TI 505 Rural Development and Communication for Innovation

Course Coordinators: Dr. Maura Farrell, Dr. John McDonagh, Dr. Micheál Ó Cinnéide and Dr. Patrick Collins
Timetable: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 1:00 - 4:00  
Venue: Geography Seminar Room (113, Arts/Science)

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Please click below for various module details:

• Module rationale
• Key learning outcomes
• Assessment
• Readings
• Full module outline

Module rationale

This module will explore the idea that sustainable rural development has become a key dimension of EU, national, regional, and local discourse in recent years.  Recognized as a multi-dimensional and complex process, this module will address the complexity of rural development by investigating different understandings of what rural development entails; different processes and practices of rural development and, at a more conceptual level, the theory and ideas that inform understandings and perceptions of rural development.  As a second entity of the module the concept of communications for rural development will be explored.  This model of facilitating knowledge transfer evolves from the work of the traditional extension advisor to the individual whose work focuses on the deliberate use of communication to stimulate change.  
 

Key learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

• Identify and discuss the principal theoretical approaches applied in rural development 
• Evaluate the narrative of rural development in a European context and the politics of rural sustainability
• Discuss and evaluate Rural Governance – community development and Leader
• Deconstruct the evolving conceptions of extension 
• Explore and analyse the relations between human practice, knowledge  and communication
• Examine Innovation as a process of network building, social  learning and negotiation
• Identify and illustrate the potential of basic media, methods and process management for rural innovation
• Examine organisational and interorganisational issues which impact on rural development and innovation.   
  

Assessment (30 ECTS)

This is a 10 ECTS module and will be assessed through a variety of continuous assessments, details of which will be provided by the module coordinator at the beginning of the module.  

Some key readings

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