Students: Students: Students: Students:

Talk to your lecturers or to us if you have an idea for a project for your subject area, or for your community or or-

ganisation.

Lecturers: Lecturers: Lecturers: Lecturers:

E-mail us to join our mailing list, to be kept informed of new developments in this area—we can send you de-tails of conference calls and funding opportunities. If you’re already run-ning a course, we can support you. If you’ve got an idea, we can link you

with a community.

Communities: Communities: Communities: Communities:

Talk to us about your ideas for pro-jects which stu-dents could work on, to meet your needs or build on your strengths. We will do our best to link you with inter-ested lecturers and students. Check www.dit.ie/study www.dit.ie/study www.dit.ie/study www.dit.ie/study for a list of courses, to see what our

students can do.

Catherine Bates

Elena Gamble

Students Learning

With Communities

Community Links,

DIT, 23 Mountjoy Sq.

Dublin 1, Ireland.

T: 01 402 7616

E: slwc@dit.ie

Contact us:

What can we do for you?

Architecture students

work on toys for St Mi-

chael’s House.

Students Learning With Communities

is funded under the Strategic Innovation

Fund, by the Department of Education

and Science, through the HEA, under

the National Development Plan.

A big thanks to all participating lecturers, communities and students.A big thanks to all participating lecturers, communities and students.A big thanks to all participating lecturers, communities and students.A big thanks to all participating lecturers, communities and students.

subject area, and they are encour-aged to reflect on it as part of their pro-fessional develop-

ment.

Students Learning Students Learning Students Learning Students Learning With Communities With Communities With Communities With Communities is a teaching and learning method also known as ser-vice-learning, or community-based

learning.

DIT lecturers iden-tify community groups to work with, or vice-versa, to develop a real-life project to meet the needs of the stu-dents and those of

the community.

This makes learning come alive for the students as they work with real clients, and the community be-comes part of the

teaching process.

The community benefits from the work the students are doing, and their

subject knowledge.

For many students this is their first taste of practical experience in their

In August 2008, the first DIT three year pilot scheme in this area, called the Community Learn-Community Learn-Community Learn-Community Learn-ing Programmeing Programmeing Programmeing Programme, came to an end. It was under the Fac-ulty of Tourism and Food and had been

funded by the De-partment of Com-munity, Rural and

Gaeltacht Affairs.

In September 2008, a second three year pilot began, called Students Learning Students Learning Students Learning Students Learning With Communities With Communities With Communities With Communities

(or SLWC). This new pilot is based in Community Links and it operates across all DIT facul-ties. It is funded by SIF II and has two full-time staff work-ing to support SLWC

in DIT.

Fine art students

working with com-

munity members on

art projects.

Introduction

Background Information

DIT Students Learning

with Communities Newsletter

M a r c h 2 0 0 9 S p r i n g E d i t i o n

P a g e 2

John Tierney, City

Manager, and DIT

students, at the

launch of the heri-

tage exhibition.

Heritage Exhibition

New Website Online Check out www.communitylinks.ie/slwc www.communitylinks.ie/slwc www.communitylinks.ie/slwc www.communitylinks.ie/slwc for our new website.

See the latest news and details of Students Learning With

Communities projects.

Students Learning With Communities, along with DIT lec-turer Kevin Griffin, organised an exhibition of DIT students’ work hosted by the Macro Community Centre on North King

Street in February.

The exhibition Aspects of Grangegorman Aspects of Grangegorman Aspects of Grangegorman Aspects of Grangegorman ---- its heritage and its heritage and its heritage and its heritage and culture culture culture culture was a series of display boards on the heritage of the Grangegorman area. They were created by DIT students from Hospitality Management and Tourism, who studied

Heritage, Culture and Tourism in 2008.

Formally launched by Dublin City Manager John Tierney, the exhibition was well received and provided the starting point for this year's students to appreciate the significance of the work they are about to embark on. It was also the first formal opportunity for students to come into contact

with the community they are about to work with.

Our thanks to the Macro Centre for providing the exhibition

space and supporting the students' work.

D I T S t u d e n t s L e a r n i n g w i t h C o m m u n i t i e s

CARS 2009 We are delighted that students from so many disci-

plines will be involved this year in the College Aware-

ness of Road Safety (CARS) project, which we are run-

ning in conjunction with the Garda Road Safety Unit.

The showcase of the students’ work will take place in

DIT Aungier St from 4-6pm on 21 April, with a cross-

faculty Krypton-factor style quiz. Gay Byrne, Chair of

the RSA, and DIT President Brian Norton will award

prizes. See our website for details. All welcome!

Current projects in DIT

P a g e 3 S p r i n g E d i t i o n

2nd year chemistry/engineering studentschemistry/engineering studentschemistry/engineering studentschemistry/engineering students giving talks in schools on ‘What is chemistry/engineering? What is col-

lege like?’

Hospitality management and tourism students Hospitality management and tourism students Hospitality management and tourism students Hospitality management and tourism students research-ing heritage landmarks in Grangegorman and South-

West inner city areas to produce walking trails.

Newly-graduated dietetics student dietetics student dietetics student dietetics student carrying out a needs analysis for community based research projects for the

Grangegorman community.

4th year product design students product design students product design students product design students working with Enable Ireland to

produce concept designs for assistive technology.

1st and 2nd year electrical/electronic engineering studentselectrical/electronic engineering studentselectrical/electronic engineering studentselectrical/electronic engineering students working with the Aisling Project Ballymun to teach children to programme

microchips in Lego robots.

3rd year manufacturing engineering students manufacturing engineering students manufacturing engineering students manufacturing engineering students working with Rutland Street drop-in centre to design and install solutions to their engi-

neering needs. This was facilitated by Peace Corps – Localise.

3rd year fine art students fine art students fine art students fine art students working with a wide range of community

groups to produce community art projects.

2nd year computer science students computer science students computer science students computer science students teaching secondary school

pupils basic programming.

3rd year environmental health students environmental health students environmental health students environmental health students giving presentations on health issues in

schools.

3rd year social science students social science students social science students social science students researching and producing a book to com-

memorate the 21st birthday of Home-Start Blanchardstown.

3rd year chemistry students chemistry students chemistry students chemistry students doing chemical risk analyses for local SMEs.

1st and 2nd year architectural technology and architec-architectural technology and architec-architectural technology and architec-architectural technology and architec-ture studentsture studentsture studentsture students designing and making toys for children in

St Michael’s House.

1st year product design students product design students product design students product design students working on designs for a fun communications toy for the Central Remedial

Clinic school in Clondalkin.

4th year optometry students optometry students optometry students optometry students evaluating and clinically ana-

lysing community based diabetic ocular screening clinics.

Students from

science,

tourism and

food, business,

and

engineering

faculties are

working on

CARS—see

page 2.

Chemistry students

giving demonstra-

tions in schools.

Computing students

giving classes in

communities.