#IUADigEd, #DigPed, and Beyond

Photo by John Baker on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again, you know, the one where some of us use the summer to reflect on the year that has passed, and anticipate what’s to come.

I was out of work for most of last summer with a broken wrist, aside from a quick jaunt to Digital Pedagogy Lab. My dear reader, let me tell you that I don’t recommend traveling internationally with a broken wrist, or more accurately, a break where your hand had fallen off completely. Luckily, I didn’t know this until my follow up appointment in September. Let’s just say that I was never so appreciative of a hotel ice machine…

At any rate, on my first day back at work I delivered a learning design workshop and off the year went. It would have been nice to ease back in slowly. It was an interesting year with changes to our team, and even a new project for myself.

#IUADigEd

Last month, I began work on the Irish Universities Association project, ‘Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning’. I will still be based in CELT as a Learning Technologist, but will join the wider project team as we work to enhance the digital capabilities of those who teach in higher education at our individual institutions. The aim of the project is to mainstream and integrate the use of digital technologies, and ultimately improve the student experience. You can read more about the project below.

Digital Learning

It’s an exciting time, especially given that I’ll be out and about a bit more working with staff, and working with the wider project team. There is an element of familiarity in that the project leader is Sharon Flynn, who left her role leading our learning technologies team to lead the project nationally.

#DigPed

In other news, I’m returning to Digital Pedagogy Lab as a fellow. I’m honoured to be in such a position, and even more so to have the opportunity to deliver a workshop. The three-hour workshop is a spin on my usual staff workshop on learning design for online and blended learning, but a bit more playfully titled…

Workshop: How to Ruin a Course

Disclaimer: No courses will be harmed in the course of this workshop

I feel like I should have a lot more to say about being a fellow, but I’m honestly still so shocked and so grateful. I don’t want to overthink it. I’d rather soak it all in, and I shall. You can read a little more about my workshop here.

#FemEdTech

In other news, I’ll be curating the @femedtech account while I’m at DPL again, and I imagine it will be much easier to tweet with two hands. It made for interesting conversation last year onsite, especially when people were trying to guess who @femedtech was. I’m debating changing my Twitter profile picture to an actual picture to lessen the confusion, but then that wouldn’t be quite as much fun.

This year, I’ll be on Kevin Gannon’s ‘Inclusive Design’ track, and I’m sure some relevant conversations will emerge. The track will examine communities in digital teaching and learning, and strive to create spaces that are ‘radically inclusive’.

Beyond

I have two solid songs of the summer currently rotating on a Spotify playlist, which is made up entirely of both these bands. The Mountain Goats recently played an old favourite, ‘This Year’ with Stephen Colbert on his late-night programme. A few friends were sharing it on social media, and I eventually clicked on it. Colbert’s joy is unabashed and fearless, and he and John Darnielle seem kindred spirits on stage. This performance reminded me what a great song, and band, this is. Also, some choruses never get old…