Progress Report – Michaelmas Term 2010
(Start of October – End of December 2010)
Objectives 2010-2011
Aim – To embed inclusive practices within the mainstream college curriculum via the creation of online resources for use within curriculum design and review procedures.
- Pilot the online self-evaluation tool and fully automate the self-evaluation process so as to ensure sustainability beyond the end of the project.
- Further develop web resources, to aid in the completion of the self-evaluation tool and to guide staff in the pursuit of inclusivity.
- Embed the use of the online self-evaluation tool within College policies, processesand quality review systems.
- Collaborate with other higher education institutions to pilot the online self-evaluation tool outside of TCD to assess its applicability across the third level sector in Ireland.
- Disseminate the findings of the TIC project both internally and externally, and raise awareness of inclusive practices through training and awareness raising workshops.
Introduction
This is a summation of TIC activitiesfrom the start of October2010 tothe end of December2010.The primary activity over this period was the trialling and promotion of the online resources created over the summer of 2010.
Matters arising from the Steering Committee meeting ofOctober 4th2010:
Student Feedback
The TIC Development officer designed questions to be added into existing module surveys, and a programme student survey to accompany the online evaluation. These have been uploaded and can be found at:
PDE Module
The TIC Development officer is currently designing a session on inclusion for delivery to the PDE students. This will be delivered in early February. She will consult with TAP before the final draft is created.
Lens Reports
The Disability Service had added a link to the TIC website, and suggested the use of the TIC evaluation tool, within the updated LENS template.
Web-Based Self-Evaluation Tool Update
The TIC self-evaluation tool was completed and launched at the beginning of November 2010. The launch was widely publicised both within TCD and externally. Work then commenced on trialling, and publicising the evaluation tool both within TCD and externally.
Internal Trials and Publicity:
Publicity within TCD included the circulation of a newsletter to stakeholders, e-mail circulation to Directors of Teaching and Learning, and inclusion on the College noticeboard. There were also targeted e-mails to specific areas, particularly those involved in quality reviews over the coming year.
The TIC Development Officer met with staff within the following areas for feedback:
School of Nursing and Midwifery,
Clinical Speech and Language Studies,
School of English,
School of Psychology,
School of Physics.
While feedback was generally positive, with useful suggestions for amendments to wording or structure, staff engaging in the pilot suggested that engagement with the tool could only be guaranteed if properly embedded into policies and procedures.
The TIC evaluation tool will be raised as an agenda item at the next Graduate Studies Committee meeting in February, where programmes undergoing design or review will be urged to engage with the tool.
The TIC Development officer continues to seek engagement with the tool, particularly with schools involved in quality review. She is seeking to organise a demonstration session in the Hilary term for all interested academic staff.
External Trials and Publicity
External publicity included the circulation of a publicity piece to relevant organisations including:
- The National Digital Learning Repository (NDLR)
- Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB)
- Higher Education Authority (HEA)
- Dublin Regional Higher Education Alliance (DRHEA)
- Disability Access Workers Network (DAWN)
A circular was also sent to teaching and learning centres.
Outcomes have included:
-Meetings and demonstrations within DIT, Queens, and IADT, which have led to useful feedback including the use of non-essential Trinity specific terminology.
-Articles within newsletters circulated by the NDLR and the IUQB,
-Inclusion on the homepage of the DRHEA,
-A meeting with the HEA and the decision to add TIC as an agenda item in the new year.
-A planned meeting with the IUQB to discuss TIC and its uses within quality enhancement.
Statistics:
As of January 4th 2011 there were:
- 56 confirmed profiles registered on the evaluation tool,
- 19 of these were TCD e-mail addresses
- 57 evaluations (excluding those started by administrators)
Work to embed tool
Actions to help embed the use of the TIC evaluation tool to date have included:
Quality Review System:
-The guidelines for quality review have been updated this year, and now recommend the TIC tool as part of the self-evaluation element of the review process.
-The Graduate Studies Office has agreed to direct coordinators of programmes under review towards TIC.
Design
-The Graduate Studies Office has agreed to direct designers of new programmes towards TIC.
Awards:
-The application form for the Provost Teaching Award was update last year, and now includes Inclusion as a basis on which to make a case for an award.
Externally
-Following a meeting with the HEA in December, they are interested in exploring how the TIC tool can be embedded at a national level.
To date, all engagement with the TIC evaluation tool is voluntary.
Further Development to the Evaluation tool:
The evaluation tool has been extended to include two additional sections, one for library staff and one for administrative / service areas.
Sections have been adapted so that they can be accessed in isolation without logging in from within the relevant areas of the TIC website (see
for an example).
The questions within the ‘Design’ evaluations are being rewritten into the future tense to avoid confusion.
Redesign of the TIC website
The TIC website was redesigned during Michaelmas term to enhance its usability and for greater ease of navigation. Changes included:
- New look homepage with four boxes reflecting the main reasons for accessing the site.
- The addition of Accessible Information to the top level navigation.
- Amendment to main body text to reflect a bullet point structure to ensure east reference.
The redesigned website went live at the beginning of December 2010. It has been shortlisted for the egov education award 2011.Winners will be announced in April 2011.
Audio- Visual Materials
To date (January 4th 2011) there has been 2063 viewing of the AV materials added to the TIC website in Michaelmas term 2010. The web accessibility clips are the most viewed.
Further filming is scheduled for January 2011, when volunteers from the phase two pilots will record short video testimonials for future users.
Library Liaison re: Student Survey
A student survey has been designed regarding perceptions of the library. This survey will be circulated to students registered with the three access services this term. It is hoped that this survey will inform future practice within the library and highlight areas for improvement.
Workshops, Presentations and Events:
CAPSL Postgraduate Teaching Module
The TIC project Officer gave brief presentations to four groups of post-graduate teaching assistants on Inclusive Teaching Practices over October / November 2010.
Nursing and Midwifery Academic Forum
On October 7ththe TIC project Officer gave a brief presentation to academic staff in the School of Nursing and Midwifery on Inclusive Teaching Practices and reported back on findings from the pilot conducted within the school in 0910.
DIT H. Dip lectures
In November / December 2010, the TIC Development officer spoke to students within the H.Dip in Teaching and Learning in DIT. Students were informed of the TIC strategy as an example of inclusion applied to practice. Then students were offered the opportunity to complete the TIC evaluation tool.
PDE lecture
A lecture on inclusion will be presented to the Post-graduate Diploma in Education students on February 1st 2011.
Publicity
Book Invite
The final draft of the case study for a book entitled “Institutional transformation to engage a diverse student body”, edited by the Widening Participation Research Centre in Edge Hill University was submitted in December 2010.
1