Biography
Darina M. Slattery is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Limerick (UL). She holds a PhD in Computer Science, an MSc in Software Localisation, and a Bachelor of Business Studies with French Degree (UL) and was awarded High Distinction in 'Design and Delivery for Online Learning' by Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. In 2021, she was the Project Lead for the first phase of the UL VLE Review and since October 2022, she has been the Academic Change and Engagement Lead for the Brightspace VLE implementation project.In 2019, she won the UL Teaching Excellence Award for Excellence in the Provision of Pedagogic Support to blended and fully online teachers.
In 2019, Darina won the Frank R. Smith Outstanding Journal Article Award for an article she co-authored with Aileen Cudmore in the STC's 'Technical Communication' journal (volume 66, issue 4). The article was titled 'An Analysis of Physical and Rhetorical Characteristics of Videos Used to Promote Technology Projects, on the Kickstarter Crowdfunding Platform'.
Darina is an Alumna of the Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL) professional development programme (2019), which was jointly developed by the University of Central Florida and Online Learning Consortium. She is also an Alumna of the Leadership & Innovation programme (2021) from MIT Professional Education.
She teaches modules (courses) in e-learning, instructional design, and technical communication and has published her research in international refereed journals and conference proceedings. She is a reviewer for several international journals, including the British Journal of Educational Technology, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions on Education, Computers & Education, Computers and Composition, and Communication Design Quarterly.
Darina was a member of the conference planning teams for the IEEE Professional Communication Conference (Madison, USA, 2017 and Toronto, Canada, 2018). From 2021-2022, she served as President of the IEEE Professional Communication Society (ProComm). From 2019-2020, she served as Vice President of the society and she currently serves as Immediate Past President (2023-2024).
Her current research projects are concerned with learning analytics, online learning/ e-learning, content analysis, and virtual teams. From 2016-2018, she led a workpackage in the EUCERMAT Erasmus+ project (2015-2018), where she delivered e-learning training to academic staff in five EU institutions, undertook research on best practice in online delivery, coordinated blended mobility activities, and facilitated the online delivery of modules.
Previously, she was Head of Technical Communication and Instructional Design and Programme Director for the Graduate Certificate in Technical Writing and MA in Technical Communication and E-Learning programmes.
Research Interests
* Technology-Enhanced Learning/ E-Learning* Online Collaboration
* Virtual Teams
* Continuing Professional Development for Online Teachers
* Learning Analytics
* Content Analysis
* Instructional Design
* Information Design/Architecture
* Technical Communication
* Digital Literacies for Higher Education
To-date, I have supervised the completion of over 90 MA dissertations/ projects and co-supervised the completion of one PhD thesis. I am currently supervising nine MA dissertations/ projects and co-supervising one PhD.
Current and Past Projects
* Technology Adoption and the Professional Development Needs of Blended and Fully Online Teachers (2014 to present): Since 2014, I have been facilitating professional development workshops for staff who need to learn how to teach online or simply wish to use technology more in their on-campus teaching. In 2021, I was seconded to work as the Project Lead for the first phase of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) review at the University of Limerick. Activities included undertaking a literature review, benchmarking against other Higher Education Institutions, working with VLE (LMS) platform vendors and service providers, and consulting with the campus community about their VLE needs. I am currently working on a number of publications arising from my research and remain an active member of the VLE Project Team, which I established in early 2021.
* Learning Analytics and Content Analysis (2016 to present): I use Sakai analytics and qualitative content analysis to evaluate student engagement among on-campus and online students. I have also collaborated on a project to examine Google analytics for YouTube instructional videos. Collaborators: Dr. Michael O'Brien and Dr. John Walsh (University of Limerick).
* International Virtual Teams (2006 to present)
I am one of a team of researchers investigating communication strategies, leadership roles, and technology use in student virtual teams. Collaborators: Dr. Madelyn Flammia (University of Central Florida), Dr. Patricia Minacori (Université Paris-Diderot 7), and Dr. Yvonne Cleary (University of Limerick).
* E-Learning and Blended Mobility (2015 to 2018): I led the e-learning and blended mobility work package of the EUCERMAT (EUropean CERamics MATerials) Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership. My activities include delivering e-learning training to academic staff in five EU institutions (the Université de Limoges, France; the Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany; the AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland; the Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal; and the University of Limerick), researching best practice in online delivery, coordinating blended mobility activities, and facilitating the online delivery of teaching units, with a view to developing a blended mobility/ online Joint Masters programme in Advanced Ceramics. Click here for further details: http://www.eucermat.eu/
*MIDAS-NET (Multimedia Information Demonstration And Support Network) (1998 to 1999)
My role: MIDAS-NET Ireland representative (for BTiS).
Background: BTiS was the coordinator of the INFO2000 MIDAS-NET in Ireland. INFO2000 was a programme of the European Commission (5th Framework), which promoted multimedia content in the information society. The MIDAS-NET network was established to collect and disseminate information and raise awareness about multimedia.
*MLIS (MultiLingual Information Society) (1998 to 1999)
My role: MLIS Ireland Project Officer (for BTiS). In this role, I developed resources, undertook research, attended conferences, and presented findings at national and international workshops.
Background: MLIS was a programme of the European Commission (DG XIII/E), which promoted linguistic diversity in the emerging information society. It comprised actions relating to language infrastructure development and the use of language technologies and resources in business and the wider community.
Professional Activities
Association
- 2023 Immediate Past President, IEEE Professional Communication Society
- 2021 President, IEEE Professional Communication Society
- 2020 Member, IEEE Education Society
- 2019 Vice President, IEEE Professional Communication Society
- 2019 Professional Member, Online Learning Consortium
- 2018 Member, Member, European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN)
- 2018 Member, Member, Research Data Alliance
- 2017 Region 8 Representative for the IEEE Professional Communication Society (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Region 8 Representative for the IEEE Professional Communication Society (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
- 2016 Board of Governors, Elected Member, Board of Governors, IEEE Professional Communication Society
- 2014 Member, Member, Association for Learning Technology
- 2009 Member, IEEE Member
- 2006 Member, Member, IEEE Professional Communication Society
- 1998 Affiliate Member, Localisation Research Centre
Award
- 2019 - UL Teaching Excellence Award (Excellence in the Provision of Pedagogic Support to Blended and Fully Online Teachers)
- 2019 - Frank R. Smith Outstanding Journal Article Award
Education
- 2012 University of Limerick - PhD
- 1999 University of Limerick - M.Sc. in Software Localisation
- 1997 University of Limerick - B.Business Studies with French
- 1995 Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris - Certificat Pratique de Francais Commercial et Economique
Employment
- 2003 University of Limerick - Junior Lecturer/ Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer in Technical Communication
- 2000 University of Limerick - Junior Lecturer
Language
- French
- German
- Irish
Committee
- Executive Committee, School of English, Irish, and Communication (2016 to 2020),
- Faculty Representative, Academic Programme Review Committee (APRC) (2015-2018),
- Chair, Teaching and Learning Committee, School of Culture and Communication (2015 to 2016),
- Member, MA in Technical Communication and E-Learning Course Board (2010 to present),
- Member, Graduate Certificate in Technical Writing Course Board (2003 to present),
- IEEE ProComm 2017 Conference Commiteee,
- IEEE ProComm 2018 Conference Commiteee,
- Chair, AHSS E-Learning Committee/ Digital Learning Forum (2018 to 2021),
- Member, Learning Technologists Forum (2018 to present),
Outreach
- In 2011, I supervised MA students as they collated and developed resources for the Ennis 2020 Hub Plan (UL Practicum). They also developed the website (http://www.ennis2020.ie/index.html) to communicate the plan to the people of Ennis and the surrounding areas.
Consultancy
- SOLAS - Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) consultant to SOLAS, the further education and training authority.
Research Collaborators
- Gilles Trolliard - Funding Award - Université de Limoges -France
- Madelyn Flammia - Joint Publication - University of Central Florida -USA
- Patricia Minacori - Joint Publication - Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 -France
- Kirk St. Amant - Joint Publication - Louisiana Tech University -USA