Module: Enabling Learning

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

All Module information is indicative, and this portal is an interim interface pending the full upgrade of Coursebuilder and subsequent integration to the new DCU Student Information System (DCU Key).

As such, this is a point in time view of data which will be refreshed periodically. Some fields/data may not yet be available pending the completion of the full Coursebuilder upgrade and integration project. We will post status updates as they become available. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Enabling Learning
Module Code	ED4056 (ITS) / EDP1003 (Banner)
Faculty	DCU Institute of Education	School	STEM Ed, Innov, Global Studies
Module Co-ordinator	Anne McMorrough
Module Teachers	Deirdre Butler, Denis Moynihan, Hsiao-Ping Hsu, Pia O'Farrell, Zita Lysaght
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	2.5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Coursework Only
Creation of a digital artefact with supporting written component. Create an infographic on an assessment modality other than the one originally submitted and complete all formative tasks.

Description

This module develops the Digital Skills of student teachers through the embedded use of digital technologies to support teaching, learning and assessment for all learners. As computational thinking and coding are to be embedded into the Revised Primary Curriculum, this module provides explicit opportunities for student teachers to explore new and emerging technologies for the primary classroom context. This module focuses on developing confidence and competence relating to key concepts, practices, perspectives and policy understanding through the design, writing, debugging and iterative development of simple programs and game environments/scenarios. Active engagement with the extant research literature and a range of new and emerging digital technologies in developing projects (e.g. Scratch, Micro:Bits, educational robotics) enable students to critically assess, design and create cross curricular computational thinking and coding activities to support teaching and learning at primary school level. Based on a broad and inclusive understanding of Classroom Assessment as the process of gathering, recording, interpreting, using and communicating information about pupils to aid valid and fair decision-making, this element of ED4056 builds on the foundational work of ED1017. Specifically, both courses explore complementary aspects of the Assessment for Learning (AfL) through Assessment of Learning (AoL) continuum to ensure that students are adequately prepared to engage collegiately and professionally, initially on Professional Placement (PP) and, later as graduates, with all key stakeholders in education including the children they teach. In light of the increasingly complex dynamics of the classroom, Classroom Assessment deliberately aims to support students’ development of the adaptive expertise needed to align assessment, learning and teaching in their planning and practice successfully by (a) exposing them to evidence- and research- informed inclusive pedagogies linked with their foundational studies and (b) critical reviewing emerging opportunities and challenges in the field as identified in national and international research literature and experienced on PP.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe and explain the concepts, practices and perspectives of a) computational thinking and b) coding
2. Demonstrate computational thinking and coding skills through the design, writing, debugging and interactive development of simple programs and game environments/scenarios
3. Critically assess, design and create cross curricular computational thinking opportunities and activities to support teaching, learning and assessment at primary school level
4. Explain the key concepts, terminology, principles and practices relating to a) teacher-made, b) standardised and c) norm-referenced standardised assessments and tests and the advantages and disadvantages of each
5. Focusing on norm-referenced standardised tests used in primary schools in Ireland, demonstrate knowledge and adaptive expertise in (a) the appropriate selection, administration, scoring, interpretation and reporting of norm-referenced information and, (b) use of these data to inform subsequent planning and teaching in a fair and ethical manner
6. Critically review current debates relating to standardised tests (e.g. teaching to the test, grade inflation, narrowing of the curriculum etc. ) with specific reference to evolving national policy and practice

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	11	11*1hr lectures on assessment
Workshop	11	11*1hr workshop on digital learning
Independent Study	28	Read, review and critique articles/readings; review of Loop materials' creation of digital artefacts; engagement with a range of online tasks and formative feedback etc to consolidate learning from face-to-face sessions and as part-preparation for assessment for and/of learning
Assignment Completion	20	Assignment *2
Total Workload: 70

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Digital Learning
Digital Learning a) Introduction to and exploration of concepts and characteristics relating to computational thinking and coding b) Design and creation of a range of projects using new and emerging technologies including: the programming language Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu/), BBC Micro:Bits (https://makecode.microbit.org/) and educational robotics equipment c) Critical evaluation and design of learning activities to support children’s integrated learning across a range of curricular areas d) Explication and justification of the design of the learning activities with reference to research findings and key policy documents.

Classroom Assessment
a) Review of key concepts in classroom assessment; alignment of assessment, learning and teaching, continuum of assessment (AfL - AoL), adaptive expertise, self-regulation, meta-cognition etc. b) Assessing pupil performance; criterion-referenced, standardised and non-standardised approaches c) Norm-referenced standardised tests (construction through reporting of scores) d) National assessment policy and assessment debates

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Portfolio	Design of digital artefacts and supporting documentation (including reflections) on the development of computational thinking and coding using digital technologies.	50%	n/a
Performance evaluation	Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and capacity to apply the key concepts, principles and practices of the CA component of the module to assessment, learning and teaching (e.g., by creating an infographic on standardized testing that might be given to parents/guardians after a parent/teacher meeting or engage in a debate/roll play of contested ideas in standardized assessment).	25%	n/a
Completion of online activity	Complete a number of online tasks relating to LOs 5 and 6. Tasks will include, for example, select and supply items to build students' knowledge and capacity in the use of standardised tests and related policy issues and/or Loop-based MCQs (created by students and/or the teacher).	25%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Department of Education: 2022, Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027,
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: 2023, Primary Curriculum Framework, https://www.curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/84747851-0581-431b-b4d7-dc6ee850883e/2023-Primary-Framework-ENG-screen.pdf,
Csizmadia, A., Curzon, P., Dorling, M., Humphreys, S., Ng, T., Selby, C., & Woollard, J: 2015, Computational thinking—A guide for teachers,
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: 2007, Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Schools, https://www.curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/2b3eaa53-cb4b-4053-9d71-2d28d9d6c734/Assessment-Guidelines.pdf,

Other Resources

59659, Webinar Series, The Teaching Council, 0, Learning for All Webinar Series, https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/about-us1/learning-for-all-webinar-series/, 59660, Webinar Series, The Teaching Council, 2020, Initial Teacher Education, https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/teacher-education/initial-teacher-education/, 59666, Coding and Computational Thinking Hub, 0, Coding and Computational Thinking Hub, https://www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie/courses-practice/coding-for-teachers/,