28 The Engage Project: A Digital Professional Development Resource for Part-Time Lecturers at University College Cork

Aims and Objectives

• To enhance the teaching and assessment practice of part-time lecturers through a flexible, evidence-informed digital learning resource.
• To promote inclusive, student-centred, and sustainable teaching aligned with UCC and national frameworks.
• To strengthen consistency and quality in assessment, feedback, and academic integrity across ACE programmes.
• To build a scalable model of professional development that supports lifelong learning and continuous improvement in teaching.

Initiative Overview

Overview
The Engage Project is a professional development initiative created by Adult Continuing Education (ACE) at University College Cork (UCC) to support over 100+ part-time lecturers in enhancing their teaching and assessment practice. The initiative centres on a new, interactive Canvas-based course, Engage: Teaching Lifelong Learners in Higher Education, designed to introduce part-time lecturers to the principles of effective, inclusive, and evidence-informed teaching within the UCC context.

Planning and Design
The course was developed collaboratively by ACE management and programme coordinator teams, with input from UCC’s Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL); Centre for Digital Education (CDE); and UCC’s academic integrity team. The design process focused on accessibility, engagement, and alignment with UCC’s Connected Curriculum principles. Each module combines instructional text, short videos, and guided supplementary resources. Contributors include ACE Managers, ACE Programme Coordinators, experienced UCC lecturers, and specialist staff, providing a grounded and collegial learning experience.

Teaching and Learning Approach
The course models best practice in adult and blended learning. Content is structured into short, self-paced modules that reflect key aspects of professional practice:

1. Introduction to ACE
2. Your first steps as an ACE lecturer
3. Teaching adult learners at UCC
4. Planning and delivering effective teaching
5. Teaching with technology
6. Assessment, marking and feedback
7. Academic Integrity
8. Useful resources & next steps

Active learning is embedded through short reflective prompts, downloadable resources, and opportunities for lecturers to adapt examples to their own modules.

Evaluation and Reflection
While Engage is a professional development resource rather than an assessed course, it incorporates opportunities for reflection and feedback throughout. Participants are invited to consider how each topic applies to their own teaching and assessment practice, using reflective prompts and downloadable tools. At the end of the course, a participant survey gathers feedback on user experience, relevance, and impact. This data informs continuous improvement of the course content and design, ensuring it remains responsive to the evolving needs of ACE lecturers.

Impact and Evidence of Success

Future Directions and Sustainability

Following its initial launch, Engage will be embedded as a core professional development resource for all new ACE teaching staff. Feedback from participants will guide annual updates and module enhancements. Plans include extending access to other UCC part-time and occasional lecturers, developing complementary workshops, and integrating analytics to track engagement and impact. Sustaining Engage within Canvas ensures long-term accessibility, scalability, and alignment with UCC’s upcoming lifelong learning strategy.

Alignment and Policy Context

• UCC Strategic Plan 2023–2028: Securing Our Future
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines (CAST, 2018)
• UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4: Quality Education)
• UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development for 2030

Resources and Supporting Information

• Adult Continuing Education, University College Cork

Funding and Acknowledgements

Funding: Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) Pathfinder Fund.