The following document outlines the response from St. Angela’s College, Sligo on the proposed
National Academy for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning and gives our answers on the
questions raised on page 12 of the document.
1. Do you agree that the time is opportune for the creation of a National Academy for the
Enhancement of Teaching and Learning?
Yes, we agree that the time is opportune for the creation of a National Academy for the
Enhancement of Teaching and Learning providing that it consolidates all existing bodies
involved in teaching and learning, that it does not duplicate the work that has already
been done and that future funding is directed towards the development and
advancement of the Academy. We believe that the existing expertise across the Higher
Education Sector should be used to its fullest and that best practice be adopted from the
broad spectrum of work already done. It is timely in the context of the level of change
that is happening in the Higher Education Sector and the further change and
development that will emerge from the implementation of the National Strategy for
Higher Education. The Academy should be instrumental in developing a collaborative
and shared approach to best practice in teaching and learning across the Higher
Education Sector to benefit all Higher Education Institutions.
2. How can the National Academy best complement each institution’s own work to
enhance the quality of teaching and learning?
The National Academy can best complement each institutions’ own work by developing
clear policy at national level which will guide the work that takes place at institutional
level, by providing the resources to support institutional research in teaching and
learning, by supporting and ensuring the dissemination of best practice across the sector
and by providing a virtual platform for sharing of knowledge, experience and resources.
The National Academy should identify and acknowledge the expertise within and the
strengths of individual institutions and promote those strengths to the wider HE Sector.
The National Academy should give full recognition to the work done at institutional level
and should establish mechanisms whereby institutions can contribute to the debate and
discussion at national level, including representation on committees and the Board of
the National Academy.
3. How can the National Academy support the continuing professional development of
academics in Irish higher education?
The National Academy can support the continuing professional development of
academics by taking a lead role in providing and funding programmes, seminars,
workshops and conferences on key selected relevant aspects in teaching and learning.
Further support should be achieved by providing a virtual platform and discussion space
where existing knowledge and best practice can be communicated across the HE Sector
and where the use of technology can be maximised to provide open dialogue and
discussion in a collaborative and collective manner and where education and training
can be enhanced through the delivery of online modules and programmes.
4. How can the National Academy assist in closing the loop between the identification of
good practice and the mainstreaming of this practice across the broader academic
community?
The National Academy can close the loop by actively disseminating best practice across
the HE Sector, by measuring the impact of the implementation of this best practice at
institutional level in improving teaching and learning from both a staff and student
perspective. The national Academy should provide a co-ordinating role in collating
feedback and communicating successes and challenges experienced across the HE
Sector. The National Academy should incentivise Higher Education Institutions to
mainstream best practice through funding and supporting inititaaves at Institutional
Level and reward and acknowledge work that is well done.
5.
How can the National Academy further the existing linkages and partnerships with
international practitioners in this field, and facilitate new partnerships with equivalent
entities in neighbouring and other jurisdictions, to contribute to and benefit from the
development of a “global interdisciplinary perspective on teaching and learning”?22
In a time of change and the need for a sharing of knowledge and expertise and experience
on a global level, the National Academy should identify, record and communicate the
existing linkages and partnerships to Higher Education Institutions. The Academy should
research and establish new linkages and partnerships to enhance knowledge and expertise.
The Academy should support individual institutions in exploring new linkages and
partnerships and provide encouragement for staff and student mobility to allow for
exchange of knowledge, experience and practice. The existence of a virtual platform would
also support the use of technology to its fullest on an international basis.
6. Should the National Academy continue all activities of the existing teaching and learning
networks and projects, funding permitting, or should it review all existing activities and
start afresh following the review?
The National Academy should do a full review of all existing activities in teaching and
learning and related research and based on this should then opt to select and prioritise
key areas and to focus on these. The selection and prioritisation of these key areas
should be agreed through a consultative process with those who have been most active
in the areas of teaching and learning. The Academy should not reinvent the wheel but
build on what has already been achieved, and adopt the advice and expertise of
seasoned practitioners and researchers. The inclusion of all stakeholders in a review and
prioritisation exercise should be considered.
7. Should the National Academy be a virtual platform with a physical base in an existing
HEI, or does it need a physical presence of its own that is independent of any individual
institution?
We would favour it being an independent body with a virtual platform and small but
effective staff support structure. It should have a central location with ease of access for
all institutions. We feel that the Academy should be accessible to all Higher Education
Institutions and equitable with respect to allocation of funding/resources across the
sector. It should be set up with a key contact person/s to liaise with individual
institutions who should also have key dedicated contact staff to support good
communication and dissemination of knowledge and who are charged with driving
initiatives forward. The academy should be an open and transparent organisation with
good management, governance and accountability and charged with the responsibility
of efficient management of resources to support and enhance all aspects of teaching
and learning across the Higher Education Sector with a view to providing the highest
quality of delivery in academic teaching and learning for students in Irish Higher
Education Institutions.