TEAMing up with student partners and technologies to succeed in Science and Health

TEAM, a National Forum enhancement project, has centred on enhancing assessment practices in science and health practical settings using digital technologies. The project is led by Dundalk Institute of Technology with... [ view full abstract ]

TEAM, a National Forum enhancement project, has centred on enhancing assessment practices in science and health practical settings using digital technologies. The project is led by Dundalk Institute of Technology with partners from Institute of Technology (IoT) Carlow, IoT Sligo and Athlone IoT. 

The project engaged stakeholders including academic staff and employers in the local regions.  However, our primary vision from the onset was to engage with, and actively listen to, our students using a partnership approach.  Initially, via surveys, we engaged with our student groups to develop a baseline analysis of their views of both digital technologies and practicals.  Once completed and analysed, we implemented pilots across multiple Institutes, programmes and modules with student feedback sought in each case.

However, the real successes of this project stem from the initial vision of focusing on students for the design and implementation of the project, in combination with the baseline analysis described above.  In each Institute, a student partner group was established with their insights sought at each stage of the project.  For example, initial consultations provided feedback and identified technologies of interest and areas that would help student learning.  In addition, ethics applications and student surveys were reviewed before submission/circulation, student-staff workshops were attended.  At our recent TEAM conference, our student partners took centre stage.  Here, they presented on both their experiences of the technologies and being a partner in such a project, outlining what it meant to them as well as their skill development and life-long careers after college. 

In this presentation, we will detail how student partners can help academic staff design, implement and guide learning and teaching projects, how their input can assist in recognising technologies that can assist their learning experience and ultimately how to work collaboratively as partners to achieve success.