A long table talk is modelled after a dinner party conversation where everyone’s voices are of equal importance. No hierarchy, no domination of the conversation, everyone’s input is invaluable. It’s participatory in nature but without the pressure of something like a presentation - you can have your say or step back and listen to others, and always rejoin the discussion if something comes to mind. It has a facilitator to kind of make sure the conversation stays on topic and stays within the time frame. But ultimately we all come to a virtual ‘table’ with a topic in mind to learn from the diverse perspectives of our peers. It’s just a fluid and dynamic way of having meaningful conversations and uplifting our own knowledge and experiences as a group.

A long table talk is modelled after a dinner party conversation where everyone’s voices are of equal importance. No hierarchy, no domination of the conversation, everyone’s input is invaluable. It’s participatory in nature but without the pressure of something like a presentation - you can have your say or step back and listen to others, and always rejoin the discussion if something comes to mind. It has a facilitator to kind of make sure the conversation stays on topic and stays within the time frame. But ultimately we all come to a virtual ‘table’ with a topic in mind to learn from the diverse perspectives of our peers. It’s just a fluid and dynamic way of having meaningful conversations and uplifting our own knowledge and experiences as a group.

A long table talk is modelled after a dinner party conversation where everyone’s voices are of equal importance. No hierarchy, no domination of the conversation, everyone’s input is invaluable. It’s participatory in nature but without the pressure of something like a presentation - you can have your say or step back and listen to others, and always rejoin the discussion if something comes to mind. It has a facilitator to kind of make sure the conversation stays on topic and stays within the time frame. But ultimately we all come to a virtual ‘table’ with a topic in mind to learn from the diverse perspectives of our peers. It’s just a fluid and dynamic way of having meaningful conversations and uplifting our own knowledge and experiences as a group.

Connectmas Christmas Party 20 December 2024. 

Get ready to jingle and mingle at the Connected DCU Society's fabulous 'Connectmas' Party! ?

Join us for a whirlwind of holiday games, merry chats, and festive fun!

Keep your eyes peeled for some fabulous spot prizes on the night! ??

This will be a group discussion about a chosen book based around the theme of food. There will be questions about the book and members will get the chance to share their thoughts. 

Louise is the Research and Evaluation Coordinator with Preparing For Life. She has been involved in the field of community development in Dublin, Ireland for nearly 25 years. During this time she has primarily focused on the area of addiction recovery and the development of person-centred services and networks of support. However, for the last five years she has worked in the field of child and family services. Her work experience ranges across frontline service provision, research, service development and policy. She previously worked on the ROSIE Study a research outcome study in Ireland evaluating drug treatment effectiveness. More recently she was part of an advisory group to the Pompidou Group in the Council of Europe supporting the creation of guidelines for a rights based approach where children are living with parental substance use (considering the rights of the child, mother, father, family). In 2020, she commenced a PhD to “Advance the system with mothers in addiction recovery” in Trinity College Dublin using action research and participatory approaches. She is also a mum to two kids and in her free time likes to walk her dog, read and listen to music.

A long table talk is modelled after a dinner party conversation where everyone’s voices are of equal importance. No hierarchy, no domination of the conversation, everyone’s input is invaluable. It’s participatory in nature but without the pressure of something like a presentation - you can have your say or step back and listen to others, and always rejoin the discussion if something comes to mind. It has a facilitator to kind of make sure the conversation stays on topic and stays within the time frame. But ultimately we all come to a virtual ‘table’ with a topic in mind to learn from the diverse perspectives of our peers. It’s just a fluid and dynamic way of having meaningful conversations and uplifting our own knowledge and experiences as a group.

A Lunch and Learn with Colm Bourke in which he discusses career options and career planning related to Humanities and Psychology students' concepts around career planning  and how individual career paths go way beyond the degree Colm is a Careers Consultant with over 5 years experience. Currently working with students in the Faculty of Science and Health and the School of Law and Government at DCU. Completed a Masters in Psychology at the University of Louisiana Monroe in the US and currently pursuing a Masters in Sports and Exercise Psychology.

Dr. Aoife Quinn will be joining us for our next Lunch & Learn in which she will discuss the pathway that you can take when looking to go into counselling or becoming a therapist and we are very much looking forward to having her.

Dr Quinn is a sport psychologist based in Dublin. Dr Quinn is also a tutor here with us in DCU and is also very busy as alongside this work she is the Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at City Colleges and is a psychology tutor with Dublin City University (DCU).  Aoife works with individuals and teams from grass roots/beginner level to elite/professional level across all sports and performance settings.  Using evidence-based practice, Aoife maximises performance, well-being and enjoyment. Aoife has developed a client-centered approach which includes a holistic assessment and tailor-made plan.  Tailored workshops for clubs, schools and organisations are also available.  

In her role as Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at City Colleges, Aoife lectures in counselling psychology, sport and exercise psychology, addiction studies and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).  Aoife is also a psychology tutor with DCU teaching the abnormal psychology and psychological counselling course. She is also an occasional lecturer with University College Dublin and provides community-based lectures on a variety of topics nationwide. A regular contributor to the Garda Review Magazine, Aoife writes articles on topics in the area of mental health and wellbeing. 

Our members will meet on zoom to discuss the book Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. The host will prepare some questions to guide the chat along. 

Join Us for a Coffee & Connect Morning! ???

Looking for a way to kickstart your day with great conversation and friendly faces? Grab your favorite cup of coffee or tea and join us for our Coffee & Connect Morning with Connected DCU Society!

This informal virtual meetup is the perfect opportunity to:

• Meet other members
• Share ideas and experiences
• Whether you're new to the group or a regular, everyone is welcome! It’s all about coming together for a fun and engaging chat over coffee. No need to prepare anything—just bring yourself, your favorite brew, and a positive vibe!
  

Register today to secure your spot, and let’s brew some connections together!

Don’t miss out—our community is excited to meet you! ?

Sinead Lynch is a lecturer and PhD researcher at the School of Policy and Practice, Institute of Education, DCU. Sinead’s PhD research explores the experiences and requirements of disabled students enrolled in online higher education, an area she became passionate about as a student in the B.A. in Humanities (Psychology Major) programme delivered online at DCU.

Sinead will join the Connected DCU Society to discuss writing academically and to explore themes such as the key principles of academic writing, understanding the rules of academic writing, where and how to find the best sources of information for your work, why we’re obsessed with referencing - and where to find referencing help, and how to use the DCU support services to improve your writing.

Our long table events are an opportunity for our members to come together and discuss current affairs. The topics are curated to be thought-provoking and interesting so that they will engage a varied audience. We have set out some simple guidelines to foster a space which is open, safe and respectful.

Dr Hearne has researched and published in academic and policy fields of housing and social housing, spatial disadvantage, housing rights, economic inequality, neoliberalism and the welfare state, social justice, and social movements. He has a PhD in political and economic geography from Trinity College Dublin in 2009. His most recent publication is the best-selling, award nominated, Gaffs: Why no one can get a house, and what we can do about it (HarperCollinsIreland, 2022). Fintan O Toole described it as "clear, cogent and persuasive." His previous book, 'Housing Shock: The Irish Housing Crisis and How to Solve it' (Policy Press, 2020) was the first in Ireland to identify the emergence of Generation Rent, the distorting role of global investor funds in Irish housing, the profoundly damaging impact of homelessness on families, and identifying new solutions based on a based human rights vision for Irish housing and a practical policy pathway to ensure affordable, secure, decent quality and environmentally sustainable homes for everyone. It tackles one of the most pressing social crises facing contemporary Ireland. It makes a compelling case for enshrining the Right to Housing in our Constitution. It is written in a highly accessible, passionate way, that details the author’s personal journey from community worker to academic and activist and how his housing story interwove with his commitment and drive to achieve a human right to housing for everyone ins this country. The book is highly inspirational as it is not just as description of the crisis, but also provides direct voices of those affected, outlines solutions and offers pathways for citizens to engage in action to change the situation. In a short space of time the book has made a major contribution to the Irish policy debate on housing and to empowering those affected by the crisis and those trying to change it. The President of Ireland, in recognition of this contribution as a scholarly resource of national importance, invited the author to present the book to him personally in Aras an Uachtarain in June 2021. An academic review in the international journal Critical Social Policy describes the book as “a highly welcome and thoughtful addition to the debate about housing in Ireland, drawing on comparative examples, quantitative and qualitative data, and his engagement with the topic as both researcher and activist to do so”.  While Leilani Farha, Global Director of the Shift and former UN Rapporteur on Adequate Housing 2014-2020, describes the book as providing a really important and insightful contribution to the global debate on financialisation, inequality and the right to housing.” The Irish Times described it as “a valuable book. It is a tool for better understanding our current predicament and what we can do about it”.  In 2011 Dr Hearne published an academic peer reviewed book, ‘Public Private Partnerships in Ireland; Failed experiment or the way forward?’ (Manchester University Press in 2011). 

He has also published in high quality international peer reviewed journals. For example, drawing from praxis-based research on ‘the right to the city’ and human rights based approaches (undertaken as a community worker in Dolphin House, Dublin from 2007 to 2013) He has published in the international Journal of Human Rights Practice, Human Geography, and the Irish Journal of Community Work. Whilst also publishing his own innovative research into new social movements and civil society in Ireland in Interface, and in Geoforum. 

Over 2015-2017,  Dr Hearne was a Senior Policy Analyst with the inequality research think tank, TASC where he researched the political economy of economic inequality and the welfare state, with a particular focus on housing, financialisation, social policy and inequality. He was lead author of Cherishing All Equally 2016: Economic Inequality in Ireland and ‘Home or wealth generator? Inequality, financialisation and the Irish Housing crisis’ (TASC, 2017). 

Dr Hearne worked between 2017 and 2018 on the H2020 funded Re-InVEST (Rebuilding an Inclusive, Value-based Europe of Solidarity and Trust through Social Investments) project. It involved research (qualitative and quantitative) into EU and national state social policy (in the water, housing, finance, childcare and early childhood education, labour market, and health sectors) across 13 EU countries. He co-developed, with the Irish Principal Investigator on Re-InVEST, Dr Mary Murphy, the Re-InVEST project’s methodological approach, the Participatory Action Human Rights and Capabilities Approach (PAHRCA), and the PAHRCA Toolkit.  He is also a public intellectual and regularly contributes to discussion of contemporary social, economic and political issues on national media and contributes to public events dealing with these issues.

Sinead Lynch is a lecturer and PhD researcher at the School of Policy and Practice, Institute of Education, DCU. Sinead’s PhD research explores the experiences and requirements of disabled students enrolled in online higher education, an area she became passionate about as a student in the B.A. in Humanities (Psychology Major) programme delivered online at DCU.

Sinead will join the Connected DCU Society to discuss writing academically and to explore themes such as the key principles of academic writing, understanding the rules of academic writing, where and how to find the best sources of information for your work, why we’re obsessed with referencing - and where to find referencing help, and how to use the DCU support services to improve your writing.

Join us for our second Lunch & Learn as we warmly welcome Dr James Brunton. He is Assistant Professor and Programme Chair of the DCU Connected Psychology Major programme at Dublin City University, which is an online, open education programme accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI).

He graduated from University College Cork with a BA (Hons) in Applied Psychology and with a PhD in Psychology from the Business School in Dublin City University. James is a Chartered member of the Psychological Society of Ireland (C. Psychol., Ps.S.I.; C. Work & Org. Psychol. Ps.S.I.), and a Chartered member and Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society (CPsychol BPS, AFBPsS). James is also an EDEN (European Distance Education Network) Fellow, an Advance HE Senior Fellow (SFHEA), and Professor Extraordinarious in the University of South Africa (UNISA).

The presentation title is 'Learning to be a successful online student'. It will examine some of what the literature on student success and maintaining well-being in professional settings tells us about how we can work/learn productively while maintaining our well-being.

This discussion will not focus solely on the individual but will be set in a broad socio-historical context viewed through a critical digital education lens.

Get booking. This is not to be missed !!

We are so delighted to welcome Dr. Claire Bohan to our first Lunch & Learn of the academic year. Claire Bohan is Dean of Students in DCU and is responsible for the provision of support and professional development services to the student body. Claire lectured in the School of Language & Intercultural Studies for many years before moving to the International Office to develop the University’s internationalisation agenda. She took up the role of Dean of Students in 2007. Claire’s Master’s in Intercultural Studies from DCU and PhD in Exile Studies from the University of Vienna, ignited her interest in the area of ‘transitions’ and her desire to help students reach their full potential during these formative college years.

This Lunch & Learn will provide a full overview of the academic, personal, financial and professional supports available to all students of the University. Claire would be delighted to take suggestions regarding improving the supports available and answer any questions which you may have regarding the lived experience as an online student at DCU.

Get booking this is not to be missed !!

Join Us for a Coffee & Connect Morning! ???

Looking for a way to kickstart your day with great conversation and friendly faces? Grab your favorite cup of coffee or tea and join us for our Coffee & Connect Morning with Connected DCU Society!

This informal virtual meetup is the perfect opportunity to:

• Meet other members
• Share ideas and experiences
• Whether you're new to the group or a regular, everyone is welcome! It’s all about coming together for a fun and engaging chat over coffee. No need to prepare anything—just bring yourself, your favorite brew, and a positive vibe!
  

Register today to secure your spot, and let’s brew some connections together!

Don’t miss out—our community is excited to meet you! ?

Connected DCU Society Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Join us for the Connected DCU Society Annual General Meeting (AGM), where we'll come together to reflect on the past year and shape the future of our society. This is your chance to have a direct impact on our community and participate in key decisions that will guide our activities and initiatives.

Event Highlights:

• Elect New Leadership: Vote for the new executive team members who will lead the society into the coming year.
• Discuss the Year in Review: Hear updates on our achievements, challenges, and goals, and share your insights on how we can continue to grow.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow society members and expand your professional and social networks.
• Open Forum: Voice your opinions and ideas in an open forum setting, where all members are encouraged to participate.

We are hosting a Lunch and Learn on Friday 22 March at 1pm for  1 hour.

Helena Hickey, DCU BAPY Undergraduate Student will facilitate a Q&A session on the diagnosis of and living with ADHD.  Connected Society Members will be asked to submit questions in advance for discussion at the event.  This will be a very insightful and informative session for members, who will have an interest from either a psychological perspective or from a personal experience.  

This event is a one-hour discussion facilitated by Bláithín Coleman, Chair Connected DCU Society, regarding post-college possibilities for students of the Psychology Major in the BAPY Programme. This is a digital long table where BAPY students can freely discuss and explore aspirations after graduation.  Whether it's delving into advanced studies, entering the workforce, or venturing into research and advocacy, students can join the open-ended conversations with their peers. Students can connect with other students, share insights, and shape their psychology journey collaboratively.

Our annual Christmas online hooley is this Friday night. As always it will be a night of celebration and connection, fun and no study (which is the best part).

4 DAYS TO GO?? Join us for a jolly online Christmas bash on December 15th at 7pm! Get ready to spread the festive cheer and celebrate the season together. Don't miss out on the merry moments! ?

We are hosting an Evening Learning event on Tuesday 12 December at 7pm for one hour.

Sinead Lynch is a PhD student in the School of Policy and Practice in the Institute of Education, DCU. Sinead’s doctoral research, which is supervised by Dr Orna Farrell and Dr James Brunton, focuses on the experiences of students with disabilities in online education. Sinead graduated from the BA in Humanities (Psychology Major) programme in October 2023, during her time in this online education programme she volunteered as a class rep, and from this developed an interest in the requirements and needs of online education students, and how they could be better supported socially and academically.

Sinead's presentation is entitled: Applying to postgraduate studies: A how-to chat

Dear members,

We are so very grateful for each and every one of you,  our society members. You truly are what makes our society so special. That is why when we say we are excited, thankful and delighted to have this lady join us for a workshop, it is not an understatement. Loya has been an integral part of our society for the last two years. She is so knowledgeable and brings so much positive energy to our group. Our study groups are always full of laughs when she is there and she motivates everyone to push through those last tough moments of the assignments.

However, next Tuesday we will see the serious side of Loya as she puts us through our paces and helps us improve our understanding and use of Zotero, a valuable tool to use during your academic journey.

Intermediate/Advanced Zotero Workshop

This will be a 90-minute virtual, interactive workshop, targeted at intermediate users of Zotero.

PREREQUISITES

You must have basic knowledge of Zotero, to include adding sources, and generating a bibliography. If not, consider watching the Zotero tutorial series by the DCU Library. Gettingd with Zotero - Zotero citation management - LibGuides at Dublin City University (I highly recommend their video as well)

The attendee must have at least one source/resource in his/her Zotero Library already. This will be used in the workshop

TOOLS TO BE DOWNLOADED BEFORE THE WORKSHOP

Android App: Zoo for Zotero (sorry to the IOS users, the app isn't compatible) Zoo for Zotero – Apps on Google Play

Zotero browser plug-in Zotero | Downloads

Zotero MS Office plug-in for Word word_processor_integration [Zotero Documentation]

Zotero Desktop App Zotero | Downloads (with logged in and synced Zotero account)

MATERIALS TO BE COVERED

Getting your sources into Zotero

Using the browser plug-in to capture the details of your Zotero source right, from the first time. Also we will briefly touch on using the DOI functionality in the Desktop App to correct errors.

Using the Zoo for Zotero app to input physical sources (e.g. hard copy books, magazines, etc) by scanning the barcode.

Manipulating your sources in Zotero

Using Zotero to automatically find a PDF of your source and upload it to your app

Using the 'Notes' and 'Highlighter' functionality, to let Zotero generate a list of all your highlighted quotes, notes and their references.

Using Zotero Groups to collaborate with members of your groups.

For those of you who have not had the opportunity to meet Loya here is a little background....

Loya grew up in rural Jamaica (St. Thomas) and then moved to the capital (Kingston) for schooling. She holds an Associate Degree in General Studies (awarded at level of Grade 1, i.e. Distinction). It is here she was also awarded the highest-ranking female student in the Caribbean in Computer Science in 2014.  Following this she went on to obtain her undergraduate degree in Computer Science with a minor in Management Studies and then graduated with first class honours and as proxime valedictorian. Loya also had a full merit-based scholarship for the duration of her degree. If that was not enough, Loya then decided to travel the world and study in China (as a Huawei Seed for the Future Scholar) and then to Canada (as a Caribbean/CARICOM Scholar)

Once her study bug came to an end (for now) Loyad her career in traditional media (television) as a Production Assistant and then pivoted to Computing, where she gained five years' experience in Financial Technology ranging from IT Auditing for financial companies and to a Business Process Analysis for Jamaica's largest commercial bank. She is also a Microsoft Certified Data Analyst.

Back to college ........

Loya is currently enrolled in the inaugural cohort of the Erasmus Mundus master’s in Law, Data and Artificial Intelligence, with a specialisation in Cybersecurity.  We first met her in her first year at DCU through the society where she was a DCU Student Ambassador with the Global Recruitment Office, and then she was elected as Programme Representative to the Erasmus Mundus Association for her programme. Loya is currently living in León, Spain, for the second year of her Master's programme with DCU where she is studying at the University of Leon (Universidad de León).

Now for the not so serious stuff….

Loya celebrated her birthday a little before this event - November 14th ( Happy birthday Loya). She can speak Jamaican Patois (a creole language, which Jamaicans are working to make one of their official languages, we have had the pleasure of Loya sharing this with us and hearing her speak Patois is just beautiful), English (both at native proficiency level), and Spanish at a DELE B1 Level (lower intermediate). She loves the beach (something about growing up on an island :) ) and dancing….and dancing at the beach. She is the first child for her parents. Her mother is a teacher, and her dad is a Minister of Religion. If she was not in Financial Technology (and if teaching paid better), she says she would probably be a teacher. Loya went to an all-female high school where her principal was a nun. There, she was a part of the school's orchestra, she played the violin and sat some international music exams. By the time Loya writes her dissertation, she says she will probably have Connected Society in the acknowledgements as she loves the study groups and we love her at the study groups.

We are so looking forward to seeing you all at the Workshop on Tuesday night and again thank you to our wonderful Loya for offering to do this. You are amazing,

You can register on the link below,

Warm wishes,

Tricia Cross

Vice Chair

Connected DCU society

We are hosting a Lunch and Learn on Wednesday 15th November at 1pm for  1 hour.

Sarah Dwan is a dedicated Disability and Neuroinclusion Advocate. Discovering she was Autistic as an adult, sparked her return to college to study Advocacy and Empowerment. Since then, she has made it her mission to shift the prevailing narrative surrounding autism, transitioning from the outdated pathology paradigm to the progressive neurodiversity paradigm.

On her online platform, "Life through my Lens," Sarah shares her lived experience of autism while passionately promoting neuroinclusion. She is also a Contributing Writer for Neuro Pride Ireland, a grassroots disabled persons organisation (DPO) dedicated to connecting neurodivergent individuals and advocating for meaningful change.

A regular contributor to radio and newspapers, her upcoming presentation titled "Neurodiversity: What it is and what it isn't," promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of this vital topic.

Sarah will discuss neurodiversity and the shift in the paradigm surrounding autism to a more neuroinclusive paradigm and will take questions on the day

We are hosting a Lunch and Learn on the 1st November at 1pm for  1 hour.

Dr Chloé Beatty completed her BSc in Psychology Applied to IT in IADT, during which she worked in bereavement, neuroscience, and youth services. She has since taken up positions in industry providing training on online tools to reach target audiences, and in the ETBI providing in-service training to educators. She currently works in academia as a researcher and online educator in both DCU and City Colleges, and she has completed a PhD in the area of cyberpsychology and child development, with a particular focus on technology use in early childhood and its impact on psychological development.

Dr Beatty will discuss the pathways of psychology that students can pursue and will take questions on the day

Annual General Meeting for the Connected DCU Society 2022 / 2023. Held online via Zoom on 17/05/2023.

Our next Lunch and Learn in the series will have our guest speaker Rosemary Carvil from AWARE.ie. Rosemary has worked with Aware since 2012. As the National Coordinator for Support Groups, she is involved with the recruitment, training and support of volunteers who facilitate Aware’s nationwide groups. She formerly worked with Business in the Community, The Sunday Tribune and worked in the UK. Rosemary has a Bachelor of Business Studies from UCD. Aware is an incredible organisation that provides free support, education and information services to those impacted by anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and related mood conditions. Rosemary will discuss all the support groups that AWARE.ie provides and will talk about how you can volunteer with AWARE.ie and provide much needed support to those experiencing anxiety and depression. This experience is very rewarding and valuable for those considering a pathway to becoming a therapist or counsellor Clink on the Link to register and as always thank you for supporting our Lunch and Learn series you are an amazing bunch. 

Dr. Aoife Quinn will be joining us for our next Lunch & Learn in which she will discuss the pathway that you can take when looking to go into counselling or becoming a therapist and we are very much looking forward to having her.

Dr Quinn is a sport psychologist based in Dublin. Dr Quinn is also a tutor here with us in DCU and is also very busy as alongside this work she is the Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at City Colleges and is a psychology tutor with Dublin City University (DCU).  Aoife works with individuals and teams from grass roots/beginner level to elite/professional level across all sports and performance settings.  Using evidence-based practice, Aoife maximises performance, well-being and enjoyment. Aoife has developed a client-centered approach which includes a holistic assessment and tailor-made plan.  Tailored workshops for clubs, schools and organisations are also available.  

In her role as Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at City Colleges, Aoife lectures in counselling psychology, sport and exercise psychology, addiction studies and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).  Aoife is also a psychology tutor with DCU teaching the abnormal psychology and psychological counselling course. She is also an occasional lecturer with University College Dublin and provides community-based lectures on a variety of topics nationwide. A regular contributor to the Garda Review Magazine, Aoife writes articles on topics in the area of mental health and wellbeing. 

We are hosting a Lunch and Learn on the 21st of Feb at 1pm for  1 hour.

We are very excited about this next lunch and learn and the amazing expereince Dr Farrell is bringing to share with us. 

Dr Orna Farrell is Assistant Professor specialising in online and blended education based in the School of Policy Practice, Institute of Education in Dublin City University (DCU). Orna holds a PhD in Education from Trinity College Dublin. 
Previously, Orna was Head of the Open Education Unit at Dublin City University, which provided online programmes to off campus students through the DCU Connected platform. From 2020-21, Orna led the Digital Learning Design Unit, created to support DCU’s pivot to hybrid learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. From 2017-20, she was Chair of the DCU Connected Online Humanities programmes. 
Working within DCU’s National Institute for Digital Learning. Orna's research interests include online pedagogy, online student success and engagement, eportfolio and open educational practice. She has a growing publication record in her fields of interest, including a range of book chapters, journal articles, invited presentations and conference papers. She has published in high ranking journals such as Distance Education, the Journal of Interactive Media in Education, Research in Learning Technology, and the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. 

In the Irish context, Dr Farrell was principal investigator of the recent National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education funded project #Openteach: professional development for open online educators. Previously Orna was a member of both the Y1 Feedback and Student Success Toolbox projects also funded by the Irish National Forum.
Orna is involved in two EU funded projects currently. Firstly, she is the DCU Principal Investigator for the Encore+ European Network for Catalysing Open Resources in Education Project, which aims to create a European network that supports innovation and entrepreneurship with Open Educational Resources (OERs) and involves a partnership with: The International Council for Open and Distance Education, Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University, The Open University, International University of La Rioja, Fondazione Politecnico di Milano.

Secondly, Orna is a member of the DCU team for the BUKA: Better Universities and Knowledge for All – Advancing equity and access to higher education through open and distance learning. This project aims to enable increased access to higher education for people in rural and remote regions as well as those with diverse in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. 

Dr Farrell is involved in a number of Irish and European networks in the area of digital, online and open education. She is an active member of the NIDL digital learning network. Orna is a founding member of Eportfolio Ireland, a professional learning network of eportfolio practitioners and researchers. She is deputy chair of the European Distance and E-Learning (EDEN) Network of Academics and Professionals (NAP) committee.  

We are hosting a Lunch and Learn on the 27th of January at 2pm for  1 hour.

Delma Byrne is Associate Professor at Maynooth University Departments of Sociology and Education. Her research is focused on the role of education in shaping life chances over the life-course and processes of social stratification in the education system and the labour market. She has extensive research experience as leader and co-investigator of several national and international research projects. After completing her PhD at the University of Edinburgh, Delma worked as Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Economic and Social Research Institute, before moving to Maynooth University.

Delma will discuss the pathways of education students can pursue and will take questions on the day

We are organising a date and time for committee members to attend the Christmas Markets at Dublin Castle together. This is an in person event to help students feel connected around the holiday season.

Yoga Soc DCU is offering students access to a free online yoga class for the month of November, as sponsored by DCU Clubs and Socs.  Outside these sponsored classes, you can sign up to join the Yoga Soc and avail of reduced membership rates for classes which are online and in-person on DCU campuses - Glasnevin and St. Pats. 

Yoga Soc DCU is offering students access to a free online yoga class for the month of November, as sponsored by DCU Clubs and Socs.  Outside these sponsored classes, you can sign up to join the Yoga Soc and avail of reduced membership rates for classes which are online and in-person on DCU campuses - Glasnevin and St. Pats. 

Yoga Soc DCU is offering students access to a free online yoga class. The online classes are held every week and if you enjoy the free class, you can sign up for the Yoga Soc to attend every week. 

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group!

 One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into three 25 min sessions with five minute breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you. 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you!

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group!

 One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into three 25 min sessions with five minute breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you. 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you!

Join us at the Annual General Meeting of the Connected Society to elect your committee members for next year! 

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group!

 One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into three 25 min sessions with five minute breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you. 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you! 

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group!

 One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into three 25 min sessions with five minute breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you. 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you! 

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group!

 One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into three 25 min sessions with five minute breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you. 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you! 

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group!

 One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into three 25 min sessions with five-minute breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you. 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you!

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group!

 One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into 3 25 min sessions with 5 min breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you. 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you!

We'd like to invite you to come along to our study group/meet up! 

One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into 3 25 min sessions with 5 min breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you! 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you! 

Join us for a group to connect with other people!

One of our committee members will use the Pomodoro technique to split the study group into 3 25 min sessions with 5 min breaks in between, and we'll have a 30 min chat at the end. You're welcome to come along for all or part of it or just the chat, whichever suits you! 

Study, read, knit, or whatever you want to do for a couple of hours, we'd love to see you! 

Join us to chat with DCU Connected graduate Samantha Trevaskis as she talks about her experience of applying to postgraduate programmes and shares her tips with the Connected Society members. 

Samantha graduated from the Humanities (Psychology Major) programme, has completed an MPsychSc in Psychological Science at UCD, and is now in the first year of a PhD. She is also a tutor in the DCU Connected Psychology Major programme.

We hope to see you there! 

During the study session, in which everyone will do their own assignments/research, we will use the Pomodoro technique.

The study chair will start the timer 5 minutes after the session begins to allow members to say hello and settle in. 23 minutes later, the study chair will let members know there are two minutes left and then stop the session after 25 minutes. Following a 5 minute break, we will start a new session and repeat this for a total of 3 25 min sessions.

At the end of the third study session, the study time will finish, and the zoom call will have 30 mins of social chat to complete the event.

Members can attend for as long or as short a time as they wish.

Welcome to the first annual Connectmas Party!

Celebrate the holiday season with students from all over the world.  The Connectmas Party will have an array of games, activities, and maybe even some prizes to help us all get into the holiday spirit and ready for the Holidays and a break from studying! 

Grab your winter warmer drink and connect with us to wrap up the first semester and kick off the holidays.

During the study session, in which everyone will do their own assignments/research, we will use the Pomodoro technique.

The study chair will start the timer 5 minutes after the session begins to allow members to say hello and settle in. 23 minutes later, the study chair will let members know there are two minutes left and then stop the session after 25 minutes. Following a 5 minute break, we will start a new session and repeat this for a total of 3 25 min sessions.

At the end of the third study session, the study time will finish, and the zoom call will have 30 mins of social chat to complete the event.

Members can attend for as long or as short a time as they wish.

During the study session, in which everyone will do their own assignments/research, we will use the Pomodoro technique.

The study chair will start the timer 5 minutes after the session begins to allow members to say hello and settle in. 23 minutes later, the study chair will let members know there are two minutes left and then stop the session after 25 minutes. Following a 5 minute break, we will start a new session and repeat this for a total of 3 25 min sessions.

At the end of the third study session, the study time will finish, and the zoom call will have 30 mins of social chat to complete the event.

Members can attend for as long or as short a time as they wish.

During the study session, in which everyone will do their own assignments/research, we will use the Pomodoro technique.

The study chair will start the timer 5 minutes after the session begins to allow members to say hello and settle in. 23 minutes later, the study chair will let members know there are two minutes left and then stop the session after 25 minutes. Following a 5 minute break, we will start a new session and repeat this for a total of 3 25 min sessions.

At the end of the third study session, the study time will finish, and the zoom call will allow 30 mins of social chat to complete the event.

Members can attend for as long or as short a time as they wish.

During the study session, in which everyone will do their own assignments/research, we will use the Pomodoro technique.

Join us for Speed connect, a fun way to meet other Connected DCU Society Members! 

During the event, people will be divided into break out rooms for a short amount of time to answer fun questions like 'Pizza and wedges or Burgers and chips' and 'If you had a superpower, what would it be?'. After each turn, participants will be matched into a new group to answer another fun question. Towards the end, we will come back together for a chat and the opportunity to share some of your favourite answers! 

Booking for this event closes at 6pm on Sunday 14th December.

If you have any questions, let us know, and we'll be happy to answer them! 

During the study session, in which everyone will do their own assignments/research, we will use the Pomodoro technique.

The study chair will start the timer 5 minutes after the session begins to allow members to say hello and settle in. 23 minutes later, the study chair will let members know there are two minutes left and then stop the session after 25 minutes. Following a 5 minute break, we will start a new session and repeat this for a total of 3 25 min sessions.

At the end of the third study session, the study time will finish, and the zoom call will allow 30 mins of social chat to complete the event.

Members can attend for as long or as short a time as they wish.

During the study session, in which everyone will do their own assignments/research, we will use the Pomodoro technique.

Members of the Connected Society are invited to a Connected Study group on 27th October between 2 and 4 pm to work on their assignments/research as part of a group. The meeting will be led by a study chair who will use the Pomodoro technique as follows: 

The study chair will start the timer 5 minutes after the session begins to allow members to say hello and settle in. 23 minutes later, the study chair will let members know there are two minutes left and then stop the session after 25 minutes. Following a 5 minute break, we will start a new session and repeat this for a total of 3 25 min sessions.

At the end of the third study session, the study time will finish, and the zoom call will allow 30 mins of social chat to complete the event.

Members are welcome to attend for as long or as short a time as they wish. Registration will be required to get the zoom link for the meeting which you can do here

Don't worry if you can't attend this Connected study group, we'll be having them every week on different days and at different times to make sure everyone has a chance to attend!