TEU Update 9 April 2026

Conversations on GenAI & Teaching - Kicks Off on April 22

Date & Time: Wednesday, April 22, 1-2pm on Zoom

Following on from the enthusiastic discussions on GenAI and Teaching during the GenAI Badge, we now welcome all staff to join a monthly community of practice. It is a low-stakes event, aiming for participants to have free-flowing conversations on anything—a practice, a question, a challenge, a piece of news, and so on—regarding GenAI & Teaching. It is aimed to be a safe space for staff to honestly share concerns, practices, and thoughts. As a result, staff can learn from and support each other in navigating their journey in the GenAI era.

ESD - Compendium of Existing Good Practice

As part of DCU's Education for Sustainable Development Hub, the TEU is compiling a compendium of existing good practice. This will highlight and showcase modules that have integrated content, pedagogies, methodologies and assessment strategies related to ESD and other complementary approaches such as Global Citizenship Education, Human Rights Education and Development Education.

We’re hoping this will inspire more teaching staff to integrate ESD themes into their practice and may even allow academics to identify opportunities for collaboration or interdisciplinary approaches.

You can include your module in the compendium by completing this short form.

Loop Grading Support

As you finalise grading, keep these tips in mind for grading on Loop:

Add Manual Grade Items: You can manually create grade items for offline tasks like presentations or in-class participation—just click "Add grade item" in Gradebook Setup.
Use Categories to Stay Organized: You can group related assignments using Gradebook categories (e.g., "Quizzes," "Essays"). This keeps things tidy and makes weighting easier.
Check your aggregation method: Under Gradebook Setup, you can set your item and category aggregation method (e.g. Weighted mean of grades, Simple weighted mean, Natural) to match how you want final grades calculated.
A comprehensive suite of resources on grading and Loop Gradebook is available on the Loop Staff Support Page in the Assessment section.

Upcoming Assessment Deadlines

Staff are asked to set up any Assignments, Quizzes, etc. and configure their due dates as soon as possible on Loop. As part of our automatic monitoring processes, we scan for upcoming assessment activity so we can ascertain the load impact on Loop and take measures to ensure good site performance.

Register for the DCU Spring 2026 Universal Design Badge Course

This semester, we 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".. 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 20th April to 28th 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 reach out directly to steve.welsh@dcu.ie with any specific questions.

Creating Collaborative Classrooms

Tuesday 14 April, 13:00

Room F119, first floor, F Block, St Patrick’s Campus

Learning through discussion, collaboration and production (Laurillard, 2012) are often some of the most impactful ways for students to co-construct knowledge. These types of learning can be leveraged in small group teaching scenarios in particular, and can be facilitated through the pedagogically effective use of available classroom technologies at DCU, such as the new Samsung Flip Interactive Displays. Learn more about this new classroom technology in this DTS article.

Join us at this practical lunchtime session to explore ways of creating collaborative learning opportunities for students in small group sessions.

Registration is essential. Places will be limited at this interactive and collaborative session. Please bring devices (e.g. smartphone , tablet or laptop). Note that parts of this session will be recorded using a 360 degree camera.

VR Convos & Cuppas

Thursday 16 April, 13:00, GLA.DG10

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 - drop in to DG10 in the Bea Orpen Building on the day/time.

New TEU Colleague

We are delighted to welcome a new colleague to the TEU team. Eveline Holmes has joined us this week in a SATLE funded Learning Technologist post. Eveline brings her experience in professional development and instructional design to our developing work in the area of immersive learning.

Welcome Eveline!

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.