Happy Christmas and Winter School Update

EDIN is delighted to announce that the EDIN Winter School 'Writing for Publication' has been rescheduled for Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 February 2011. We would like to thank the presenters, participants and venue for facilitating this change of date. We look forward to the event. Everyone who booked for November will be booked for February and we will be communicating with you about your booking.

Please do explore the EDIN website. There are some changes and updates. Information on EDIN events is found on the Activities page and other items of interest to educational developers e.g. conferences, seminars, call for papers are on the News & Events page. The links pages has been updated.

On behalf of the Committee we wish all EDIN members a happy educational development Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

Urgent - Cancelled EDIN Winter School 29, 30 November 2010

It is with regret that due to the adverse weather conditions, we have decided to cancel the EDIN Winter School on Monday and Tuesday 29/30 November. We will definitely run the event again in the new year and all who booked for this week will be given first preference to attend.

If you have queries please contact Marion Palmer (Chair).

EDIN Committee members - please note the Committee meeting scheduled for 4 pm on Monday 29 November is also cancelled.

EDIN Winter School 29, 30 November 2010

EDIN is delighted to announce its forthcoming Winter School for members Writing for Publication. It will take place on 29, 30 November 2010 in Dublin, booking information is here. The Winter School has been developed by Dr Ciara O'Farrell of TCD and Dr Marian Fitzmaurice of DIT and draws on the expertise and experience of EDIN members. It will focus on journal selection, the peer review process, developing academic writing and will consider writing groups and issues in writing a journal article. The Winter School is open to EDIN members only and places are limited.

Educational development awaits the Hunt report

Educational development has grown and developed as a field in Ireland over the last ten years. EDIN is evidence of the work on the ground with over ninety members across the country. Educational development has been essential to the growth of higher education and EDIN awaits the forthcoming review of higher education with great interest.

EDIN Update September 2010

Welcome to the start of the new academic year.

Over the summer EDIN was at ICED2010 in Barcelona, please see Ciara O'Farrell's note below. The EDIN Committee met in June and is working on updating the website and making it the key means of communication with members. We are working on a programme of events and will be in contact by email.

Marion Palmer

Chair

Ciara O'Farrell writes:

In early July Marian Fitzmaurice and I facilitated a workshop at the ICED conference in Barcelona. The workshop centred on the uses of narratives of Practice not only in supporting Academics but also Academic Developers. Both Marian and I feel strongly that we need to drive forward our own continuous development within EDIN and, as part of the EDIN committee we are planning some related initiatives in the following academic year.

The ICED conference was very interesting and our workshop was well received. One outcome of the conference for both of us was that we felt Academic Practice in Ireland is well positioned in relation to other countries – the quality of our output is well up there!

If anybody wants to talk about Narratives of Practice, feel free to contact either of us.

Ciara O’Farrell

eLearning and Educational Development EDIN AGM 6 May 2010

eLearning and educational development was explored yesterday at the EDIN Annual General Meeting held in Tipperary Institute. Dr Kevin O'Rourke of the LTTC DIT, Paul Gormley Chair of ILTA and working in CELT NUIG, Morag Munro Acting Head of the Learning Innovation Unit at DCU and Catherine Bruen NDLR Project Manager explored the relationship between elearning and educational development. The overall argument about technology-enhanced learning, how it can support educational development, the need for a critical theory of technology, how through sharing we can develop a collective solution for elearning and thus put into practice the recipe for a happy marriage was thought-provoking and exciting. EDIN looks forward to developing this debate further. There is no doubt that elearning and educational development are intertwined at many levels in Irish higher education.

At the AGM the 2010-2011 EDIN Officers and Committee were elected and a two year Strategic Plan was agreed. The EDIN Officers for 2010-2011 are: Chair Marion Palmer (IADT), Vice-Chair Nuala Harding (Athlone IT), Secretary Orla Hanratty (NUIM) and Treasurer Martina Crehan (DIT). The EDIN Committee is Anne Carpenter (IT Carlow), Geraldine O'Neill (UCS), Martin Fitzgerald (Tipperary Institute), Ciara O'Farrell (TCD), Marian Fitzmaurice(DIT)and Michelle Tooher(NUIG).

Thanks to Tipperary Institute for hosting the AGM and being an excellent venue. Thanks to our presenters, to EDIN members and to the 2009-2010 Committee for a good AGM.

EDIN AGM 6 May 2010

EDIN is delighted to announce that the 2010 AGM will take place on 6 May in the Tipperary Institute. The AGM starts with registration at 10.30 am and will be followed by a panel discussion on elearning and educational development. Panellists are Dr Kevin O'Rourke of the LTTC DIT, Paul Gormley of ILTA, Morag Munro Head of Learning Innovation at DCU and Catherine Bruen NDLR Project Manager. To book a place at the AGM please email Martin Fitzgerald at MJFitzgerald@tippinst.ie.

EDIN Seminar 4 February

EDIN was delighted to host a seminar by Dr John Dallat of Dundlak Institute of Technology in Dundlak on Thursday 4 February. The seminar considered researching teaching and learning in higher education and was titled 30 Commonly-found weaknesses in theses/disserations/project. It was challenging and very stimulating for both those who are supervising research students and those carrying out research projects. Dr Dallat's presentation is available for download on the Dundalk CELT site at http://ww2.dkit.ie/staff_and_admin/celt/resources/30_commonly_found_weaknesses. Thanks to everyone who attended.