Wednesday, August 13th

Session 101: Expanding Student Participation

Presenter: Betsy Cohn (Assistant Professor, SIS | Foreign Policy & Global Security)

One student dominates class discussion? Some students never share? Not sure if students have done the reading? There are many strategies for inclusive participation and holding engaging classroom conversations. And there are many types of participation besides discussion. Bring your suggestions and challenges as this will be an interactive session.

Session 102: Yellowdig: Fostering an Online Course Community

Presenters: Dominique Swann (Senior Instructional Designer, Office of Digital Learning & Strategy) & Nick DeMayo (Senior Instructional Designer, Office of Digital Learning & Strategy)

Join the Office of Digital Learning & Strategy (ODLS) for an overview of Yellowdig, a Canvas tool designed to foster meaningful, student-driven conversations. This workshop will cover the platform’s core features, its positive impact on student engagement, and how to integrate it into your course. By the end of the session, you’ll be equipped to implement best practices and take advantage of Yellowdig’s newest features.

Session 301: Assignments to Enable Learning With or Without AI

Presenter: Betsy Cohn (Assistant Professor, SIS | Foreign Policy & Global Security)

AI (ChatGPT, Grammarly, etc.) can perform most tasks we ask of students: reading, research, brainstorming, writing, editing. Is the college essay dead? Is in-class writing the only alternative? I don’t think so. We can enable student learning in an AI world. My handout has suggestions; please bring your assignment ideas.

Session 302: Teaching in Place: Mapping as a Path to Critical Understanding

Presenter: Jessica Breen (Program Director, Geospatial Research Support, University Library)

This interactive workshop introduces mapping as a flexible teaching tool that can help students across disciplines engage more deeply with course material. Participants will take part in a sketch mapping activity that encourages spatial reasoning and reflective thinking. We’ll explore how spatial thinking can help students understand relationships, power, movement, and place, and discuss simple tools (from paper maps to Google Maps to web GIS) for integrating mapping into your teaching. This session will also highlight how the library supports research and teaching with geospatial data, mapping tools, and spatial storytelling regardless of discipline.

Session 303: Making Learning Stick: Enhance Student Engagement with Mentimeter

Presenter: Silvia Yancheva (Senior Customer Success Manager, Mentimeter)

Discover how Mentimeter can transform your teaching by fostering active learning, streamlining formative assessment, and increasing student engagement. This session will explore how Mentimeter helps you save time creating interactive presentations while gaining real-time insights that drive better student outcomes. Perfect for faculty looking to teach more effectively with less effort.

Watch the recording of Session 303

Session 401: Energizing Your Classroom with Digital and Multimodal Projects

Presenters: Amanda Choutka (Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Literature) & Ashley Roccamo (Head of the Digital Research and Inquiry Lab, University Library)

Learn how digital and multimodal assignments enhance student engagement, creativity, and critical thinking. This workshop dives into innovative assessment design, practical strategies for integrating digital assignments into your courses, and effective ways to support students. Discover how to move beyond traditional essays and engage your students with reimagined assignments.

Session 402: Canvas Overview

Presenter: Shilpa Das Gupta (Manager of E-Learning Support Services, University Library)

This workshop is designed to introduce Canvas to those who have never used it before. From navigating Canvas to developing your assignments, this workshop provides a high-level overview of basic functionality within Canvas and will prepare you to publish your first Canvas Course.

Watch the recording of session 402

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Thursday, August 14th

Session 501: Ungrading in the Age of AI: Principles and Practices

Presenter: Adam Tamashasky (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, Writing Studies Program, CAS | Literature)

This session will introduce the concept of “ungrading” and how it benefits both students and faculty. What opportunities might ungrading methodologies offer to help faculty deal with the challenges they face from generative AI? Most ungrading approaches center motivation and its impact on learning. This session argues that thinking about motivation through this lens can also help faculty better navigate these new AI waters.

Watch the recording of session 501

Session 502: Forging Lasting Connections With and Among Our Students

Presenter: Kevin Boyle (Professorial Lecturer, SPA | Justice, Law & Criminology)

The more connected a student feels towards the university, professors, and fellow students, the more likely they are to engage in class and also continue their education journey at AU. In this session, we will offer tips on how to engage and create a welcoming community for all our students. Please bring your own ideas and experiences for a facilitated discussion.

Session 503: Enhancing Courses with Interactive Media Tools

Presenters: Zhiping Zhang (Senior Instructional Designer, Office of Digital Learning & Strategy) & Olivia Elwell (Instructional Designer, Office of Digital Learning & Strategy)

Discover tools to create engaging, interactive course media. Explore Kaltura, Annoto, Vyond, H5P and more to create video interactions, animations, AI voiceovers, and interactive modules. Explore different media services for easy, high-quality recording.

Session 601: Exploring the Intersections of Language, Community, and Power in This Year’s Writer as Witness Text

Presenters: Krisztina Domjan (Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Literature – English Language Training Academy), Jermaine Jones (Professorial Lecturer, Writing Studies Program, CAS | Literature), Kelly Joyner (Director, Writing Studies Program, CAS | Literature), Kimberly Ross (Professorial Lecturer, Writing Studies Program, CAS | Literature) & Adam Tamashasky (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, Writing Studies Program, CAS | Literature)

Share, discuss, and create ways to engage this year’s Writer as Witness text—Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell—in your class. We’ll highlight many of the ideas Montell presents, including, but not limited to, the ways cult and “cultish” leaders use language as the primary tool of control to build community and to maintain power by creating realities for their followers. Participants will collaborate on class activity development and learn from faculty across academic contexts.

Watch the recording of session 601

Session 602: Democracy Across the Disciplines: It’s Not Just for Poli Sci!

Presenters: Bridget Trogden (Dean of Undergraduate Education & Academic Student Services and Professor, School of Education) & Lara Schwartz (Senior Professional Lecturer, SPA | Government and Director of Project on Civic Dialogue (Formerly Project on Civil Discourse)

In this interactive session, we will provide tips, ideas, teaching tools, and ready-to-use open education resources on teaching democracy across the disciplines. Civic skills are also career skills, and we will discuss how they can be infused into nearly any course and discipline.

Session 603: Navigating the Teaching of Statistics to Non-STEM Students

Presenter: Bryan Daves (Professorial Lecturer, SPA | Justice, Law & Criminology)

Join this kick-off meeting for a newly formed Community of Practice (CoP) focused on enhancing the teaching of statistics to non-STEM students. As educators, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that arise when conveying statistical concepts to students outside of the traditional STEM fields. By coming together, we can collaborate to improve our pedagogy, share best practices, and develop innovative strategies to engage our students effectively.

Watch the recording of session 603

August 14 Lunch Session: CFE Faculty Award Presentation

Presenters: Alida Anderson (Professor, School of Education), Lauren Carruth (Associate Professor, SIS | Environment, Development & Health) & Victoria Kiechel (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, SIS | Environment, Development & Health)

Moderated by Anna Olsson (Assistant Vice Provost, Center for Faculty Excellence)

At this luncheon, come hear this year’s CFE Faculty Award Winners talk about their work. Lauren Carruth and Victoria Kiechel – winners of the Ann Ferren Curriculum Design Award – will talk about creating Earth Scholars, a new cohort program, and a new AU Undergraduate Certificate in Community, Sustainability and Service, both set to begin in Fall 2025. Alida Anderson – winner of the Milton and Sonia Greenberg Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award – will discuss her research into pre-service teachers’ perceptions of dyslexia.

Session 701: Depolarize Your Dialogue: Tools for Navigating Issues Beyond the Partisan Divide

Presenters: Lara Schwartz (Senior Professional Lecturer, SPA | Government and Director of Project on Civic Dialogue (Formerly Project on Civil Discourse) & Rahul Kirkhope (Program Coordinator, Project on Civic Dialogue)

Engaged, productive discussions begin with thoughtful dialogue design. In this interactive workshop participants will learn and apply tools for dialogue design and facilitation. We will explore what polarization is (and isn’t), how to redesign discussion prompts for expansive inquiry, and how to focus discussion on collaboration and exploration, not combat.

Session 702: “I asked ChatGPT to find research for me, then I asked Perplexity to write a paragraph for me…” and Other Stories

Presenter: Alison Thomas (Assistant Dean for Academic Integrity)

Not all AI use is misuse. But the Office of Academic Integrity (OAI) has experienced an uptick in AI-related cases (misuse) every semester since opening in 2023. What does AI misuse reveal about student approaches to learning? This session offers a look at data from this year’s AI-related cases. OAI will share insights about the most common issues, along with recommendations for syllabus and assignment guidance.

Session 703: Green Your Course: Incorporating Sustainability Into the Classroom

Presenter: Anna Parse Johnson (Sustainability Manager, Office of Sustainability)

How does campus sustainability relate to your course? What campus resources are available to you? As a leader in campus sustainability, we offer many resources for faculty across campus. Join the Office of Sustainability for a session focused on weaving sustainability into your course content, greening your teaching style, and bringing students into campus sustainability efforts.

Watch the recording of Session 703

Session 801: Synthesizing Research: An Introduction to Systematic Reviews

Presenters: Katie Hut (Business & Economics Librarian, University Library) & Clarissa Ihssen (Science Librarian, University Library)

This workshop introduces evidence synthesis methods—systematic reviews, scoping reviews, meta-analyses, and more. Participants will learn how to start a project, adapt the process for graduate students, and understand the library’s role in supporting this research. Ideal for those guiding or conducting evidence-based research across disciplines.

Watch the recording of Session 801

Session 802: Kaltura within Canvas

Presenter: Shilpa Das Gupta (Manager of E-Learning Support Services, University Library)

This session introduces you to the video creation and streaming software Kaltura and Kaltura Capture, and will prepare you to record mini-lectures, video feedback, weekly summaries, presentations, and more. You will learn the technical aspects of the software, how to effectively integrate this technology into your class, and how to use it as a teaching tool.

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Wednesday, August 20th

Session 901: 60 Library Resources in 60 Minutes

Presenters: Olivia Ivey (Public Affairs Librarian, University Library), Clarissa Ihssen (Sciences Librarian, University Library) & Kathryn Ray (Reference Librarian, University Library)

With databases, multi-media tools, support services, and collaboration spaces, the library offers a wealth of resources to enhance your research and teaching. This fun, fast-paced session will provide an overview of databases and tools you may have overlooked, never heard of, or simply forgotten about. Every attendee is guaranteed to discover something new!

Watch the recording of session 901

Session 902: From Summer Reading to Year-Round Impact: How to mentor anyone in academia

Presenters: Lynne Arneson (Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Biology), Meg Bentley (Director of STEM Partnerships and Innovation, CAS | Biology), & Shari Watkins (Director of Faculty Initiatives & Engagement, Center for Faculty Excellence / Professorial Lecturer, School of Education)

Faculty-led book clubs offer a fun, low-cost, and effective form of professional development (Landry et al., 2022). This engaging and interactive workshop centered on How to mentor anyone in academia, features faculty panelists sharing mentoring insights. Attendees will learn practical strategies for shaping approaches to teaching, research, and service.

Session 1001: Integrating Community-Based Learning & Research into Your Course

Presenter: Melanie Bullock (Director, Center for Leadership & Community Engagement)

Discover how to deepen your teaching through community-based learning and research. This session, hosted by the Center for Leadership & Community Engagement (CLCE), introduces tools, partnerships, and support available to faculty interested in connecting coursework with community engagement and meaningful civic learning experiences.

Session 1002: Canvas Tools That Can Enhance the Learning Experience

Presenter: Shilpa Das Gupta (Manager of E-Learning Support Services, University Library)

This workshop is designed to introduce you to some of the newly integrated tools and features of Canvas that help enhance the overall learning experience to a great extent. These tools are Photo Roster, NameCoach, Course Reserve, and LibGuides. The Photo Roster tool provides instructors access to the photos of their enrolled students with many other key information. NameCoach is a great tool to learn how to correctly pronounce your students’ names. Both of these tools are greatly effective at improving your knowledge about your students. Through the integration of Course Reserve you can easily add items on the library’s course reserve system. With LibGuide, you can seamlessly integrate the A-Z library database and other key library resources into your Canvas courses.

Watch the recording of session 1002

August 20 Lunch: Center for Faculty Excellence Launch Luncheon

Presenters: Monica Jackson (Deputy Provost & Dean of Faculty), Anna Olsson (Assistant Vice Provost, Center for Faculty Excellence), Aleka Kapatou (Director of Data & Statistical Analysis, Center for Faculty Excellence) & Shari Watkins (Director of Faculty Initiatives & Engagement, Center for Faculty Excellence / Professorial Lecturer, School of Education)

Please join us for this luncheon to celebrate the launch of AU’s new Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE)! Come see our redesigned space – including a new Faculty Lounge – and meet your team in the second floor and on the front steps of Hurst Hall.

Session 1101: A Red-Light/ Green-Light Upgrade: Using AI “Dispositions” to Inform (Realistic) Class Policy

Presenters: Kelly Joyner (Director, Writing Studies Program, CAS | Literature) & Alison Thomas (Assistant Dean for Academic Integrity)

This session will first present how students are using generative AI, with insights from the Office of Academic Integrity. Then the presenters will guide participants in identifying “dispositions” toward AI use; inspired by language from the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Framework, this entails thinking about the attitude, approach, and/or behaviors you expect in relation to these technologies. The discussion will focus on strategies for revising syllabus language and assignments with this framing, instead of a yes-no-maybe approach to course policy.

Session 1102: Exhibitions as Civic Practice: Retention through Public Storytelling and Emerging Tools

Presenter: Yana Sakellion (Associate Professor, CAS | Art)

This session invites conversation around student exhibitions as civic practice, exploring how public storytelling and emerging tools like AI and AR can foster belonging and engagement. The workshop draws from a recent student exhibition in the undergraduate Graphic Design program shaped by interdisciplinary collaboration. We will reflect on how similar experiential learning strategies can support connection, student agency, and retention across a range of academic programs.

Session 1103: Expanded Research Support within the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE)

Presenter: Aleka Kapatou (Director of Data and Statistical Analysis, Center for Faculty Excellence)

Come learn about CFE’s new vision for faculty research support, aiming to put faculty in focus, supporting your quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, AI, computing needs, and more, in collaboration with other key campus research-centered units like the university library and the Office of Research and Innovation. Bring your projects, ideas, and questions and let us explore how we can collaboratively support your research needs in this new era.

Session 1201: From Class to Career: Enhancing Your Syllabus for Student Success

Presenters: Liz Romig (Interim Assistant Vice Provost of the Career Center and AU Abroad), Anna Litman (Assistant Director for Curriculum Integration, Career Center) & Emily Lelandais (Assistant Director, Career Education, Career Center)

This workshop will highlight Career Center resources that can help faculty align their syllabi with career readiness goals. We will discuss the translation of academic experiences into workplace skills and cover how to integrate Career Center resources into your curriculum. Join us to learn how to effectively leverage the Career Center’s resources to help your students succeed.

Watch a recording of session 1201

Session 1202: Ethical and Practical Approaches to AI in the Research Process

Presenters: Gwendolyn Reece (Director of Research, Teaching, and Learning, University Library), Katie Hut (Business and Economics Librarian, University Library), Sarah Gilchrist (Graduate International Studies and Political Science Librarian, University Library), Jessica Breen (Program Director, Geospatial Research Support, University Library) & Melissa Becher (Associate Director of Research, Teaching, and Learning and Art History Librarian, University Library)

This session introduces faculty to some strategies for integrating AI into the research process. We’ll explore ethical considerations, recommended student uses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and cover available teaching tools. Walk away with ideas for guiding responsible AI use in your courses and research mentoring.

Session 1203: Canvas Overview

Presenter: Zac Schiffman (Senior E-Learning Systems Administrator, University Library)

This workshop is designed to introduce Canvas to those who have never used it before. From navigating Canvas to developing your assignments, this workshop provides a high-level overview of basic functionality within Canvas and will prepare you to publish your first Canvas Course.

Watch a recording of session 1203.