TEU Update 19 February 2026
Upcoming Sipping Point
Join us on Monday, March 9th at 11am for our next Sipping Point conversation, bringing together two perspectives on learning from teaching practice in very different contexts. One explores executive training for government delegations in complex environmental negotiations, while the other reflects on teaching self-study methods in an undergraduate dissertation module and supporting student research.
Find out more about this session
Register for this online session
Loop Reflect Awards
Final reminder as the deadline for submissions approaches! Please remind your students that entries to the Loop Reflect Awards competition close at 5pm on Wednesday 25th February, following which, the winners will be announced at the ceremony on Tuesday 10th March at 1pm in the U Building, Glasnevin campus. Students can enter via this link. Prizes and digital badges available to evidence students’ achievement!
VR Convos & Cuppas
Tuesday 3 March, 14:00, SPC.F120
Have you ever wondered what virtual reality is all about? Curious to try on a headset and explore some educational apps? Want to have a chat to see if VR is something which would enhance your students’ learning experiences? If so, drop in to our VR Convos & Cuppas session, where we can have a good chinwag over the potential of VR. And don’t worry, the tea and coffee is real, not virtual!
No need to register (you can click on the date above to add to your calendar) - just come along.
Workshop for Early Career Educators: Technology-Enhanced Learning at DCU
Are you new to Loop or feeling like your module page is more of a document dump than a dynamic learning space? Join us on Wednesday, Feb 25th (2–4pm) for an exploration of DCU’s technologies for teaching and learning. By grounding our practice in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and established learning theories, we’ll explore how to transform Loop into a space that presents content effectively, facilitates student interaction, and offers a wide variety of formative assessments.
We will also explore creative ways to integrate DCU-supported learning technologies like Vevox, Zoom, and Google Workspace to foster engagement and effective collaboration.
This workshop is part of a series aimed at early career educators, and/or colleagues new to teaching at DCU, called the Educator’s Compass: finding your way in teaching and learning. Queries to maeve.odwyer@dcu.ie.
Online Workshop 23 Feb: Setting the Score: Grading Online with Loop Assignments, Rubrics and Gradebook
Ready to get started with grading in Loop? This practical online workshop will get you up to speed. We'll show you how to use Loop Assignments for a variety of assessment designs, including facilitating group projects. You'll learn how to implement different Rubric types to make grading consistent and give students useful feedback. We'll also cover some good practices for managing grades in the Loop Gradebook. This workshop is aimed at new and intermediate Loop users.
Details: Monday, 23 February 2–3 PM on Zoom. Registration is required. (The recording will be circulated to all registrants.)
Call for Interested Participants: Loop AI Question Generator
The Loop Team is piloting an experimental quiz question generator that leverages an AI technology to create quiz questions in Loop based on simple prompts from the lecturer. This technology can both aid in the generation of quality quiz questions as well as streamline the process of populating quizzes in Loop, thus saving the lecturer the time of manual question creation. Loop AI Question Generator. Initial feedback from pilot participants shows that the generator can provide time-saving efficiencies in formative assessment design at scale.
We are looking for lecturers who might be interested in exploring the features of this tool for creating quizzes. Upon completing a brief expression of interest form, you will be contacted by a team member to schedule a consultation where we will provide you with access to the tool along with a brief orientation and guidance.
Online Workshop: Getting Started with Online and Blended Learning
Wednesday 4 March 2026, 14:00-15:30
Are you thinking about the potential of online or blended learning? Could they be impactful modalities for your learners? Are you thinking of designing or redesigning a programme/module as online or blended? If so, this workshop is for you! In this session we will introduce the principles of good quality online and blended learning, what it means for you as a teacher, and your students, how to get started thinking and planning about programme and module design, what technologies to consider, and how to evaluate the experience. All are welcome to register. Session will be recorded and circulated afterwards.
Where to Find Help and Support
Submit a request at DCU Help for Loop queries
More complex query or prefer to chat? Join a Loop drop in clinic
Find comprehensive resources on our Loop Staff Support Page - enrolment key is 'staff'
For advice on teaching practice, including on the use of technology, email teaching.enhancement@dcu.ie
Request a workshop or extended consultation
Stay in the loop Professional and technical staff - Join Group to stay informed on TEU activities, including Loop communications and professional development opportunities.