iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Space without time is just furniture. If you're curious about the mechanics of setting up protected Student Life hours on a timetable, we’re having a Zoom chat this evening at 7pm GMT/BST (before @lthechat.bsky.social at 8pm). Comment below or DM if you'd like the link!

021

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Making Time for Student Life Last week’s #LTHEchat sparked lots of interest in how we make protected Student Life Hours work at Marino. I’m hosting an informal chat this Wednesday at 7pm to talk through the practicalities and hear what others are trying. We’ll finish by 7:45, before #LTHEchat.

034

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

let's go with this Wednesday, I'll set it up and send it along and anyone else is welcome to join

120

Reposted by Colum

Ryan @5280orange.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

less than impressed with the first half

Bored dog in a Broncos jersey on a green lawn. He’s got his favorite wiffle ball with him

161

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

When something is inevitable you have to make peace with it somehow

010

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Count how many red shirts run by static white shirts every time we snap the ball

110

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Hi Louise, might be easier to jump on a Zoom/Teams call if that was of interest?

110

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

YES! The mindset of private equity has crept into everything The assumption seems to be that every hour, every object, every relationship should be producing a return Hanging out has become networking Hobbies have become side hustles Here's to boredom, and dreams and time spent messing around

031

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Thank you as well Santanu Appreciate your insights and input

010

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Thanks everyone who participated in @lthechat.bsky.social There aren't easy answers to the challenges of engagement, impact of commuting & many students having to work more and more hours But it's great to have a discussion & see the passion people have to always seek to improve things #LTHEchat

052

Reposted by Colum

LTHEchat @lthechat.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Thank you to @columfromcork.bsky.social and to everyone who participated. #LTHEchat

271

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Started as one hour, then went to two Dropped back to one, and student feedback (and some advocacy by staff) led to the two hours being reinstated Now to push for three hours! #LTHEchat

030

Reposted by Colum

@suebecks @suebecks.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A6 I'd make sure it was within 10-15 to avoid commute times, then offer a choice of activities spanning, social, study skills, peer mentoring sessions, students as partners projects #LTHEchat

062

Reposted by Colum

Santanu Vasant PFHEA @santanuvasant.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A6 Give them time to think, process, with a few reflective question. Equally leave them time to mind wonder 🤔 - yes, doing nothing changes everything! #LTHEChat

172

Reposted by Colum

Sandra Sinfield @danceswithcloud.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#LTHEChat A6 Yes - one hour to sit and stare - what a lovely idea!! (Of course following my logic - it should be a module - and at the end they should produce something that reflected back to the rest of us what that hour per week had brought them - even if it were just the joy of boredom!)

152

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Time is so valuable! And it's something neither students nor staff seem to enough of Everyone's schedules are packed #LTHEchat

110

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I'd love that too Kate! I think if we could timetable something like that it would make a HUGE difference to both students and staff We have two protected hours a week at my institution, no classes but the student life hours are on the timetable Students can choose however they want to spent it

220

Reposted by Colum

LTHEchat @lthechat.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Q6 - If you could protect one hour in every student’s week, what would you do with it? Would you leave it empty? Reply with A6 #LTHEChat and your response @columfromcork.bsky.social

763

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

This one is me trying to crowdsource ideas #LTHEchat

010

Reposted by Colum

Sandra Sinfield @danceswithcloud.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#LTHEChat A4Travelling in shd be rewarded with interaction, not a lecture. Interactive workshops, dialogic seminars, time to be in the canteen together - and perhaps that module that rewards you for being a peer mentor or belonging to the SU or being in a Club or Society or something else glorious?

031

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Interesting insights Santanu Thanks for sharing #LTHEchat

010

Reposted by Colum

LTHEchat @lthechat.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Q5 - For students who are rarely or never on campus, what’s the equivalent of the conversation after class, and who’s designing it? Reply with A5 #LTHEChat and your response @columfromcork.bsky.social

953

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

That's a sad situation for that student Kate And not uncommon unfortunately The sacrifices some students are forced to make #LTHEchat

030

Reposted by Colum

@suebecks @suebecks.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A4 In addition to a timetabled class and hopefully more than one, it could be attending a peer group meeting, a society or sport activity, a careers event or time spent in the library or quiet space to work on an assignment. #LTHEchat

172

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Absolutely Alison! It is complex and myriad reasons I've often seen it dismissed as students just don't crae unfortunately #LTHEchats

020

Reposted by Colum

Scott Turner @scottturneruon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A3 for a small group, following up to see if there is a problem. But I do struggle with the how to get that message of why being in the room matters - looking for ideas :-) #LTHEchat

141

Reposted by Colum

Dr Yaz Iyabo Osho @yazosho.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A3 - Talk to the students in the class, those who may come to personal tutoring sessions or office hours & not in the class, to see what is happening. Send announcements alerting sessions link to the assessment - either in content or literacy, if the case may be. @columfromcork.bsky.social #LTHEChat

151

Reposted by Colum

LTHEchat @lthechat.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Q4 - If a student travels an hour each way, what would make the day worth the journey? Reply with A4 #LTHEChat and your response @columfromcork.bsky.social

1063

Reposted by Colum

Sandra Sinfield @danceswithcloud.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#LTHEChat A3 It's wierd when we reward students by suggesting they not come in. With our various reading/enhancement weeks, we would hold exhibitions of student work, we would say when we would be in the canteen so they could find us for a chat. We wanted to show they mattered & being there counted

021

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I should have been clearer abbi, I mean leave campus completely #LTHEchats

110

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Commuting has had such a huge aspect on some many aspects of campus life and the lives of students and staff #LTHEchats

010

Reposted by Colum

Sandra Sinfield @danceswithcloud.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

We tried to recreate that commonroom feel when running drop-ins - with an urn for tea and coffee and biscuits for an early morning catch up - and a friend at work has that arrangement for all her students - a friendly place to drop-in, make tea, have a chat #LTHEChat

251

Reposted by Colum

Kate Gilliver @penarthkate.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A2 - do they have to do a cross-campus sprint to get to their next class? Or catch a train, or get to a work shift? Or just can't wait to get out of my presence! Or because my class was on a Friday afternoon and they want to kick off the weekend? I hate Friday afternoon classes! #LTHEChat

071

Reposted by Colum

Dr Yaz Iyabo Osho @yazosho.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A2 - that the student has a job, has other commitments, but pleased the student came to class. What's missing is our understanding of students' lived realities. @columfromcork.bsky.social

141

Reposted by Colum

Martin Rich @martinrich106.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

As an aside doing in-person tutorials as we were easing out of the pandemic, when neither I nor the students were allowed to stay on campus for any significant time once the tutorials had finished, was an eerie & unsatisfying experience #LTHEchat

141

Reposted by Colum

LTHEchat @lthechat.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Q3 - When attendance drops, how do we respond? And what might that tell students about why being in the room matters? Reply with A3 #LTHEChat and your response @columfromcork.bsky.social

1153

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Do you think that set a precedent Martin? #LTHEchats

110

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I should have been clearer with my question Scott, apologies. I meant leave campus. In an Irish context campuses are increasingly empty after 6pm #LTHEchats

120

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Anna, I should have been clearer with the questions. My fault. I meant leave campus. What you have outlined is spot on. #LTHEchats

120

Colum @columfromcork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

So true Yaz! For many they are working almost full time alongside being a student. Certainly in an Irish context the number of housr worked per week has increased significantly, as has time spent commuting. #LTHEchats

020