Digital Learning – Page 50 – Digital Learning Dispatches

Our NIDL team is delighted to be involved in the “Empowering Vietnamese VET Teachers for Transformation towards Education 4.0” (EMVITET) project. This is an Erasmus+ project, led by HAMK University in Finland, with the Teaching Enhancement Unit at Dublin City University (DCU) and Leuven University partnering to provide project technology and pedagogy solutions for six Vietnamese higher education and vocational institutions.

EMVITET aims to create new learning ecosystems for Education 4.0 in Vietnam, based on student-centered learning, competence-based education, collaboration/networking in digital environments, and sharing knowledge through a community of practice. Participants of this project will be able to:

Effectively use technology to enhance and transform teaching and learning practices
Design and implement competence-based and student-centred learning
Engage with communities within education and industry to create connections and support collaboration

The project commenced in January 2019 and the visit to Vietnam in February was the first opportunity for the European and Vietnamese partners to meet. Dr Mark Glynn and Lisa Donaldson travelled to Vietnam for the three day kickoff meeting. It was truly a collaborative experience with all partners contributing to the vision of the new pedagogical processes the project would enable. DCU will be supporting the partners to achieve a new understanding of Education 4.0 through delivering the Learning Management System portal and the eportfolio platform that will be used by participants to reflect on their learning during the three years of the project.

Reflecting on the first face-to-face meeting, a word has to be said about the incredible hospitality of our Vietnamese partners. 20190301_131205 (1).jpg The kickoff meeting was such a well planned event with valuable learning for all around culture as well as pedagogical practices. The learning was interspersed with a very festive kickoff dinner and sociable lunches. According to Lisa and Mark the Vietnamese food deserves a blog post to itself but suffice it to say they report it was delicious and plentiful!

Feedback from the first three days together was very positive and the DCU team looks forward to our next meeting in Finland in September, as we move from the preparation phase to a new vision of education for all.

On the 15^th April at 2pm in DG10 in Bea Orpen on Dublin City University’s Glasnevin campus, Julie-Ann Sime and Chryssa Themeli from Lancaster University will give a very interesting talk as part of the NIDL’s visiting scholar series. Please do consider coming along as the talk is open to everyone!

Title: Mapping the Territory of Digital Wellbeing Interventions

Outline: We live in a highly digitally connected Europe where people of all ages use the internet to connect, communicate, explore and learn through digital media, however a recent JISC study reported that educators in Higher Education institutions are concerned about the wellbeing of their students in digital settings. In addition, the Opening Up education report shows that 70% educators in the EU understand the importance of digital literacy but only 20-25% students are taught by digitally confident educators. Improving the digital literacy of educators is required particularly in the area of digital wellbeing. Higher Education institutions are becoming increasingly aware of the consequences of digital overload on mental health of individual students, the societal impacts on relationships such as cyberbullying, technical issues such as cybersecurity and the addictive design of technology, fake news and the controversies surrounding radicalisation and challenges to democracy. The Digital Wellbeing Educators Project (funded by ERASMUS+ programme of the European Union) aims to increase the capacity of educators in Higher Education institutions to integrate digital education to promote the wellbeing of their students. This presentation aims to raise awareness and map the territory of existing digital wellbeing interventions by showcasing some examples primarily from Europe. The next phase of the project will see the development of an app and teacher’s digital pedagogy toolkit to support educators in developing their own digital competences and making their teaching more digital.

Dr. Julie-Ann Sime, Lancaster University

Julie-Ann is an educational researcher and a pioneer of online distance learning who has been teaching online for 25 years. She researches into the use of new technologies in teaching and learning in professional contexts, including: use of video for reflection, game-based learning and team training of professionals in 3D virtual worlds. She is co-editor of a new book on Networked Learning: Reflections and Challenges (2018).

Dr. Chryssa Themeli, Lancaster University

Chryssa is an educational researcher focusing on research that changes practice and thinking, teaching that transforms people’s lives and engages actively with students, businesses and communities. As research assessor, she evaluates UKERI proposals for the British council and European Union proposals for H2020 FET Innovation Launchpad Calls.