Learning Enhancement Projects
About the Learning Enhancement Projects
A total allocation of €170,000 was made available in late 2019 through the HEA and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning to stimulate and support small-scale local enhancement projects, aligned to one or more of the following strategic priorities:
- The professional development of all those who teach
- Teaching and learning in a digital world
- Teaching and learning enhancement within and across disciplines
- Student success
UCD Teaching and Learning consulted with a broad cross-section of the UCD community including students, faculty and staff to help identify areas within and across schools and units that could benefit from small-scale enhancement funding. Informed by the consultation, a competitive scheme was put in place with the oversight of an advisory group comprised of members of the UCD community. Applications were invited for grants of up to €5,000. 90 applications were submitted, including 14 cross-disciplinary applications. The strong engagement from staff and students with which the call was met was most welcome, particularly in light of the requirement for active student involvement. There were seven adjudication panels, one for each college and a non-college panel.
Forty-five interesting and diverse Learning Enhancement projects were funded. A number of these managed to complete by the original timeline whilst other projects are working to an extended deadline due to the pandemic. The first of the completed projects are showcased below. Congratulations to the teams on the successful completion of their projects.
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Completed Learning Enhancement Projects
Learning Enhancement Projects Funded
Principal Applicant |
School/College |
Project Title |
|---|---|---|
|
Dr Martin Brady |
Classics |
Access Classics: Facilitating Outreach Through Our Student Cohort |
|
Dr Julie Brooks |
History |
Building and developing student capabilities in digital preservation |
|
Dr Naomi McAreavey |
Arts & Humanities |
Designing and piloting a blended professional training module for postgraduate tutors in the Arts and Humanities |
|
Dr Teresa Cecilio |
Languages, Cultures and Linguistics |
Introduction to Common European Framework and the Companion – a supplementary self managed toolkit for Portuguese language for A1 level. |
|
Dr Mary Farrelly |
Languages, Cultures and Linguistics |
Living Multilingually: Online Tools for Empowering Language Learners in Transition |
|
Dr Paul Perry |
English, Drama & Film |
Creative Writing Support at The Writing Centre |
|
Professor Eamonn Delahunt |
Public Heath, Physiotherapy & Sports Science |
Is a “Connected Curriculum” achievable in UCD? (a pilot study of five undergraduate programmes across the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences). |
|
Dr Thomas Flanagan |
Medicine |
Conquering ‘Neurophobia’ Using AXON: An Interactive Multimedia Resource for Enhanced Understanding of Neuroanatomy by Medicine Students |
|
Assoc Professor Helen Gallagher |
Medicine |
An integrated, technology-enhanced approach to prescribing education in medical degree programmes. |
|
Ms Pamela Kelly |
Veterinary Medicine |
Implementation of veterinary business management education using blended learning across the veterinary medicine curriculum. |
|
Ms Renagh Kelly |
Veterinary Medicine |
“Project I.V.”: Veterinary Clinical Skills Mastery through student involvement in Simulation Model Creativity |
|
Dr Mark Pickering |
Medicine |
Interdisciplinary, student-led design of innovative 3D learning tools in human anatomy. |
|
Dr Catherine Redmond |
Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems |
Development of an interdisciplinary curricular framework to promote effective teaching and learning of evidence-based practice |
|
Ms Nicola Walshe |
Veterinary Medicine |
Communication Skills Project - the development of a professional skill that is critical to student success |
|
Dr Sarah Cotterill |
Civil Engineering |
Digital resources to improve student access to practical applications of environmental engineering. |
|
Dr Kevin Nolan |
Mechanical and Materials Engineering |
Digital Animation for Educators Enabling a Library of World Leading Learning Content |
|
Ms Mairead O’Reilly |
Engineering and Architecture |
New Dimensions |
|
Assoc Professor Vikram Pakrashi |
College of Engineering & Architecture |
Design of Physical Models for Classical Mechanics Teaching and Learning (College level application) |
|
Dr Marcus Baumann |
Chemistry |
MoLECULE - Modern Laboratory Experiments for Chemistry Undergraduate Learning Enhancement |
|
Assoc Professor Eimear Byrne |
Mathematics |
A concrete approach to learning algebraic coding theory using a computer algebra system. |
|
Dr Adam Kane |
Biology and Environmental Science |
A Crash Course in Data Handling with R |
|
Assoc Professor Pauline Mellon |
Mathematics |
Geometric Visualisation - Using the mathematical software Maple to enhance the teaching and learning of Geometry for student and teacher success. |
|
Dr Adamaria Perrotta |
Mathematics |
How coding languages and FinCad Analytics Suite for Excel can facilitate a sensemaking to quantitative finance: a learner-centered and EBS approach to teaching Computational Finance |
|
Dr Takfarinas Saber |
Computer Science |
Digitisation for Localised Lecturing Material in BDIC (DiLLeMa-BDIC) |
|
Dr Sharon Shannon |
Physics |
Improving the Professional Practice of Teaching Assistants via EDI Awareness |
|
Dr Craig Slattery |
Biomolecular & Biomedical Science |
E-learning supports for enhancement of student learning in Regulatory Affairs & Toxicology |
|
Assoc Professor Emma Sokell |
Physics |
Improving the consistency of the 1st year laboratory experience in UCD Science |
|
Dr Gavin Stewart |
Biology and Environmental Science |
Enhancing teaching and learning in UCD biology by tackling stress amongst students and staff. |
|
Ms Rachel Farrell |
Education |
Virtual Reality (VR) in Initial Teacher Education: Towards a model of collaborative professional development for university methods lecturers, school placement mentors and student teachers. |
|
Assoc Professor Crystal Fulton |
Information & Communication Studies |
UG Research Accelerator for the Social Sciences |
|
Dr Deirdre McGillicuddy |
Education |
UCD Community Engaged Learning and Teaching (CELT) Network |
|
Assoc Professor Louise McHugh |
Psychology |
Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to reduce academic procrastination |
|
Dr Sarah Morton |
Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice |
Fulfilling potential: supporting community engagement progression students through peer networking, educational skills development and enhancement of digital literacy. |
|
Dr Brendan O’Neill |
Archaeology |
Building Futures: A Samburu/Irish teaching collaboration |
|
Assoc Professor Jennifer Symonds |
Education |
Human Learning: Promoting Students’ Psychosocial Competencies Associated with Success in College Through a School-to-College Transition Support Programme |
|
Dr Tobias Theiler |
Politics & International Relations |
Introducing Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to a Stage 2 International Relations module |
|
Assoc Professor Niamh Moore-Cherry |
College of Social Sciences & Law |
Developing a tutor training and recognition programme for the Social Sciences (College level application) |
|
Dr Quinn Dupont |
Business |
Enhancing the Scholarly Value Chain: The Blockchain Research Network |
|
Mr Matt Glowatz |
Business |
Development and implementation of a multi-disciplinary interactive multimedia business case study to advance students’ digital business skills for both academic and professional development |
|
Mr Allen Higgins |
Business |
Resources for Experiential Learning of the Disability Environment for a new module (MIS20090 Design Thinking). |
|
Dr Sean Power |
Business |
Actively learning accounting analytics through task-based simulation |
|
Dr Jamie O'Neill |
College of Business |
Creating a diversity of learning and teaching experiences in using lightboard technology (College level application) |
|
Mr James Molloy |
Library |
Looking through the green lens |
|
Dr Lisa Padden |
Access & Lifelong Learning |
Access Student Supports: Designing Online Workshops and Resources |
Project Outputs
The original completion date for projects was the end of December 2020. Project teams were invited to apply for a project extension, if necessary, due to challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic. A number of projects will end by the original completion date and others will avail of an extension. All projects will be complete by 31st May 2021.
Recipients of funding are required to showcase and disseminate the approach taken and key outcomes from their project at a Teaching and Learning event(s) and through the development of a case study for publication on the UCD T&L website.
