Towards a better Education System for all in Ireland

Prof Brian MacCraithPresident, DCU

ACCS Annual Meeting 2014driordan@accs.ie

• Introduction

• Purpose of Education

• Key Issues for 21st Century Education

• Important Developments in Ireland – Influencing Change

• Conclusions

OUTLINE

DCU 2014

44th in the World

• 1980 200 students

• 1989 DCU

• 2014 >12,000

• 2016 >16,000

“…a research-intensive, globally-engaged University of Enterprise, distinguished by the quality and impact of its graduates and its focus on the translation of knowledge into societal and economic benefits.”

DCU Vision

DCU Strategic Plan

‘Transforming Lives & Societies’

Transformation Enterprise Translation Engagement

Purpose of Education

To enable students to flourish in 21st Century society:

– Personal lives– Civic society– Workplace

ConnectedGlobalisedKnowledge-basedAgeingDevelopingUrbanised

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Transformation

Flourishing in the 21st Century

Graduate Attributes*

E-Portfolio

Internships

Rounded Graduates

Creative and EnterprisingEffective CommunicatorsSolution-Oriented Globally-EngagedActive LeadersCommitted to Continuous Learning

21st Century Learners

• Digital Natives!• Engage with information in a radically

different way• Learn best as active participants rather than

passively• Peer-to-Peer• Information - Knowledge - Wisdom

Digital Learning

Digital natives ‘Future of Learning is

Blended’ Technology-

enhanced Learning DCU Global Digital Campus

Project Role of Educator …

“What you assess is what you get; if you don’t test it, you won’t get it!”

Lauren Resnick

Lifelong Learning

Early Childhood Primary Secondary Third Level Fourth Level

EDUCATION CONTINUUM

Changes in the Higher Education Landscape

• Incorporation (SPD, MDI, CICE)• New ‘DCU’• Expanded Faculty of H&SS• New Faculty (Inst) of Education

• Teacher Education along full continuum (ITE; CPD)

• Denominational, Non-denominational, Multi-denominational

• Research-Intensive

• 5th Faculty of DCU

• €50m development

Irish Institute of Education

Research Centres:

• STEM Education• Digital Learning• Assessment• Inclusive Education• Further Education• Human Rights &

Citizenship Education

• Educational Disadvantage

Irish Institute of Education

Thank You!Go Raibh Maith Agaibh!

ACCS Annual MeetingMarch 27, 2014