The world of education changed this year. Where once, the idea of blended or fully-online teaching and learning was an option, or even an aspiration, this year has necessitated an adaptation for most of us, to technology enhanced learning.
Recurring feedback we received, from those who switched to online platforms for the first time this year, is that the initial fear of clicking a button on a new technology is the scariest part of teaching online. At NCI, we provide collaborative spaces, where we explore technologies together, evaluate together and, as teachers, reflect on their possible advantages.
Where, this year, you have come to an online platform, perhaps for the first time, perhaps a platform you didn’t choose but the only one available in that first closure of schools and colleges, now take some time with your colleagues to share your experiences, learn from each other and, together, reflect on what has and hasn’t worked.
Even with the good news of a COVID-19 vaccine on the way, we have seen government restrictions change in response to infection rates, and we cannot be certain of what these next months will bring. One thing we can all agree on is that, through these technologies, we can continue to achieve a sense of connection with our students, whether they are in our classrooms, or studying from home. This crisis has accelerated our need to fully exploit the potential of digital technologies.
Learning and Technology
In National College of Ireland, our Technology-Enhanced Learning programmes focus primarily on establishing a learning community with fellow practitioners and on integrating new knowledge and skills within each student’s own professional context. From this supportive foundation, students who participate on our TEL programmes have explored new strategies and approaches to many areas such as; student engagement, motivation, assessment and collaboration.
In considering these areas, National College of Ireland aims to contribute to the future of technology enhanced learning in Ireland and to support each educator in their own pathway to professional development. To succeed in this, we believe that the future of innovation starts with you.
Next Steps
Whether you choose to join our Level 6 Certificate in Technology and Learning, or our Level 7 Certificate in Technology Enhanced Learning, our aim is to support you in the exploration, implementation and evaluation of a range of digital technologies to support and augment your existing practices.
To get a taste of these courses, watch the video below which takes you through some teaching strategies for online learning.
