Learning Innovation Unit

LIU News

By Morag Munro, Head of LIU

Teaching Enhancement Cycle

One of the LIU's recent activities has been the development of the DCU Teaching Enhancement Cycle (TEC). The TEC is a cyclical process for gathering feedback on one’s teaching practice in order to self evaluate and move to positive, actionable change. The LIU will hold information sessions on the TEC on 11th and 15th March. For furtherinformation contact learning.innovation@dcu.ie. The
TEC web resource, provides a range of tools for
gaining and reflecting on feedback: http://www.dcu.ie/ovpli/liu/Teaching-enhancement-cycle.

Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)

LIU staff have been involved in several of the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) projects, including DCU’s AFI initiative and the Enhancement of Learning (EOL) Flexible Curriculum and Dublin Centre for Academic Development (DCAD) projects.

Postgraduate tutor/demonstrator course

We are coming to the end of the third iteration of our postgraduate tutor/demonstrator training course. This eight week course introduces postgraduate students acting as tutors and demonstrators to pedagogical theory and practice in the context of their teaching roles.

Learning technology

In addition to our provision of support for Moodle, new learning technologies that the LIU have been experimenting with over the last year include Camtasia, Audacity, Mahara and Google Apps for education. As demonstrated in David Molloy’s article Camtasia is a screen capture tool that allows you to record what is on screen and play back the result as a video. Audacity is a free software resource that you can use to quickly create podcasts while Mahara is an e-Portfolio and social networking application. Mahara provides students with tools to create and maintain a digital portfolio of their learning, and social networking features to allow students and staff to interact. Finally, Google Apps for education is a suite of online communication and
collaboration tools that can be used to support student learning. Many thanks to ISS for their support in hosting Mahara and Google Apps. If you are interested in using any of the aforementioned tools in your teachingthen please contact the LIU. .

LIU writers’ group

The LIU weekly Writers' group for educational researchers reccomenced at the beginning of February. The purpose of the group is to allow colleagues a dedicated time and space on a regular basis to meet and work on articles, books, book chapters or any other writing project. The main purpose of the weekly group is to write, so discussion and other activities are kept to a minimum. Research in this area has shown that this model works very well in assisting people to write regularly. You can join the group at any time and attend when it suits you best. If you are interested in joining or finding out more, then please contact the LIU.

Lunchtime seminar series

The LIU continues to host regular lunchtime seminars on topics relating to teaching and learning. These aim of these seminars is to encourage the cross-fertilisation of ideas between Schools and disciplines and to generate debate on subjects of campus-wide interest relating to teaching and learning.

The seminar format consists of a presentation followed by questions and general discussion. The atmosphere is relaxed and lunch is provided.  We welcome presenters from all academic and support staff involved in teaching and learning. For more information contact the LIU.