The 36th Annual Ann Ferren Conference

Presenters: Darrion Sprueill (Senior Project Manager, Office of the Deputy Provost & Dean of Faculty), Priya Doshi (Associate Dean for Faculty and Inclusive Excellence, Office of the Deputy Provost & Dean of Faculty), Jennifer Steele (Professor, School of Education), Maria De Jesus (Professor, SIS | Environment, Development & Health), Nuria Vilanova (Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor, CAS | World Languages and Cultures), Ralph Sonenshine (Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Economics), Jessica Owens-Young (Associate Professor, CAS | Health Studies) & Holly Swanson (Professorial Lecturer and Director of Biology Laboratories, CAS | Biology)

Presenters: Brigid Maher (Professor, SOC | Film & Media Arts), Kelly Joyner (Director, Writing Studies Program, CAS | Literature), Adam Greenberg (Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Literature) & Benjamin Djain (Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Literature)

This panel critically examines the belief that integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education is essential for career readiness. Faculty members, while using technology in their teaching, question AI’s necessity and effectiveness. We invite attendees to explore low-tech (i.e. not involving extensive use of electronic devices) classrooms prioritizing cognitive engagement and student agency, discussing pedagogical strategies and the impact of AI on learning outcomes and critical thinking skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Analyze the impact of technology and AI on student learning outcomes in higher education
• Explore low-tech (i.e. not involving extensive use of electronic devices) pedagogical strategies that enhance cognitive engagement and foster critical thinking
• Discuss the implications of technology use in the classroom on students’ career readiness and professional development
• Collaborate on innovative approaches to teaching that balance technology with meaningful learning experiences

Watch the recording of Session 103

Presenters: Susan Comfort (Adjunct Instructor, CAS | Health Studies)

Dynamic inter-activities boost learning goals and get students off screens to talk to each other. In this experiential workshop, we’ll all participate in a variety of activities, learning new strategies, questions, and games to boost student connection and learning. Learn from Professor Comfort’s background in play-based education; leave with a toolkit to revitalize your classroom from day one.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify at least three new inter-activities that simultaneously deliver course content, build student connections, and increase engagement
• Explain why play is an effective strategy in the classroom
• Brainstorm or choose an inter-activity tailored to their specific course content, demonstrating how it addresses multiple learning objectives
• Share with other instructors how they facilitated activities in the past

Watch the recording of Session 201

Presenters: Diamond Brown (AU Core Assessment Analyst, AU Core) & Diane Palmer (Curriculum and Assessment Assistant, Complex Problems)

Watch the recording of Session 202

Presenter: Krisztina Domjan (Professorial Lecturer, Global and Immersive Studies)

In this workshop, participants will explore the pedagogical benefits of AI tools in teaching, learning, and assessment via the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) model and learn strategies for incorporating AI into lesson planning and innovative assessment methods aligned with the learning sciences. After learning these approaches, faculty will implement new practices for crafting and posting their Canvas assignments to better align with AI-informed pedagogy.

Learning Outcomes:

• Design lesson plans that incorporate AI tools and foster deeper learning and cross-disciplinary thinking.
• Identify teaching strategies that emphasize open-ended exploration, project-based learning, and AI-supported problem-solving.
• Develop new assessment approaches rethinking traditional assessments and implement innovative methods.
• Evaluate how the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) model can guide effective AI integration in teaching and assessment, focusing on optimizing the learning experience.
• Identify AI tools such as AI tutors and adaptive simulations to enhance personalized student learning experiences

Presenters: Ros Donald (Assistant Professor, SOC | Public Communication), Maya Livio (Assistant Professor, SOC | Film & Media Arts), Anna Olsson (Assistant Vice Provost of the Center for Teaching, Research & Learning and Director of the Green Teaching Program), Megan Litke (Director of Sustainability, Office of Sustainability) & Chelsea Butkowski (Assistant Professor, SOC | Communication Studies)

AU’s Green Teaching Certificate has the potential to prompt critical discussion about the impacts of classroom technologies and practices, from generative AIs to updating digital equipment. In this panel and co-creation workshop, participants will share perspectives on the future of green teaching and originate initial proposed updates to the certificate that will reflect the challenges of environmentally-aware teaching in the digital age.

Learning Outcomes:

• Engage in a wide-ranging conversation about the environmental impacts and ethical implications of using pedagogical tools from paper to AIs
• Co-create initial recommendations for revisions to the Green Teaching Certificate that continue to position AU at the cutting edge of conversations about green teaching
• Participants are invited to give continuing input into the updated certificate

Watch the recording of Session 204

Presenters: Rachel Borchardt (Scholarly Communication Librarian, University Library), David Jacobs (Adjunct Professor, KSB | Management) & Jim Quirk (Senior Professorial Lecturer, SPA | Government)

Open education resources (OERs) are free or no-cost materials like textbooks that reduce course costs for students, but the process of finding and incorporating OER into a classroom can be daunting. In this session, a librarian will introduce OERs and discuss their benefits. Faculty presenters will discuss their experiences with OER use in their classes, including time for Q&A.

Learning Outcomes:

• Define open education materials, and articulate their benefits in the classroom
• Identify ways to find and assess OER material
• Describe the process for incorporating OER into a classroom

Watch the recording of Session 301

Presenters: Emily Peterson (Associate Professor, School of Education) & Clarissa Ihssen (Sciences Librarian, University Library)

For STEM and Social Science classes, independent studies, and theses, we frequently ask students to write literature reviews. But the task of searching for and summarizing literature is challenging to do, and even more challenging to teach. This session will share tips and tools for conducting systematized reviews across disciplines and help attendees create assignments that support their students in writing better literature reviews.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explain how to conduct a thorough literature review
• Identify outdated research notions (i.e. that research is linear, the scared straight model of plagiarism) and describe strategies that combat outdated research notions
• Describe at least 2 tools (i.e. literature tables, citation managers, and AI-supported article coding software) that could be used to scaffold student literature reviews
• Create an assignment for a course or independent study that uses one or more tools to scaffold student literature reviews

Watch the recording of Session 302

Presenter: Aref Zahed (Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Computer Science)

Discover the potential of Sarah 2.0, the AI virtual teaching assistant, designed to support faculty and students through innovative teaching practices. Learn how AI can address challenges in higher education, from managing workload to enhancing student engagement, while fostering a personalized and scalable learning environment. This session will demonstrate real-world applications of AI in education, specifically through the lens of Sarah, AU’s pioneering virtual teaching assistant. The goal is to inspire AU faculty to consider innovative tools that align with the university’s commitment to academic excellence in an ever-changing educational landscape. Faculty will be encouraged to pilot test Sarah in their courses and share feedback to support ongoing development, including thoughts on the ethical balance between AI and human support roles.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explain the role of AI in addressing current and future challenges in higher education, including ethical considerations
• Identify practical applications of AI virtual assistants to support both faculty and students, in conjunction with traditional graduate student roles
• Explore how to implement AI-driven solutions in their own teaching to enhance learning outcomes and manage administrative tasks, with the option to pilottest Sarah and provide feedback

Watch the recording of Session 303

Watch the recording of Session 304

Presenters: Samantha Cohen (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, School of Education), Beverly Peters (Senior Professorial Lecturer, Office of Graduate and Professional Studies) & Shari Watkins (Senior Research Fellow, CTRL)

This interactive workshop replicates a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) to discuss challenges, goals, and plans for centering equity in teaching. Participants will explore equity-focused FLCs, deconstruct biases, and foster interdisciplinary connections. Presenters will model the FLC process, encouraging introspection and discussion. Participants will learn how FLCs support equitable teaching, collaboration, and continuous learning at AU.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explain the role of faculty learning communities (FLCs) in advancing equity
• Describe the key factors of effective FLCs
• Reflect on the experience of participating in an FLC

Watch the recording of Session 401

Presenters: Barbara Balestra (Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Environmental Science), Dhananjaya Katju (Professorial Lecturer, Environmental Science) & Carolyn Parker (Senior Professorial Lecturer and Director, Graduate Teacher Education, School of Education)

Our session will describe the NSF-funded project, Enhanced Teaching and Learning Through Problem-Based Pedagogy (AU: ETL), a collaboration between SOE and CAS faculty. We will discuss aligning ENVS-150 with problem-based learning (PBL), an approach that encourages students to explore real-world issues in collaborative settings, and we will highlight data showing increased student motivation. We will share successes, challenges, and lessons learned from this professional development experience.

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe the foundational principles and effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in a non-major’s science course
• Apply collaborative course design and revision strategies to integrate problem-based learning into their own instructional settings

Watch the recording of Session 402

Presenters: Regina Curran (Director of Cyber Policy, Office of Information Technology), Gihan Fernando (Assistant Vice Provost of the Career Center) & Alison Thomas (Assistant Dean for Academic Integrity and Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Literature)

The Responsible Use of AI Working Group was convened during summer 2024 by Steve Munson and Vicky Wilkins to develop responsible use guidelines for the AU community’s use of artificial intelligence, with a focus on generative AI. With representation from across the University the working group engaged in research and conversation, including examining responses from other institutions. The group has begun to articulate principles and guidance applicable to AI use across university roles and functions. Participants will join members of the group in discussing and providing feedback on these principles and reflecting on what “Responsible AI” means to their role at AU.

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe the University’s year-long efforts to articulate principles of responsible use of AI
• Provide feedback on foundational concepts in a working-draft of guidance
• Engage in conversation about high-level opportunities and concerns about AI in higher education
• Identify further opportunity for faculty, staff, and student contribution to AU’s guidance on responsible AI use

Watch the recording of Session 403

Presenters: Ashlie Prioleau (Assistant Vice President for Student Success & Retention, Enrollment Services Administration), Amanda Getz (Associate Director of First Year Advising, Office of Undergraduate Education and Academic Student Services) & Michele Lansigan (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Chemistry)

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize the significant impact faculty have on student success, thriving, and retention
• Identify various ways faculty can contribute to early warning and needs for additional student support throughout the semester
• Gain insights from peer-shared experiences and strategies for fostering student success

Presenters: Alyssa Harben (AUx Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising), Talia Burnside (AUx Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising), Annie Kustasz (Adjunct Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Literature) & Roshan Abraham (AUx Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising)

First-year students are a unique population as they have minimal experience in a college-level classroom and represent a diversity of pre-college backgrounds. This workshop will address questions such as: How will instructors measure and respond to students’ preparedness? How do we as educators foster a sense of belonging in the classroom with equity-based teaching practices? How can instructors of first-year students communicate college-level coursework expectations without a degree of rigor that is inequitable? How can faculty scaffold courses and encourage students to grow into independent learners?

Learning Outcomes:

• Explain how first-year students’ needs differ from continuing students
• Evaluate their classroom practices and assess how those practices are setting students up for success in both current and future semesters
• Identify ways to adapt their teaching practice to account for students’ varied levels of preparedness for college-level instruction

Watch the recording of Session 503

Presenter: Holly Swanson (Professorial Lecturer and Director of Biology Laboratories, CAS | Biology)

Looking for an innovative way to hook your audience for a class, administrative meeting, or presentation? Or an engaging way to concisely situate a course concept within a larger framework? In this workshop, we will present the use of iMovie trailers to engage biology students this past semester. You will then have an opportunity to create your own bite-sized video!

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize the impact of incorporating lesson hooks via movie trailers
• Create a bite-sized video for a lesson hook using iMovie/ClipChamp and provided supplies

Watch the recording of Session 601

Presenters: Hannah Jardine (Teaching & Learning Specialist, CTRL), Sahil Mathur (Adjunct Instructor, SIS, Graduate Assistant for Teaching & Learning, CTRL), Ayah Morsy (Graduate Assistant for Teaching & Learning, CTRL) & Reba Mathews (Undergraduate Student Partner, CTRL , Class of 2025)

Student Panelists: Gabriela Rupp (Undergraduate Student Partner, CTRL, Class of 2026), Nasaiah Algarin (Undergraduate Student Partner, CTRL , Class of 2027), Katelyn Lewicky (Undergraduate Student Partner, CTRL , Class of 2025) & Zo Wofford (Undergraduate Student Partner, CTRL , Class of 2027)

CTRL Student Partners will share insights on impactful and inclusive instruction at AU, focusing on strategies for dialogue around contentious topics, creating an anti-ableist classroom, and engaging students outside their major. Their insights come from semester-long projects that draw on personal experience, interactions with other students and faculty, and ideas from coursework.

Learning Outcomes:    

• Identify various challenges and barriers to equity present at AU
• Apply specific student-recommended strategies to improve their teaching
• Reflect on students’ perceptions of how to create more inclusive and effective teaching and learning environments at AU

Presenters: Kristi Gibson (Senior Coordinator of Student Evaluation of Teaching, Office of Institutional Research & Assessment) & Priya Doshi (Associate Dean for Faculty and Inclusive Excellence, Office of the Deputy Provost and Dean of Faculty)

In this session, faculty will learn about the role of SETs in teaching portfolios and faculty development, new SET policies and practices as of Fall 2024 and review all current SET reports available including their function, purpose, and practical application. Through hands-on activities, faculty will leave the session with a better understanding of SET usage and administration and how to use the provided SET data for faculty actions including files for reappointment, tenure, and promotion and professional development.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the uses of SETS for faculty development and professional progression
• Articulate the importance of contextualizing SET data in teaching reflections
• Describe the four main activities of SET administration and Fall 2024 SET policy and practice updates
• Differentiate among SET reports and their primary purpose
• Utilize case studies of common SET issues and activities to determine the course of action that best fits the scenario

Watch the recording of session 604

Presenters: Tashina Giraud (Director of International Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Graduate and Professional Studies), Karen Knee (Associate Professor and Department Chair, CAS | Environmental Science), Sarah Menke-Fish (Assistant Professor and Senior Director of Experiential Learning, SOC | Film and Media Arts), Mieke Meurs (Professor, CAS | Economics) & Xuguang Sheng (Professor, CAS | Economics)

Through an interactive round table discussion, participants will explore how to leverage AU’s international networks and their own connections to develop teaching and research opportunities, attract talented international students, and foster innovative partnerships. The session will highlight recent faculty initiatives and showcase resources available at AU to support faculty in pursuing their internationalization goals.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify specific opportunities for leveraging AU’s international networks and their own connections to enhance teaching and research initiatives
• Describe AU’s international partnership strategy and identify actionable ways to leverage these partnerships to drive international student enrollment growth
• Recognize the resources available at AU to support their internationalization efforts and how to access them effectively

Watch the recording of Session 701/801

Presenters: SRI RICE Finalists
Selection Committee: Diana Burley (Vice Provost for Research and Innovation), Rachel Borchardt (Scholarly Communication Librarian, University Library), Raychelle Burks (Associate Professor, CAS | Chemistry), Susanna Campbell (Provost Associate Professor, SIS | Foreign Policy & Global Security), Jordan Tama (Provost Associate Professor, SIS | Foreign Policy & Global Security), and Bei Xiao (Provost Associate Professor, CAS | Computer Science)

The finalists of SRI RICE will provide a brief overview of their proposed projects followed by a discussion with the selection committee. The six proposed projects are: (1) Establishing Measures for an Institutional Designation for Teaching Excellence Colleges and Universities; (2) Translating hydrology and water quality research to advance education and environmental policymaking in American Samoa; (3) Making the Case for Higher Taxes; (4) USAID and Open Government in the Colombian Amazon: Learning from Local Perspectives on “Locally-Led Development; (5) Co-creating Insights to Bolster Positive Sustainable Procurement Impact; and (6) Translating public anthropology into research-informed civic engagement.

Presenters: Stephanie Schott (Senior Director of Product Management ODLS, Office of Graduate & Professional Studies), Nick DeMayo (Senior Instructional Designer, Office of Graduate & Professional Studies), Erran Carmel (Professor, KSB | Information Technology & Analytics) & Leif Ulstrup (Adjunct Professorial Lecturer, KSB | Information Technology & Analytics)

AI avatars – no longer the stuff of science fiction – are now available to anyone through tools that transform your written content into life-like audio and video. This presentation will discuss how to mitigate the risks of using AI avatars and showcase HeyGen and Eleven Labs, two innovative AI tools faculty can use to increase efficiency, create engaging presentations, and boldly go where higher education has never gone before.

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe possible use cases of HeyGen and Eleven Labs for creating content presentations
• Identify benefits of using HeyGen and Eleven Labs to create content presentations
• Discuss strategies to mitigate risks associated with AI tools

Presenter: Brandi Smith (Adjunct Instructor, School of Education)

This presentation aims to equip participants to assess instructional environments for ableist microaggressions, focusing on language as a systemic barrier and the impact of ableism in education. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to promote inclusive instructional design and advocate for systemic changes prioritizing disability justice and racial equity in education.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify and describe how ableist and racist ideologies may affect the implementation of inclusive instructional practices
• Explain the limitations of traditional school leadership preparation programs
• Explore how culturally inclusive professional development and anti-racist training can equip educators and school leaders with the tools needed to identify and challenge biases