Bettie Higgs | University College Cork (original) (raw)

Papers by Bettie Higgs

Journal of Geography in Higher Education, Sep 4, 2022

Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 2015

Geological Society, London, Special Publications, Oct 12, 2020

Marie Tharp worked all her life as a geoscientist, and for the most part for the recognition and ... more Marie Tharp worked all her life as a geoscientist, and for the most part for the recognition and benefit of her male colleagues. She was employed to assist researchers at Columbia University. Her male colleagues readily used her ingenuity and insights without giving her recognition. Marie tolerated this at first but eventually began to ask for recognition for her own work. Her most influential work was the production of physiographical maps of the ocean floor. During this work, in the 1950s, Marie was the first scientist to realize that there was a large rift running the length of the Atlantic Ocean, and she eventually demonstrated that this rift linked to the East African Rift Valley. Her male colleagues suppressed this discovery for reasons of their own, and 4 years later presented it as their own research. The work caused some key figures in the history of plate tectonics to change the direction of their research. Marie suffered in her career due to rivalries between her male colleagues. It was not until the 1990s that Marie began to be recognized nationally and internationally, and receive awards for her work.

Over the past few years, at University College Cork, the first year Geoscience residential field-... more Over the past few years, at University College Cork, the first year Geoscience residential field-course has broadened its scope to bring in new skills and new perspectives - not only for the students - but also for the staff involved in the undergraduate programme. At the heart of the transformation was the desire to help students discover the interconnectedness of the separate modules they study, and make meaningful connections within the geosciences, and between neighbouring disciplines. Hence, the course was designed to give students multiple opportunities to connect-up their learning. As the course moved from design to enactment, student engagement was monitored, and evidence of 'connection-making' was collected. The results of this study have been published elsewhere (Higgs, 2008; Higgs and Hall, 2008), and so the following short contribution will highlight only additional insights into building capacity for students' integrative learning in the field setting. All of the students (ninety each year) engage in pre-field work preparation. This involves campus- based literature research, and collaborative group work. Each group investigates a different aspect of the geosciences. A large amount of information is built up, and questions are raised, that relate to the field area. Students become primed not only for the geological field work, but also for the valuable peer-learning that is promoted with this approach. As one of the course assignments, each group must link and enhance their campus research with new knowledge gained during the field work. Included in this, groups must identify connections between their work and other disciplines they study in their first year. This brings a level of 'unpredictable learning' which has proved highly desirable, causing students to become more engaged in the academic work, as well as in the social experience that residential courses offer. A learning outcome focused on 'integrative learning' and 'connection making' allows for this breadth of learning, and allays the fears of those who believe that a learning outcomes approach to course design is too restrictive. During the field-based component of the course, the students work in their same collaborative groups, guided by a leader. Traditionally students went into the field with a blank notebook, and were encouraged to make sketches and notes capturing what they observed. Commonly the notebook would capture only what the leader had said, and students could gain a high mark for their ability to do this. Now, a workbook has been introduced to help students through the crucial process of observation, where they must take time to look at a rock exposure or natural feature from multiple perspectives, before recording what they see. Pulling together important aspects of the natural world into a sketch, or a set of brief notes, is the student's first experience of thinking and acting 'like a geologist'. It is an exercise in synthesis. The data collected must then be used in the evening exercise, back at the field base, to reason and justify emerging interpretations. In this setting, students are encouraged to formulate questions, and ask for help. Such opportunities for discussion and reflection proved powerful in beginning to build the student (and staff) attributes identified as necessary for integrative learning (Huber and Hutchings, 2004; Higgs, Kilcommins and Ryan, this volume). The evidence waiting to be uncovered and discovered in the 'natural laboratory' of the geoscientist allows multiple opportunities to connect with other disciplines. The intentionally designed opportunities in this course were built around concepts in geophysics, geochemistry, palaeontology, geography, the history of science, and community engineering projects, to name but a few. Some students engaged more than others, but data showed that the overall level of engagement for everyone increased. One set of data that was collected stemmed from a questionnaire asking students to report on 'how they learn best'. The data before and after the field component showed interesting differences. Before the field work began, students had a narrow perception of how they learn, with examples being heavily dependent on the 'lecturer' and good note-taking. At the end of this field-based module, a much broader appreciation of ways of learning was apparent (Figure 1). For example, Figure 1 shows that two explicitly integrative skills, drawing on existing knowledge and questioning, have a relatively high importance. Yet on the first evening of the field course, only two students included 'questioning' in their 'how do I learn best' responses. Figure 1 also shows that the first-years students had recognised the importance of peer- learning, and challenged their previous feeling of dependence on the lecturer. Data sets such as these give leaders insights into skills that could be practiced and enhanced in the second year of…

ISSOTL has hosted two International Collaborative Writing Groups (ICWGs) since 2012 involving ove... more ISSOTL has hosted two International Collaborative Writing Groups (ICWGs) since 2012 involving over 125 scholars from over 15 countries contributing to two special issues of Teaching, Learning and Inquiry . The ICWG are becoming a ‘signature pedagogy’ for how ISSoTL operates as an international community of practice. This 90 minute panel will explore the stories of the facilitators, leaders, participants and students engaged in the ICWGs, analyse what the evidence of these experiences tell us, and discuss the implications for the development of future international, national and institutional collaborative writing groups. Evidence was gathered via questionnaires, focus groups and interviews at differing times throughout the experience. A tightly structured yet highly interactive plenary is proposed to give voices to participants with different roles in the process alongside two more substantive presentations of key research findings followed by implications for future ICWGs.

The Arts provides us with multi- modal, flexible ways of creating and appreciating the world (Vee... more The Arts provides us with multi- modal, flexible ways of creating and appreciating the world (Veenema, Hetland & Chalfen, 1997). Arts programmes also teach a specific set of skills rarely addressed elsewhere in the curriculum (Bryce- Heath, 1999); these not only relate to the technical and artistic skills of the discipline in question, but also include visual- spatial abilities, reflection, critique and the willingness to experiment and learn from one’s mistakes (Winner, Hetland, Sheridan & Veenema, 2007). In an educational context, the Arts provide fruitful entry points to learning and understanding across the disciplines (Gardner, 1999a & b). Founded on the principle that the arts are cognitive and afford distinct ways of knowing (Tishman & Wise, 1999), much of the work of Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education has its roots in the Arts, which provide powerful ways of making meaning and connect, therefore, with major theories of teaching and learning (Veenema, He...

Visual Practices Across the University, 2007

Calls for reform in assessment and feedback practice stress the need to keep pace with current pe... more Calls for reform in assessment and feedback practice stress the need to keep pace with current pedagogical, cultural and technological developments affecting teaching and learning (JISC, 2010). As educators we are urged to shift our focus from assessment of learning to assessment for learning. A systematic review of peer-reviewed scholarly journals was carried out to investigate how current practitioners are using technology to change assessment and feedback practice. Drawing upon studies from JISC (2010) Effective Assessment in a Digital Age and using the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition) Model of Puentedura (2010), insights were gained into how technology is being used to transform assessment and the way students learn. The majority of articles investigated reported interventions where technology was used to replicate traditional assessment and feedback approaches. However, 46% of articles showed evidence of intentional task redesign and redefinition...

The Irish Integrative Learning Project (IILP) was developed as a NAIRTL-funded, multi-institution... more The Irish Integrative Learning Project (IILP) was developed as a NAIRTL-funded, multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary research project to promote small-scale initiatives that foster integrative learning in higher education institutions in Ireland. One of the aims of the project was the development of a learning community of integrative teachers who would investigate and document examples of integrative learning in higher education, and produce clear and practical resources for all teachers. The specific objectives of the IILP were to identify whether integrative learning was taking place in our campuses and to document examples of programmes/courses/activities that are designed intentionally to build students' capacity to be integrative thinkers and learners. In addition, as project leaders, we wanted to further develop curricular and pedagogic resources to help other teachers bring the theory and practice of integrative learning into their classrooms and communities. We wanted to grow the integrative learning educational capacity, nationally and internationally, through high quality, research-focused teaching initiatives that could act as stimuli for further understandings of integrative learning. Finally, we were conscious from the outset, of the need for systematic, reliable and relevant data collection that would allow us to describe, share, discuss and disseminate during the design, planning, implementation, evaluation and reporting stages of the project. In this concluding chapter, we ask whether we have achieved our aims. The Outcomes Logic Model (OLM) was developed by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (2001) to serve as a platform for systematic ways of presenting a planned programme with its underlying assumptions and theoretical framework. In this era of scientific education, research funding bodies are demanding evermore transparency and accountability, in addition to evidence of effectiveness and efficiency and good educational practices. For these reasons, we used the OLM to provide a structured, systematic approach to developing, implementing and evaluating the IILP. At our inaugural meeting, we used the OLM framework to clarify our objectives, and guide participants through the structure and purpose of the project. At subsequent meetings, it was used to document to what extent proposed outcomes had been achieved. Our OLM table consisted of five columns (Table 1), derived from three broad themes: Antecedents (the Context, Stakeholders and Resources of the project); Process (the Activities needed to implement the project) and Evaluation (the Outputs, Outcomes and Impacts of the project). In the first column of the OLM table we explored and deliberated on our understandings and shared meanings of the concepts of integrative learning. We decided what the project was intended to deliver and what impact, in the long term, it is intended to create. We were aware of the importance of having a priori measurable research outcomes for the IILP. We revisited the OLM framework regularly, to ensure we were on target. Time and again we reminded ourselves of the need to collect data and to distinguish between outputs, outcomes and impact. The OLM encouraged us to frequently clarify the objectives of the project: what exactly we were trying to achieve and how we could measure the impact. We used our collaborators' workshops to build a shared meaning of integrative learning as a theoretical concept, to list the key attributes of an integrative learner, and to explore the implications and potential practical frameworks for curriculum design. This allowed us to discuss and collate the proposed disciplinary research projects, to identify meaningful and measurable outcomes and to establish timelines. We noted that integrative learning involves a curriculum design and delivery approach that is intended to have participants fully engaged in practical and breakthrough learning that sticks, and engages the body, mind, heart, and spirit of the learners. It comes in many varieties: connecting skills and knowledge from multiple sources and experiences; applying theory to practice in various settings; uti

html), sections 51 and 52. Any specific query in relation to such usage should be referred to the... more html), sections 51 and 52. Any specific query in relation to such usage should be referred to the individual authors. While every effort has been made to contact owners of copyrighted material, we apologise to any copyright holders whose rights we may have unwittingly infringed.

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) have recently named Integrative... more The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) have recently named Integrative Learning as one of the four main goals of Higher Education in the USA. In the UK, a Centre for Integrative Learning received a £4.5 million grant to promote students’ integrative learning. Yet, integrative learning, as a concept, is largely unknown in Ireland.The presentation asks “is a focus on Integrative Learning necessary in the Irish context?” and concludes that it is needed now more than ever.The authors have carried out research in Ireland and the UK over the past 5 years, where a growing number of examples of good practice have been documented. A synthesis of seventy recent projects which promote integrative learning has revealed some key characteristics. Undoubtedly integrative learning took place before the term was ever coined, but by defining the term and making the work visible, teachers’ assumptions and perceptions about student learning have been tested. From this work the effect on student learning is becoming evident. It is interesting to note that teachers themselves report transformations in their own approach to teaching.This presentation will give the background to the development of the concept, and give examples of practice under the headings of· Curriculum design· Pedagogy· Assessment· Staff developmentConclusions drawn from a joint symposium on Integrative Learning, held in the University of Nottingham in March 2010, will be presented.

In Ireland, the research-teaching nexus debate led to the establishment of the National Academy f... more In Ireland, the research-teaching nexus debate led to the establishment of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning in 2007. This is an inter-institutional collaboration, led by University College Cork, that serves all higher education institutions. Initially, the language of the integration of research, teaching and learning (IRTL) was not highly developed. Five years on, and very much influenced by Boyer’s (1990) definitions of scholarship, and the work of Healey and Jenkins (2005), Brew (2006) and others, the multiple strands of IRTL have been teased out, expanded and clearly articulated. Analysis of the language used in grant applications, and award nominations over the five year period has been carried out, to detect any changes that have occurred. This paper will present the results of this analysis. Implications for future national and international collaborations will be discussed.

Background: The resources, needs and implementation activities of educational projects are often ... more Background: The resources, needs and implementation activities of educational projects are often straightforward to document, especially if objectives are clear. However, developing appropriate metrics and indicators of outcomes and performance is not only challenging but is often overlooked in the excitement of project design and implementation. The authors will show how this problem can been addressed using the IILP as an example. The goals of this NAIRTL-funded project are to help students become integrative thinkers and learners. Educational capacity is being addressed through 14 multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary teaching initiatives to act as stimuli for furthering Integrative Learning in Ireland. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how OLM can help develop clarity of thinking and targets in educational projects. Method: OLM is a systematic visual way to present a planned programme with its underlying assumptions and theoretical framework. OLM allows us to describe, share, discuss and improve programme theory, in words and pictures. It can be used at any stage, during design, planning, implementation, evaluation and reporting. It can strengthen the case for programme investment (grants). It can also reflect group processes and change over time. Results: We will present our completed OLM for the IILP using the OLM framework. While outputs are relatively easy to develop, measureable short and long-term outcomes pose significant challenges.

While the scholarship of teaching and learning is yet to become a mainstream activity across Irel... more While the scholarship of teaching and learning is yet to become a mainstream activity across Ireland, it and the attendant three approaches for integrating research, teaching and learning are becoming more evident across the third level sector. As described by Jenkins and Healey (2005), the integration of research, teaching and learning takes four main forms: Research-led teaching and learning, whereby research findings are used to inform the curriculum; Researchoriented teaching and learning whereby the curriculum emphasises the processes by which knowledge is produced in the field; Research-based teaching and learning whereby students are engaged in authentic research; and Research-informed teaching and learning whereby the curriculum is informed by a systematic inquiry into the teaching and learning process itself. The Irish National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) has encouraged, supported and rewarded efforts by Higher Education staff to engage with this continuum of inquiry into teaching and learning within their academic research, and has achieved this primarily through its Grants Initiative. A key challenge for NAIRTL is supporting the nascent communities of practice arising from projects supported by the Grants Initiative, and encouraging the dissemination of the resulting tools and new knowledge. NAIRTL has disbursed more than €1.2 million over four years to support 161 projects, two thirds of which are collaborative. The outputs of these projects include the development of innovative teaching tools, the creation of new academic learning communities, and the sharing of new thinking and research on teaching and learning approaches through journal articles, presentations, handbooks and online publications amongst many other examples. Using three NAIRTL funded projects as case studies, this paper will explore methods to support local good practices to become more mainstream, embedded activities. The paper will include reflections on the particular contexts, institutional and national, for supporting communities ofpractice and encouraging the dissemination and repurposing of outputs, and will also identify the challenges encountered and lessons learned along the way. Preliminary analysis suggests that growing from local good practice to a national activity requires three elements: (1) small, enthusiastic inter-institutional working groups comprised of key actors/decision makers, (2) well designed work plans with clear deliverables and deadlines, (3) a common purpose/focus, thus encouraging collegiality and the sharing of resources and experiences.

Journal of Geography in Higher Education, Sep 4, 2022

Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 2015

Geological Society, London, Special Publications, Oct 12, 2020

Visual Practices Across the University, 2007

This third part contains these chapters: 17 Anatomy: Fluorescence Microscopy 18 Aerodynamics: ... more This third part contains these chapters:

17 Anatomy: Fluorescence Microscopy
18 Aerodynamics: Video Analysis of Pigeon Flight
19 Mathematics: Visual Solutions to a Logic Problem
20 Applied Social Studies: Masks in Social Work
21 Pathology: Diagnosis of a Kidney Disease
22 Epigraphy: Three-Dimensional Laser Scanning of Inscribed Stones
23 Geochemistry: Deformation of Grains in Sandstone
24 Food Science: Electrophoresis Gels of Cheddar Cheese 25 Zoology: Automated Recognition of Individual Cetaceans
26 Art History: Political Meanings of John Heartfield’s Photographs
27 Microbiology: Visualizing Viruses
28 Oceanography: Imaging the Sea Bed Using Side-Scanning Sonar
29 Philosophy: Arabic and Russian Visual Tropes
30 Legal pedagogy: Teaching Visual Rhetoric to Law Students

This file also contains the Afterword, which is an essay on the politics of publishing in different countries. In the Afterword, I justify my choice of a German publisher, and write about which presses are considered appropriate for young scholars in the U.S., U.K., and German-speaking countries. The politics is a sensitive issue, and as far as I know it hasn't been addressed elsewhere.