Dundalk Institute of Technology are absolutely thrilled to announce they have won a prestigious DELTA (Disciplinary Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Assessment) award.
The Institute’s Section of Midwifery, led by Dr Anita Byrne, was one of only three national discipline teams from the Irish higher education institutions that achieved the National Forum’s Disciplinary Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA) Award. This esteemed national award is granted to discipline groups who demonstrate a record of excellence in teaching and learning enhancement and who commit to an ongoing, clearly articulated, shared process of continued development. These awards recognise the value of teaching at a national level. They demonstrate an outstanding commitment by institutions to enriching teaching and learning in their disciplines and preparing graduates for the working world.
The DELTA awards are organised by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Working in close partnership with the sector, the National Forum is ensuring that our students enjoy a learning experience of the highest quality. While ensuring there is clear, focused and ongoing commitment to teaching and learning enhancement in our institutions; as this is one of the fundamental foundation stones for an excellent and renowned higher education sector.
Jill Atkinson, Head of Section of Midwifery‘Winning this award brings a phenomenal advantage to DkIT and will allow the Institute to benefit from the opportunity, through structured processes, to develop expertise and to consolidate local practices in enhancing learning and teaching as part of a recognised national award framework. DkIT will also be supported by this framework to respond to the many pressures they face in dealing with quality assurance requirements, strategic and operational plans, staff development and student engagement. The award also provides the Section of Midwifery with the opportunity to make the most of existing expertise and bring demonstrable benefits to teaching and learning enhancement in their discipline. It also enables the team to contribute to and share practical, sustainable ideas for promoting enhancement in teaching and learning nationally.’
Dr. Edel Healy, Head of School of Health and Science Said‘The major strength of this submission is that it was a collaboration between staff, students and clinical colleagues from the initiation of the project. Many congratulations to the DELTA Team which was made up of staff, Jill Atkinson, Anita Byrne, Kathleen Nallen, Jean Carragher and Margot McNelis and students from our BSc Hons Midwifery/Higher Diploma in Midwifery programmes, Charlotte Hanratty, Clare Farrelly, Amy Boyle, Debbie Gaffney, Chelsea Farrell, Emily Boshell, Jessica Oliveira, Chloe McCrickard and clinical colleagues Lisa Brady and Leasa Murphy.
Jessica Oliveira, Student Midwife (Higher Diploma in Midwifery), Leasa Murphy, Postgraduate Clinical Midwifery Co-ordinator, Chloe McCrickard, Student Midwife (BSc in Midwifery), Aoibhin O’Connor, Student Midwife (BSc in Midwifery), Deborah Gaffney, Student Midwife (BSc in Midwifery), Jill Atkinson, Head of Section of Midwifery, Dr Kathleen Nallen, Midwifery Lecturer, Dr Anita Byrne, Midwifery Lecturer
