“Students are persisting with college courses despite the challenges posed by remote learning and Covid-19. The pandemic has not triggered a rise in drop-out rates, new figures show. Students have generally stuck with their courses and, in some cases, retention figures are well up on previous years …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 19 March]
“For the first year on record, more faculty members used learning management systems than print course materials when teaching classes, according a new report released Tuesday from the National Association of College Stores. The 2020 Faculty Watch report is based on a survey of 968 faculty members from 17 two- and four-year, public and private institutions in the United States and Canada …” (more)
[Emma Whitford, Inside Higher Ed, 24 February]
“Students who feel ‘terrorized’ by a strict implementation of social restrictions at Trinity Hall (Halls) have raised their concerns ahead of the upcoming semester. In a meeting of the newly-established Trinity College Dublin’s Renters Union (TCDRU) this evening, an issue was raised about the conditions Trinity Halls (Halls) residents have been experiencing over the last few months …” (more)
[Shannon Connolly and Kate Henshaw, Trinity News, 28 January]
“Since the beginning of the new semester, students have encountered difficulties regarding the access of online lectures. Specifically, the issue of posting lectures that students were not able to attend. The College Tribune has researched University College Dublin (UCD) virtual classroom guidelines, in order to understand how faculty are expected to conduct online learning …” (more)
[Luke Murphy, College Tribune, 26 January]
“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for including commercial premises in the roll-out of extended virtual campuses by a provider (details supplied); the selection criteria and process for commercial premises; if students will be able to assess the Wi-Fi without being paying customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 21 January]
“In the midst of the January examination period I’ve been thinking about how tough this year has been nd will continue to be for all students in third-level institutions, but especially the cohort currently in the first year of their course. I think it’s now fairly clear that nearly all their study this year will be done remotely …” (more)
[In the Dark, 13 January]
“The government will extend internet access for students to 90 new locations across the country in order to create ‘extended virtual campuses’, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris announced today. HEAnet will lead the initiative, rolling out eduroam – a WiFi connection that students can automatically connect to – to locations accessible to students, such as libraries, museums, public offices, coffee shops and shopping centres …” (more)
[Cormac Watson, University Times, 5 January]
“The number of students studying remotely in Irish third-level institutions increased significantly in the years before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new research. The Department of Education report, published on Monday, reveals those studying part-time or in flexible way, including remote online learning, has increased steadily, rising by more than a third from 6,015 in 2015 to 9,207 in 2018 …” (more)
[Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times, 28 December]
“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he has taken to urge universities to compensate postgraduate students for the move to online teaching and the much-reduced student experience promised in their prospectus and marketing campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil debates, 15 December]
“Darren O’Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether third level fees should be reduced to reflect the reality of students not physically attending college in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil debates, 15 December]
“All 50,000 first-year students will, be offered time on campus in the new year, amid moves to improve their college experience. Colleges will be writing to first years shortly to outline the arrangements, Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said today …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 14 December]
“In a statement, the Irish Universities Association (IUA) said that universities are conscious of the uncertainty students are facing and have therefore planned to begin semester two of the academic year predominantly online. This has been done to provide students with more certainty in the coming months but according to the IUA, ‘the ambition is to increase in person teaching and face-to-face activities on campus should evolving public health guidelines permit it’ …” (more)
[Aoibhín Meghen, The College View, 9 December]
“Many students feel that in-person interaction is crucial to their learning of a language at Third Level. Language students have been hopeful for the return of language labs on campus for semester two. Unfortunately, this looks unlikely as the use of headsets and microphones are essential in labs and it would prove quite difficult to disinfect them after every student …” (more)
[Mary Raftery, SIN, 2 December]
“COVID-19 has turned the typical third-level student experience on its head. Remote learning is the prevailing reality for the majority, cutting students off from the rich vibrancy of campus life. Opportunities to connect in-person with their peers – so vital for this stage of their development – and with their lecturers – key mentors for their future careers – are rare or non-existent …” (more)
[Helen O’Callaghan, Irish Examiner, 27 November]
“You’re leading a seminar about this week’s topic. You’ve gone through the arguments, counterarguments and the fine details forgotten by the textbooks. You conclude, sit down and ask for the thoughts of the students. Silence. If you’re a lecturer, you may know this experience all too well …” (more)
[Jack Harvey, Wonkhe, 27 November]
“Third-level colleges may be able to increase face-to-face teaching for first year students and resume sports activity on campus early next year in line with an easing of Covid-19 restrictions, according to Government sources. A formal announcement is due on Friday afternoon and follows discussions between the Department of Higher Education and representatives of third-level colleges over options to boost on-campus activity …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 26 November]
“Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a circular distributed recently to students of a college (details supplied) which has taken the decision to continue with its online delivery mode for the spring semester that is to stay the remainder of the academic year 2020-2021; the effect this online delivery mode is having on first year students that are lacking the experience of college and the interactions with other first year students; if he will consider intervening with the college to facilitate students to return to campus even on a part-time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 19 November]
“Students have expressed feelings of having been “misled into securing accommodation” despite the move of most learning online in a new report published by Sinn Fein. Sinn Féin Higher and Further Education Spokesperson Rose Conway-Walsh has published the results of the Sinn Féin Student Accommodation Survey 2020 …” (more)
[Connie Roughan, Trinity News, 21 November]
“University College Dublin (UCD) will operate classes predominantly online for the rest of the academic year, the university has announced jointly with University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) …” (more)
[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 13 November]
“Now that we’re all well ensconced in the online learning ‘business’, the question naturally arises as to whether we’re digging our own graves. We now know that, in purely educational terms, online learning ‘works’. The student experience may not be what it was but there is no reason to believe that eliminating F2F lectures has had any detrimental effect on student learning …” (more)
[Tales from Academia, 9 November]
