Workshops

Room 1:

Helen Beetham

Designing for relational and authentic learning

In this participative workshop, participants will share practices for relational and authentic learning. Live activities will be explored, for both in person and online settings, that ‘crowd out’ the impulse to turn to AI for support, and can build students’ confidence in their own learning process and outcomes.

Room 2:

Tom Lowe

Developing an Accessible Taught Curriculum for International Students

Irish Higher Education is increasingly drawing international attention and enrolment of students from across the world. With Europe holding capital in education and options for study such as the one year Masters degree sees our postgraduate programmes becoming increasingly diverse. With students joining from dozens of diverse educational systems, our classrooms can have a mixture of educational experiences and expectations regarding higher education, where learning and teaching practices have to adapt. The student journey of the taught curriculum may require review, as well as the need to take additional steps to engage and be inclusive of our brilliant communities bought together for the study of our disciplines. This workshop will therefore ask colleagues to explore the means for supporting students’ engagement and success at postgraduate programmes at the University of Galway. This will include a discussion on how to enhance the student and programme journey to support student transitions, and reflect on our teaching practice as teams, to build collective expectations of engagement. Drawing on research relating to student attendance and engagement, this session will be activity rich and forward looking toward planning for the 2026-27 academic year.

Room 3:

Embedding Empathy: PPIE Training as a Pedagogical Tool 

Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) is increasingly recognised as a cornerstone of socially responsible research in medical disciplines, with major funders now expecting meaningful engagement to be embedded throughout the research process.

Drawing on the work of PPIE, this workshop will provide an opportunity to reflect on how programmes from across the university can develop the communication skills, ethical awareness, and empathy that meaningful involvement with the public requires - capacities that are valuable not only in academic research, but across the range of roles graduates will go on to occupy. The session is relevant to staff across all disciplines and no prior knowledge of PPIE is required or assumed.

Room 4:

Bonnie Thompson Long, CALPD

Fiona Concannon, CELT

Jan Smith, CELT

Beyond Blended Workshop 

Drawing on the JISC Beyond Blended design framework, this interactive session will help you rethink curriculum and learning design through practical lenses such as time and pace, space and place, participation modes, and learner engagement. 

What will you do during the workshop? 

• Reflect on what online teaching means to you in your subject area 
• Look at online teaching at the University of Galway and some language and terms used 
• Investigate the JISC Beyond Blended design framework and how it relates to your teaching 
• Identify your current course components and design your ideal online course 

You should attend this workshop if you: 

• are already teaching a blended or online course and want to enhance it 
• have no online teaching experience but would like to get started
• are interested in conversations around teaching and learning in blended and online environments and the experiences of other academic staff.

Room 5: