Mentors - DCU Activating Active Learning Hackathon 2024

Dr Dara Cassidy, as Head of Online Education at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is responsible for developing and supporting the implementation of the University’s digital learning strategy. Over a 20-year career, Dara has developed extensive experience in the realm of digital learning, encompassing online teaching, faculty development, content creation, and quality assurance of online and blended education. Her research interests include socio-cultural perspectives on technology, identity and learning, AI in education, and the development of presence and community in online programmes.

Kevin C. O'Rourke has worked at Technological University Dublin (formerly Dublin Institute of Technology) in a variety of positions over the past two decades, as Digital Campus Architect, Head of eLearning Support & Development, and currently as Enterprise Partnership Lead with the Enterprise Academy. He was seconded to Ireland’s National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning to produce the Digital Roadmap for Higher Education (2015–17) and the review of Ireland’s Higher Education Digital Infrastructure (2017). Prior to joining DIT his professional career spanned advertising and publishing in Dublin, New York and London.  He holds a PhD in the history of ideas from University College London, as well as bachelor and masters degrees in philosophy from University College Dublin.

Lisa O’Regan is the Head of the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Maynooth University with responsibility for leading the design and implementation of strategic professional development and change initiatives in relation to learning, teaching and assessment in Higher Education. Lisa has worked in the education field in both academic and corporate contexts since 2001 where she has gained extensive experience in digital education, curriculum planning and strategic project management. Lisa has a particular interest in the areas of digital learning, assessment and feedback and student success.

Dr. Martina Crehan is the Head of the Teaching Enhancement Unit at Dublin City University. With a background in Psychology and Education, Martina Crehan has expertise in teaching and learning in higher education, student engagement, curriculum design and reflective practice. She has led on curriculum redesign at a programmatic level and designed and led on the implementation of accredited programmes in teaching and learning in Higher Education at two HEIs. She is experienced in qualitative research methods, particularly phenomenological interviewing and has conducted research in areas of transition to higher education, reflective practice and faculty development, peer observation of teaching, and curriculum design.

Rob Lowney (SCMALT, SFHEA, SFSEDA) is Senior Learning Technologist at DCU's Teaching Enhancement Unit, guiding its learning technology group. He is committed to enhancing teaching, learning and assessment through digital technologies by collaborating with academics. Areas of interest include flipped learning, mobile learning, artificial intelligence, academic integrity, learning analytics, virtual learning environments, assessment and student partnership. He is adept at Moodle administration and teaching, and leads an international community of practice called ‘MoodleMunch’. He is currently pursuing an EdD in digital learning, focusing on critical data literacy.

Noeleen O’Keeffe is an Academic Developer in the TEU, DCU. She is the institutional lead for Loop Reflect. She supports academics in the design and implementation of learning portfolio activities, providing training and support to students. She provides advice and support in the development of learning activities in both face-to-face and online environments. She supports the enhancement of good educational practice/innovations in teaching and student learning. She provides demand-led professional development on a range of educational technology-related matters. She builds capacity and pedagogical understanding on the effective use of the Loop digital learning environment and other multimedia in blended learning.

Barry Peak is the Education for Sustainable Development Officer at DCU. This role involves supporting academic staff to integrate themes around social, global and climate justice into their practice, through professional and curriculum development. Previously, he was a teacher at second-level and worked at an education charity that empowers and equips young people to take action on social justice issues. Barry has a BA in Politics and Sociology from Queen’s in Belfast and an MA in Political Communication from DCU, where his dissertation focused on the changing nature of political campaigning.

Steve Welsh is a Learning Technologist with the Teaching Enhancement Unit at Dublin City University. Steve brings with him an extensive background in educational technology and instructional design having previously worked at Columbia University’s Center for Teaching and Learning, the University of Michigan’s Center for Academic Innovation, and the Detroit Public Schools District. Steve is also a doctoral student at Columbia University Teachers College in their Communications, Media, and Learning Technologies Design programme.

Samantha (Jiaxin) Xu is the academic integrity officer at Dublin City University. She is responsible for creating resources and workshops to support DCU staff in curriculum and assessment design to uphold academic integrity. As the emergence of Generative is challenging the validity of traditional assessment design, she is also researching effective assessment redesign strategies to uphold academic integrity in a Generative AI era. Before joining DCU, she taught academic writing at a Chinese-British university and an ESL Writing Centre in the US. She loves sharing and discussing effective assessment design strategies, inspiring teaching practices, and useful resources with colleagues.