Staff Case Studies

As part of the work of the Praxis Project Dr. Gertrude Cotter is also carrying out a study on how we can integrate the theory and practice of GCDE into the work of UCC across all disciplines and across the work of the university as a whole. Staff attending the Digital Badge in GCDE for Higher Education Staff, are also invited to participate in this research study.   This collaborative research process, provides a deep, critical reflection on what we are learning as a university community. Participating staff attended six, two-hour collaborative GCDE sessions, participated in seminars and experiential workshops and developed a series of case studies on how they might apply GCDE approaches to their work at UCC. These case studies are described under three sections: ‘Pedagogy’, ‘Research’ and ‘University Wide’.  Clicking on the boxes below will lead you to examples of case studies provided by UCC staff in year 1 of this study.

Further Information on the Research Study

RESEARCH AIMS AND QUESTIONS

Overall Aim

The overall aim of this research study is to understand, through critical engagement with UCC staff, how best to integrate the theory and practice of GCDE into the work of UCC across all disciplines and across the work of the university.

Central Question

How can we integrate the theory and practice of GCDE into the work of UCC across all disciplines and across the work of the university as a whole and what are we learning as we do so?

Subsidiary Questions

1. What approaches to GCDE are most effective in engaging Higher Education staff from across the university?
2. What are the key challenges in integrating GCDE across the university and how can we best address such challenges?
3. What can Higher Education institutions and the GCDE sector learn about enhancing staff engagement and in turn student engagement with the theory and practice of GCDE?
4. What is the impact of integration GCDE into the work of the university?

Impact of this Praxis Project as described by UCC Staff (Year 1)

While the impact of this work will not be fully understood until after participants implement their plans, there were some broad opinions expressed on the impact of the work in general. Some of the opinions expressed at session six were as follows:

“This has been a very positive development. Praxis has raised discussion and conversation”.

“I found it very useful that GCDE asks people to be critical of own practices and self-assess and reflect. It is so impactful at individual level and at cultural level. It encourages self-critique and reflection”.

“The process initiated conversations in different ways. We can see synergies between our own work”.

“There are different ways in which we can come together. Like doing anti-racism work together in UCC. Planning and supporting one another in this work. Ideas for future collaborations. Clairifcations

“It built links between people in the university who had no contact before. It created internal links through the project”.

“Having allies in itself is so nice – to have people you know, are generally same place”.

“We can disagree in a safe space too”.

“We are also contributing to a global conversation on GCDE. More heads to think about these things”.

“Once we get resources up we can map and track our impact better, see who is downloading. It will be ongoing work”.

“It is great to be writing the article together, that is an outcome”.

“I like the idea of having some kind of seminar/present something in person or online which will bring attention. To showcase and invite the wider sector and also in UCC”.

“We are contributing to a conversation”.

“We need to talk too about strategic engagement and I think the mapping and the research will help to push our case”.

“Even doing things in different way is an impact, to question, if we include other voices, other perspectives, we are more than half ways there”.

“Remember that we should not be so busy ‘doing’ and forgetting to ‘tell’ our story”.

“We have to work strategically as well as bottom-up work”.

“There are opportunities in UCC. We need to closely explore strategic priorities. This work should be mainstreamed”.

“I am learning so much”.