Graduate Information Skills

Abstract

It is one of six modules within the SIF (Strategic Innovative Fund) funded Generic Skills Project for PHDS. The Generic Skills Project itself was just one strand within others Supporting the development of 4th level education in Ireland.

The Graduate Information Skills module is a collaborative project led by NUI Galway with partners Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork. It is aimed at PHDS but Masters Research and post-docs will find the module of benefit too. The module is developed to offer both an online and face-to-face environment and be customizable with eLearning environments.

Project launched in 2007 and has a three year cycle. We agreed to outsource online development and after a tendering process a company called eMedia were awarded the contract.

We have piloted full content to PHDS in the three institutions involved and have reviewed feed-back received from attendees. We have also met with module presenters and authors to review their feed-back. The initial content while generic to all PHDS has Science Technology Medicine specific examples.

We have complete Online content and module is being offered locally for face-to-face credited teaching. The module has in all units Learning Outcomes and is intended to be fully credited and evaluated for module completion.

Funds allowing we would hope to develop Humanities specific content, add units such as on Writing Skills etc.

We feel the module has created very good blended learning opportunities and is offered to students in a very contemporary design format. In an Irish context we feel the module offers a national resource that could be used by other institutions.