Have you heard of our Learning Technology Community (LTC)?

You may remember the Learning Technology Showcases at the University of Edinburgh which we ran back in the day when we could all gather together in one room and chat about what’s going on over snacks… Well, this online version was borne out of that, and the best part, you get to have your choice of delicious refreshments from your own kitchen .

In 2020, Stuart Nicol suggested some important themes that would be of interest to colleagues across the Universities, particularly those working with learning technology. To meet the challenges of online teaching and learning in the current climate which has included hybrid learning, online assessments, innovation…it’s starting to look like the themes we are covering in my current OU course.

Similar to the Showcases, in this virtual community, my role has included setting up a hub (in Teams); coordinating our organising group; helping to plan the meetings; and creating the means by which meetings could take place.

In just a few short months we have grown to become a popular group of almost 150 members and growing every day. Synchronous meetings typically attract fifty or more participants every month, with asynchronous discussions between meetings.

I am now creating surveys to find out more about what has motivated colleagues to join and how they would like the community to grow; and to make sure everyone really feels a part of this, finding ways to encourage more of the community to contribute, suggesting different ways they might do this.

Wherever you are in the University, if you’re are interested in Learning Technology and looking for a space to bounce-off ideas, learn something new, or meet like-minded colleagues, do check us out!

The Teams area is open to all staff to join and become more involved by suggesting activities, organising events etc. You don’t have to be a learning technologist!

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting, and if you are already a member, bring a colleague with you.

Image attribution: “I Am A Community Organizer (300×243)” by baratunde is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0