Rob L
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lwnyrb.bsky.social
Rob L
@lwnyrb.bsky.social
710 followers 460 following 46 posts
Senior Learning Technologist at Dublin City University. SCMALT SFHEA SFSEDA.
#HigherEd #EdTech #CPD #Students
Is gorm iad na spéartha i bhfad uainn!
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lwnyrb.bsky.social
Rob L @lwnyrb.bsky.social · Nov 19
Lovely to see lots of @dublincityuni.bsky.social colleagues joining us on here, where the skies are blue! I've created a Starter Pack so you can easily follow all the wonderful DCU peeps :)

Let me know if I've missed anyone!!

go.bsky.app/7JNjbjW
Reposted by Rob L
sjvn.bsky.social
Austria military ditches Microsoft for #OpenSource LibreOffice - here's why www.zdnet.com/article/aust... via @zdnet.bsky.social & @sjvn.bsky.social

Austria, like many EU countries, doesn't trust Microsoft with its data. Can you blame them?
Austria military ditches Microsoft for open-source LibreOffice - here's why
It's not about the cost savings, either. Many government organizations are replacing Microsoft software for a more important reason.
www.zdnet.com
September 25, 2025 at 10:05 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Fantastic and inspiring presentation from Gavin Henrick of @brickfield.bsky.social reminding us all of the importance of digital accessibility to enable truly inclusive learning #MootGlobal25
Gavin stands on stage at a lectern with a slide behind reading “Brickfield Education Labs Imagine a world where learning is accessible to all”
September 17, 2025 at 10:32 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Great presentation today at #MootGlobal25 - Joey Murison from @catalyst-it.bsky.social shared learnings from their myriad higher education partnerships, including how they’ve helped build a strong and scalable #Moodle environment for @dublincityuni.bsky.social and support our new student orientation
Joey stands at a lectern with a slide behind reading “Dublin City University VPartnership formed in 2019 Focusing on student engagement and Moodle adoption” Joey stands at a lectern with a slide reading “Student Engagement focus - DCU partnership I'm excited to begin my Executive MBA joumey with DCU. I graduated in 1994 and completed my last HDip in 2005, back when handouts and a warm welcome were the norm on day one. Fast forward to today, and the transformation in the learning landscape is remarkable. Technology has reshaped how we engage with education. Accessing orientation materials through DCUs Loop platform has already given me a glimpse into the dynamic and supportive environment ahead. It's a far cry from my first day in college in 19901 I'm genuinely looking forward to this next chapter, embracing new tools, new thinking, and new connections.”
September 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Themes from a recent survey of #Moodle university users illustrate the importance of open source learning technologies - allows ownership, agency, sovereignty of our learners’ data and our pedagogical possibilities #MootGlobal25
Scott Anderberg, Moodle CEO, stands on a stage and behind a screen reads What is it about Open Source that's important? *We have found that open source products offer us more flexibility to respond to the specific needs of our HEl, particularly in terms of the VLE (our previous commercial VLE was too restrictive and did not meet the needs of our academic community). The community aspect of open source is also of vital importance, allowing us to work with colleagues in other institutions to develop and share resources. *Ethical. Affordable. Sustainable. Customisable to our needs. Allows us agency in what we do. We are not beholden to commercial vendors, their roadmap, their stakeholders' interests, etc. Given the concentration of commercial (ed)tech in America and the rise of technofascism there, open source is more important than ever in allowing us control over what we can do, and in owning what we do. We have been Moodle users for over 20 years, and back when deciding whether or not to adopt Moodle, the open source nature, the ability to customise and the ability to establish ourselves as leaders in this space was important to the university and still remains important all these years later. We have added Mahara to our ecosystem too. Our university also uses Drupal. " "We would like to gain value from wherever we can find it - open source is better value."
September 16, 2025 at 8:44 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Looking forward to a few days of Moodlin’ in beautiful Edinburgh for #MootGlobal25
Photo of an empty stage with a lectern and a screen which reads Welcome to MoodleMoot Global 2025
September 16, 2025 at 8:25 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Excited to launch a collaborative webinar series this month for #HigherEducation educators, all around #ImmersiveLearning, #VirtualReality and more! Speakers will share stories of embedding these technologies in their teaching.

All are welcome to strap in and learn at VR-HEd:SETS!

www.dcu.ie/vr-he
VR-HEd:SETS - Virtual Reality in Higher Education: Sharing Educational Tips and Stories | Teaching Enhancement Unit
www.dcu.ie
September 12, 2025 at 12:58 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Touching some grass on the beautiful @dublincityuni.bsky.social St Patrick’s Campus, looking stunning in the Dublin sunshine today
Photo from the courtyard on St Patrick’s Campus, with some benches and picnic tables dotted around, and a water fountain in the centre of the courtyard. Overlooking the courtyard is the old chapel, with its ornate front facade.
August 18, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Reposted by Rob L
risu.bsky.social
All true but wait until you hear how much data is collected and shared by schools and edtech. And the difference is: no one can opt out. You can throw out the Alexa but you can’t opt out of edtech data grabbing unless you home school.
nytimes.com The New York Times @nytimes.com · Aug 16
This is not a conspiracy theory: Many of the devices living in your home are quietly collecting towering heaps of information about you. Your TV, your doorbell, your security system, your thermostat, even your earbuds — all of them are involved.
Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know.
Devices in your home are quietly collecting information about you. Some of that data may be shared, analyzed, and sold by organizations you’ve never heard of. Maybe it’s fine. Maybe not.
nyti.ms
August 18, 2025 at 12:25 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Thrilled to bring the wonderful #EdTech conference to @dublincityuni.bsky.social in 2026, for its milestone 25th iteration. We’re looking forward to shaping an amazing conference experience for all, befitting this important anniversary!
@kate-molloy.net @eam0.bsky.social @stevedotedu.bsky.social
iltasky.bsky.social Irish Learning Technology Association @iltasky.bsky.social · May 30
@kate-molloy.net and @stevedotedu.bsky.social share their conference plans (and along with @lwnyrb.bsky.social) for the 25th Edtech - don’t miss it! See you next year in Dublin! #edtech26 #savethedate #highered #edusky #edchatie
Steve and Kate at the main stage
May 30, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Rob L
kate-molloy.net
The Getting Started with Personal and Professional Digital Capacity open course for @atu-ie.bsky.social and @dublincityuni.bsky.social staff starts on 3rd June. Join @lwnyrb.bsky.social and I this summer to redesign an element of your teaching or assessment for September. forms.gle/X5iSASuNc2Jj...
Registration Form: Getting Started With Personal & Professional Digital Capacity - Digital Badge Course (ATU-DCU Rollout)
What is this about? Staff from Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and Dublin City University (DCU) are invited to participate in a facilitated rollout of the Open Course "Getting Started With Pe...
forms.gle
May 28, 2025 at 10:21 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Delighted to be joined by Caroline Kennedy from @lawsocireland.bsky.social at today’s #MoodleMunch webinar to tell us all about their integrated use of #Moodle for professional legal education
Screenshot of a webinar with Caroline’s video feed on the right and a slide reading “MoodleMunch, May 2025 LAW SOCIETY OF IRFLAND Caroline Kennedy IT Manager - Education, Law Society of Ireland Overview of our Moodle-based learning technology ecosystem and how it caters for the needs of professional legal education.”
May 27, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Reposted by Rob L
dublincityuni.bsky.social
Who owns my child's data?
Teachers, parents and children should have a say in the role of technology in schools.
Piece by DCU's Dr Eamon Costello @eam0.bsky.social and Dr Rob Lowney @lwnyrb.bsky.social for
@rtebrainstorm.bsky.social.
Read here: launch.dcu.ie/3EZO0Mt
#RTEBrainstorm
Photo by anyaberkut on iStock
May 7, 2025 at 8:41 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
At today's #MoodleMunch webinar, Noeleen O'Keeffe & Emma Coyle from @dublincityuni.bsky.social share experiences of using a group review tool on #Moodle for students to rate each other in groupwork and promote positive group dynamics
Screenshot of Zoom meeting. Noeleen's video feed is on the side. She shares a slide with text reading: "Moodle Peerwork Tool (Group Review) The Challenge • Assessing students' individual contributions in a group assignment • Freeloader & sucker effect • Lack of recognition of individual contributions • Lack of accountability The Solution •A collaborative tool within Moodle that facilitates peer assessment and group work • Fair grading • Improve group dynamics Enhance reflection & accountability"
April 29, 2025 at 12:42 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Angela Stewart from University of Pittsburgh shares a useful theoretical framework for evaluating leaners’ collaborative problem solving skills at today’s #LAK25 session
Slide from presentation reading The Generalized Competency Model Mean (SD) Facet Description Construction of Shared Knowledge Establishing shared understanding amongst teammates • 14 (.14) Negotiation/ Coordination Maintaining Team Function Develop, execute, and revise a solution Proactively contribute to positive group environment • 18 (.09) •15 (.11)
March 7, 2025 at 12:15 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Great insights into interaction types and multimodal data types available for incorporation into #LearningAnalytics dashboards at today’s #LAK25 sessions
Photo of a large conference room with tables of attendees watching speakers present on stage
March 5, 2025 at 1:23 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Birte Heinemann from @rwth.bsky.social showing us a wonderfully rich #VirutalReality application "Teach-R" developed to help trainee teachers develop classroom management techniques #LAK25

Reminds me of a similar project from @pt-phone-home.bsky.social in @dcuioe.bsky.social!
March 4, 2025 at 2:42 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Common data types and data analysis techniques uses in #VirtualReality #LearningAnalytics shared by Tao Lei at today's #LAK25 workshop
Tao Lei stands at a lectern with a slide behind reading 3.2 What are the data types and data analysis techniques used in the reviewed studies? Common Data Types Used: • Behavioural Data (7 studies) → Interaction logs, user activity tracking. • Physiological Data (1 study) → EEG, heart rate (HR), electrodermal activity (EDA). • Eye-tracking Data (3 studies) → Gaze fixation, pupil dilation. • Spatial Data (1 study) → Head movement, hand tracking. • Self-reported Data (2 studies) → Questionnaires, self-assessments. • Video & Speech Data (2 studies) → Recorded interactions & sentiment analysis. • VR-Specific Interaction Data (3 studies) → Motion tracking, object manipulation.
March 4, 2025 at 2:22 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Tao Lei from Education University of Hong Kong presents a concise overview of what immersive #VirtualReality in #LearningAnalytics looks like #LAK25
Tao Lei stands at a lectern with slide behind reading 1.2 Immersive VR in LA • Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) refers to fully immersive virtual environments where learners interact using head-mounted displays (HMDs), motion controllers, and sometimes haptic feedback. • IVR enables real-time tracking (e.g., eye-tracking, physiological sensors, motion tracking) to analyze behavioral, affective, and cognitive learning dimensions (Shadiev & Li, 2023). • Ability to simulate real-world scenarios for practical learning (Allcoat et al., 2021) • Support for educational activities that are risky or difficult to perform in real life.
March 4, 2025 at 2:16 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Good to see #OpenEducationalResources listed as a potential solution to #VirtualReality financial challenges #OER #LAK25
Aytaj stands at lectern with slide behind reading Solution? smartphone-based headsets or Google Cardboard are budget-friendly solutions that allow schools to provide immersive VR experiences without large upfront costs. Low-Cost VR Solutions Affordable VR options for schools. Collaborative Resource Sharing Institutions pooling resources to cut costs. Open Educational Resources Free VR content for broader access. Schools and educational institutions can pool their resources, such as VR equipment and software, to reduce individual costs. OER can include free VR experiences, environments, or lesson plans that schools and educators can use without needing to purchase expensive software or licenses.
March 4, 2025 at 2:04 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Many challenges to face in scaling #VirtualReality classrooms including financial and technological says Aytaj Ismayilzada from @uniofjyvaskyla.bsky.social at today’s #LAK25 workshop
Aytaj stands at lectern with slide behind reading Why scaling VR classrooms still remains as a challenge: - Scaling VR environments require more than simply expanding VR access and it involves addressing a wide range of complex barriers that impact the practical implementation of VR on a larger scale. - One of the primary requirements for scaling VR classrooms is the development of effective learning analytics systems that can track and evaluate student progress in immersive settings. - However, the current state of learning analytics within VR faces various technical and practical challenges, including processing the extensive data generated by VR applications - These technical demands can lead to accessibility issues, especially for institutions with limited resources, such as smaller schools or those in underfunded regions.
March 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
A much needed framework from Miriam Fernandez @openuniversity.bsky.social around the responsible use of #ArtificialIntelligence in #LearningAnalytics presented at #LAK25
Miriam at a lectern with a slide behind reading A Responsible Al Framework for LA in HE Goal: Based on a decade of experience researching and developing Learning Analytics for HE, our goal is to create an operational responsible Al framework for Learning Analytics in Higher Education, offering guidance and best practices to empower universities to design, develop, and implement Al-based LA systems while fostering fairness and inclusivity. Socio-technical lens SoA review Algorithmic bias investigation Human decision analysis Transparency and student empowerment Guidelines and regulatory compliance
March 3, 2025 at 10:12 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Rogers Kaliisa and Ioana Jivet share what #LearningAnalytics dashboards should be: informative, understandable, actionable #LAK25
Rogers and Ioana stand in front of a slide reading Learning analytics dashboard design Informative Does the feedback contain valuable information for the user Understandable Does the delivery method allow easy understanding and sense-making? Actionable Does the feedback allow users to take action and change behaviour?
March 3, 2025 at 9:39 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
What does success look like in #LearningAnalytics adoption? Great reminders from Esther Ventura-Medina, Eindhoven University of Technology at the #LAK25 workshop today on dashboards
Esther stands at a lectern with a slide behind reading Evidence of success Institutional policies Senior management support Capacity building Participatory co-design
March 3, 2025 at 9:31 AM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
So thrilled to bring back our #MoodleMunch international community of practice today, with a lunchtime webinar on using generative artificial intelligence and #Moodle. First up, @stevedotedu.bsky.social and @pt-phone-home.bsky.social share their insights into using an AI question generator
Steve Welsh video feed on a Zoom meeting, sharing a slide which reads Project Objectives 1. Install an Al generator plugin on Moodle and trial a ChatGPT API subscription. 2. Recruit some lecturers from each of DCU's five faculties to pilot the plugin to create Moodle quiz questions. Support these lecturers to critique and refine the generated content and deploy quizzes to their students. 4. Evaluate lecturers' experience through an approved research study and make recommendations for the future potential of genAl and Moodle.
February 25, 2025 at 1:14 PM
lwnyrb.bsky.social
Our next #DCUVIBES speaker Tanya Livingstone from @dcuengineering.bsky.social shares an example of using surgical simulation to foster students’ skills with important surgical tools to aid their understanding of how to design and develop such tools
Tanya Livingstone at a lectern speaks to the audience with a slide behind reading “Objective 1: Surgical Simulation Virtual Lab • Goat To enhancing students understanding of the key learning outcomes within MMEC1047 Argical Device Technology, 4 Year module on BEng and MEng programmes in Biomedical Engineering • Cinical environment • Surgical procedures • Challenges of minimaly invasive surgery • Engering concepts relating to kinetic kinematios of surgical devices/ surgical robotics • New Lab Adity designed • Students use VR to watch a minimaly invasive surgical procedure (aparoscopy) • Complete a hands achily using a surgical simulator kit”
January 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM