributions, learn from mistakes, rein in ineffective behaviour, and eventually trust in the team's ability to outperform any given individual. Tom outlined how weekly individual lab exercises were replaced with a semester-long team project and the impact that has had on student learning."

Using phenomenological and performative action research methods as a way to explore space, place and context Collette and Bill outlined their recent research projects and showed how the research outcomes were introduced into the Year 1 curriculum.

Transposition, or the rearranging of equations, is a key topic in Mathematics but has wider application across Business, Engineering and Science. Students find this a tricky topic because they often don’t understand the underlying principles and consequently apply rules and procedures incorrectly. In this session, In this session, Catherine discussed some of the initiatives and resources that have been developed by colleagues in the Department of Mathematics to enhance learning and develop understanding and competence in this topic. The focus of the session was to demonstrate how an active learning strategy, peer instruction, is being used to enhance learning in this topic. Peer instruction is designed to engage students during class through activities that require each student to apply the core concepts being presented, and then to explain and discuss those concepts with their fellow students. The process has been shown to engage students, increase understanding of key concepts and support knowledge retention. While the examples presented will relate to Transposition in Mathematics – the teaching strategy can be effectively applied across disciplines to develop understanding of difficult topics.

"Designing and managing in-class discussions is more challenging than the pause procedure or minute paper, but there is convincing evidence that collaborative learning works. This session will model an in-class discussion and discuss some of the evidence that supports this strategy."

"Designing and managing in-class discussions is more challenging than the pause procedure or minute paper, but there is convincing evidence that collaborative learning works. This session will model an in-class discussion and discuss some of the evidence that supports this strategy."

"The spacing effect refers to the process of spacing a topic that is to be learned over time, rather than teaching the topic in an intensive session. The implication for our modules is that rather than teaching all of LO1 in weeks 1 and 2 (for example) we should consider if it is possible to divide the topic and teach some in week 1 and then revisit (perhaps in greater depth) later on in the semester. The topic is then spaced out over the semester. The available evidence tells us that this is a more effective strategy. This session will explore this strategy in more detail and present some of the evidence that supports this strategy"

"The spacing effect refers to the process of spacing a topic that is to be learned over time, rather than teaching the topic in an intensive session. The implication for our modules is that rather than teaching all of LO1 in weeks 1 and 2 (for example) we should consider if it is possible to divide the topic and teach some in week 1 and then revisit (perhaps in greater depth) later on in the semester. The topic is then spaced out over the semester. The available evidence tells us that this is a more effective strategy. This session will explore this strategy in more detail and present some of the evidence that supports this strategy"

"Having students retrieve information from long-term memory on a regular basis, is known to have a positive impact on learning. This is especially true when learners need to put a bit of effort into that retrieval process. Hence providing opportunities for learners to take tests (e.g. computer based multiple choice tests) can be a very effective strategy. This session will examine some of the evidence in favour of testing and discuss options for using this strategy."

"Having students retrieve information from long-term memory on a regular basis, is known to have a positive impact on learning. This is especially true when learners need to put a bit of effort into that retrieval process. Hence providing opportunities for learners to take tests (e.g. computer based multiple choice tests) can be a very effective strategy. This session will examine some of the evidence in favour of testing and discuss options for using this strategy."

"The generation effect refers to a broad range of techniques that require learners to generate information on a topic e.g. create a presentation or predict an outcome. There is a growing body of evidence which shows that having learners generate information is more effective than if they simply read the information. This session will review this body of evidence and discuss ways in which we could incorporate this strategy into our day-to-day teaching."

"The generation effect refers to a broad range of techniques that require learners to generate information on a topic e.g. create a presentation or predict an outcome. There is a growing body of evidence which shows that having learners generate information is more effective than if they simply read the information. This session will review this body of evidence and discuss ways in which we could incorporate this strategy into our day-to-day teaching."

"The teaching strategy peer instruction was popularised by Eric Mazur to support the teaching of physics to undergraduate students at Harvard and is now one of the most widely used instructional strategies in undergraduate physics education. It has wide applicability outside of the physics discipline. This session will demonstrate peer instruction in action and discuss some of the evidence in favour of its effectiveness."

"The teaching strategy peer instruction was popularised by Eric Mazur to support the teaching of physics to undergraduate students at Harvard and is now one of the most widely used instructional strategies in undergraduate physics education. It has wide applicability outside of the physics discipline. This session will demonstrate peer instruction in action and discuss some of the evidence in favour of its effectiveness."

The pause procedure and minute paper are two simple teaching strategies that can be introduced into any lecture. This session will provide examples of their use in action and point to some evidence of their effectiveness.

The pause procedure and minute paper are two simple teaching strategies that can be introduced into any lecture. This session will provide examples of their use in action and point to some evidence of their effectiveness.