Further Education and Training

PL04: Supporting Neurodivergent Learners in Post-Primary and Further Education

Course Outline

This short programme addresses the inclusion of neurodivergent learners in post-primary and further education settings. The programme will outline the profiles of strengths and areas for support among this cohort of learners. A neurodiversity-affirming perspective is used to discuss how inclusive education can be planned and supported. The neurodiversity paradigm views diversity and differences, including disabilities, as natural aspects of humanity. It recognises that autistic and otherwise neurodivergent individuals may face challenges due to their unique experiences and perspectives. Support systems and societal acceptance or flexibility should be the foundation of educational practices to accommodate and respect these differences.

Profile of Course Leader

Neil Kenny is Assistant Professor at the School of Inclusive and Special Education at Dublin City University where he is the Programme Chair of the Master of Education in Autism. His research interests are in the areas of autism, participatory research, and inclusive education.

PL06: Assessment and AI in FET

Course Outline

The workshop is designed for current FET educators who wish to gain some practical insights into the QQI examining process through developing a deeper understanding of the principles and processes of assessment and feedback. We will examine practical ways to enhance the learning and teaching process in relation to assessment and feedback and explore a range of appropriate assessment approaches and strategies for a variety of further education and training contexts. The workshop will help enable FET teaching staff to understand the increasing importance of assessment and feedback on curriculum development and the theoretical principles underpinning a range of practices within the backdrop of QA. The course will focus on the QQI assessment system, grading, marking and providing feedback.

The workshop will also provide FET staff with an awareness of the ongoing challenges to assessment design posed by Generative Artificial Intelligence tools. The emergence of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E pose a challenge to the academic integrity of traditional assessment approaches. However, this challenge is also an opportunity to innovate and evolve assessment practice to be more authentic, creative and inclusive. We will explore how to design assessment which takes account of these new technologies and the key principles of assessment design: validity, reliability and fairness and remains robust in terms of academic integrity.
 

Profile of Course Leader

Dr Orna Farrell is Associate Professor of Education, specialising in digital education based in the School of Policy Practice, Institute of Education in Dublin City University (DCU).

Dr Francesca Lorenzi is an Assistant Professor in the School of Policy and Practice and member of DCU’s Further Education and Training Research Centre (FETRC). Her teaching is primarily in the areas of Intercultural Education, Ethics and Values Education, Philosophy of Education and Curriculum Implementation, Assessment and Feedback. She obtained a PhD in Education from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth with a thesis focusing on the role of dialogue in assessment and the democratisation of practices in education.

Dr Justin Rami is the Director of DCU’s Further Education and Training Research Centre (FETRC). He is Chair of the Education and Training Foundation Programme (FET-HE). At the undergraduate level, he teaches in the areas of Teaching and Learning Methodologies, Advanced Teaching and Learning Strategies, Curriculum, Assessment and Feedback, Teaching Preparation and Developing a Research Perspective.

PL10: Futures thinking for post-primary/FET educators

Course Outline

This course aims at developing futures literacy at a preliminary level amongst post-primary teachers and FET practitioners, which would respond to the pressing needs to integrate and apply futures thinking in education (UNESCO, 2021). It is delivered as two sessions of 1.5 hours each and is hybrid. The sessions will include a part of theory and an experiential part that aims to identify and apprehend new and emergent futures. The learning outcomes are (1) to use at preliminary levels of tools for futures thinking; (2) to develop capabilities to assess the long-term scenarios and visions for the future; (3) Introduction to Futures Literacy Laboratories at post-primary level/FET.

Profile of Course Leader

Dr Manuel Fernandez Lopez has experience in Futures thinking and Futures studies for more than 15 years. He has contributed to and developed futures studies programs in various universities in Norway, Spain and now Ireland. He has been co-coordinator of the EdD (Doctoral) module on Futures thinking and Futures studies at DCU.

PL15: Creative Writing in the Post-Primary and FET classroom

Course Outline

Fighting Words engages with schools and teachers across the island of Ireland offering creative writing workshops and projects from twenty-three locations. The organisation provides creative writing sessions in these centres, in schools, on-line, and convenes young writing groups, playwriting and scriptwriting groups, and summer camps for children and young people. In addition Fighting Words runs a programme at DCU focussed on teacher education, research, CPD and school outreach projects.

This course is for post-primary and FET teachers and aims to provide an introduction to the participative and creative methodologies used by Fighting Words, including experiencing a Fighting Words workshop first hand. The course will focus on supporting teachers to use creative education and creative writing in their own classrooms, looking at different subject areas and integrated approaches. Participants will look at the educational research and impact data on creative writing for children and young people, and the resources and supports available to teachers.

In addition the course will cover the range of creative activities and opportunities available to students and teachers from Fighting Words, including creative writing projects organised to support teachers who want to write creatively themselves.

Profile of Course Leaders

Nóra Nic Con Ultaigh is Education Director with the creative writing centre 'Fighting Words' . She is an arts-in-education practitioner with over 20 years of experience. In 2004 she established Cups and Crowns Educational Theatre Company with two fellow graduates from the MA in Drama and Theatre Arts in NUIG. She also worked as a Post-Primary teacher of English, French and CSPE for 10 years. She currently works as a Regional Coordinator and Creative Associate on the Creative Schools programme. She has a passionate interest in creativity in education and in fostering youth voice within a rights-based model.

PL21: Teaching in culturally diverse FET contexts

Course Outline

This workshop will introduce Further Education and Training (FET) educators to the ideas and practices which inform effective teaching in culturally diverse FET contexts by focussing on some of the key areas involved in Education for Democracy (EfD) such as intercultural education, values education and citizenship education.
In this practical workshop setting, participants will be introduced to the key concepts and theories underpinning EfD. They will be given an opportunity to explore a range of EfD competencies and how these might apply in their own contexts, discuss topics such as prejudice, conflict-resolution, racism and inclusion, and examine the opportunities and
challenges presented by living and working in diverse educational settings.

The workshop is designed to equip current FET educators with the necessary knowledge and skills to work as effective practitioners in such settings. All course material, readings and resources will be included as part of this offering for
participants.

Profile of Course Leaders

The course will be co-delivered by Dr John Lalor and Dr Francesca Lorenzi from the School of Policy & Practice and DCU’s Further Education & Training Research Centre (FETRC). Dr Lalor and Dr Lorenzi have 20 years of experience teaching FET educators in Intercultural Education and have published widely on the subject.