RPL practical Workshop for providers/practitioners

• Recap: What is RPL (including RPEL and RPCL)?
• The four stages of RPL and the practitioner skills required for each stage
• Quality Assuring the RPL process
• Designing RPL assessment briefs
• Introduction to rubrics and creating RPL grading rubrics
• Mapping of learning outcomes.
The focus of the session is on the practical skills required to be an RPL Mentor and/or Assessor and is also an opportunity to connect with colleagues who are developing their skills in this area.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by:
Patsy Hogan, Quality Assurance Officer, Limerick and Clare ETB. Patsy has been actively involved in the RPL space for a number of years. She has been instrumental in placing Limerick and Clare ETB at the forefront of RPL practice in Ireland. Patsy has developed a RPL professional development course which is run internally in her ETB and has also been attended by colleagues from other ETBs. She has also taken a lead role in RPL policy development, promotion, support and awareness both in her own ETB and in national and European projects.

Anne Higgins, Independent Consultant. Anne has worked across Further Education and Higher Education for many years, in both teaching and managerial roles. Her most recent role was Quality Assurance Co-ordinator with Galway and Roscommon ETB. She has extensive experience in the delivery and assessment of programmes, and as an External Authenticator. Anne is a former Convenor, of the RPL Practitioner Network National Steering Group and continues to be active in the implementation of RPL initiatives regionally and nationally.

Caroline Goode, RPL Support Officer, Limerick and Clare ETB. Caroline joined Limerick and Clare ETB as the first person to be employed in a full-time RPL role in the organisation. She initially acted as RPL Mentor for the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship and successfully mentored eight applicants through RPL for certification of the Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Hairdressing major award. Caroline is now working in a developmental capacity supporting Provision in the ETB in their RPL practice.

Siobhan Magee, FESS

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Wednesday, 20th September 2023
10.00 – 16.00 
Location: Athlone Education Centre, Moydrum Road, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. N37 HO43

Addressing the Big Issues of Staff & Team Dynamics

Looking at what it takes to create high functioning leadership teams that impact on learner achievement & understanding learner group dynamics and how this influences pedagogy.
• Understanding the team learning experience, drawing from group theory (team development, team roles, etc)
• Understanding interplay of life experiences, belief systems and the workspace
• Introducing the importance of Conflict and the art of the Courageous Conversation.

This interactive workshop will appeal to those working in FET who have a responsibility for teams of staff or learners.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: Passionate about groups, diversity and leadership, Chartered Psychologist, Caroline Martin knows how to harness and cultivate a culture of growth. A recognised thought leader and practitioner in the field of positive psychology, she integrates her values of empathy and curiosity in her working relationships.
For over 25 years, Caroline has been a noteworthy leader in Education in Ireland. Prior to her return from the US, she worked with a community based mental health clinic while leading a team of educators in Massachusetts.
Caroline currently runs a private practice and consultation service, working with individuals, charities, schools and the corporate sector. She is the Chair of the Special Interest Group for Trauma and Adversity for The Psychological Society of Ireland. Caroline lectures on group dynamics and theory on the Post Graduate programme for Guidance Counsellors in Maynooth University and on the Doctorate in Educational Psychology in UCD. Caroline also has a weekly column with the Irish Examiner where she brings her humanistic and positive psychology ethos to contextualise & normalise modern dilemmas faced by the public.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Thursday, 21st September 2023
10.00 – 16.00 
Location: Athlone Education Centre, Moydrum Road, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. N37 HO43

This session will cover the two topics outlined below.

Engaging Learners in the FET Classroom
The Further Education classroom consists of learners with a wide diversity of abilities and life experiences. This can present significant challenges to teachers/tutors/instructors to support the best possible learning environment where all learners can flourish. Effective Learning in the Further Education Classroom. This session will:
• Offer participants a forum to reflect on approaches to learning and teaching in the Further Education classroom.
• Explore practical strategies to support differentiated teaching of a diverse learning cohort.
• Facilitate the sharing of current successful practice

Managing Challenging Behaviour in the FET Classroom
Working in the Further Education sector presents teachers/tutors/instructors with a broad range of challenges. Learners present with broad levels of motivation and a range of social, emotional and behavioural issues. These add to the complexity of the classroom context in which FE teachers practice. This session will offer practical strategies to help equip teachers to respond to the behaviours encountered daily. It will also give teachers an opportunity to share and learn from each other.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, primarily for teachers/tutors/instructors and it will also be useful for those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by Harry Freeman. Harry currently works as an independent education consultant. From 2002 – 2015 he worked with the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), where his primary role was that of national advisor to the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. Harry has delivered CPD to school leaders and teachers in over 400 post primary schools and FET centres throughout Ireland. He is also strand leader of the Master in Education degree course in Positive Behaviour Management in Trinity College Dublin. His website can be accessed at www.harryfreeman.ie

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Tuesday, 26th September 2023
10.00 – 16.00 
Location: Athlone Education Centre, Moydrum Road, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. N37 HO43

       Assessment - A series for those interested in locally devised assessment

Please note that this is a repeat of the Assessment suite of events that were offered in Autumn/Winter 2022 and Spring 2023. 

This is a series of five weekly online sessions that will deal with the following: 

1. An Introduction to Locally Devised Assessment
2. Devising Assessment Briefs and Examination Questions (Locally Devised Assessment)
3. Devising Marking Schemes (Locally Devised Assessment)
4. Marking Learner Assessment Evidence
5. Feedback to Learners on Summative Assessment Tasks

Participants are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions in this series. However, ideally participants would attend all five sessions to maximise their learning about local assessment.

The target audience for this series is: Assessors new to the area of FET and engaged in a locally devised assessment process. However, the sessions may also appeal to those who wish to refresh their understanding of assessment and/or those tasked with supporting/informing the assessment process locally. Please see further information on the target audience for each of the five sessions below. 

Facilitation: This series will be facilitated by FESS.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto an event unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows we can offer your booked place to another person.

 An Introduction to Locally Devised Assessment
 Wednesday, 27th September 2023 - 10.00 to 12.00

Please note: This is a repeat of the assessment suite of CPD events offered in Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023. 

The focus of this online session is on supporting the assessor working in a further education and training environment, where the assessor is required to develop local
assessment instruments and related documentation. The following topics will be covered:

• An overview of the assessment process, including key milestones
• Ensuring an understanding of the standard associated with levels 1 – 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
• The role of the assessor in the assessment process

The target audience for this session is: those assessing learners for the first time, using locally devised assessment instruments.

A link to this online session will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online session ends up there.

 Devising Assessment Briefs and Examination Questions (Locally  Devised Assessment)
 Wednesday, 4th October 2023 - 10.00 to 12.00

Please note: This is a repeat of the assessment suite of CPD events offered in Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023.

The focus of this online session is on supporting the assessor working in a further education and training environment, where the assessor is required to devise local assessment briefs (NFQ levels 1 to 6) and examination papers (NFQ levels 4 to 6). 

The target audience for this session is: those assessing learners for the first time, using locally devised assessment instruments.

A link to this online session will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online session ends up there.

 Devising Marking Schemes (Locally Devised Assessment)
 Wednesday, 11th October 2023 - 10.00 to 12.00

Please note: This is a repeat of the assessment suite of CPD events offered in Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023. 

The focus of this online session is on devising marking schemes and outline solutions, as part of local assessment, at NFQ levels 4 – 6, for both assessment briefs and examination papers.

The target audience for this event is: those assessing learners for the first time, using local assessment.

A link to this online session will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online session ends up there.

 Marking Learner Assessment Evidence
 Wednesday, 18th October 2023 - 10.00 to 12.00

Please note: This is a repeat of the assessment suite of CPD events offered in Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023.

This online session will focus on:

• Marking and quality assurance
• Marking learners’ assessment work - making assessment judgements/decisions and recording marking and marks
• Striving for consistency in assessment - internally and with national standards

The target audience for this session is: those marking learners’ summative assessment evidence. In addition, this event is targeted at those who have a role in
supporting the assessment process, within the provider.

A link to this online session will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online session ends up there.

 Feedback to Learners on Summative Assessment Tasks
 Wednesday, 25th October - 10.00 to 12.00

Please note: This is a repeat of the assessment suite of CPD events offered in Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023.

The focus of this online session is to support assessors in giving meaningful learner feedback on summative assessment tasks. This live online session will tease out the purpose,
approaches, principles, strategies, benefits and challenges associated with giving feedback to learners.

It will also provide space for participants to explore, discuss and share their experiences of what works well when providing learners with feedback on their summative assessment tasks.

The target audience for this session is: FET assessors or those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

A link to this online session will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online session ends up there.

Follow-up Assessment Clinic

 This one hour online clinic is designed as a follow-up  support to complement the recently delivered suite of 5 PD sessions focusing on locally devised assessment. This clinic will provide an opportunity for FET practitioners to pose any locally-devised assessment questions and queries that they may have. An informal approach will be adopted for this session where the clinic will be participant-led, which will allow for the sharing and discussion of ideas. These clinics will be hosted on Zoom and the link will be emailed to participants in advance of the event. 

Wednesday 8th November 2023

16.00 - 17.00

Follow-up Assessment Clinic

This one hour online clinic is designed as a follow-up  support to complement the recently delivered suite of 5 PD sessions focusing on locally devised assessment. This clinic will provide an opportunity for FET practitioners to pose any locally-devised assessment questions and queries that they may have. An informal approach will be adopted for this session where the clinic will be participant-led, which will allow for the sharing and discussion of ideas. These clinics will be hosted on Zoom and the link will be emailed to participants in advance of the event. 

Thursday, 23rd November 2023

16.00 - 17.00

 Some issues in diversity and inclusiveness in ESOL, followed by presentation of an ‘Entry to ESOL' Programme

This will be a participative / interactive session for teachers of ESOL for refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland. The first part of the session will deal with issues around inclusion and diversity. There will be a particular focus on the needs of adult Learners who are Beginners taking their first steps in English. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss their own experience and current issues with others in breakout rooms. There will also be some links to current work being developed in Cavan and Monaghan for Absolute Beginners.
In the second part of this session CMETB will present an introduction to a currently unaccredited programme developed by CMETB tutors for ESOL learners without any formal education in their country of origin. The rationale for designing this new programme will be explored briefly and some problems identified. An outline of the programme will be presented. Teaching resources, methodologies and sample assessments will be shared. Progression opportunities for learners will also be mentioned.
Time will also be allocated for discussion.
By the end of the session participants will have greater awareness of some significant issues and some options for how they can be addressed in the ESOL classroom.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members with an interest in ESOL. This session is particularly relevant to ESOL tutors and co-ordinators and those working with learners from other countries. Adult literacy tutors and co-ordinators may also be interested in this session.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by Arthur Mc Keown, Paula Owen and Kathy Bae.
Arthur Mc Keown worked until recently in the Business Institute in the Ulster Business School on a range of programmes for private, public and not for profit client organisations. He developed and implemented a wide range of training courses in business and management communication skills. Arthur was a teacher, teacher trainer and manager in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) for 15+ years. He has worked in Sweden, Libya and Kuwait as well as in the UK and Ireland and completed the RSA Dip TEFLA in 1977, with a Distinction in the Practical Tests, and an MBA (Henley, 1991) by distance learning. Arthur now contributes as a Volunteer at the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, to the design, documentation and delivery of ESOL material for adult Learners, especially migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Belfast and beyond.
Paula Owen and Kathy Bae are CMETB Tutors of ESOL who have both worked in ESOL in various settings for more than 20 years.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Further Information, Date and Time 

Wednesday, 4th October 2023 - 14.00 to 16.00

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

An introduction to Creative Thinking using Lego®Serious Play® (This event is not going ahead at this time) 

An introduction to Creative Thinking using Lego®Serious Play® (In-person full day)
Lego®Serious Play® (LSP) is a facilitated methodology created by the Lego Group for adults.

Building with LEGO® bricks in a very different way to normal building, is a fun and surprisingly powerful and effective way to engage the brain into thinking through scenarios with the hands, we call this THINKERING.

This one-day hands-on practical workshop will look at different ways to use Lego® with participants to explore hand mind connections and learning. When we use our hands to ‘tinker’ we engage the part of the brain that generates sensory images in our minds. This helps us to work out our thoughts and ideas and develop deeper understanding.

The workshop will include a range of enjoyable and engaging activities that can be applied in the FET classroom or to staff / group meetings to support active thinking, connecting ideas, problem solving, sharing, discussion, team building etc.
Lego® will be provided for participants to use during the workshop.

The target audience for this event is: FET teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and other staff members.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by Miriam O’Donoghue. Miriam is an independent facilitator, trainer and consultant with a strong background and experience of working in Education both nationally and internationally that includes teaching, lecturing and training roles at Primary, Post-primary, Further Education and Training, and Higher Education (Teacher Education) levels. Miriam has also held senior management roles in Curriculum Development, Professional Development and Education Support Services.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Further Information, Date and Time

Thursday, 5th October 2023

9.30 - Registration, tea/coffee

10.00 - 16.00

Athlone Springs Hotel, R362, Monksland, Athlone, Co. Roscommon. N37 F9T3

Icebreakers and getting to know each other activities

Icebreakers and getting to know each other activities (online – 2 hours)

This workshop explores some tools, activities and approaches that can be used to help student groups introduce themselves, interact with each other or get to know each other better in a fun, and non cringy way!

This is a great session for teachers early in the academic year but can also be used over time to help students gain more awareness and understanding of each other.

Workshop participants will experience a string of different activities so that they can select those that will work best for their groups for later implementation.

Materials needed: Participants need to bring to the session: a pen, large sheets of paper, scissors, coloured markers/pencils, a small bundle of old magazines/brochures with pictures, a glue stick/sellotape and a dice.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by Miriam O’Donoghue. Miriam is an independent facilitator, trainer and consultant with a strong background and experience of working in Education both nationally and internationally that includes teaching, lecturing and training roles at Primary, Post-primary, Further Education and Training, and Higher Education (Teacher Education) levels. Miriam has also held senior management roles in Curriculum Development, Professional Development and Education Support Services.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

 Further Information, Dates and Times

Monday, 9th October 2023 - 14.00 to 16.00

A link to this online session will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online session ends up there.

 Literacy friendly organisation and integrating literacy’ – NALA

In Ireland, over 500,000 adults have unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs. This means many will find it difficult to get information about the courses you offer or lack the confidence to apply for one. If they are on a course, the learners will have different strengths and needs in the particular language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy used in the centre and course. This can also affect their confidence and motivation to complete a course.

Taking a ‘whole-organisation’ literacy friendly approach can help you ensure all learners can take part in your courses. Join the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) for a two-hour session on
• Using a ‘literacy friendly’ approach

Being aware and removing literacy related barriers facing learners will help make your centre more inclusive and accessible to all learners. This includes using Plain English in your written communications.
• Integrating literacy

How to make your courses more effective for all learners, including those who have the subject-related knowledge and skills but experience difficulties with aspects of the course-related literacy, numeracy and digital literacy.

You will learn the practical steps you can take to ensure that your education and training programmes are inclusive and do not exclude anyone because of the literacy and numeracy demands of the course.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by the NALA Team

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Thursday, 12th October 2023 - 14.00 to 16.00

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

 Artificial Intelligence (AI), What is it and what are the opportunities and challenges for FET?

In the last year, there has been a huge interest in the profound potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the realm of Further Education and Training. This presentation will cover the basics of AI, demystifying its core concepts and exploring its real-world applications. We will focus  on Chat GPT, an advanced AI language model through the lens of a FET teacher or tutor. AI can  assist educators, administrators, and students alike, providing personalized support, generating educational content, and promoting engagement. But AI in education is not just about convenience; it's also about the opportunities and challenges it presents to educators. Explore the vast potential for AI to streamline administrative tasks, enhance teaching materials, and adapt learning experiences to individual student needs. We will discuss the challenges and potential threats AI poses to educators in the FET sector, addressing concerns about job displacement and the changing role of teachers/tutors/trainers. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of education where AI and human educators collaborate to create more effective and personalized learning environments. Discover how you can harness the power of AI to elevate your teaching practices and unlock new possibilities in Further Education and Training.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality teaching, learning and assurance roles.

Facilitation: John Heffernan and Susan Dunne both from Tipperary ETB

John Heffernan is the Technology Enhanced Learning Co-ordinator for Tipperary ETB. John's career, prior to teaching was in IT, working for a number of start up companies. He has taught or worked in ed tech for more that twenty years including two years as a PLC teacher. He is moving to MSLETB as PD co-ordinator in the near future

Susan Dunne brings 13 years of experience as an educator in post-primary education, teaching Business, Accountancy, and IT.  She was part of one of the first schools to achieve recognition as a Microsoft School of Excellence in Ireland.Over the past four years, Susan ventured into Further Education, where she teaches QQI Level 4 and 5 courses. Within her teaching, she uses OneNote E-portfolio extensively for teaching and assessment purposes. Alongside her practical teaching experience, she holds a postgraduate qualification in Special Educational Needs. Her enthusiasm for technology is constant and she continually explores innovative ways to incorporate it into her teaching practices.Throughout her career, she has dedicated time to enhancing her pedagogical skills, delving into various teaching methodologies, including Assessment for Learning and becoming a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) facilitator.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Thursday, 19th October 2023 - 14.00 to 16.00

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

Monday 27th November 2023 - 16.00 - 17.00

As a follow-up to the recent PD event Artificial Intelligence (AI), What is it and what are the opportunities and challenges for FET? we are offering an AI Clinic. This Clinic will be facilitated by FESS and John Heffernan (MSLETB) and Susan Dunne (TETB) who delivered the PD session on AI will be available to answer your queries. Both Susan and John have extensive knowledge  of AI and the use of AI apps that might be useful in teaching, learning and assessment in FET.

This session is participant led and therefore in order to get maximum value from the session, please come with questions/queries.   

A further clinic is being planned for December and the date will be published shortly 

Thursday 14 December 2023 - 16.00 - 17.00

As a follow-up to the recent PD event Artificial Intelligence (AI), What is it and what are the opportunities and challenges for FET? we are offering an AI Clinic. This Clinic will be facilitated by FESS and John Heffernan (MSLETB) and Susan Dunne (TETB) who delivered the PD session on AI will be available to answer your queries. Both Susan and John have extensive knowledge  of AI and the use of AI apps that might be useful in teaching, learning and assessment in FET.

This session is participant led and therefore in order to get maximum value from the session, please come with questions/queries.   

A further clinic is being planned for December and the date will be published shortly 

  Jigsaw Self-Care session for those working in FET

Following this session, participants will:
• Have a greater understanding of what self-care is
• Have a greater understanding of the importance of self-care in their role in education
• Explore the challenges to supporting self-care practice Be more aware of their own self-care needs
• Be able to develop their own self-care plan.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by Carrie Budds. Carrie is Youth Mental Health Coordinator with Jigsaw, working in the FET and Higher Education team. She has worked in health and wellbeing for the last 8+ years and is qualified in health promotion, specialising in workplace settings.
She has worked in a wide variety of industries, including corporate and private industry, the HSE and other public sector agencies and in tech. She has worked closely with senior leadership teams in the development of health & wellbeing policies, strategies and interventions. She has also managed her own business, helping to support employees’ mental health in the digital age by improving behaviours around digital technologies.
Carrie is particularly interested in the topics of resilience, culture change and the area of online as a setting for health promotion, and brings a wealth of experience to the Further and Higher Education setting.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

 Tuesday 24th October 2023 - 10.00 – 12.00 

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

This hands on and interactive workshop will invite participants to explore what it means to view and facilitate formative and summative assessment in FET through a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) lens.

By the end of this session participants will have had opportunities to:
• Reflect on the principles of assessment, with a focus on equity, and what this means for both formative and summative assessment in their context
• Revisit the important of constructive alignment in assessment design
• Critically examine their own approaches to assessment of, as and for learning and identify multiple methods of action and expression for learners in their individual contexts
• Identify areas of feedback and/or assessment that could be reshaped or redesigned through a UDL lens.

This stand-alone session will follow on from the FESS series of five assessment sessions ( September / October)

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This session will be facilitated by Carrie Archer. Carrie's pronouns are she/her. She has been working in Further Education and Training for 15 years and is the Professional Learning and Development Coordinator with City of Dublin ETB. Carrie’s interests are coaching, leadership, Communities of Practice, Universal Design for Learning and championing belonging, equity, inclusion, and diversity. She is passionate about the representation and visibility of LGBTQI learners and staff and is currently specialising as an ADHD coach. She facilitates a Professional Learning Network for support teachers in FET colleges and mentors in Technology Enhanced Learning and inclusive pedagogy in City of Dublin ETB. She was a part of the design team with City of Dublin ETB and Trinity College Dublin for a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and Masters courses focusing on Diversity and Inclusion in FET. She also currently lectures on Postgraduate programmes in the National College of Ireland on diversity and inclusion, and on assessment and feedback for educational practice in FET.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Wednesday, 8th November 2023 - 10.00 to 12.00

 A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

 Unlocking the Potential of Rubrics in Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Please note: This event is a repeat of a previous FESS PD event on 'Unlocking the Potential of Rubrics in Teaching, Learning and Assessment' first delivered online in Autumn/Winter 2022 and Spring 2023.

This online event aims to assist FET staff in the development and use of rubrics to support teaching, learning and assessment activities. This is an interactive event where participants will be provided with information, have the opportunity to engage in discussion and participate in a rubric development workshop.

This event will:

• Provide an overview of what we mean by rubrics
• Explore the purpose, types and benefits of rubrics
• Explore the use and relevance of rubrics for teaching, learning and assessment
• Provide participants with the opportunity to begin the development of a rubric
• Provide the opportunity to share some examples of rubrics for different purposes.

Learning together in this event will help us to consider the range of possibilities rubrics can bring to teaching, learning and assessment.

The target audience for this event is: FET staff including teachers, tutors, trainers, programme co-ordinators and QA staff.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by FESS.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this event unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows we can offer your booked place to another person.

Further Information, Date and Time

Wednesday, 15th November 2023 - 10.00 to 12.00

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

Clear Writing for Developing Programmes and Assessment (Plain English)' NALA

This session will show how the NALA plain English guidelines https://www.nala.ie/publications/a-plain-english-checklist-for-documents/ can help you to keep your written message clear, concise and effective.

The interactive workshop will look at best practice and use authentic examples from FET programmes and FET assessment instruments.

This is an interactive session. Participants are asked to be ready to ask and answer lots of questions to reflect on how we communicate with our learners.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This session will be facilitated by Sean Driver, Plain English Editor and Trainer in the National Adult Literacy Agency. With over 5 years-experience training thousands of people across the public and private sectors, Sean works to empower people to put the needs of their readers first. Clients include Citizens Information, ETBs, SOLAS, QQI and many others.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Wednesday 15th November 2023 - 14.00 to 16.00

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

   Building a Competency Framework for Soft Skills/Transversal Skills in FET

This session is a follow-on from a previous session introducing the importance of soft skills/transversal skills for the future world of work and the key position that FET holds in the delivery of these skills.

This session will focus in on those identified priority soft skills and showcase some work already carried out across the education sector. This will form a starting point for the discussion of the requirements of building a soft skills competency framework within FET. Methods of teaching these skills will be addressed and case studies and scenarios will be shared as a basis for the discussion. This is very relevant to the development of programmes for FET.
Recognising the expertise of those in attendance, outcomes from these conversations will be integrated into future research and will feed into the development of the competency framework.

The target audience for this event is: FET staff including teachers, tutors, trainers, co-ordinators, managers.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by Marie Cleary. Marie is founder and director at ThirdSpace Consultants. She has extensive experience working with senior management and their teams to deliver strategic management interventions, facilitate change, develop leaders and build high performance teams. Before moving into Consulting, Marie was a teacher of Music and English at second level for 10 years. Her 20+ years Consulting career has spanned both public and private sector internationally. Her qualifications in Business, Education, Finance and Psychology, coupled with her previous roles in management of EU funding, gives her an expansive skillset to work in a variety of settings. She recently completed Doctoral Studies on Future Skills. Marie is a coaching psychologist with extensive experience as an executive coach and has worked at a senior level to assist clients resolve challenging issues, build resilience and enhance leadership capability. Marie is passionate about intercultural education and is closely connected to the work of Leargas across the fields of Youth, Further Education and School Education.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

 Further Information, Date and Time

Thursday 16th November 2023 - 10.00 to 12.00

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.

   Trauma Informed Approaches for FET Settings

Jigsaw is a youth mental health charity which offers a range of mental health supports and services to both young people (aged 12-25 years) and those around them in the settings where they live, learn, work and play.
The Jigsaw Youth Mental Health Promotion team for FET and Higher Education aims to increase the mental health knowledge, skills, and resources of young people, and those around them across FET and higher education settings.

Trauma-informed practice uses knowledge and understanding of how trauma affects people’s lives (biologically, psychologically and socially) to ameliorate rather than exacerbate these effects. Any teaching or person-helping professional can become trauma-informed in their work, and in doing so support the development of psychologically safe learning environments for all.

Session Objectives:
• Understand trauma and its impacts on FET learners
• Consider behaviour as communication
• Explore factors which contribute to being a trauma informed FET learning setting
• Receive tips on creating a trauma sensitive environment and trauma informed relationships with learners
• Consider your own self-care in this context

*Note that while Jigsaw focuses on supporting the mental health of young people aged between 12-25, the strategies and approaches from this workshop can be applied to all age groups*

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including FET staff including management, teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors, programme coordinators, guidance counsellors, learning support staff and wellbeing officers.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by Tara Mulhern and Dr Emma Hickey, Jigsaw

Tara Mulhern is Clinical Lead for Education at Jigsaw, and works primarily on their Further and Higher Education Team. Tara is an occupational therapist with 16 years’ experience working with young people and adults in various community based mental health settings, including having previously worked as a Regional Clinical Manger for Jigsaw. She has significant experience supporting learners to be effective and fulfilled with their student role through occupational therapy and more recently through mental health promotion. Tara has particular interests in trauma informed practice, occupational balance, sensory integration, mental health promotion and clinical education. Tara has previously delivered content on trauma informed practice to schools across Ireland.

Dr. Emma Hickey is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Clinician with Jigsaw Limerick. She is interested in making sense of distress collaboratively with young people and is particularly drawn to understanding how we can communicate and reflect on the idea of power in an accessible and meaningful way to support young people to understand what may be maintaining distress levels in their lives. Emma has also been involved in practically implementing the principles of trauma informed working at a local and national level in Jigsaw.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

 Further information, Date and Time

Thursday, 30th November 2023 - 14.00 to 16.00

A link to this online event will be emailed in advance. 
Please keep an eye on your Junk/Spam folder in case the e-mail with the link to the online event ends up there.