The Mi:Lab January Newsletter
Hello and welcome to Mi:Lab’s January Newsletter!
Mi:Lab is an Innovation Lab based in Maynooth University that takes a human-centred design approach to exploring and tackling challenges within the higher education system. This monthly newsletter is for anyone interested in designing new and better ways of doing and experiencing traditional higher education in Ireland.
January Theme: Recovery
The last year has been incredibly taxing on all of us. We were thrown in the deep end back in March 2020 and, now, a year later, we’re coming full circle.
At Mi:Lab, we believe Higher Ed should support functional, emotional and social progress in students and staff. For this reason, the theme of this month’s newsletter is recovery. Stay tuned for links and resources we hope will help build a more compassionate and intentional new year in Higher Education.
Mi:Lab’s Higher Ed
Mi:Lab have rounded up some of the best tips and tricks for online teaching and collaboration we’ve found so far:
The NY Times have compiled 80 tips for remote learning from seasoned educators. This includes innovative hacks around community building, rituals and routines, instruction, technology and wellbeing.
Wellbeing in the pandemic: Building a Recovery Syllabus for staff and students by Dr Petra Boynton
We mentioned As We Rush Online, How Might We Redesign Higher Education? by Rafe Steinhauer in our last newsletter. Steinhauer asks important questions for designing intentional learning experiences.
Be sure to check out AHEAD’s UDL guidelines for classroom accessibility such as alternative text and making text and diagrams intelligible to colour blind students.
There are good resources from the d.school, including this article on Dr Glenn Fajardo’s ‘narrative arc’ in lectures and designing for serendipitous moments online and this blogpost around keeping people at the centre of virtual teaching.
This IDEO blogpost is more general reading for digital engagement in workshops, meeting or class. As is this d.school article about team building online through meaningful rituals. Both contain creative ideas for cultivating empathy and connection online.
Mi:Lab’s Design, Self and Creativity
Check out our Medium article for regaining creative confidence in 2021.
The most-watched Ted Talk of all time, the late Sir Ken Robinson on Creativity
Design Your Life for 2021 by Echos Design Lab
The Mi:Lab team all enjoyed taking the My Creative Type? Quiz from Adobe.
This Winter lockdown is hard. Check out Psyche’s guides including this one, How to engage with life when you feel down.
Need some perspective? Charles and Ray Eames’ famous Power of Ten short film certainly does this!
Plenty of food for thought in Can Higher Education Be Transformed to Better Serve Society? Podcast
Higher Education News
Minister Harris confirms new group to examine student wellbeing and engagement
50,000 extra further education and training places to be created this year
Major expansion plans of Eduroam Wifi for students across the country
Minister Harris publishes the Higher Education Research and Development Survey 2018–2019
The government have launched a new course portal for those looking to upskill or retrain
The National Online Survey: Race Equality in Irish Higher Education Institutions is open until Saturday 30th January and for all staff regardless of ethnic background.
Save The Date
National Forum for T&L Events Calendar
5th Feb — USI Mature Students Seminar
12th and 13th Feb — USI EMpower
18th Feb — IUA Future of Ireland Webinar: Ireland in a changing Europe
In case you missed:
21st and 22nd Jan — The Power of Disability Conference
29th and 30th Feb — USI Women Lead
Meme of the Month
If you would like to keep up to date or become involved with our current and future works we would be delighted to hear from you at: milab@mu.ie.
