The 2019 conference theme, Spaces, People, Practice, echoes the intent of the conference name itself by
providing forum for colleagues to come together and engage in collaborative discussions on the ever increasing
complex landscape that is learning in the 21st century. Learning, as conceived within this event, is not confined
to a particular milieu but instead aims at connecting people and contexts to innovate and create unique learning
opportunities in what is now acknowledged to be a life-long learning journey.
This idea is represented very strongly in the wide variety of workshops that were presented and attended on the
first day of the conference with themes ranging including Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Historical
Developments of Learning Spaces, Dancing about architecture, Community Based Participatory Research
approaches among others. The second day of the conference includes informative presentations from authors
encompassing a wide background of learning contexts such as academics, teachers, learners, architects,
designers and more. A wide variety of third level institutions are also represented from universities, institutes of
technology, community, industry, government agencies, policy makers and regulators, under the frame of
learning connections.
Two key guiding questions were conceived for the genesis of this event:
1. How can we connect across disciplinary boundaries, and break down barriers between academia,
administration, community and industry to strive for optimal student learning in Third Level
Institutions?
2. How can learning in different spaces - physical, active, virtual, off campus, enable all students, as
global citizens, to think through and solve big problems?
College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, UCC; National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, Ireland