About Dr Carina Ginty
Dr Carina Ginty is Head of the Teaching and Learning Office in GMIT and a Lecturer in Teaching and Learning. Carina leads the development of teaching, learning and assessment for the institute and manages a variety of strategic teaching and learning projects. She collaborates with academic and professional services colleagues across five campuses in the West of Ireland and the wider CUA, developing innovative teaching practices and engaging student learning experiences.
In November 2021, Carina was awarded a Senior Fellowship with Advance HE - SFHEA - recognising a sustained record of effectiveness, leadership and impact in teaching and learning in higher education.
She has led a variety of education projects for GMIT and higher education partners in Ireland and internationally on: professional development of teaching in HE; student leadership and engagement (PASS programme); digital capabilities and leadership; mentoring; community engagement; recognition of prior learning; ePortfolios; assessment; online and blended learning design; transitions, retention and the first year experience.
Carina is the GMIT lead on the iNOTE Programme (2019-2022) developing digital teaching and learning capabilities for the CUA (see www.DigitalEd.ie). She also co-leads the CUA HigherEd 4.0 Theme 1 Project (HEA - HCI funded project) and the CUA Re-imagining Assessment project under the SATLE National Forum funded projects.
Carina's teaching and research areas include:
- Digital Teaching and Learning
- Online Assessment Strategies
- Student Centred Learning
- Mentoring Programmes
- Peer Assisted Learning and Student Engagement
- Curriculum Design
- Technology Enhanced Learning and Online Teaching
- Community Engagement and Service Learning
- Recognition of Prior Learning and ePortfolio Assessment Tools
- Education Project Management
Carina has developed a suite of postgraduate awards in teaching and learning development for GMIT and is the programme leader on the postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Teaching and Learning and an internal examiner/supervisor on the MA in Teaching and Learning. Carina also chairs institute wide modules at undergraduate level including the PASS Student Leadership programme in GMIT (i.e. 100 students annually engaging with a level 7 award across four campuses, facilitating weekly timetabled study sessions with over 1,500 first year students}.
External examining roles, teaching and learning validation/panel contributions include: AIT, LIT, DkIT, IADT, IT Sligo, DCU, Royal College of Surgeons, Griffith College Dublin.
HE memberships:
1. SFHEA - Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) is an advanced level of professional standing that evidences expertise in teaching and learning in higher education. SFHEA award recognises a sustained record of leadership in teaching and supporting learning by supporting others and spreading effective practices in higher education. Awarded to Carina by Advance HE in November 2021.
2. A Teaching and Learning Associate with the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Ireland, representing GMIT. (www.teachingandlearning.ie).
3. An executive member (Treasurer) of the Educational Developers Network in Ireland (www.edin.ie).
4. GMIT representative and member of the national HE group - Digital Agenda Working Group (TURN).
5. A member of the THEA Teaching and Learning network of Teaching and Learning leads in THEA institutes in Ireland (www.thea.ie)
6.. A member of GMIT Academic Council, Academic Council Standing Committee and the Programme Assessment Committee (PAC).
7. A member of ALT, Association of Learning Technology, UK (https://www.alt.ac.uk/).
8. A member of the Online Learning Consortium (https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/).
9. A member of Advance HE, Aurora, Female Leadership in Higher Education programme (2020-2021).
Education:
Carina is a graduate of GMIT, NUI Galway and the PRII and holds a PhD, an M.Litt. in Education, a BBS (Hons), a PgDip Public Relations, and postgraduate Certificates in Assessment and Evaluation, Learning Technologies and Civic Engagement. Additional higher education development programmes include: Digital Leadership in Higher Education Programme with JISC, UK; Supplemental Instruction/Peer Learning Leadership from the University of Manchester; and (current 2020-21), the Aurora Female Leadership in Higher Education programme with Advance HE, UK.
Carina transitioned from industry to hIgher education in 2004 and she has held many roles in GMIT including: Lecturer; Strategic Innovation Manager for Student Led Learning and Curriculum Reform; Schools Liaison Officer; Teaching and Learning Project Manager; Project Leader in Digital Education; Postgraduate/Undergraduate Programme Leader; Institute Lead on Teaching & Learning with the National Forum for T&L; and the GMIT Teaching and Learning Officer/Head, Teaching and Learning Office. Prior to entering higher education, Carina held roles in marketing management for information technology companies.
Sample development initiatives:
1. Project lead on the development of DigitalEd.ie and iNOTE project lead for GMIT (i.e. iNOTE is a 3m euro, 3 year project supported by the HEA innovation and transformation funding initiative). DigitalEd.ie is a digital education and knowledge platform to support CUA institutes (GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT) building digital teaching and learning capabilities (2019-2022).
2. Led the development of the LTA strategy for GMIT in 2019, including widespread consultation with staff and students.
3. Co-founder of a national project group, Student Led Learning (SLL, a national project, 2011-2018 - that developed student engagement and retention resources for HE and FE sectors in Ireland, see resources at https://www.gmit.ie/about/teaching-and-learning-project/student-led-learning-sll).
4. Creator of www.cpdlearnonline.ie (an online open access teaching development, virtual learning environment) and a suite of online learning courses. In 2017, Carina launched the online suite of teaching and learning development courses and toolkits on www.cpdlearnonline.ie - a VLE for GMIT Teaching and Learning Office. CPDLearnonline.ie is open to staff working in higher education in Ireland and international partners who collaborate with GMIT on T&L developments.
5. Founder and project lead of the My Experience RPL Assessment Toolkit available at www.myexperience.ie and www.rplportfolio.ie (a recognised prior learning portfolio assessment tool, promoting HE access opportunities). RPL Policy development available at https://www.gmit.ie/sites/default/files/public/general/docs/4-2-cop-6-recognition-prior-learning.pdf
6. From 2008-2011, Carina led a Strategic Innovation Programme for GMIT and partner institutes AIT and NUI Galway (value 3m euro, awarded by the HEA in Ireland). Carina developed the First Year Experience Programme, a Student Leadership Programme (PASS/PAL) and Curriculum Reform initiatives including the introduction of a Community Engagement/Service Learning Programme for GMIT.
7. In 2018, Carina undertook the JISC Digital Leadership Programme for higher education managers in University of Leicester in the UK. The programme explored digitally-informed strategies and how to help a HE organisation respond more effectively to technology-driven change. Following engagement with the JISC programme, Carina designed a Digital Leadership Development course for higher education managers in GMIT, IT Sligo, LyIT and NUI Galway. In addition, and online learning policy was developed in 2018 available at https://www.gmit.ie/sites/default/files/public/general/docs/blended-and-online-learning-policy.pdf
8. In 2018, Carina was awarded funding by Irish AId and the Dept. of Foreign Affairs to deliver the VIBE Teaching and Learning Development Programme to Nong Lam University in Vietnam in 2019 and 2020. VIBE, is a Vietnam Ireland Bilateral Education Exchange, a two year programme involving an onsite teaching programme and engagement with an online course and toolkit at www.cpdlearnonline.ie and the delivery of a food entrepreneurship programme from the School of Science in GMIT.
9. National support for Carina's PhD research studies from 2005-2009 included: a National Research Fellowship Award from Failte Ireland; the Ireland-Newfoundland Scholarship Award (An Taoiseach's Office); Marine Institute research funding scholarship award; Best Paper award at Queen's University, Belfast - the Irish Management Institute (IMI) conference in 2007; dissemination of research fundings in the Senate and Dáil Éireann.
10. Carina presents at national and international conferences annually and is a published author of an educational adventure book series for children, called Captain Cillian Learning Adventures (www.captaincillian.com) inspired by her PhD work. In 2018, the Captain Cillian book series received an All Star Award for a Children's Education Irish Product and In 2017, it was named as a finalist in the top five Irish product ideas category, at the All Ireland Marketing Institute Awards.
HIGHER EDUCATION COLLABORATIONS
Carina collaborates with higher education institutes in Ireland and internationally on a range of learning, teaching and assessment initiatives. Higher Education partners and collaborations are outlined below.
External examining roles, teaching and learning validation/panel contributions: AIT, IT Sligo, DkIT, LIT, IADT, DCU, RSCI, Griffith College Dublin.
Ireland HE T&L project collaborations:
IT Sligo, AIT, Letterkenny IT, CIT, WIT, Dundalk IT, IADT, TU Dublin, Tralee IT, LIT, Carlow IT, NUI Galway, DCU, UL, Trinity College Dublin.
International teaching and learning project partners:
SUNY, New York State University and Empire State College, USA.
University of Georgia, USA.
University of Kansas, USA.
TAMK & HAMK, Finland.
Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
CEAIE - Chinese Universities Group.
University of Southern Denmark.
University of Manchester.
Bournemouth University.
University of South Australia, Australia.
St. John's University, Newfoundland.
External examining roles, teaching and learning validation/panel contributions: AIT, IT Sligo, DkIT, LIT, IADT, DCU, RSCI, Griffith College Dublin.
Ireland HE T&L project collaborations:
IT Sligo, AIT, Letterkenny IT, CIT, WIT, Dundalk IT, IADT, TU Dublin, Tralee IT, LIT, Carlow IT, NUI Galway, DCU, UL, Trinity College Dublin.
International teaching and learning project partners:
SUNY, New York State University and Empire State College, USA.
University of Georgia, USA.
University of Kansas, USA.
TAMK & HAMK, Finland.
Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
CEAIE - Chinese Universities Group.
University of Southern Denmark.
University of Manchester.
Bournemouth University.
University of South Australia, Australia.
St. John's University, Newfoundland.