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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Communication and the Teacher
Module Code EDS1050 (ITS: ED1300)
Faculty STEM Ed, Innov, Global Studies School DCU Institute of Education
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Description

This module serves as an introduction to a number of the practical aspects of teaching, learning, and assessment. Students will engage with such foundational considerations as basic personal and interpersonal skills, communication skills, and educational media skills. The module comprises a range of formats, including lectures, practical tutorials in an ICT laboratory, and engagement with asynchronous online interactive learning resources. Students are introduced to the theory and practice of effective communication for use across a range of educational settings (including in-person and online) and with a variety of educational stakeholders (including pupils, parents, colleagues, student teachers, the school principal, school management, co-professionals and the wider community) in order to advance the communicative skills of student-teachers. They develop foundational pedagogical techniques (including explanation, discussion, questioning, use of story) that draw particularly upon these aspects of communication. During Digital Learning tutorials, students engage with a variety of digital technologies and resources relevant to post-primary level, and will develop relevant technical knowledge and skills of a range of digital technologies effectively to facilitate teaching, learning and assessment practices, and to aid pupil learning As part of ED1300 students engage with specially prepared TOP EdTech online asynchronous learning resources, which aim to equip students with the foundational theory and technical skills to manage lessons and teach in synchronous online environments (such as Zoom and Google Meet). Students are also introduced to and explore their Religious Education topics for the Teaching Online Programme and for Microteaching as part of ED1300.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a knowledge and comprehension of the theoretical underpinnings of communication in a variety of forms (verbal, non-verbal, digital, online), and the ability to apply these for educational usage.
2. Develop foundational communication skills for use with the spectrum of educational stakeholders (including pupils, teachers, school management, parents/guardians) in a variety of settings (such as classroom, staffroom, online fora) and across the continuum of teacher education.
3. Appraise and evaluate a variety of digital technologies for teaching, learning and assessment, and apply these as determined with regard to post-primary Religious Education and English/History/Music.
4. Understand, evaluate, and critique forms of assessment (assessment of/for/as learning) and employ these for post-primary level.


WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Lecture24Module Lectures
Independent Study80Independent study (engaging with prescribed reading, exploration of digital technologies, etc).
Clinical laboratory12Digital Learning tutorials
Online activity9Engaging with asynchronous Teaching Online Programme (TOP) EdTech learning resources and activities.
Total Workload: 125
Section Breakdown
CRN10496Part of TermSemester 1
Coursework0%Examination Weight0%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsY
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorEnda DonlonModule Teacher
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Completion of online activityEngagement with Teaching Online Programme (TOP) EdTech asynchronous learning resources and activities, and completion of weekly short assessment/participation tasks.25%As required
Digital ProjectDesign and submission of an infographic (chosen from a prescribed list of topics) with accompanying rationale.75%As required
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

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

Foundational Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Theories/models of communication and their relevance to educational settings. Verbal and non-verbal communication, and foundational communication skills relating to these. Communicating effectively with stakeholders: pupils, parents, colleagues, student teachers, the school principal, school management, co-professionals and the wider community.

Foundational Teaching Strategies
How to effectively use description, questioning, story in lessons.

Educational, Display and Digital Media
Handouts, posters, worksheets - preparation and usage. Use of whiteboards, interactive whiteboards, online whiteboards. Using presentation software (PowerPoint/Google Slides/etc.) in teaching.

Teaching with Images
Searching for and employing copyright compliant and Creative Commons images. 'Power searching' for images. Evaluating images for purposes of teaching, learning, assessment. Pedagogical strategies for teaching with images.

Digital Technologies for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
Using cloud-based technologies for preparation of teaching/learning/assessment resources, and for management of own teaching (e.g. preparation of Taisce) and learning (e.g: Loop Reflect, using Google Drive for collaboration, etc.). Locating and preparing resources for, and teaching with, the Interactive Whiteboard. Issues relating to the use of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment in post-primary education (such as issues of privacy, information security, copyright, online safety).

Introduction to Assessment
Theory and practice of formative, diagnostic, and summative assessment. Application through a variety of formats.

Teaching Online
Theories pertaining to Online Learning (e.g. Community of Inquiry). Using synchronous platforms (e.g. Zoom) for facilitation of online teaching, learning, and assessment. Managing an online lesson. Incorporating additional online services into online teaching.

Introduction to teaching topics for Teaching Online Programme and for Microteaching
Introduction and exploration of Religious Education (RE) topics.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Anderson, M.: 2019, What we say and how we say it matter: Teacher talk that improves student learning and behavior, ASCD, Virginia,
  • Clandfield, L., Hadfield, J.: 2017, Interaction online: Creative activities for blended learning, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
  • Cohen, L., Mannion, L., Morrison, K., & Wyse, D.: 2010, A Guide to Teaching Practice, 5th, Routledge, London,
  • Farrell, T.: 2009, Talking, listening, and teaching : A guide to classroom communication, Corwin, California,
  • Hargie, O.: 2021, Skilled Interpersonal Communication: Research, theory and practice, 7th, Routledge, London,
  • Herring, M. C., Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (Eds.): 2016, Handbook of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) for educators, 2nd, Routledge, New York,
  • Mohan, G., McCoy, S., Carroll, E., Mihut, G., Lyons, S., & Mac Domhnaill, C.,: 2020, Learning for all? Second-level education in Ireland during COVID-19, ESRI, Dublin,
  • Walsh, Brendan and Rose Dolan: 2008, A Guide to Teaching Practice in Ireland, Gill & MacMillan, Dublin,
  • Teaching Council: 2016, Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers, 2nd, Teaching Council, Maynooth,
  • Teaching Council: 2020, Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education, Teaching Council, Maynooth,
  • White, J., & Gardner, J.: 2013, The classroom x-factor: The power of body language and non-verbal communication in teaching, Routledge, London,
  • White, K.W.: 2016, Teacher communication: A guide to relational, organizational, and classroom communication, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham,
  • Witt, P.: 2016, Communication and Learning, De Gruyter Mouton, Boston,


Articles:
  • Donlon, E., Conroy Johnson, M., Doyle, A., McDonald, E., & Sexton, P. J.: 2022, Presence accounted for? Student-teachers establishing and experiencing presence in synchronous online teaching environments, Irish Educational Studies, 40(1), https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2021.2022520, 517659
  • 2021: The role of the teacher as assessor: Developing student teacher’s assessment identity, Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(12), https://10.14221/ajte.2021v46n12.4, 517660, 1
  • Students’ perceptions of verbal and non-verbal communication behaviors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Applied Sciences, 11(18), https://doi.org/10.3390/app11188282, 517661, 1, Farrell, R.
  • Irish Educational Studies: 40(2), https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2021.1910976, 517662, 1, Liu, W., 2021
  • 12: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713978, 517663, 1, McArthur, J., 2021, From classroom to Zoom room: Exploring instructor modifications of visual nonverbal behaviors in synchronous online classrooms
  • https://doi.org/10.1080/17404622.2021.1981959: 517664, 1, Meehan, A., & Laffan, D., 2021, Inclusive second level Religious Education in Ireland today: What do teachers say?, Journal of Religious Education, 69(3),
  • 517665: 1, Rehn, N., Maor, D., & McConney, A., 2016, Investigating teacher presence in courses using synchronous videoconferencing, Distance Education, 37 (3),
  • 1: Sanders, K., & Lokey-Vega, A., 2020, K-12 Community of Inquiry: A case study of the applicability of the Community of Inquiry framework in the K-12 learning environment., Journal of Online Learning Research, 6(1),
  • Scully, D., Lehane, P. & Scully, C.: 2021, ‘It is no longer scary’: Digital learning before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in Irish secondary schools, Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 30(1), https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2020.1854844,
Other Resources

  • 1: Website, Teaching Council Website,
  • 414780: 1, Website, Department of Education and Skills Website,
  • http://www.education.ie: 414781, 1, Website, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment Website
  • http://www.ncca.ie: 414782, 1, Website, Canva Website
  • https://www.canva.com/en_gb/: 414783, 1, Website, Creative Commons Website
  • https://creativecommons.org/: 414784, 1, Website, Pixabay Website
  • https://pixabay.com/: 414785, 1, Website, Unsplash Website
  • https://unsplash.com/: 414786, 1, Website, Blockposters Website
  • https://www.blockposters.com/: 414787, 1, Website, Curriculum Online Website
  • https://www.curriculumonline.ie/Home/: 414788, 1, Website, Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Website
  • https://pdst.ie/: 414789, 1, Website, PDST Technolgy in Education Website
  • https://www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie/:

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