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The overarching aim of this project is to co-create, pilot and evaluate a health and wellbeing modular resource and e-calendar within ‘Canvas’ (an online learning management system) to streamline access to supports for MTU students, and to serve as a signposting resource for the broader campus community.
Current project news
Currently, the project is in its ‘design’ phase. The Team have been liaising with a number of campus stakeholders, for the purposes of discussing the feasibility of the ‘A Healthy MTU' Canvas space as a formal signposting resource for students. The Team are also currently developing concepts and themes for the final design, layout and branding.
In addition, the Team are in the process of preparing the final output from a recent co-creation and consultation phase with a series of undergraduate Student Partners who applied to join the Team as Student Consultants. This partnership project was implemented in collaboration with Colleagues in ‘Le Chéile’ a programme of AnSEO - the Student Engagement Office and has involved weekly discussions, feedback, suggestions and collaborative co-creation throughout Semester 1 2021/22.
What are the project aims?
Specific aims are to:
- Implement a ‘Co-creation’ design phase, in collaboration with a specifically recruited cohort of multi-faculty Student Partners to identify the most pertinent student needs and perspectives, and to assist with the design, implementation and championing of the project.
- Oversee the integration a health and wellbeing modular resource and associated calendar linked to students’ personalised accounts within online learning management systems (LMS).
- Engage and collaborate with university-wide support services and stakeholders to populate this universally accessible modular database on the LMS that contains details of all relevant student supports, initiatives, activities, and health-related events as applicable throughout the academic semester.
- Synchronise the ‘A Healthy MTU’ (AHMTU) modular space to the broader ‘e-calendar’ feature within the LMS, therefore enabling students to schedule their engagement with health and wellbeing resources alongside their academic activities.
- Pilot, and formally evaluate the user experience and efficacy of the ‘AHMTU’ Canvas space, to (i) strategically guide its future development, and (ii) ensure its long-term sustainability.
Why is this project important?
The COVID-19 pandemic usurped the traditional higher education learning environment and necessitated a sudden transition to online and/or blended academic delivery. At the commencement of the 2021/2022 academic year, an unprecedented proportion of students embarked upon either their initial transition into higher education (new entrants), or a secondary transition back to the traditional campus environment (returning students), following a prolonged period of remote learning. In recognition of the prevailing uncertainty, combined with the recent designation as a new Technological University, the overarching aim of the current project is to support student transitions (either ‘de novo’ or between blended/traditional environments) and re-cultivate a sense of belonging to the broader MTU community.
In addition, there exists an urgent requirement to provide students with streamlined access to information, initiatives and events pertaining to health and wellbeing. Embedding a health and wellbeing space visibly within the LMS will serve as a fundamental signposting resource, easily accessible to students as a self-enrol option. Further to this, it is envisaged that the AHMTU space will also constitute an important dissemination pathway for a myriad of campus stakeholders who may wish to promote health and wellbeing events, supports, resources and initiatives.
What will be delivered or different at the end of this SATLE project?
- A ‘Student Partnership’ output and series of co-created recommendations for the continued development of the ‘AHMTU’ Canvas space. This will be a combination of a multi-media resource (group and individual recorded video sessions) and a written consultative report.
- A series of ‘A Healthy MTU’ modular resources that will be piloted with a sample of MTU Students and tailored based on ongoing co-creation processes.
- Integration of the ‘A Healthy MTU’ modules with the broader e-calendar feature within the LMS to enable students to view and schedule health and wellbeing activities, alongside their academic modules.
- A visible commitment to health and wellbeing, evidenced by the AHMTU space within the university’s online LMS.
Who are the project team members?
Project Lead:
- Ms. Andrea Bickerdike, Assistant Lecturer, Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies, MTU.
Project Team Members
- Dr. Cian O’Neill Head of Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies
- Ms. Joan Dinneen, Lecturer, Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies
- Dr. Janette Walton, Lecturer, Dept. of Biological Sciences
- Dr. Lisa Bolger, Assistant Lecturer, Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies
- Ms. Karrie-Marie Mc Carthy, Postgraduate Student, Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies
- Ms. Elaine O’Sullivan, Postgraduate Student, Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies
- Ms. Aisling O’Brien, Postgraduate Student, Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies
- Ms. Rosalynd Hayes, Student Engagement & Retention Officer, MTU Kerry.
The Project Team would like to thank the following collaborators whose contributions have been invaluable to the progression of the project to date.
Collaborators:
- Mr. Darragh Coakley and Colleagues within the Dept. of Technology Enhanced Learning, MTU Cork.
- Ms. Cliona Hatano and Colleagues within ‘Le Chéile’, MTU Cork.
- Student Partnership Team (a Team of 5 Multi-Faculty Student Partners).
