Micro-Credential in Technology Enabled Learning, Teaching and Assessment

Overview

Digital technology plays a central role in the enactment of teaching, learning and assessment, and the creation of the student learning experience in higher education. Creating high-quality digital learning experiences requires lecturers to make informed design choices that align technology use with learning outcomes, ensure pedagogical fit, and promote accessibility, inclusivity, and practicality for both staff and students. This includes the use of technology to enable student attendance in online, blended or hyflex modes, the use of technology to engage students with their programme and classmates regardless of their means of attendance, the use of technology for the completion of assessment and for the provision of feedback, and the ethical and responsible use of advanced technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence.

Participants in this micro-credential will complete a project through which they will develop a plan for a student-facing set of resources, incorporating some prototype resources, to support students undertaking a module in two or more technology-mediated modes, such as online, blended or hyflex. They will develop the knowledge and skills required to complete this project, and they will justify their design decisions. Formative assessments, demonstrations and learning activities throughout the micro-credential will enable participants to gain knowledge and experience of a range of technologies and their application for learning, teaching and assessment.

Details

5 ECTS credits; 15 hours of class time plus peer engagement and independent learning; fully online.

Entry Requirements

Participants must be working in TU Dublin. Participants must have an NFQ Level 8 (or higher) qualification or complete a Recognition of Prior Learning process to demonstrate their capacity to participate in this micro-credential.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module the participant will be able to:

Evaluate foundational and critical theories of technology in education.
Engage effectively with online and hybrid learning environments, reflecting critically on the experience and perspective in technologically mediated settings.
Critically reflect on the co-constitution of digital technologies and pedagogical practices.
Design learning experiences that are mediated by technology in a variety of modes, such as on-campus, blended, online and hyflex modes.
Critically examine the opportunuities and challenges afforded by Generative Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models for the enhancement of teaching, learning and assessment.

Assessment

Participants will design a plan for a student-facing set of resources, incorporating some prototype resources, to support students undertaking a module in two or more technology-mediated modes. The plan and resources will be tailored to each participant’s disciplinary context and will outline constructively aligned, technology-integrated teaching and learning activities and assessments. These may take the form, for example, of asynchronous learning experiences, interactive content, technology-enabled lessons, blended learning activities, virtual classes, instructional media, online discussions, AI-supported assessments, or collaborative digital tasks.

Alongside the plan and prototype resources, participants will submit a critical and scholarly reflection that explains the rationale for their design choices. This commentary will draw on relevant literature, educational theory, policy, and the learner’s own professional experience or anticipated practice in technology-enhanced learning.

Indicative Syllabus

Critical Perspectives on Technology in Education

What is ‘enhancement’, who defines it and how is it measured?; Key theoretical perspectives on technology and change in education (e.g. Technological Determinism, Social Shaping, Affordance Theory, Domestication Theory, Technology Acceptance Models, Digital Nativism, Media Ecology); Ed-Tech Hype-cycles and futures; ‘Pedagogy first’ approaches and the role of pedagogy in technology integration; Interrogating our own assumptions.

Designing for Learning in Digital and Technology-enabled Environments

Integrating digital technologies through constructive alignment; Building inclusive technology-enabled learning experiences; Learning Experience Design and Content interaction in digital spaces; Designing for engaging and equitable learning across modalities; Cultivating connection and ‘presence’ in hybrid and remote classrooms; Post-pandemic pedagogies.

Technology-Enabled Assessment and Feedback

Digital tools for formative and summative assessment; Teamwork pedagogy and collaborative online assessments; Technology-supported feedback; Authentic Assessment with digital technologies; Assessment technologies, inclusivity and accessibility; learning analytics, progress tracking, automated assessment and feedback.

Reflecting on our digital capabilities and technology use and planning for change

Purposeful and Meaningful Technology Integration; Comparing key models and frameworks for technology integration (SAMR, TPACK, TIM, PICRAT etc); Developing a personal framework for meaningful integration; Reflecting on our own technology use and digital capabilities; Lecturer case studies; Identifying Opportunities for Technology-Enhanced Redesign in our practice.

Learning, Teaching & Assessment with Artificial Intelligence

Understanding AI in education: Key issues, challenges and opportunities; Academic Integrity and Designing AI-resilient assessments; Rethinking and redesigning assessment to enable ethical, purposeful and informed student use; Using AI to support and enhance your course design, and assessment and feedback practices.