TEU Update 29 January 2026
Workshop for Early Career Educators: Active Learning in Large Group Teaching
Large group teaching presents specific challenges but also opportunities for the educator. In this workshop, led by Dr Martina Crehan & Dr Maeve O’Dwyer, we will explore some evidence-based approaches to facilitating and managing learning in the large class teaching context and discuss how you can apply them in your teaching context. Join us online, 14.00-16.00, Wednesday February 11th, to learn more.
| Register your place now |
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.
Managing Space in Loop Reflect
Please share these useful tips with students to help them manage their storage space in Loop Reflect:
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Students should save artefacts in their DCU Google Drive, set sharing to “Anyone with the link,” and either paste the link in their portfolio or embed via the Google Apps block.
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Images should be compressed before uploading to Loop Reflect (see Reflect Help) or stored in Drive and embedded using the External Media block.
Video files should not be uploaded directly to Reflect; instead, use a DCU student YouTube channel or Drive, then embed the video in the portfolio.
Check your Turnitin Similarity text-matching settings
If you want student submissions to Loop Assignments to be text-matched, you must ensure these settings are applied before students start submitting.
Please also notify students that they must accept the End User Licence Agreement (EULA) before uploading a file to a Loop Assignment to be processed.
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.
Register for the DCU Spring 2026 Universal Design Badge Course
This Spring, the TEU will be facilitating a UDL Badge course locally for DCU staff. Along with offering the "Universal Design in Teaching and Learning" badge, this instance of the programme will also offer a second track for professional staff in "Universal Design Beyond the Classroom", focusing on opportunities to apply universal design principles in non-academic roles. Participants who complete the course will be awarded a digital badge recognised by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. The course will run from mid-April to early June.
Register your interest for the course via this form. For more info on the content of the UDL badge course, see this page, or you can reach out to steve.welsh@dcu.ie with any specific questions.
Where to Find Help and Support
Technical Queries
- Submit a request at DCU Help for Loop queries
- More complex query or prefer to chat? Join a Loop drop in clinic
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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.