Lead Department:
Biological Sciences
Co-ordinated by:
Fiona Fouhy (Fiona.Fouhy@mtu.ie)
Active Members:
26
Purpose:
The Home Economics and Business Learning Community (LC) aims to bring together staff from 10 different departments teaching on the Home Economics & Business programme. The purpose is to create a collaborative space where teaching challenges can be addressed, synergies identified, and teaching practices improved, ensuring that the delivery of the programme is well-coordinated, cohesive, and connected.
Our main objectives include:
- Building a collaborative, inclusive support network for teaching staff
- Sharing expertise in teaching, learning, assessment, and feedback
- Identifying and experimenting with new technologies and resources for enhancing teaching
- Piloting changes to teaching and assessment practices
- Organising staff-student events to foster engagement and gather feedback to improve the programme
- Enhancing collaboration between MTU and UCC, supporting students' transition into the Professional Masters of Education (PME) at UCC
Summary:
Since its establishment in September 2021, the LC has grown from an initial 6 members to 26 active members, spanning 10 different departments across MTU. The LC meets every two weeks for a 30-minute session, providing a collaborative space for staff.
Key Activities:
- Cross-disciplinary Collaboration: The LC began with meet-and-greet sessions to help staff from different departments connect, fostering a sense of community among those teaching on the programme.
- Professional Insights: A presentation from a resident Home Economist broadened members’ understanding of the profession beyond teaching, inspiring a more comprehensive approach to education.
- Resource Sharing: A Microsoft Teams channel was established to share meeting recordings, resources, and relevant information, ensuring consistency across the programme.
- Community Engagement: The LC organised an event to mark World Home Economics Day (March 21st), featuring guest speaker Maria Young from a local community garden. Students were encouraged to engage with the community garden, integrating their coursework with real-world sustainability initiatives. This event facilitated engagement with 32 students and multiple staff members.
- Curriculum Cohesion: The LC identified overlaps between modules, working towards greater alignment in teaching, assessment, and feedback approaches across different subjects.
- Assessment Enhancements: The LC implemented an assessment matrix, which is now used across multiple programmes to help students better manage their workload.
- Programme Review & Improvement: Regular discussions allow staff to review the first year of the programme, identify gaps, and implement refinements for future years.
- Research & Conference Participation:
- The LC has provided a space to discuss staff-student research opportunities, leading to plans to present findings at the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) World Congress 2024 in Galway. This is one of the most prestigious international conferences in Home Economics, attracting 1,500+ delegates worldwide.
- Students participated in a survey with Le Chéile, focusing on Transitions, Engagement in Learning, and Group Belonging. The LC will use these findings to enhance the student experience further.
Future Plans:
- Continued Expansion & Engagement: The LC will build on its success by expanding membership further and strengthening collaborations with other LCs within MTU.
- Strengthening Research Culture: The LC aims to engage in and present research at international conferences, promoting best practices in Home Economics education.
- Enhancing Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Practices: Ongoing discussions and feedback sessions will ensure continuous improvements in module delivery.
- Cross-Institutional Collaboration: Further developing the partnership between MTU and UCC to support students progressing to the PME programme.
This LC has been instrumental in fostering collaboration, enhancing student learning, and shaping the future of Home Economics education at MTU. The strong engagement, structured improvements, and interdisciplinary collaboration ensure that it remains a valuable and sustainable initiative into the future.
