Vol. 502 No. 3
78 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will introduce appropriate in-service training for third level lecturers and tutors in regard to teaching practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8160/99]
My Department introduced a European Social Fund-aided staff development scheme, known as the training of trainers programme a number of years ago whereby funds are made available to provide training courses to enable staff in the third level institutions to update their skills and knowledge and to upgrade their qualifications. As a result of this initiative a range of courses were devised and developed by these institutions and are designed to meet the unique needs of each participating institution and to enable institutions to customise their staff development requirements.
There is a significant emphasis within the programme in the university sector on the development of pedagogical skills training. While the training of trainers programme in the university sector is primarily for the staff of the university colleges, staff from non-university institutions may participate in courses which meet needs which are common across the higher education sector. Furthermore, the Irish universities' training network was set up in 1992 with the aim of encouraging and promoting collaborative development and training initiatives, to complement the initiatives being taken by individual universities.
In the technological sector, most of the institutes of technology are currently engaged in self-study evaluations and the putting in place of procedures and mechanisms to improve the quality of educational provision. In the technological sector, the training of trainers programme scheme is operated under the following four strands: the primary degree strand; the master's degree strand; the short course strand and the advanced qualifications support strand.
Under the short course strand, a number of institutes of technology run courses on pedagogics. In addition to this programme, a number of institutes of technology run short training courses on teaching practices for new staff as part of their induction training. In the Dublin Institute of Technology, teaching and learning workshops are a regular feature of the institute's development programme. A teaching and learning resource unit is being established at present which will have three development officers as part of its staffing.
These arrangements facilitate the continuing development of the teaching and other skills of third level lecturers.
