Conversations on an emergent professional network: a personal reflection on the background, development and sustainability of the Educational Developers in Ireland Network (EDIN).

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to capture an oral history of the Educational Developers in Ireland Network (EDIN), which was established in 2002, and to provide a snapshot of the Network as it is currently in 2012-13. The oral history/dialogue-based approach was chosen in order to chronicle key moments in the establishment and growth of the network leading up to EDIN’s tenth anniversary this academic year. The chapter is a personal reflection on a conversation among key players in the Network, which took place in the Athlone Institute of Technology, prior to the EDIN Annual General Meeting on May 28th 2012. The pre-scheduled conversation, which lasted for just over one hour, was recorded and subsequently transcribed. Four EDIN members who previously held or are currently chair of the network were invited to participate, namely: • Dr Alison Farrell, Teaching Development Officer, Centre for Teaching and Learning, National University of Ireland, Maynooth – founding chair/network co-ordinator of EDIN from 2002-2006; • Ms Anne Carpenter, Coordinator of the Teaching & Learning Centre, Institute of Technology, Carlow – chair of an EDIN working group from 2007-2008; appointed network chair of the inaugural committee in 2008; • Dr Marion Palmer, Head of Department of Learning Services, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology - vice-chair of EDIN from 2008-2009; chair from 2009-2011; • Ms Nuala Harding, Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator, A