Dr. Pauline Rooney

Trinity"s Strategic Plan 2020-25: Community and Connection focuses on embedding and mainstreaming `next-generation teaching and learning practices" by committing to, for example: " development of strategies, policies and procedures to enable more diverse and more flexible learning and programme delivery in the areas of continuous professional development and micro-credentialing (1.10). " a `Partners in Learning" approach (3.3). " the implementation of a `full spectrum digital learning strategy by 2022" (3.8). " a new Curriculum Hub to provide a centre for continuous pedagogical renewal (3:3). " an increase in the number of graduates from the Special Purpose Certificate in Academic Practice by 30% (3.12). These strategic priorities align with the European Commission"s strategic priorities in the `Digital Action Plan 2021-22" which calls for enhanced digital skills in all those who teach and highlights the need for effective digital capacity planning at organisational level. It also reflects the strategic objectives of the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (NFETL). Institutional responses to Covid-19 have placed digital learning at the heart of the university. The vast majority of teaching and learning practices at Trinity are now digitally-mediated and this is unlikely to change in the short or medium term. However pandemic experiences of remote teaching are very different to digital education by design, where digital teaching and learning activities are purposefully designed and underpinned by robust pedagogical principles. This is a `crucible moment" (Greenberg and Hibbert 2020), affording Trinity an opportunity to mainstream evidence-based digital education practices in support of `next-generation teaching and learning practices". Academic Practice has already led a University-wide programme of professional development for staff and students which established a baseline level of digital pedagogic competence across the disciplines. This was, by necessity, a generic programme and could not address the specific needs of teaching and learning practices in the disciplines. Digital by Design responds to clear sectoral strategic priorities around capacity planning for digital education, as set out in the EU `Digital Action Plan 2021-27', which states that teachers `should have access to ongoing opportunities for professional learning and development tailored to their needs and their discipline". The project will also play a key role in the scaffolding of Communities of Practice within and across the disciplines. We hope that these communities will help to alleviate feelings of `digital isolation" resulting from the emergency pivot online as well as providing opportunities to share good practices in digital learning. Digital by Design meets the clear need to build digital pedagogic capacity at personal, disciplinary and organisational level, responding to institutional, sectoral and European priorities.