"Is this your first year as a lecturer or have you been lecturing for several years already? Do you sometimes feel daunted or overwhelmed by the thought of the academic year ahead? Are there times you get that Groundhog Day feeling and wish you could do things differently? Are there aspects of your teaching and assessment practice that frustrate and annoy you? The Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU), part of the Office of Registrar and VP for Academic Affairs, was formed to support the work of the Registrar in a wide range of quality enhancement initiatives associated with teaching and learning. In this session, we aimed to: Introduce you to the TLU Team – who we are and what we do? Give an insight into the supports and services available from the TLU that can help you in your day-to day role from: Professional Development Opportunities such as our MA in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education and the variety of workshops and seminars we offer throughout the year Research and Funding Opportunities that you can access Resources we have developed in conjunction with experts in the field of teaching and learning Projects that we are pursuing Gain an understanding from you of any other ways you would like our help"

"The start of the new academic year is upon us again. This can be quite stressful and daunting with so many competing tasks: preparing lectures and practical sessions, meeting and getting to know new groups of students, administrative requirements, dealing with student issues and requests, etc. The last two academic years in particular have brought with them additional challenges due to the need to rapidly respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, before jumping into the hustle and bustle of a new academic year, it makes sense to first try and look at examining and adapting practices that could lessen the challenges ahead. This workshop provided some hints and tips on how best to prepare for the academic year ahead to alleviate some of the regular stresses and strains."

"Explore what is meant by ‘deep listening’, where ‘people can think with rigour, imagination, courage and grace. This ¾ hr workshop briefly explores the coaching partnership that focuses on ‘deep listening’, where ‘people can think with rigor, imagination, courage and grace.’ (Kline, 2010). The content is based on Nancy Kline’s ‘Time to Think’ and ‘More Time to Think’ and discusses the 10 components for enabling a ‘thinking environment’ e.g., appreciation, encouragement, attention, feeling. This workshop is not just for coaches or mentors, but for anyone who functions within an environment that requires a deeper level of listening i.e., teachers, lecturers, team leaders, team members, support staff, parents etc. By the end of this workshop, participants will have a broader understanding of what it means to: 1. Be in the listening environment with authentic presence 2. Remain focused, observant, empathetic and responsive to the other party 3. Demonstrate curiosity during the listening and coaching process 4. Manage one’s emotions to stay present with the other party 5. Interrupt the other party because of certain assumptions 6. Harness the power of gratitude in a way that is useful and empowering for both parties 7. Use incisive questioning to enable deep thinking in other party. This workshop forms part of the Being a Better Coach and Mentor series and is eligible for Continued Professional Development credit contributing to a Coach/Mentor/Supervisor EMCC Global Individual Accreditation."

"The seminar provided an overview of the new Human Research Ethics processes that came into effect across the University on 01 September (as approved by the Research Council and Academic Council in AY 21/22), including: Human Research Ethics Policy, Human Research Ethics Screening Checklist, Human Research Ethics Application Forms. In parallel with the above mentioned documents, information on a new suite of learning resources to aid in the implementation of the processes will be presented. The seminar should be of interest to colleagues carrying out research studies involving human participants including, but not limited to: Data collection using research methods such as questionnaires, web surveys, interviews, observations, focus groups, etc. Access to, or utilisation of, anonymised datasets or case files/records concerning identifiable individuals. Conducting internet mediated research. "

"The seminar provided an overview of the new Human Research Ethics processes that came into effect across the University on 01 September (as approved by the Research Council and Academic Council in AY 21/22), including: Human Research Ethics Policy, Human Research Ethics Screening Checklist, Human Research Ethics Application Forms. In parallel with the above mentioned documents, information on a new suite of learning resources to aid in the implementation of the processes will be presented. The seminar should be of interest to colleagues carrying out research studies involving human participants including, but not limited to: Data collection using research methods such as questionnaires, web surveys, interviews, observations, focus groups, etc. Access to, or utilisation of, anonymised datasets or case files/records concerning identifiable individuals. Conducting internet mediated research. "

"The Transitions at MTU Fund is a funding stream available from AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office which can be accessed each year through the Teaching & Learning Unit (TLU) and AnSEO's Combined Funding Call. Transitions at MTU is designed to support staff to support students through projects that impact on all aspects of transitions at MTU, focusing on 3 main areas as follows: Transitions into MTU: helping 1st year students adjust both socially and academically into Higher Education Transitions through MTU: settling into 2nd, 3rd or final year of studies helping students leaving on, or returning from, work placement support students adjusting from employment into full-time or part-time study Transitions out of MTU: Aimed at students progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study. In this session, we learned more about Transitions at MTU and heard from colleagues who have received funding in the past. Get inspiration from their experiences of how a small amount of seed funding, up to €2000, can expand reach and impact to enhance student engagement and improve the student experience, and how often the simplest projects can be the most effective."

"The Transitions at MTU Fund is a funding stream available from AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office which can be accessed each year through the Teaching & Learning Unit (TLU) and AnSEO's Combined Funding Call. Transitions at MTU is designed to support staff to support students through projects that impact on all aspects of transitions at MTU, focusing on 3 main areas as follows: Transitions into MTU: helping 1st year students adjust both socially and academically into Higher Education Transitions through MTU: settling into 2nd, 3rd or final year of studies helping students leaving on, or returning from, work placement support students adjusting from employment into full-time or part-time study Transitions out of MTU: Aimed at students progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study. In this session, we learned more about Transitions at MTU and heard from colleagues who have received funding in the past. Get inspiration from their experiences of how a small amount of seed funding, up to €2000, can expand reach and impact to enhance student engagement and improve the student experience, and how often the simplest projects can be the most effective."

"Examinations and assessments in education vary greatly depending on the stage of a programme, the discipline being examined and the prescribed learning outcomes. The most important feature of any examination relates to its suitability in allowing a student display their knowledge and competence through a fair, consistent and authentic means of assessment. Never before has this process been under more threat from essay mills, contracting cheating companies, and artificial intelligence algorithms, all of which are now freely available to vulnerable and misguided students. This seminar updated participants on the scale of the problem locally, nationally and internationally, the types of challenges every lecturer and student is now facing, and what can be done to protect against breaches of academic integrity through the design of authentic assessments."

Examinations and assessments in education vary greatly depending on the stage of a programme, the discipline being examined and the prescribed learning outcomes. The most important feature of any examination relates to its suitability in allowing a student display their knowledge and competence through a fair, consistent and authentic means of assessment. Never before has this process been under more threat from essay mills, contracting cheating companies, and artificial intelligence algorithms, all of which are now freely available to vulnerable and misguided students. This seminar updated participants on the scale of the problem locally, nationally and internationally, the types of challenges every lecturer and student is now facing, and what can be done to protect against breaches of academic integrity through the design of authentic assessments.

Discover some tried and tested strategies & systems that could help make your academic year run more smoothly.For associated resources please visit: https://...

"Deep Learning refers to the cognitive skills and academic knowledge that students need to succeed in the 21st century. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration and learning to learn. The mastery of these skills will enable students to think flexibly and creatively, transferring and applying their learning from one context to new situations. This seminar will look at how one academic in MTU, Dr Anna Dynan, Accounting & Information Systems has used PeerWise, a free online platform, to provide a space where her students can collaboratively create, answer, discuss, and evaluate practice questions with peers and has thereby helped her students engage with unit concepts more deeply and critically. In this seminar, participants will gain an understanding of: How PeerWise can be used to engage students and enhance their learning outcomes. The impact this approach can have on student engagement and learning The student view on this collaborative approach to learning Advice/best practice/tip & tricks when using PeerWise in your module."

Deep Learning refers to the cognitive skills and academic knowledge that students need to succeed in the 21st century. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration and learning to learn. The mastery of these skills will enable students to think flexibly and creatively, transferring and applying their learning from one context to new situations. This seminar will look at how one academic in MTU, Dr Anna Dynan, Accounting & Information Systems has used PeerWise, a free online platform, to provide a space where her students can collaboratively create, answer, discuss, and evaluate practice questions with peers and has thereby helped her students engage with unit concepts more deeply and critically. In this seminar, participants will gain an understanding of: How PeerWise can be used to engage students and enhance their learning outcomes. The impact this approach can have on student engagement and learning The student view on this collaborative approach to learning Advice/best practice/tip & tricks when using PeerWise in your module.

"While we as educators might hate to admit it, assessment does drive student learning and is probably the one most important thing we can do to help our students learn. Formative assessment can help us as educators identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that we can make adjustments to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support. If we wish to use assessment as a tool to enhance student learning the provision of formative feedback is crucial. We need to help students understand not only where they have gone wrong, but also what they need to do to improve and when they have done well, we need to help them understand what is good about their work and how they can build on it and develop further. This seminar focussed on how the Department of Mathematics and the Academic Learning Centre use Numbas, a free online platform aimed at numerate disciplines, to provide students with the opportunity to practice particular types of mathematical problems, receive instant feedback and advice on where they may have gone wrong, and to attempt other similar auto-generated questions. This seminar was aimed at academic staff who teach in a numerate discipline who would like to explore how they too can provide formative assessment opportunities to their students in an efficient and effective manner. Those who attended this session: Got an overview of some of the capabilities of Numbas Learned how Numbas can be used to enhance student learning Learned how a Numbas learning resource can be uploaded to Canvas."

"The science of learning, also known as learning sciences, is an interdisciplinary field of study that examines how people learn. An understanding of this field can help to improve our teaching practice so that we can have a greater impact on students’ learning. In this seminar, existing research related to how students learn was presented and the practical implications for teaching and learning were discussed. It provided participants with: A summary of existing research from cognitive science relating to how students learn. A variety of effective easily applicable teaching strategies that have evolved from this research. An insight into how to match the study method to specific learning outcomes"

"Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aims to eliminate barriers in the design of the learning environment to make the curriculum accessible for all. COVID-19 has, if anything, highlighted the need for higher and further education providers to fully embrace UDL principles and practice so as to ensure high-quality education for all students and allow for full active participation by all learners. This session will outline the principles of UDL, examine what these principles look like in action and provide advice on how these principles can be applied, even when at distance or online. In addition, it will demonstrate how, with the correct mindset at the creation stage, we can ensure resources created for students are accessible and how students can be offered flexibility through engagement, representation, action and expression. To conclude, the core tenets of inclusive assessment and feedback practice will be outlined, and how this practice can be developed at programme and individual level will be demonstrated. Drawing on research from the National Forum, UDL and practical case studies as examples, specific assessment methodologies will be examined and consideration will be given as to how these might be transformed, through the lens of universal design, to ensure inclusion of the full student population. Facilitated By: • Dr Lisa Padden, Project Lead - University for All, UCD • Trevor Boland, Digital Media and eLearning Officer, AHEAD (Ireland) • Lorraine Gallagher, Information & Training Officer, AHEAD (Ireland)"

While we as educators might hate to admit it, assessment does drive student learning and is probably the one most important thing we can do to help our students learn. Formative assessment can help us as educators identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that we can make adjustments to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support. If we wish to use assessment as a tool to enhance student learning the provision of formative feedback is crucial. We need to help students understand not only where they have gone wrong, but also what they need to do to improve and when they have done well, we need to help them understand what is good about their work and how they can build on it and develop further. This seminar focussed on how the Department of Mathematics and the Academic Learning Centre use Numbas, a free online platform aimed at numerate disciplines, to provide students with the opportunity to practice particular types of mathematical problems, receive instant feedback and advice on where they may have gone wrong, and to attempt other similar auto-generated questions. This seminar was aimed at academic staff who teach in a numerate discipline who would like to explore how they too can provide formative assessment opportunities to their students in an efficient and effective manner. Those who attended this session: Got an overview of some of the capabilities of Numbas Learned how Numbas can be used to enhance student learning Learned how a Numbas learning resource can be uploaded to Canvas.

Student engagement is a central concept in the literature on teaching and learning in higher education. Research has shown that students’ active engagement in their learning is central to their academic success and that students who engage deeply with learning are better equipped for life-long learning. However, encouraging student engagement can be challenging. So, what can be done - how can we encourage students to engage in their learning in what, for many of us, are quite challenging times? One way of achieving this is through assessment. Assessment is probably the most important thing we can do to engage students in their learning. Traditionally, assessment practices have tended to focus on progression and completion rather than focus on enhancing student learning. If we wish to use assessment as a tool to enhance student learning the provision of feedback is crucial. We need to help students understand not only where they have gone wrong, but also what they need to do to improve and when they have done well, we need to help them understand what is good about their work and how they can build on it and develop further. This seminar outlined how staff from different discipline areas have developed their assessment practices to integrate feedback as a central component of their practice. Three different case-studies were presented and discussed with the intention of providing participants with a range of practical options that they might choose from and integrate into their own practice. The seminar was aimed at all academic staff, whether new to the whole notion of assessment and feedback, or those who wanted to improve their feedback practice with students, or those looking for ideas on how to enhance their current practice.

Lectures are still the most widely used teaching method in higher education today. As a method for enhancing learning, the lecture is frequently criticised as being ineffective as most students are passive and disengaged. Yet, lectures can be engaging and highly effective. This workshop aimed: Provide some insight into how students learn Identify some of the barriers to learning students commonly face Encourage participants to reflect on and critique their own lectures Provide some practical and easy ways to make lectures more successful Encourage participants to identify one, or more techniques, that they intend to adopt in the next academic year.

"The academic year, in particular the first semester, can be quite stressful with so many competing tasks from preparing lectures and practicals, to meeting and getting to know a new group of students, to dealing with student issues and complaints, to meeting administrative requirements, etc. This workshop should be of interest to all academic staff, in particular new and early career academic staff, as it will provide some hints and tips on how best to manage the academic year to alleviate some of the stress and strain."

"Unconscious bias refers to the stereotypes, both negative and positive, that exist in our subconscious and affect our behaviour. It can affect workplaces and organisations and can introduce unintentional discrimination which results in poor decision making. Unconscious Bias can be a huge setback in creating a truly diverse and inclusive workplace. The main goal of this workshop was to raise awareness of this important issue amongst staff and give a flavour of further training that is planned for the coming year, in response to CIT’s commitment to Athena SWAN. It was hoped that by encouraging us all to recognise and challenge our own unconscious biases that we can effect positive change within CIT and create a truly diverse and inclusive workspace to the benefit of all. Those attending this workshop: Gained an understanding of what unconscious bias is Were exposed to some of their own unconscious biases Were provided with some simple tools/techniques to adjust these automatic patterns of thinking,"

In semester 1 2018/19. a staff survey entitled “How do you use CIT’s Staff Gateway (intranet)?” was conducted. This survey revealed that many staff relied heavily on a number of key features of Gateway, in particular: Access to key IT Systems Access to our most prominent organisational documents (Policies, Forms and Procedures) Access to a Staff Search However, the survey also revealed that staff found it extremely difficult to keep up to date with the variety of activities going on across the various CIT campuses. In response to this survey, Workvivo was launched in March 2019 as CIT’s relatively new Staff Portal - it provides all of the key features identified as useful by staff in the original survey plus: It’s designed to bring what’s happening in CIT to life in a relevant, intuitive and highly engaging manner It allows for the creation of an emotional connection between what CIT is trying to achieve and the great work ofCIT’s staff This workshop will be divided into two parts: Part 1: For Users - this part of the workshop showed how Workvivo can be used by the everyday user. It provided an overview of the functionality within Workvivo to enable attendees to: Access to CIT IT Systems & Key Documents Create posts/shouts outs/events/articles/notifications Search within the application Understand the reporting capabilities within the application Understand how the application can improve internal communications Part II: For Space Owners - this part of the workshop focussed on the use of Spaces within Workvivo – a Space is an interest group with members. It provided attendees with an overview of the functionality within Workvivo and enabled them to Create a Space Create posts/shouts outs/events/articles/notifications from within a Space Understand the reporting capabilities for a Space within the application Join a Space

Cybersecurity, also referred to as computer security or IT security, involves the methods of protecting computer systems, data, and networks from access to and attacks by unauthorized users. These attacks typically have a malicious intent, and frequently involve accessing and possibly stealing data or personal information, extorting money, or disrupting business operations. Cyber criminals often rely heavily on an organisation’s users making mistakes so regardless of the sophistication of the organisation’s technical cybersecurity setup, if individual users make mistakes it can undermine these technical defences. This workshop aimed to raise the awareness as staff members around potential cybersecurity threats and what each staff member can do help - thereby keeping their own and CIT’s systems, data, and networks secure. In the context of cyber security, attendees: Gained insight into what is cybersecurity and the potential threats to CIT Gained an understanding of how CIT protects itself against these threats Learned some practical and easy ways that they can assist in the fight against cyber attack View Resources Thursday, 5th September 2019 09:30- 10:30 Workvivo - for Users & Space Owners Presented By: Claire Leonard, Project Manager, IT Services, CIT Workshop Description In semester 1 2018/19. a staff survey entitled “How do you use CIT’s Staff Gateway (intranet)?” was conducted. This survey revealed that many staff relied heavily on a number of key features of Gateway, in particular: Access to key IT Systems Access to our most prominent organisational documents (Policies, Forms and Procedures) Access to a Staff Search However, the survey also revealed that staff found it extremely difficult to keep up to date with the variety of activities going on across the various CIT campuses. In response to this survey, Workvivo was launched in March 2019 as CIT’s relatively new Staff Portal - it provides all of the key features identified as useful by staff in the original survey plus: It’s designed to bring what’s happening in CIT to life in a relevant, intuitive and highly engaging manner It allows for the creation of an emotional connection between what CIT is trying to achieve and the great work ofCIT’s staff This workshop will be divided into two parts: Part 1: For Users - this part of the workshop showed how Workvivo can be used by the everyday user. It provided an overview of the functionality within Workvivo to enable attendees to: Access to CIT IT Systems & Key Documents Create posts/shouts outs/events/articles/notifications Search within the application Understand the reporting capabilities within the application Understand how the application can improve internal communications Part II: For Space Owners - this part of the workshop focussed on the use of Spaces within Workvivo – a Space is an interest group with members. It provided attendees with an overview of the functionality within Workvivo and enabled them to Create a Space Create posts/shouts outs/events/articles/notifications from within a Space Understand the reporting capabilities for a Space within the application Join a Space. View Resources 11:00- 13:00 Recognising and Challenging our Unconscious Biases Facilitated By: On behalf of the Athena SWAN Office, CIT: Maria Cullinane, Lecturer, Process, Energy & Transport Engineering, CIT Mary Cooney, Lecturer, Applied Social Studies, CIT Workshop Description Unconscious bias refers to the stereotypes, both negative and positive, that exist in our subconscious and affect our behaviour. It can affect workplaces and organisations and can introduce unintentional discrimination which results in poor decision making. Unconscious Bias can be a huge setback in creating a truly diverse and inclusive workplace. The main goal of this workshop was to raise awareness of this important issue amongst staff and give a flavour of further training that is planned for the coming year, in response to CIT’s commitment to Athena SWAN. It was hoped that by encouraging us all to recognise and challenge our own unconscious biases that we can effect positive change within CIT and create a truly diverse and inclusive workspace to the benefit of all. Those attending this workshop: Gained an understanding of what unconscious bias is Were exposed to some of their own unconscious biases Were provided with some simple tools/techniques to adjust these automatic patterns of thinking, View Resources 14:00- 15:00 Referencing, Plagiarism and the use of Referencing Software – How CIT Library can assist you and your students Presented By: Michael Costello, Deputy Librarian, CIT Colm O’Rourke, Senior Library Assistant, CIT Workshop Description In recent years, the issues of poor referencing skills and plagiarism have become a significant concern for higher education practitioners. In many instances’ students are often unaware of the problems associated with plagiarism since copying from various sources has unfortunately become the norm. This problem is further compounded by the fact that many students often struggle to understand the importance and basics of essential referencing techniques. This workshop: Highlighted how CIT Library staff can assist academic staff convey the importance of referencing to their students, helping them to avoid various forms of plagiarism. Explained how online referencing software can be easily utilised to ensure effective and consistent referencing when completing notes, essays and assignments. View Resources 15:15- 16:30 “A&E Clinic” - How to best work with Admissions & Exams Facilitated By: Lenka Forrest, Administrative Officer, Admissions & Examinations, CIT Workshop Description The Admissions & Examinations Offices are two of the key offices on campus that both staff and students interact with on a regular basis throughout the academic year. The Admissions Office is responsible for managing the Institute’s admission processes, which includes: Registration of new, continuing, part-time, postgraduate and repeating students Managing student contact information Module Enrolments & Free Choice Electives for students Deferrals of Modules/Semesters/Full Academic Years Withdrawals from courses Recognition of Prior Learning Applications by students Provision of official CIT stamp/letters for various purposes While, the Examinations Office is responsible for managing the Institute’s examination processes which includes: Exam Paper Submission, Review & Distribution Preparation & Communication of Examination Timetables Invigilation of Examinations Provision of exam supports for students registered with the Disability Support Service Issuing of Examination Results Viewing of Examination Scripts Assessment Appeals and Correction of Errors/Omissions Management of Academic Honesty, Plagiarism and Infringements Management of Individual Extenuating Circumstances Relating to Examinations and Assessment Conferrings Issuing of Award Parchments & Transcripts of Results At one of their busiest times of the year, the Admissions & Examinations have kindly offered to provide what it hopes is the first of a series of “A&E clinics” for staff. This first clinic focussed on: Awareness and Access to CIT’s Admissions/Examinations procedures and policies Key personnel/dates that staff should be aware of for Admissions/Examinations purposes Common Admissions/Examinations issues that occur and how best to manage same Providing an update on MAXe -the CIT Exam Paper Management System, which covered: Lessons learnt from year 1 Updates/enhancements to be rolled out this year Future enhancements

This workshop offered an overview of some of the EdTech tools and apps provided and supported by the Technology Enhanced Learning department. It offered the opportunity to: - Find out how fully online courses are being delivered and assessed and how you can use the same technology with your on-campus learners. - Learn about Canvas, the institute’s new Learning Management System and the way it is being integrated with a host of new apps and tools. Find out about tools you can use today to make your classes more engaging and how to create media rich screencasts or video tutorials with software licenced by the Department of Technology Enhanced Learning.

This workshop should be of interest to all academic staff, in particular new and early career academic staff, as it examined the work of educators such as Ken Bain, Phil Race and Bill Rogers and: - Provided some tips on preparing for the first lecture of a module in a semester. - Explored approaches, strategies and methodologies for creating and maintaining a classroom environment which promotes learning

"MAXe is CIT’s new Exam Paper Management System which allows for: - Creation and collaboration of exam papers by internal examiners - Submission of exam papers by internal examiners - Handling, transmission, tracking and storage of exam papers - Dissemination of exam papers to external examiners - Review of exam papers by external examiners - Communication and comments between the internal and external examiners - Digital sign-off of exam papers by internal examiners, prior to printing - Printing of Exam Ready exam papers. This workshop should be of interest to all academic staff, both new and more experienced, as it provided an overview of the functionality the new system and will help to alleviate any fears staff may have in relation to its use."

"CIT Student Services incorporates: Admissions Careers Counselling Examinations Feedback from staff attending previous TLU workshops and seminars emphasised their need to have a better appreciation of CIT Student Services. Staff want to be better informed so that when encountering students in difficulty they know how to help or to whom to signpost students to. This workshop should be of interest to all academic staff, in particular new and early career academic staff, as it provides an overview of CIT’s Students Services."

The academic year, in particular the first semester, can be quite stressful with so many competing tasks from preparing lectures and practicals, to meeting and getting to know a new group of students, to dealing with student issues and complaints, to meeting administrative requirements, etc. This workshop should be of interest to all academic staff, in particular new and early career academic staff, as it provides some hints and tips on how best to manage the academic year to alleviate some of the stress and strain.

This workshop should be of interest to all academic staff but in particular to those lecturing in Accountancy, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, Maths & Stats, Mechanics, Physics or Programming. In 2018 CIT Library created subject guides for each of these areas.