TEU Update 28 August 2025
Featured this week
- Loop Preparation for the New Academic Year and Upcoming Sessions
- New Features and Enhancements in Loop Reflect
- Engage Students During Class with Vevox
- Education for Sustainability Digital Badge
- Fellowship of Advance HE
- Where to Find Help and Support
Finding module pages
Check the Course Overview block on your Loop Dashboard to find your module pages for the new year. If you cannot find a particular one, it most likely means you are not listed as an “Instructor” in Banner and therefore not enrolled on Loop. Please contact your faculty office about this.
Follow these instructions to import your material from last year’s page to the new, blank page for 2025/2026.
Create new assignments
In particular you are reminded NOT to import old Assignment activities, as they will not have the new Turnitin Similarity text-matching settings applied. Create new Loop Assignment activities from scratch on your new module pages. The settings must be correct before students start submitting.
Student enrolment
Please also do not enrol students directly onto Loop module pages. They get access as they work through their online registration steps.
Programme pages
All programme chairs have been emailed directly with details of their programme pages for the new academic year.
Other Loop pages
If you need a Loop page that is NOT a module page or programme page, but for some other purpose, (e.g. a shared page) make a request using this form.
Creating Loop content
Loop has lots of tools for presenting content to students. Using native Loop tools means that students can easily access content on any device, including the Loop app, and can use Loop accessibility tools to manipulate the content. This aligns with Universal Design for Learning guidelines.
Instead of just uploading PDF documents for students, consider collating your learning material in a Loop Book, where you can also embed images and video.
Additionally, consider organising the tiles/sections on your Loop page into subsections in order to help students navigate different pieces of content.
Upcoming sessions
Take attendance with Loop Attendance
The Loop Attendance activity makes it easy for teachers to track student attendance at online or on campus classes. Teachers can easily mark students as present or absent, or enable self-recording so students can mark themselves as present, using a password or scanning a QR code. This is particularly efficient in large classes.
Register to attend this online session to learn more about using Loop Attendance via the link below.
If you cannot attend at this time, register anyway to receive the recording afterwards. Learn more about the Loop Attendance activity in this Loop Staff Support page resource.
Loop Introductory Sessions
These repeating sessions are aimed at teaching staff as well as those who want a quick refresher on the essentials of our Loop digital learning environment. Register to attend one using the relevant link below.
Turnitin Similarity training sessions
To support staff in the migration to Turnitin Similarity, the following online training sessions are available. To register, select the link below for the session aimed at your cohort. If you cannot make it, please also feel free to sign up as the session will be recorded, and the recording will be shared afterwards.
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Session for staff in Institute of Education and Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences: Monday 1 September 2025, 11:00-12:00
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Session for staff in DCU Business School, Faculty of Engineering & Computing and Faculty of Science & Health: Wednesday 3 September, 2025, 10:00-11:00
Piloting and evaluating AI content generation in Loop
This session is aimed at DCU lecturers who want to explore the potential of AI content generation within Loop. This year the TEU is piloting and evaluating the use of two AI tools within Loop:-
1) the AI Subsystem, for generating text/images and summarising text; and
2) the Question Generator, for generating quiz questions and feedback.
If you want to learn more and be part of a small pilot group to explore these features, register to attend via the link below:
Session will be recorded and circulated afterwards, so register anyway if you are interested.
During the summer, Loop Reflect was upgraded to the latest version of the Mahara software, bringing new features and enhancements to the user interface. Below is a brief overview of these updates:
Recent content types
- After adding content types to pages, users will see their recently used ones displayed at the top, making it easier to quickly access the types they are most likely to use again.
Retrieve deleted text
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Text deleted from a text block can be retrieved again by clicking the backup button - this gives the user access to the content that was in the block before it was last saved.
Combined image and image gallery blocks
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Previously users had the option of choosing between "Image" (single image) or "Image gallery" (multiple images) when adding a block. Now there is one versatile block which offers flexibility regarding how many images a user includes.
Portfolio submission to Loop
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When a student submits a portfolio to Loop, a copy of the portfolio is made and submitted rather than the original portfolio. The copy shows the date and time of submission. Users can continue editing the original portfolio without affecting the copy that was submitted for grading.
Show submitted portfolios
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By selecting the ‘Show submitted portfolios’ check box on a users ‘Manage my Portfolios’ page, portfolios that have been submitted for marking are displayed. Deselecting the check box will hide submitted portfolios from view on this page.
Introduction to Portfolio Assessment with Loop Reflect
Are you interested in using ePortfolios in your teaching? Join our upcoming online session focused on using ePortfolios and Loop Reflect (DCU’s ePortfolio platform) to support learning, reflection, and assessment. Whether you are new to ePortfolios or looking to deepen your understanding of how they support student growth and showcase learning over time, this session will provide practical insights and hands-on guidance. We will explore the features of the platform, discuss best practices for integrating ePortfolios into your teaching, and highlight how they can be used for meaningful assessment.
Date: Wednesday 3 September 2025, 11am
Please click here to register for the online session.
Join us at this online session where exploring Vevox, a versatile student engagement tool for on-campus, Zoom, or hybrid classes. Vevox helps break the ice, gauge sentiment, and check comprehension in real time. It also encourages contributions from students who may hesitate to speak up, and can be used for fun polling, word clouds, quizzes, and Q&A—particularly useful in large classes. This session will highlight new features, including bulk importing, team leaderboards, and AI quiz generation. More information is available on the Loop Staff Support page.
Registration is essential. The session will be recorded and shared with registrants.
Following the success of the digital badge earlier this year, we will be offering it again during Semester One of the new academic year.
This is a six week course, involving 25 hours learning time.
The six sessions will take place over Zoom on Wednesdays at 1pm, beginning on Wednesday 1 October. Participants will also complete pre-session tasks and group reflections.
Sessions will focus on a range of issues including sustainable development; education for sustainable development, sustainability competencies, and integrating ESD into modules.
If you’ve any questions please contact barry.peak@dcu.ie.
Applying for Fellowship of Advance HE offers you a structured approach to reflecting on your practice, and the opportunity to join over 100 colleagues with Fellowship at DCU. Achieve external recognition of your teaching excellence by joining the 2025-26 Supported Journey to Fellowship. Funded places are limited- click here to apply now!
To learn more, chat to Programme Lead Dr Maeve O’Dwyer at an information session of your choice:
- Thursday 11th September, 10.00-11.00. In person drop-in q&a, DG10, Bea Orpen Building, Glasnevin Campus. No booking required.
- Wednesday 17th September, 10.00-11.00. Online Introduction to Fellowship. Click here to register now.
- Thursday 25th September, 10.00-11.00. In person Introduction to Fellowship. DG10, Bea Orpen Building, Glasnevin Campus. No booking required.
Technical Queries
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'
Teaching and Learning
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.
