IT Tralee to launch “flagship” e-learning course


26 May 2006

Institute of Technology (IT) Tralee is to launch a new Masters in Educational Technologies programme beginning in September 2006. The faculty is aiming to use cutting-edge technology to deliver the course.

The Masters was developed in partnership with staff from Memorial University in St John’s, Newfoundland. Several of the course modules will be delivered online by international experts from Canada and the US, complemented by modules delivered by IT Tralee.

The institute received funding for the BRANDAN project under the Ireland-Newfoundland Partnership scheme to develop the programme.

Deirdre Lillis, head of the computing department in IT Tralee, called the programme a “flagship” development. “It represents the cutting edge of collaborative international educational delivery modes,” she said. “We have a terrific team of staff here in the institute and this delivery model proves that IT Tralee can tap into the very best of international expertise to complement the knowledge and skills of our own staff.”

Earlier this year IT Tralee was the first institute outside the US to win the prestigious International Digital Content Leader award, in recognition of its work in the field of e-learning. All students in the institute have round-the-clock access to the e-learning system for online material such as timetables, noticeboards, interactive quizzes, self-help assessments and multimedia demonstrations.

According to Paul Collins, e-learning manager at the institute, the Masters course will allow IT Tralee to pass its expertise on to others involved in using technology in education. Several international colleges have already approached the institute about this. Collins said that the course has already proved to be popular with applicants and added that it is designed to address the needs of those working in the e-learning industry and professional educators.

In the longer term the institute intends to deliver the programme in a number of regional centres in the Kerry-Cork region, in addition to other Irish colleges and several international universities.

More information is available by contacting Deirdre Lillis on 066 7191655 or at Deirdre.lillis@ittralee.ie.

By Gordon Smith