CIT courses ‘at risk’ from college’s own online module

The quality and reputation of courses at Cork Institute of Technology may be at risk from management efforts to vastly increase the amount of classes and modules delivered online, lecturers claim.

But while Teachers’ Union of Ireland members are being balloted this week to withdraw from online teaching, college officials say full training and extra time is being allowed to ensure their concerns about quality are addressed.

Almost 300 students are taking part in online degree courses in cloud computing, multimedia, and civil engineering. Most are working students or hold previous third-level qualifications.

CIT wants to widen its offering of online programmes to other disciplines and said it has engaged in detailed discussions with TUI since September. Talks have focused on training, workload, academic quality, staff support, technology, facilities, and communication with students.

In a ballot from Monday until today at the college’s four campuses, some 550 TUI members are being asked this week to withdraw from co-operation or any expansion from September.

“We absolutely accept and support the need for more online teaching, but not at the expense of quality for students,” said June O’Reilly, the TUI branch secretary of Cork colleges.

“The college seem to think it’s the same as face-to-face classes, but it’s not as simple as sticking up a few slides; there is much different interaction with students, and with unlimited numbers much more time is needed for student support.”

Paul Gallagher, CIT’s vice-president for finance and administration, said lecturers who take part in voluntary online delivery in a two-year pilot phase from September would be allowed an extra two hours a week from their timetable for first-time delivery of a module online, and another hour if they take part in a forum to help develop best practice.

“I have a lot of sympathy for staff, who probably feel very frustrated as lecturer numbers are down and student numbers increasing. But at the same time, we need to be looking to the future,” he said.

“We have worked out a basis for engagement over the next two years, with a commitment that any delivery in that period will not be used as precedent, and different levels of training will be provided.”

Meanwhile, CIT has begun an inquiry into how 137 applicants to its Crawford College of Art & Design undergraduate degree, whose portfolios met the standard to go forward for possible selection in the summer, were sent personal details of all other successful applicants by CCAD.

The Data Protection Commissioner’s office was also notified of last week’s breach, in what is understood to have been the art college’s first time notifying successful applicants by email instead of post.