Category / Research Blog

by shannonchance

Group- and Project-Based Learning

We've got 19 shining faces in the Problem-Based Learning module we are conducting on Tuesdays in May.

We’ve got 19 shining faces in the Problem-Based Learning module we are conducting on Tuesdays in May. (Not to mention three shiny teachers!)

In the Fulbright application I submitted two Augusts ago, I promised to co-teach a class at DIT that used Problem-Based Learning.  At the time I applied, I anticipated that I would co-teach an architecture course.  But in the course of the interviews I conducted, I discovered it had been quite a while since DIT’s Learning, Teaching and Technology Centre (LTTC) had offered a module for faculty/staff on how to implement Problem-Based Learning.

I’ve witnessed such remarkable results that seem to have accrued as a result of the topic having been offered in the past–by Terry Barrett and Brian Bowe.

So, I recruited some folks (Orla Hanratty, Brian Bowe, and Gavin Duffy) to help and 19 students enrolled in the course.  Here are some photos from Day One….

Orla introducing the Problem-Based Learning class on Day 1.
Eric Bates and team discussing aspects of PBL
This class is about helping students learn in groups.
And have fun doing it.
Brian Bowe, the Head of Learning Development for the College of Engineering and the Built Environment at DIT, is our resident expert.
by shannonchance

Starting with Circuitry

shannonchance's avatarRoboSlam

RoboSlam starts with an introduction to the overall robot-building process and then delves into assembling the electronic components (i.e., building the circuitry).  The photos below track the progress of several groups of participants in the “Engineering Your Future” event held the week of May 13-17 at DIT.

These photos were all taken by DIT’s current Fulbright Scholar in Engineering Education, Dr. Shannon Chance.  Participants are welcome to download them and share them with others.  Shannon will post images of the rest of the week in the days to come….

View original post

by shannonchance

DIT in Top 1% in the World for Engineering Research!

For the first time ever Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) has been listed in Essential Science Indicators. More impressively, the institution achieved a listing in the top 1% in the world in the areas of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (which includes Environmental Science)!

I’m hoping that my efforts here contributed in some small way to this achievement — I’ll have to see if any of the conference papers I’ve authored with DIT colleagues while I have been a Fulbright Scholar here at DIT  counted in this ranking.

Apparently, DIT now outranks Trinity College Dublin with regard to Engineering research!

DIT research ranking, May 2013

DIT research ranking, May 2013

by shannonchance

A Week in the Life of a Fulbright

This past week has been fairly typical of what I do as a Fulbright Scholar here in Ireland.  I thought you might be interested to see what a typical week is like, work-wise:

by shannonchance

Irish Music Radio with Mick O’Grady

Charlottesville’s Kevin Donleavy has an Irish music program on air tomorrow.  I hope you’ll tune in via internet!  He explains how, below.  I always enjoy hearing Mick O’Grady play at the Cobblestone pub, and he’ll be featured in the program.

Photo of Stefan Paz Berrios and Mick O'Grady, downloaded from Danny Diamond's Flicker page.

Photo of Stefan Paz Berrios and Mick O’Grady, downloaded from Danny Diamond’s Flickr site.

Hi, music heads and tune-fanciers,

The next radio program of Irish trad music presented by Kevin Donleavy can be heard on-line as usual this Saturday, May 18, from 10 am till 12 noon. (Irish listeners should tune in from 3 to 5 pm that day.) The program is called ATLANTIC WEEKLY PART TWO,  and here are the easy listening steps :
 
To listen on your internet radio, select WTJU in Virginia, USA, or pick up the  “Tune In Radio”  app for your iPhone or other mobile device and easily dial up the station.
 
On your computer,  go to http://wtju.net. Next, select Listen Live on the right side bar. Then, choose between Ogg and MP3.
 
This week’s musical material includes singers Andy Irvine, Paddy Reilly, Tim Browne, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (Maryann McCauley), and Christy Moore. There will  be tunes from banjo expert Kieran Hanrahan and fine box-player Danny O’Mahony. The fiddlers this week are Mick O’Grady and Washington/Baltimore’s own Jesse Smith. And if you like the sounds of uilleann pipes and fiddle, you’ll enjoy tunes from Mick O’Brien and Caoimhin O Raghallaigh. 
 
There will also be some chat about such Irish organizations as Comhaltas, Clann Mhor, and BRIMS (the Blue Ridge Irish Music School). 
 
Hope that you can have a listen on Saturday ….
Kevin
by shannonchance

Amazing Sights of Lisbon

...is an architectural and structural marvel.

The Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has designed some of the world’s finest train stations and bridges. The station in Lisbon reflects the care and precision of Calatrava’s design work.

Lisbon is a glorious city.

I was truly blessed to spend five glorious days in this place–the capital of Portugal–as part of the Fulbright Inter-Country Lecturing Program.  I will never forget my time there, the places I visited, or the people I got to know.

I’ve attached a few of the iPhone photos snapped during my stay. (Copyright Shannon Chance, 2013.)

This Art Noveau Metro entry must have been moved to Lisbon from Paris.
Lisbon is a sea port…
…home to some of history’s most accomplished navigators.
The Jerónimos Monastery…
…is an architectural delight…
…inside and out.
It has been described as Manueline, Plateresque, Renaissance architecture.
The train station…
…designed by Santiago Calatrava…
…is an architectural and structural marvel.
by shannonchance

Photo Show and Lecture — Please Attend

I have a lecture and photo showings that you’re most welcome to attend:

I will be giving a talk at Arcadia University in Dublin tonight (May 15) at 4:00PM.  The address is:

Arcadia University, College of Global Studies
20 Fishamble Street
1-4 The Courtyard
Temple Bar
Dublin 8

Tomorrow night (May 16) I’ll host an open house of my photo exhibit from 5-7 at  Notre Dame’s O’Connell House.  That address is:

58 Merrion Square
Dublin 2

You can visit the photo show any weekday 9-5 through May 31 — it’s free and open to the public!  If you want to view it with me, I’ll also be in from 12-2 on May 22 and 27.  Moreover, you can email me (shannonchance at wm dot edu) to let me know if you’d like me to meet you there at another time that’s convenient for you.

"Essence of Beauty" is one of the photos on display at Notre Dame's O'Connell House now through May 31.

“Essence of Beauty” is one of the photos on display at Notre Dame’s O’Connell House now through May 31. Copyright Shannon Chance.

 

by shannonchance

Luanna’s New Master’s

It’s such a joy to keep in touch with people back in the States on Facebook.

Yesterday, Luanna Jendrey, who took the “Planning for Sustainability” course I offered in the summer of 2011, posted a picture from her recent graduation.  The photo was taken with former Fulbright Dr. Pam Eddy, who you’ll recall visited me here in March.

Luanna’s kind caption made my day even more special!  Kristina Neuhart took the 2011 class, too, and also offered kind words.

Congratulations to Luanna on her new Master’s degree in Higher Education!

Luanna's very sweet Facebook post.

Luanna’s very sweet Facebook post.

by shannonchance

Slammin’

We are running a RoboSlam robot hacking workshop with high school (transition year) students here in Ireland. Having great fun and learning circuitry, programming, and lots more!

20130514-121651.jpg

by shannonchance

Around Aveiro

Modernist architecture abounds in Portugal.  This is particularly true on college campuses, since most were built after the mid 1970s.

Although the population is just 10.6 million, there are 24 schools of architecture!

I’ve included a few photos of buildings at the University of Aviero campus below.

Here’s a view of downtown Aveiro.
Jose gave a me a grand tour of the campus of the University of Aveiro.
It has many modernist buildings….
arranged around a central courtyard.
All with tropical modernist flair.
Our drive to Agueda was also full of sites, because bird nesting is encouraged along the highway here.