Chrisler, Johnston, Champagne, and Preston (1994) reported that the title of the Menstrual Joy Qu... more Chrisler, Johnston, Champagne, and Preston (1994) reported that the title of the Menstrual Joy Questionnaire (MJQ) could prime participants to report positive changes on the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) and greater endorsement of “menstruation as a natural event” on the Menstrual Attitudes Questionnaire (MAQ). This study is a partial replication in which the questionnaire titles were removed in order to see if the MJQ items alone could replicate these priming effects. One hundred women participated: half completed the MJQ and the MAQ in the first week followed by the MDQ and the MAQ the second. The other half completed the MDQ and MAQ first followed by the MJQ and MAQ. Those who completed the MJQ first scored significantly higher on the “menstruation as a natural event” subscale of the MAQ. They also scored higher on the arousal subscale of the MDQ, although this trend did not quite reach significance. These findings suggest that the MJQ items alone are sufficient to produ...
In Higher Education, science and health degree programmes involve significant practical elements.... more In Higher Education, science and health degree programmes involve significant practical elements. In many cases, students spend as much time in practical or clinical skill sessions each week as they do in classroom based lectures. These hands-on sessions engage students, develop both soft and technical skills, while allowing theory to be put into practice. However, in many cases, the design, assessment and feedback aspects of practical sessions has not received the attention warranted, with traditional approaches often persisting. This paper discusses a nationally funded, multi-institution enhancement project focused on implementing and evaluating digital technologies to enhance assessment in science and health practical sessions. Via an initial baseline analysis, four thematic areas were identified for pilot development: [1] Pre-practical videos combined with online/app quizzes, [2] Electronic lab notebooks, [3] Digital Feedback and [4] Rubrics. In collaboration with student p...
Journal of university teaching and learning practice, 2020
Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of academic reading, much research tends... more Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of academic reading, much research tends to focus on academic writing. The role of academic writing in the development of academic and professional identities is generally accepted. In contrast, the role of academic reading has been less visible in the literature, and when discussed, it tends to be conceptualised as a generic skill. In this paper, we explore the role of reading in emergent academic identities in undergraduates. We reflect on research with our own Nursing and Midwifery students that highlighted the role of reading in the development of ‘writing capital.’ Drawing on this and wider evidence we explore how, through academic reading, students begin to recognise, and then participate in the scholarly conversations that construct knowledge within disciplines. We argue that academic reading, like academic writing, is a complex ongoing process that involves multiple transitions, rather than a skill that can, and should...
AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2015
High module failure rates can lead to poor student retention and a need exists for improved under... more High module failure rates can lead to poor student retention and a need exists for improved understanding of the determinants to academic performance. This research examines the influence of a number of factors on academic performance among Level 7 Engineering students in Dundalk Institute of Technology over a four year period. Using statistical regression techniques age-group, attendance, marks available for continuous assessment, class-size, semester of study and year of study were investigated. Statistical evaluations based on a sample set of 1263 identified that mature students, students with positive levels of attendance and modules with high levels of continuous assessment marks appear to result in better performance. It is envisaged that this work will contribute significant data to the limited knowledge base in this area especially in terms of engineering education. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that continuous assessment activities, which take ...
AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2013
Increasingly evidence indicates that students' engagement with academic writing and their wi... more Increasingly evidence indicates that students' engagement with academic writing and their wider approaches to study are influenced by their beliefs about themselves as writers. To provide effective support for academic writing, an understanding of these beliefs, particularly in the first year, is essential. This study sought to examine beliefs about writing held by first year students in a department of Nursing, midwifery & Health Studies, the relationships between these beliefs and their associations with learning strategies. First- year students were surveyed at 3 points over the first-year. They completed measures of academic reading and writing self-efficacy, authorial identity, learning strategies and the extent to which they saw themselves as novice writers. Findings revealed that, typically, our students had fairly positive beliefs about their writing, although there was considerable variability. Beliefs were associated with student characteristics: mature students...
AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2016
The Y1Feedback Project is a multi-institutional learning and teaching enhancement project that ai... more The Y1Feedback Project is a multi-institutional learning and teaching enhancement project that aims to support the transition to Higher Education by using digital technologies to enhance feedback in the first year. The project is funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in HE under the 2014 Enhancement fund. This paper outlines the project development and progress, with particular focus on identification of the feedback approaches that we are developing case studies of as part of this initiative. Although the project is not complete, the outcome of initial evaluations is reported and we reflect on the process and challenges encountered.
This chapter reviews the ways in which cognitive performance is influenced by biological rhythms,... more This chapter reviews the ways in which cognitive performance is influenced by biological rhythms, including both circadian (about 24 hours) and ultradian (more than 24 hours) rhythms in humans. The chapter begins with a summary and description of biological rhythms, entrainment of circadian rhythms, and the function of circadian clocks. We then review the research exploring numerous factors influencing cognition, including both awakening and time-of-day effects on cognitive performance, the sleep-wake cycle, shift work, jet lag, fatigue, and the menstrual cycle. The chapter aims to provide a clear explanation of the latest research on all of these topics, and suggests ways by which our understanding of this research can be applied within a range of settings, including the workplace environment, in understanding health and illness, and in our general day-to-day activities. The chapter concludes with a summary and a list of key points.
METHODS (TEAM) TO HEALTH AND SCIENCE PRACTICAL SETTINGS; BRINGING DIGITAL SKILLS TO LABORATORY AN... more METHODS (TEAM) TO HEALTH AND SCIENCE PRACTICAL SETTINGS; BRINGING DIGITAL SKILLS TO LABORATORY AND CLINICAL SKILL SESSIONS. Ronan Bree 1 , Edel Healy 1 , Moira Maguire 1 ; Don Faller 2 , Nuala Harding 2 , Ann Mulvihill 2 ; Dina Brazil 3 , David Dowling 3 , Yvonne Kavanagh 3 , Gina Noonan 3 ; Akinlolu Akande 4 , David Doyle 4 , Jeremy Bird 4 . 1 Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dundalk, Louth, Ireland. 2 Athlone Institute of Technology, Athlone, Westmeath, Ireland. 3 Institute of Technology, Carlow, Carlow, Ireland. 4 Institute of Technology, Sligo, Sligo, Ireland
The Irish Higher Education sector has experienced a variety of key policy developments in the rec... more The Irish Higher Education sector has experienced a variety of key policy developments in the recent past. The publication of a ‘National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030’ was followed by the establishment of the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (NFETL) and the subsequent publication of ‘A Roadmap for Enhancement in a Digital World’ 2015–2017. In tandem, the National Forum devised the first national enhancement theme ‘Teaching for Transition’ and more recently ‘Assessment for, as and of Learning’ with research funding allocated. This paper will discuss two current national educational research projects that focus on the development of digital pedagogy. The first focuses on supporting transition through enhancing feedback in first year using digital technologies. Y1Feedback is a two-year (2015–2017) multi-institutional change project involving two universities and two institutes of technology (IoTs). Informed by both an analysis of current assessment a...
Data analysis is central to credible qualitative research. Indeed the qualitative researcher is o... more Data analysis is central to credible qualitative research. Indeed the qualitative researcher is often described as the research instrument insofar as his or her ability to understand, describe and interpret experiences and perceptions is key to uncovering meaning in particular circumstances and contexts. While much has been written about qualitative analysis from a theoretical perspective we noticed that often novice, and even more experienced researchers, grapple with the ‘how’ of qualitative analysis. Here we draw on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework and apply it in a systematic manner to describe and explain the process of analysis within the context of learning and teaching research. We illustrate the process using a worked example based on (with permission) a short extract from a focus group interview, conducted with undergraduate students.
The transition to Higher Education, while often exciting, is demanding for many students. Success... more The transition to Higher Education, while often exciting, is demanding for many students. Successful transition necessitates learning the conventions of scholarly conversation, including how to read and create work in an academic context. Knowledge of academic literacy practices is an important part of this process but these discourses and practices are often unfamiliar to students and this has implications for the development of academic identities. In this article, we report on an institution-wide initiative between librarians, lecturers and learning developers, designed to raise awareness of the role of feedback in developing academic literacies. While the rate of participation was low this initiative offered a space outside the formal curriculum and assessment processes to engage with students about feedback. The associated publicity raised the profile of feedback internally and offered valuable opportunities to open conversations about feedback with students and staff. The evol...
Despite considerable efforts across the Higher Education (HE) sector to promote academic writing,... more Despite considerable efforts across the Higher Education (HE) sector to promote academic writing, concerns continue to be raised about standards. While a considerable body of research exists on academic writing, the relationship between the curriculum and academic writing has not been explored in depth. In light of the current level of concern about academic literacy standards (Department of Education and Skills, 2011), coupled with the publication of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Hunt, 2011), it is appropriate that we analyse how we are addressing academic writing within our curricula. In this paper we examine our own undergraduate curricula in Nursing and Health Disciplines and critically reflect on aspects that may facilitate or hinder the development of academic writing. Suggestions are made for ways in which ‘space’ can be created within the curriculum for academic writing to be fostered.
ABSTRACTThis is a cross institution project involving four Institutes of Technology in Ireland. T... more ABSTRACTThis is a cross institution project involving four Institutes of Technology in Ireland. The objective of this project is to assess the use of technology to enhance the assessment of laboratory sessions in Science and Health. In science, health and engineering, the laboratory sessions are at the core of the learning process for skill development. These laboratory sessions focus on the skills acquisition. The Irish Institute of Technology sector, in particular, develops these skills and considers them essential for ‘professionally ready’ graduates. In terms of student progression and retention, the assessment structure has been identified as having a significant impact on student engagement.The Technology Enhanced Assessment Methods (TEAM) project led by Dundalk Institute of Technology and partnering with Institute of Technology Sligo, Athlone Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow is exploring the potential offered by digital technologies to address these ...
Chrisler, Johnston, Champagne, and Preston (1994) reported that the title of the Menstrual Joy Qu... more Chrisler, Johnston, Champagne, and Preston (1994) reported that the title of the Menstrual Joy Questionnaire (MJQ) could prime participants to report positive changes on the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) and greater endorsement of “menstruation as a natural event” on the Menstrual Attitudes Questionnaire (MAQ). This study is a partial replication in which the questionnaire titles were removed in order to see if the MJQ items alone could replicate these priming effects. One hundred women participated: half completed the MJQ and the MAQ in the first week followed by the MDQ and the MAQ the second. The other half completed the MDQ and MAQ first followed by the MJQ and MAQ. Those who completed the MJQ first scored significantly higher on the “menstruation as a natural event” subscale of the MAQ. They also scored higher on the arousal subscale of the MDQ, although this trend did not quite reach significance. These findings suggest that the MJQ items alone are sufficient to produ...
In Higher Education, science and health degree programmes involve significant practical elements.... more In Higher Education, science and health degree programmes involve significant practical elements. In many cases, students spend as much time in practical or clinical skill sessions each week as they do in classroom based lectures. These hands-on sessions engage students, develop both soft and technical skills, while allowing theory to be put into practice. However, in many cases, the design, assessment and feedback aspects of practical sessions has not received the attention warranted, with traditional approaches often persisting. This paper discusses a nationally funded, multi-institution enhancement project focused on implementing and evaluating digital technologies to enhance assessment in science and health practical sessions. Via an initial baseline analysis, four thematic areas were identified for pilot development: [1] Pre-practical videos combined with online/app quizzes, [2] Electronic lab notebooks, [3] Digital Feedback and [4] Rubrics. In collaboration with student p...
Journal of university teaching and learning practice, 2020
Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of academic reading, much research tends... more Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of academic reading, much research tends to focus on academic writing. The role of academic writing in the development of academic and professional identities is generally accepted. In contrast, the role of academic reading has been less visible in the literature, and when discussed, it tends to be conceptualised as a generic skill. In this paper, we explore the role of reading in emergent academic identities in undergraduates. We reflect on research with our own Nursing and Midwifery students that highlighted the role of reading in the development of ‘writing capital.’ Drawing on this and wider evidence we explore how, through academic reading, students begin to recognise, and then participate in the scholarly conversations that construct knowledge within disciplines. We argue that academic reading, like academic writing, is a complex ongoing process that involves multiple transitions, rather than a skill that can, and should...
AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2015
High module failure rates can lead to poor student retention and a need exists for improved under... more High module failure rates can lead to poor student retention and a need exists for improved understanding of the determinants to academic performance. This research examines the influence of a number of factors on academic performance among Level 7 Engineering students in Dundalk Institute of Technology over a four year period. Using statistical regression techniques age-group, attendance, marks available for continuous assessment, class-size, semester of study and year of study were investigated. Statistical evaluations based on a sample set of 1263 identified that mature students, students with positive levels of attendance and modules with high levels of continuous assessment marks appear to result in better performance. It is envisaged that this work will contribute significant data to the limited knowledge base in this area especially in terms of engineering education. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that continuous assessment activities, which take ...
AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2013
Increasingly evidence indicates that students' engagement with academic writing and their wi... more Increasingly evidence indicates that students' engagement with academic writing and their wider approaches to study are influenced by their beliefs about themselves as writers. To provide effective support for academic writing, an understanding of these beliefs, particularly in the first year, is essential. This study sought to examine beliefs about writing held by first year students in a department of Nursing, midwifery & Health Studies, the relationships between these beliefs and their associations with learning strategies. First- year students were surveyed at 3 points over the first-year. They completed measures of academic reading and writing self-efficacy, authorial identity, learning strategies and the extent to which they saw themselves as novice writers. Findings revealed that, typically, our students had fairly positive beliefs about their writing, although there was considerable variability. Beliefs were associated with student characteristics: mature students...
AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2016
The Y1Feedback Project is a multi-institutional learning and teaching enhancement project that ai... more The Y1Feedback Project is a multi-institutional learning and teaching enhancement project that aims to support the transition to Higher Education by using digital technologies to enhance feedback in the first year. The project is funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in HE under the 2014 Enhancement fund. This paper outlines the project development and progress, with particular focus on identification of the feedback approaches that we are developing case studies of as part of this initiative. Although the project is not complete, the outcome of initial evaluations is reported and we reflect on the process and challenges encountered.
This chapter reviews the ways in which cognitive performance is influenced by biological rhythms,... more This chapter reviews the ways in which cognitive performance is influenced by biological rhythms, including both circadian (about 24 hours) and ultradian (more than 24 hours) rhythms in humans. The chapter begins with a summary and description of biological rhythms, entrainment of circadian rhythms, and the function of circadian clocks. We then review the research exploring numerous factors influencing cognition, including both awakening and time-of-day effects on cognitive performance, the sleep-wake cycle, shift work, jet lag, fatigue, and the menstrual cycle. The chapter aims to provide a clear explanation of the latest research on all of these topics, and suggests ways by which our understanding of this research can be applied within a range of settings, including the workplace environment, in understanding health and illness, and in our general day-to-day activities. The chapter concludes with a summary and a list of key points.
METHODS (TEAM) TO HEALTH AND SCIENCE PRACTICAL SETTINGS; BRINGING DIGITAL SKILLS TO LABORATORY AN... more METHODS (TEAM) TO HEALTH AND SCIENCE PRACTICAL SETTINGS; BRINGING DIGITAL SKILLS TO LABORATORY AND CLINICAL SKILL SESSIONS. Ronan Bree 1 , Edel Healy 1 , Moira Maguire 1 ; Don Faller 2 , Nuala Harding 2 , Ann Mulvihill 2 ; Dina Brazil 3 , David Dowling 3 , Yvonne Kavanagh 3 , Gina Noonan 3 ; Akinlolu Akande 4 , David Doyle 4 , Jeremy Bird 4 . 1 Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dundalk, Louth, Ireland. 2 Athlone Institute of Technology, Athlone, Westmeath, Ireland. 3 Institute of Technology, Carlow, Carlow, Ireland. 4 Institute of Technology, Sligo, Sligo, Ireland
The Irish Higher Education sector has experienced a variety of key policy developments in the rec... more The Irish Higher Education sector has experienced a variety of key policy developments in the recent past. The publication of a ‘National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030’ was followed by the establishment of the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (NFETL) and the subsequent publication of ‘A Roadmap for Enhancement in a Digital World’ 2015–2017. In tandem, the National Forum devised the first national enhancement theme ‘Teaching for Transition’ and more recently ‘Assessment for, as and of Learning’ with research funding allocated. This paper will discuss two current national educational research projects that focus on the development of digital pedagogy. The first focuses on supporting transition through enhancing feedback in first year using digital technologies. Y1Feedback is a two-year (2015–2017) multi-institutional change project involving two universities and two institutes of technology (IoTs). Informed by both an analysis of current assessment a...
Data analysis is central to credible qualitative research. Indeed the qualitative researcher is o... more Data analysis is central to credible qualitative research. Indeed the qualitative researcher is often described as the research instrument insofar as his or her ability to understand, describe and interpret experiences and perceptions is key to uncovering meaning in particular circumstances and contexts. While much has been written about qualitative analysis from a theoretical perspective we noticed that often novice, and even more experienced researchers, grapple with the ‘how’ of qualitative analysis. Here we draw on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework and apply it in a systematic manner to describe and explain the process of analysis within the context of learning and teaching research. We illustrate the process using a worked example based on (with permission) a short extract from a focus group interview, conducted with undergraduate students.
The transition to Higher Education, while often exciting, is demanding for many students. Success... more The transition to Higher Education, while often exciting, is demanding for many students. Successful transition necessitates learning the conventions of scholarly conversation, including how to read and create work in an academic context. Knowledge of academic literacy practices is an important part of this process but these discourses and practices are often unfamiliar to students and this has implications for the development of academic identities. In this article, we report on an institution-wide initiative between librarians, lecturers and learning developers, designed to raise awareness of the role of feedback in developing academic literacies. While the rate of participation was low this initiative offered a space outside the formal curriculum and assessment processes to engage with students about feedback. The associated publicity raised the profile of feedback internally and offered valuable opportunities to open conversations about feedback with students and staff. The evol...
Despite considerable efforts across the Higher Education (HE) sector to promote academic writing,... more Despite considerable efforts across the Higher Education (HE) sector to promote academic writing, concerns continue to be raised about standards. While a considerable body of research exists on academic writing, the relationship between the curriculum and academic writing has not been explored in depth. In light of the current level of concern about academic literacy standards (Department of Education and Skills, 2011), coupled with the publication of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Hunt, 2011), it is appropriate that we analyse how we are addressing academic writing within our curricula. In this paper we examine our own undergraduate curricula in Nursing and Health Disciplines and critically reflect on aspects that may facilitate or hinder the development of academic writing. Suggestions are made for ways in which ‘space’ can be created within the curriculum for academic writing to be fostered.
ABSTRACTThis is a cross institution project involving four Institutes of Technology in Ireland. T... more ABSTRACTThis is a cross institution project involving four Institutes of Technology in Ireland. The objective of this project is to assess the use of technology to enhance the assessment of laboratory sessions in Science and Health. In science, health and engineering, the laboratory sessions are at the core of the learning process for skill development. These laboratory sessions focus on the skills acquisition. The Irish Institute of Technology sector, in particular, develops these skills and considers them essential for ‘professionally ready’ graduates. In terms of student progression and retention, the assessment structure has been identified as having a significant impact on student engagement.The Technology Enhanced Assessment Methods (TEAM) project led by Dundalk Institute of Technology and partnering with Institute of Technology Sligo, Athlone Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow is exploring the potential offered by digital technologies to address these ...
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Papers by Moira Maguire