FESS PD Calendar 2021 Spring/Summer
FESS PD Calendar 2021 Spring/Summer
The Further Education Support Service has put together a calendar of events for Spring/Summer 2021 to support those working in the FET environment in DES funded providers. We have focused on offering on-line webinars, workshops and clinics across a range of topics. Those who register for a place on one of the on-line events will receive a link, via e-mail, that will allow them access the event on the given date and time.
Please note: If you would like further information about a PD event, please contact FESS on cpdbookings@fess.ie. If you would like to cancel a place at a PD event, please contact FESS on cpdcancellations@fess.ie. To ensure that the maximum number of people get the opportunity to attend a FESS PD event, please give a minimum of four working days notice when cancelling attendance.
Please also note that in response to the fact that a number of people booked a place at PD events in Autumn/Winter 2020 and then didn't log into those events, FESS took the decision to oversubscribe our events. This means that we will allow more people book a place at an event than there are places for. Those who log in first at the designated time for the live online event will be those who will be accommodated with a place. We hope that by taking this action, we will be able to maximise the number of people who are getting to log in to our PD events.
Local Seminars: FESS also provides local, tailored PD events, on request. Some conditions apply. Further information is available here. Currently, only requests for on-line events can be facilitated.
eCollege: If interested in courses run through eCollege, click here for further information. In addition, please note, a new eCollege course, Moodle for Teachers, was launched in June 2019. Further information is available here.
The following is a list of the current themes and topics for the PD calendar:
- Uncertainty and Upheaval - Strategies for coping better during periods of anxiety in our lives - for FET Staff including teachers, tutors, trainers, co-ordinators, managers.
- Feedback to Learners on Summative Assessment Tasks - Assessors or those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.
- An Introduction to Local Assessment for New Assessors - for those assessing learners for the first time, using locally devised assessment instruments.
- Reflective Practice in Further Education and Training Settings - FET Staff including teachers, tutors, trainers, co-ordinators, managers.
- Online clinic(s) to support FET practitioners with blended learning - for FET staff including course co-ordinators, teachers, trainers, tutors involved in the delivery of blended programmes.
- Reimagining your Course - the Move to Blended Learning - FET practitioners including course co-ordinators, teachers, trainers, tutors involved in the delivery of blended programmes.
- TBC - Assessing learners in a blended learning environment - specific details on this PD event will be uploaded later in January
Uncertainty and Upheaval - Strategies for coping better during periods of anxiety in our lives |
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Anxiety is an important and necessary emotion. We need to feel the ‘pinch’ of pressure in order to prepare for challenges. Deadlines need to be looming in order to help us focus and achieve our goals. Anxiety is our body’s natural mechanism for ensuring that we are prepared for the everyday challenges of life. This PD session will offer tips for coping better with anxiety and scientifically validated strategies for growing stronger during challenging times. 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. |
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Dates |
Time |
Venues |
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Wednesday, 3rd February 2021 |
10.00 - 12.00 |
Online |
Feedback to Learners on Summative Assessment Tasks |
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The focus of this PD event is on supporting the assessor on giving meaningful learner feedback on summative assessment tasks. This event will supplement the resources already uploaded to www.fess.ie (https://www.fess.ie/assessment/feedback-to-learners). This event will consist of a synchronous webinar that will facilitate those booked into the event to ask questions with a view to teasing out the purpose, approaches, benefits and challenges associated with giving feedback to learners. The target audience for this event is: Assessors or those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role. Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by FESS. |
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Dates |
Time |
Venues |
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Wednesday, 24 February 2021 |
14.00 - 16.00 |
Online |
An Introduction to Local Assessment for New Assessors |
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This online workshop will support the assessor working in a further education and training environment, where the assessor is required to develop local assessment instruments and related documentation. In advance of the workshop, a Powerpoint presentation with supporting documentation will be made available to those who have booked a place, with the expectation that they will review them prior to the workshop. The workshop will then facilitate new assessors to tease out the detail contained in the presentation and documentation. Those who log into the session will also be facilitated to ask questions and request clarification on issues relevant to their provision and/or context.
The target audience for this event is: those assessing learners for the first time, using locally devised assessment instruments. Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by 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. |
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Date |
Time |
Venue |
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Tuesday, 16th March 2021 |
10.00 - 12.00 |
Online |
Reflective Practice in Further Education and Training Settings |
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Why Reflective Practice?
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. |
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Dates |
Time |
Venues |
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Monday, 22 March 2021 |
10.00 - 11.30 |
Online |
Online clinic(s) to support FET practitioners with blended learning |
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These one hour online sessions complement the FESS Handbook, An Introductory Guide to Blending a Course: Strategies for Blended Delivery. The sessions will provide an opportunity for FET practitioners to pose any blended-learning related questions and queries that they may have. An informal approach will be adopted for these sessions which will also allow for the sharing and discussion of ideas. These clinics will be hosted on Zoom and the link will be emailed to participants a couple of days in advance of the event. Target audience: FET practitioners including course co-ordinators, teachers, trainers, tutors involved in the delivery of blended programmes. Facilitation: Members of the FESS team. Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto these clinics 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. Prior to each clinic, each participant will be emailed a link to attend. |
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Date(s) | Time | Venues | |
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Thursday, 21 January 2021 | 15.00 - 16.00 |
Online Zoom link to the event will be emailed in advance |
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Wednesday, 27 January 2021 | 16.00 - 17.00 |
Online Zoom link to the event will be emailed in advance |
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Tuesday, 2 February 2021 |
15.00 - 16.00 |
Online Zoom link to the event will be emailed in advance |
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Wednesday, 10 February 2021 | 16.00 - 17.00 |
Online Zoom link to the event will be emailed in advance |
Reimagining your Course – The move to Blended Learning |
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In Autumn/Winter 2020, FESS partnered with H2 Learning to provide an online learning opportunity for FET practitioners. As providers continue to find themselves in a position where learners are accessing their learning online, this course will continue to be available, subject to demand. As blended learning becomes more common place across the sector, this course will support educators in improving the quality of their online offerings to learners. The goal of the course is to help participants to create a plan for moving some elements of their course or module online. The course consists of a series of four online sessions that will allow participants to reimagine their course/module to include online learning. Participants will have a blended learning experience where they will participate in a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. Participants will initially undertake three asynchronous sessions in their own time and it is expected that each session will take up to 30 minutes. The three sessions are as follows: This live online workshop will be available to FET practitioners that have completed the previous 3 asynchronous sessions. It is expected that participants will have had time to reflect and begin planning their learning designs in advance of the live workshop. This session will take place on Zoom and will be 2 hours long. The live online workshop will: Target audience: FET practitioners including course co-ordinators, teachers, trainers, tutors involved in the delivery of blended programmes Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this course 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. |
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Date(s) and Time | Venue | ||
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Self-directed learning for the three asynchronous sessions. The fourth session, the live online workshop, will be based on demand. |
Online Link to the online material will be emailed in advance |