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This lecture addresses core issues in choosing a research topic for undergraduate and first time researchers to consider. Often final year undergraduate students find this task a difficult one. Step by step the the lecture connects the student to core concepts, pressure points and key readings to foster their idea and focus their decision.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and related automated decision-making processes are becoming increasingly embedded in the tissue of digital societies. Their impact cuts across different political, social, economic, cultural, and environmental aspects of our lives. On the one hand, AI can be used to drive economic growth, enable smart and low-carbon cities, and optimize the management of scarce resources such as food, water and energy. On the other hand, AI can also be used in a manner that infringes on human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression and privacy, and risks exacerbating existing socioeconomic and gender inequalities. Furthermore, the implementation of AI systems may lead to values-driven dilemmas and complex problems, often requiring trade-offs that can only be addressed through broad societal consensus.

This guide focuses on the question of how the development of AI policies can be made inclusive. Multistakeholder approaches to policymaking are part of the answer because they create the space for learning, deliberation, and the development of informed solutions. They help decision makers consider diverse viewpoints and expertise, prevent capture by vested interests, and counteract polarization of policy discourse. A multistakeholder approach to AI policy development and the consultation of stakeholders from different backgrounds and expertise are necessary to be able to develop a relevant and applicable policy for the national context.

The objective of this guide is to support policymakers in ministries and parliaments in the design and implementation of inclusive AI policies, while empowering stakeholders including civil society, businesses, technical community, academia, media, and citizens, to participate in and influence these policy processes

The report includes a ‘baseline’ of the challenges, practices and new developments during the pandemic, examples of research and innovation in online assessment, and the supportive (or non-supportive) national policies and frameworks that define the context of assessment for the institutions. It also includes practical examples (‘Good practices’) from SIG members that can help, if not inspire developing better practice and new thinking in other member institutions.

The use of AI systems can potentially enhance teaching, learning and assessment, provide better learning outcomes and help schools to operate more efficiently. However, if those same AI applications are not properly designed or used carelessly, this could lead to harmful consequences. Educators need to be aware and ask questions whether AI systems they are using are reliable, fair, safe and trustworthy and that the management of educational data is secure, protects the privacy of individuals and is used for the common good. “Ethical AI” is used to indicate the development, deployment and use of AI that ensures compliance with ethical norms, ethical principles and related core values.

Throughout this workbook students are asked to engage with the PCs Graduate Attribute & Mindsets Framework via a suite of activities or exercises. This engagement will provide students with the language of skills and attributes best suited to job application and success.

This Facilitator Checklist has been compiled from our experience as facilitators delivering the PACT Open Course with the National Forum. From our reflection, we created this resource to aid fellow facilitators save time and outlined key pre-Course, during-Course, and post-Course activities essential to the smooth running of all Open Courses.

The aim of this report is to explore how stronger relationships between higher education and business can address barriers to mainstream adoption and development of innovative and sustainable models and policies for Open Educational Practices (OEP). In this report, we explore how educational institutions and business interests can work together to better leverage the potential of Open Educational Resources (OER) in the service of OEPs. The report provides an overview of existing literature and research in the field of OER and presents a series of business models and approaches to supporting the development of OER, as well as their policies and practices. The issue of sustainability and longevity of OER materials, content and communities is discussed and three case studies are presented to illustrate different business models for supporting capability development, knowledge exchange and Communities of Practice. The report concludes with recommendations and provides some points to consider for organisations interested in developing business models, policies and practices to support the development of sustainable OER and in promoting OEP. The term OEP is used in this report as an umbrella concept reflecting the wider goals of creating more open educational and organisational cultures that support more diverse, equitable and inclusive approaches to teaching, learning and assessment (Cronin, 2017, p.1). Seminal and commonly accepted definitions of key concepts are provided as part of the report.

This new interdisciplinary 10 ECTS module for PhD students responds to an identified need for careers and employability support and was developed with industry partners. It supports PhD students with career planning, critical reflection and decision-making, enabling them to establish networks and build readiness for future careers in academia and/or industry. The module is in three streams (Careers, Skills and Work-based Learning) and features many innovative aspects:
– a blended learning design and 5 ECTS module option to give a flexible learning experience
– 5 interactive online sessions which build student employability skills
– 4 face-to-face sessions to enhance collaboration and engagement
– An online Skills Audit which helps students to critically reflect on, develop and articulate the skillset developed during their PhD and an Interview Practice Exercise to apply their interview skills to a role-play scenario
– a work-based learning experience that creates real value for industry partners and offers students valuable learning experiences that are not readily available elsewhere

A range of supporting activities enhance the student experience by encouraging shared and self-directed learning: online journaling and discussion boards; podcasts; videos; skills webinars and industry events. A new Industry Mentoring Programme (IMPART) was designed to complement the module.

The aim of TEACH CoLab is to increase staff competency to engage in collaborative online learning across disciplines and beyond institutional and national boundaries to address societal challenges. The time has never been more opportune to examine the place of health in the lives of humanity and examine it from multiple perspectives, enabled by online technologies. Perhaps for the first time, health and people are at the heart of politics and at the centre of global debate in our COVID19 world and the landscape has changed forever, particularly in relation to the power of online learning. TEACH CoLab builds the capacity of staff in digital pedagogies to examine themes related to health, community, determinants of health, and human rights. It enables sharing within the School of Health Sciences, across the Institute and with community and academic partners in Ireland and the US.

In this special publication, colleagues from across the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA), including GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT, share insights and innovations on their teaching and learning practice over the last 18 months. Many will touch on their experiences of adapting to remote learning and teaching during COVID, and also reflect on lessons learnt and plans for the future. The DigitalEd.ie Knowledge Platform forms part of the iNOTE project, funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Ireland.

This report arises from the #Openteach: Professional Development for Open Online Educators project, which is funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.The #Openteach project team are based in the Open Education Unit (OEU) at Dublin City University (DCU).

The main aim of the #Openteach project was to produce, and evaluate, evidence-based open professional development for part-time online educators. In anearlier phase of the project a literature review called Teaching Online is Different: Critical perspectives from the literaturewas completed in order to identify online educator roles and the associated competencies for effective online teaching (Ní Shé, Farrell, Brunton, Costello, Donlon, Trevaskis, Eccles, 2019). Concurrently, we conducted a needs analysisreport of the target population, online students and their online educators (Farrell, Brunton, Costello, Donlon, Trevaskis, Eccles, Ní Shé, 2019). These reports were used to guide the development of the professional development resources for the #Openteach open online course.

Teaching online is different. In this report we attempt to explain why. This report arises from the #Openteach: Professional Development for Open Online Educators project, which is funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. In this project we plan to uncover and promote the keys to effective online teaching practice, while recognising that effective teaching is an art, craft and science. We aim to harness this knowledge to support the professional learning of online educators. Ultimately we want to support online students to learn online by helping and inspiring their educators. This report was developed to help lay a foundation for the project through a critical analysis of relevant literature