Shaun Ferns - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Shaun Ferns
Education and New Developments 2022 – Volume I
The challenges of developing a fully inclusive learning environment were brought to the fore thro... more The challenges of developing a fully inclusive learning environment were brought to the fore through the shift to emergency remote teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic and served to highlight many of the inequalities and deficiencies of meeting learners’ needs in traditional teaching practice. Fortunately, a framework exists to support the enhancement of this teaching space; Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL consists of a set of principles for curriculum development that aims to afford diverse learners equal opportunities to learn by providing more flexible and thus inclusive methods of teaching, learning and assessment. The three core principles of UDL include multiple means of engagement in learning, multiple means of representing information, and multiple means of expressing knowledge. This paper is focused on the present authors’ collective learnings as a peer learning group of university educators participating in the Digital Badge for Universal Design in Teaching and L...
Centre for Higher Education Research, Policy & Practice (CHERPP), 2020
International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship International Conference, 2017
This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher... more This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher education also highlights the benefits of international collaboration to create a piece of work that can be used by Educators all over the world. The demand for the first edition that was released as a hard copy was overwhelming with requests coming from Educators who are constantly looking for new methods and approaches to integrate active learning into their teaching environments.
This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher... more This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher education also highlights the benefits of international collaboration to create a piece of work that can be used by Educators all over the world. The demand for the first edition that was released as a hard copy was overwhelming with requests coming from Educators who are constantly looking for new methods and approaches to integrate active learning into their teaching environments.
This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Information and Communication Technology (... more This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported practices in vocational education at an Irish third level institution. In particular it investigated the opportunities presented and the constraints to the use of ICT with in a vocational educational setting. It also investigated lecturers‘ perceptions and current use of ICT. The research consisted of interviewing six key informants in relation to the factors affecting the use of ICT supported practices for vocational education. These interviews informed the design of the questionnaire that was then given to 19 lecturers involved in vocational education at the selected Irish third level institution. Two focus groups of four lecturers concluded the investigation by discussing the findings from the questionnaires. The research revealed that staff felt that ICT has a positive role to play in education. They find it allows them to gather information, organise it and distribute...
For the purpose of this study, a serious game prototype has been designed and is currently being ... more For the purpose of this study, a serious game prototype has been designed and is currently being developed and tested with construction-based learners, to discover the effectiveness of serious games as educational tools within the industry. Serious games are commonly described as computer and video games that are intended to entertain learners while achieving a primary goal of education and training. Many studies and experiments have been carried out in order to test whether serious games have made it possible to play and learn simultaneously. Although the effectiveness of serious games as teaching and training tools is well established in the literature, some gaps have been identified. These include frameworks to transform traditional learning outcomes to game systems, serious game adoption and data collection, their relevance for affecting attitudinal change and the effectiveness of serious games in the construction sector. This study explores the effectiveness of upskilling train...
In response to recent directives to promote quality energy efficient buildings throughout Europe,... more In response to recent directives to promote quality energy efficient buildings throughout Europe, the EU funded Build UP Skills Ireland (BUSI) project launched a national skills gap analysis of the construction sector in 2011. Generally, the gap that was identified was one of knowledge rather than skills. However, this knowledge is fundamental for the successful implementation of low energy buildings. The BUSI analysis also found that the majority of trainers of construction related crafts lacked the experience and knowledge on the implementation of energy efficient buildings. Consequently, the follow on Build UP Skills QualiBuild project focussed on the development and delivery of a Train the Trainer programme which would address this. The QualiBuild Train the Trainer pilot was designed with a focus on active learning, incorporating a flipped learning model for the delivery of a blended learning programme. This was facilitated by the development of learner manuals for each of the p...
This paper looks at feasibility of creating a piece of software for practical electrical classes ... more This paper looks at feasibility of creating a piece of software for practical electrical classes that engages learners of different learning styles. Traditional practical electrical classes are usually delivered using text based resources, but due in part to the advances in technology it is possible to provide information in a variety of formats. The starting point of this research was to evaluate the preferred learning style of the typical apprentice learner by using a learning style questionnaire based on the Vark model. The Vark model represents four learning styles Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing and Kinaesthetic. The results from the questionnaire then influenced the design of a workshop interface to suit the learner’s particular learning style. The final design was influenced by expert opinion in the area of learning styles as well as subject area experts. The interface was evaluated by 28 electrical apprentices and six lecturers who all agreed that the interface presented a...
International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education
Non-peer-reviewed 0380792 Abstract This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Informa... more Non-peer-reviewed 0380792 Abstract This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported practices in vocational education at an Irish third level institution. In particular it investigated the opportunities presented and the constraints to the use of ICT with in a vocational educational setting. It also investigated lecturers‘ perceptions and current use of ICT. The research consisted of interviewing six key informants in relation to the factors affecting the use of ICT supported practices for vocational education. These interviews informed the design of the questionnaire that was then given to 19 lecturers involved in vocational education at the selected Irish third level institution. Two focus groups of four lecturers concluded the investigation by discussing the findings from the questionnaires. The research revealed that staff felt that ICT has a positive role to play in education. They find it allows them to gather info...
Education and New Developments 2022 – Volume I
The challenges of developing a fully inclusive learning environment were brought to the fore thro... more The challenges of developing a fully inclusive learning environment were brought to the fore through the shift to emergency remote teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic and served to highlight many of the inequalities and deficiencies of meeting learners’ needs in traditional teaching practice. Fortunately, a framework exists to support the enhancement of this teaching space; Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL consists of a set of principles for curriculum development that aims to afford diverse learners equal opportunities to learn by providing more flexible and thus inclusive methods of teaching, learning and assessment. The three core principles of UDL include multiple means of engagement in learning, multiple means of representing information, and multiple means of expressing knowledge. This paper is focused on the present authors’ collective learnings as a peer learning group of university educators participating in the Digital Badge for Universal Design in Teaching and L...
Centre for Higher Education Research, Policy & Practice (CHERPP), 2020
International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship International Conference, 2017
This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher... more This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher education also highlights the benefits of international collaboration to create a piece of work that can be used by Educators all over the world. The demand for the first edition that was released as a hard copy was overwhelming with requests coming from Educators who are constantly looking for new methods and approaches to integrate active learning into their teaching environments.
This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher... more This second publication of the Practical Handbook Series, Technology Tools for Teaching in Higher education also highlights the benefits of international collaboration to create a piece of work that can be used by Educators all over the world. The demand for the first edition that was released as a hard copy was overwhelming with requests coming from Educators who are constantly looking for new methods and approaches to integrate active learning into their teaching environments.
This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Information and Communication Technology (... more This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported practices in vocational education at an Irish third level institution. In particular it investigated the opportunities presented and the constraints to the use of ICT with in a vocational educational setting. It also investigated lecturers‘ perceptions and current use of ICT. The research consisted of interviewing six key informants in relation to the factors affecting the use of ICT supported practices for vocational education. These interviews informed the design of the questionnaire that was then given to 19 lecturers involved in vocational education at the selected Irish third level institution. Two focus groups of four lecturers concluded the investigation by discussing the findings from the questionnaires. The research revealed that staff felt that ICT has a positive role to play in education. They find it allows them to gather information, organise it and distribute...
For the purpose of this study, a serious game prototype has been designed and is currently being ... more For the purpose of this study, a serious game prototype has been designed and is currently being developed and tested with construction-based learners, to discover the effectiveness of serious games as educational tools within the industry. Serious games are commonly described as computer and video games that are intended to entertain learners while achieving a primary goal of education and training. Many studies and experiments have been carried out in order to test whether serious games have made it possible to play and learn simultaneously. Although the effectiveness of serious games as teaching and training tools is well established in the literature, some gaps have been identified. These include frameworks to transform traditional learning outcomes to game systems, serious game adoption and data collection, their relevance for affecting attitudinal change and the effectiveness of serious games in the construction sector. This study explores the effectiveness of upskilling train...
In response to recent directives to promote quality energy efficient buildings throughout Europe,... more In response to recent directives to promote quality energy efficient buildings throughout Europe, the EU funded Build UP Skills Ireland (BUSI) project launched a national skills gap analysis of the construction sector in 2011. Generally, the gap that was identified was one of knowledge rather than skills. However, this knowledge is fundamental for the successful implementation of low energy buildings. The BUSI analysis also found that the majority of trainers of construction related crafts lacked the experience and knowledge on the implementation of energy efficient buildings. Consequently, the follow on Build UP Skills QualiBuild project focussed on the development and delivery of a Train the Trainer programme which would address this. The QualiBuild Train the Trainer pilot was designed with a focus on active learning, incorporating a flipped learning model for the delivery of a blended learning programme. This was facilitated by the development of learner manuals for each of the p...
This paper looks at feasibility of creating a piece of software for practical electrical classes ... more This paper looks at feasibility of creating a piece of software for practical electrical classes that engages learners of different learning styles. Traditional practical electrical classes are usually delivered using text based resources, but due in part to the advances in technology it is possible to provide information in a variety of formats. The starting point of this research was to evaluate the preferred learning style of the typical apprentice learner by using a learning style questionnaire based on the Vark model. The Vark model represents four learning styles Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing and Kinaesthetic. The results from the questionnaire then influenced the design of a workshop interface to suit the learner’s particular learning style. The final design was influenced by expert opinion in the area of learning styles as well as subject area experts. The interface was evaluated by 28 electrical apprentices and six lecturers who all agreed that the interface presented a...
International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education
Non-peer-reviewed 0380792 Abstract This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Informa... more Non-peer-reviewed 0380792 Abstract This case study examines issues surrounding the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported practices in vocational education at an Irish third level institution. In particular it investigated the opportunities presented and the constraints to the use of ICT with in a vocational educational setting. It also investigated lecturers‘ perceptions and current use of ICT. The research consisted of interviewing six key informants in relation to the factors affecting the use of ICT supported practices for vocational education. These interviews informed the design of the questionnaire that was then given to 19 lecturers involved in vocational education at the selected Irish third level institution. Two focus groups of four lecturers concluded the investigation by discussing the findings from the questionnaires. The research revealed that staff felt that ICT has a positive role to play in education. They find it allows them to gather info...