Digital Learning Dispatches

Dublin City University (DCU) is Ireland’s first University of Sanctuary and this week we have a full programme of activities to support Refugee Week. Over the past 2-years our DCU Connected Scholarship initiative for refugees and asylum seekers has been very successful and on Friday as part of Refugee Week the Open Education Unit in the NIDL will be offering a free webinar sharing some of our lessons and experiences. The webinar will be of particular interest to educators, organisations and other institutions wishing to better understand how to harness the potential of online learning to open up educational opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers.

Title: Exploring the Transition Experiences of Refugees and Asylum Seekers to Online Learning with DCU Connected

Facilitators: Orna Farrell, Lorraine Delaney and Colum Foley

When: Friday 1st February 1:00-2:00pm GMT

How: Login to our online classroom

Abstract:

Dublin City University (DCU) was granted the status of “University of Sanctuary” in December 2016. Forty two scholarships were granted to refugees and asylum seekers by the University, of which fourteen were provided by DCU’s online education platform, DCU Connected. This session will report on the journey undertaken by a team within DCU’s National Institute for Digital Learning as they put in place the framework needed to support these scholars and the related research study which explores the nature of the transition experiences of University of Sanctuary Scholars to online distance learning. A longitudinal qualitative study is designed to seek a greater understanding of these learners’ experiences in the early stages of the study lifecycle, and of how their transition into higher education can be facilitated to enhance student success. The data collection technique is semi-structured online interviews conducted annually, and the first round of interviews has recently been conducted. The data-led analytical approach for this study is Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six phases of thematic analysis. The next phase of the research project involves the analysis of the first phase of interview data and the generation of preliminary findings.

Download DCU’s full programme of activities for Refugee Week.

This is a brief update on planning for this year’s ICDE World Conference on Online Learning that the NIDL is hosting at the iconic and award winning Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) in November. The Organising Committee is pleased to report that paper submissions are already being submitted through the website, with the deadline in March. The 2017 World Conference in Toronto attracted around 1,400 delegates and we are expecting strong interest and a large number of submissions for this year’s Dublin event.

There are several submission categories including full papers, concise papers, lightening talks and digital posters. Unique digital poster boards will be used for the first time to provide conference delegates with a visually attractive and more interactive experience. The conference will also feature a number of symposia and interactive knowledge fora to help discuss a range of contemporary issues, including:

Policy and Strategy
Open Educational Practices
Minority Heritage Language and Culture
Alternative Micro and Digital Credentials
Refugees, Asylum Seekers and New Immigrants
Online Education for Healthy Living and Well-being
Industry Partnerships for Continuing Professional Development

Another highlight of the World Conference will be the “Great Debate” which is intended to explore tensions between new and emerging models of online learning and the time-honoured egalitarian roots of open, flexible and distance education. There will also be a rich pre-conference workshop programme on Sunday 3^rdNovember at Dublin City University’s St Patrick’s campus, including a Doctoral Research Symposium and special invitation only Leadership Summit.

To answer questions and enhance the success of paper submissions the local organising team in the NIDL at DCU will be offering several webinars over the next few weeks for prospective authors. More precise information about the webinar dates and times will available in the next week or so. In the meantime when preparing your paper submissions, please keep in mind the overarching conference theme, which is “Transforming Lives and Societies”, and the five big questions we seek to explore along with the related sub themes.

Lastly, for regular updates remember to follow the conference on Twitter (@WCOL2019) or our Linkedin account where you can also enter our monthly draw for a free tour of the famous Guinness Storehouse during your visit to Dublin in November. More information about other tour opportunities, the exciting social and cultural programme we are planning, and post-conference events and excursions will follow in future updates.