"I learned to reflect on my training delivery practice and learning curriculum design ensuring I was more learner-centred in my approach, this course allowed me to put these skills into practice immediately in the classroom."
Sarah McCartan has worked in training and learning within the Financial Services industry for more than 10 years. Having completed numerous in-house professional development courses including ‘Train the Trainer, Workplace Coaching, Lean Six Sigma (Yellow Belt), she was keen to get an accredited Higher Education qualification in Learning and Teaching.
I wanted to formally study learning and teaching so that I could expand my knowledge of learning theory and practices, introducing new techniques and technology into my every day work. I'm passionate about people development and wanted to Improve my practice and in turn the learning experience for employees in my company.”
Sarah successfully completed Certificate of Arts in Learning and Teaching (CELT) in 2018 and subsequently enrolled in the Masters of Arts in Learning and Teaching (MALT) which she expects to complete in 2020.
The courses have helped me develop my training delivery practice, the use of technology for learning, tools for assessing learning and providing formative feedback. Both courses have equipped me with the theory needed to research learning tools and practices in my industry to share best practices with my colleagues and company."
The CELT and MALT at DkIT are focused on supporting students to adopt a learner-centred approach to their teaching.
I learned to reflect on my training delivery practice and learning curriculum design ensuring I was more learner-centred in my approach, this course allowed me to put these skills into practice immediately in the classroom. I was introduced to technology that I could use to enhance the learning experience both online and in the classroom making training more interactive and engaging for employees.”
Studying part-time while working is always a challenge and can often be overwhelming when considering a course, however Sarah found that the teaching and learning programmes at DkIT were designed to help people in this situation.
I found the course very manageable for someone working full time as the course was broken down into modules for both the Cert and the Masters. In this way, you could focus on one module at a time and progress at a pace that suited you. Although the course was aimed at lecturers in Higher Level Education initially, our tutors ensured that all content was relevant for both lecturers and those working in Learning and Development for employees. The class was small which was ideal for interactive learning and all modules/ assignments were very practical and could easily be applied to a workplace setting.”
Lecturers are also flexible and will work with you to ensure you can complete your studies.
I had to defer submission of my module 4 assignment due to a family bereavement from a May to August submission and couldn't get over how supportive both my tutor and head of department were in this circumstance. They really understood the difficulties of work/life/study balance and were always available to offer advice/feedback on work and guidance throughout the course. They worked with you and your individual circumstances and were flexible where possible, which really made a difference! For this reason, I always felt encouraged to keep going and not give up even when the going got tough! "
Another major benefit of the courses for Sarah, was the ability to meet and network with other professionals for a variety of different background but with a common interest in teaching and learning.
I thoroughly enjoyed going to tutorials in DKIT every Friday afternoon as I was meeting up with interesting and like-minded people who genuinely had a passion for learning and development. Everybody on the course was extremely friendly and motivated to learn and we would often help each other out with assignments, sharing journal articles and useful papers as we came across them. All participants came from diverse backgrounds so it was really interesting to hear how learning theory and teaching concepts were put into practice in different fields - it was never a one size fits all approach!”
As result of her participation in the course, Sarah has now moved on to a more senior role. She feels that it has had a very positive impact on her work.
I transitioned from being a Learning Specialist to a Learning Program Manager having completed the Certificate in Learning and Teaching. I believe the accreditation and the new concepts I introduced into my work as a result of the course played a huge role in me being successful in gaining this new role. My Master's research has also had a direct impact on employee learning and development in my department as I have piloted and since introduced an alternative way of delivering video feedback on job quality assessment in the workplace using screencast technology. This feedback approach has been integrated into the coaching stream of our Quality Program globally. I feel I have gained very valuable knowledge and real-world experience as a result of completing CELT and MALT.”
Sarah’s advice to anyone considering studying part-time at DkIT is simple,
Go for it! The environment in DKIT is open, friendly and encouraging. The tutors and lecturers are so supportive and will help you to manage the work/life/study balance so that you can succeed in achieving your educational goals. It's very manageable overall and will have a great impact on your professional development.”
Useful Links:
Certificate of Arts in Learning & Teaching
Masters of Arts in Learning & Teaching
