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Embracing Generative AI in Education: Innovative Approaches in Biology and Mathematics

Explore the innovative use of generative AI (genAI) in higher education with presentations from a biologist and a mathematician. Learn how genAI is transforming assignments in “What it Means to be Human” (BIOL/PSYCH 169N) by fostering critical thinking through AI-driven debates, including problem solving and trouble shooting. Discover its role in enhancing pedagogical skills and lesson planning in Math 200 classroom activity.

Redefining Grading and Expectations in Higher Education

Explore innovative techniques in grading and expectation management that drive student success. This session highlights the implementation of Standards-Based Grading and practical changes to syllabus language and assignment instructions, leading to improved educational experiences.

Innovative Learning & Sustainable Solutions to Societal Challenges

Join us to learn the benefits of project-based learning and community partnerships. At Penn State Scranton, the teams’ success along with details of the goals and expectations will be shared. The session will focus on the benefits to students including the development of oral and written communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and the exhibition of leadership qualities.

Portfolios for Authentic Assessment

This session will dive into the use of portfolios as a way to review student work. Portfolios not only help with authentic assessment of student work, but showcases students acquired knowledge through an entire semester. The portfolio allows faculty to return to student’s work later as they navigate to graduate school or future work and request recommendation letters.

Amplifying OAER: Collaborative Approaches for Expanding Open Educational Resources at Penn State

This presentation will highlight the successful initiatives undertaken by two math faculty members to increase the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in their classes and beyond. The presenters will share the journeys the took to use OER in their courses and spotlight OER tools they’ve used or created that can be utilized by other Penn State faculty.

Strategies to Engage Students in Hybrid and Zoom Courses

This session will dive into the use of portfolios as a way to review student work. Portfolios not only help with authentic assessment of student work, but showcases students acquired knowledge through an entire semester. The portfolio allows faculty to return to student’s work later as they navigate to graduate school or future work and request recommendation letters.

Challenge of the Prompt

Join us for a panel session where faculty participating in the summer 2024 prompt challenge will discuss their experiences in using Microsoft Copilot. Copilot is Microsoft’s generative AI-powered assistant.

Faculty Panel: Atherton and Eisenhower Award Winners

Join us for the plenary session in which recipients of both the George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching Award and the Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching will discuss their use of effective, active, and engaging pedagogy, their passion for teaching and students’ learning, and their approaches to teaching and learning activities.

From Prompt Design to Prompt Replies: Approaches to Generative AI for Improving Output and Student Outcomes

This presentation explores the development of a retrieval-augmented chatbot leveraging advanced language models to streamline university communication by accurately retrieving specific information from Canvas courses. Additionally, we introduce the PROMPT design framework, a mnemonic tool guiding students in creating effective and ethical AI prompts across various disciplines.

Innovative Approaches to Student Engagement: Gamified Learning and Parallel Thinking

In this panel, two educators share their creative strategies for enhancing student engagement. Seth Powless (Beaver) uses a flipped, gamified curriculum with application software that mirrors industry tools, providing hands-on learning experiences that boost technology skills and engagement. Fernando Soto (Greater Allegheny) employs Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats to foster inclusive, diverse class discussions by encouraging students to explore topics from multiple perspectives.

Engaging Minds: Creative Strategies to Spark Student Interest

This panel session explores three innovative techniques for enhancing student engagement in three academic disciplines. An introductory physics course was made engaging by having students analyze bad physics in popular movies. In an Accounting Information Systems course, students brought real-life or movie clip examples of fraud schemes and discussed how these examples align with the definitions given in the text. Join us to discover how these creative strategies can be applied to your own teaching to foster an engaging and effective learning environment.

360º Video/VR: Enhancing Student Engagement

Explore the world of emerging technology trends with a focus on 360º video and virtual reality (VR). This presentation showcases an active learning tool designed to engage students, allowing them to practice problem-solving, critical thinking, and customer service skills.

Redefining Learning with AI: Strategies, Challenges, and Success

Are you ready to revolutionize your teaching approach with Artificial Intelligence (AI)? In this engaging session, our expert faculty presenters will showcase innovative uses of AI through two compelling case studies: AI-generated policy brief assignment and virtual classmates. Gain valuable insights and actionable ideas for classroom application.

Creating a Dynamic and Inclusive Learning Environment in Zoom Classes

This training program is designed to transform your Zoom classes into engaging, inclusive, and productive learning spaces. Learn strategies to foster a sense of belonging, improve student interaction and participation, and ultimately enhance learning outcomes.

Innovative Digital Tools for Enhanced Student Engagement

Explore how innovative digital tools like COVE STUDIO and Yellowdig are transforming student engagement in the classroom. Learn how customizable texts and dynamic online discussions can foster deeper connections and inclusive participation.

Integrating AI into Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship: A Sharing Session

Have you been revising or re-imagining how you teach or how your students learn with AI tools? In this interactive session, you will be invited to share your AI-related teaching practices, learn what other instructors are doing, and generate ideas for future research on AI in the classroom.

Designing Your Syllabus to Support Learner Success

Did you know that the majority of disabled learners in your classroom have invisible disabilities that you can not see? The recommended strategies to reach these disabled learners actually benefit ALL learners in your classroom. This hands-on workshop will focus on strategies that you can use to make your course more universally designed for all learners. During the workshop, you will be able to apply your new skills to your course syllabus.

Introduction to Canvas for New Commonwealth Campus Instructors

IT Learning Design (ITLD) is offering a Canvas Training for new Commonwealth Campus instructors on Zoom on:  Tuesday, August 13 from 10-12  Wednesday, August 21 from 6-8   Participants will be able to:    Identify key features and tools of Canvas and their basic functions    Identify possible use cases for Canvas    Identify benefits of using Canvas    Locate […]

Designing in Canvas for All Learners, Part 1

A key component of learner success is course content that learners can easily navigate.  By considering the design of course content in Canvas, faculty can significantly affect how successful learners are in a course.  This workshop will provide participants with best practices related to course navigation, module structure, and the Canvas content editor.  These strategies will help you reduce barriers for learners. 

Writing Accountability Group

Focusing on writing can be challenging when there are multiple demands on your time. Participation in the Writing Accountability Group provides an opportunity for you to schedule time on your calendar to focus on writing and moving projects forward on your agenda. This time can be for any type of writing, including research papers, grants, […]

Considering the Big Picture When Using Visuals in the Classroom

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. What if a learner can not see that picture?  How do they understand the idea?  What if the visual is a complex graphic or map?  How do learners know what they should be thinking about when they interpret the visual?  This workshop will help participants to view visuals as one component in the bigger puzzle of providing content to learners.  Strategies for helping blind and sighted learners navigate the visuals in your course will be presented, along with opportunities to apply those skills to your own course content during the workshop session.      

Considering the Big Picture When Using Visuals in the Classroom

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. What if a learner can not see that picture?  How do they understand the idea?  What if the visual is a complex graphic or map?  How do learners know what they should be thinking about when they interpret the visual?  This workshop will help participants to view visuals as one component in the bigger puzzle of providing content to learners.  Strategies for helping blind and sighted learners navigate the visuals in your course will be presented, along with opportunities to apply those skills to your own course content during the workshop session.      

Semester AI Prompt Challenge

Looking for a way to test out what AI can do for you? Join us for the Semester AI Prompt Challenge!

Designing Your Syllabus to Support Learner Success

Did you know that the majority of disabled learners in your classroom have invisible disabilities that you can not see? The recommended strategies to reach these disabled learners actually benefit ALL learners in your classroom. This hands-on workshop will focus on strategies that you can use to make your course more universally designed for all learners. During the workshop, you will be able to apply your new skills to your course syllabus.

Considering the Big Picture When Using Visuals in the Classroom

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. What if a learner can not see that picture?  How do they understand the idea?  What if the visual is a complex graphic or map?  How do learners know what they should be thinking about when they interpret the visual?  This workshop will help participants to view visuals as one component in the bigger puzzle of providing content to learners.  Strategies for helping blind and sighted learners navigate the visuals in your course will be presented, along with opportunities to apply those skills to your own course content during the workshop session.      

Universal Design Strategies for the In-Person Classroom

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Representation, Engagement & Action and Expression When we deliver in-person courses, we often consider what content we need to cover, how we will convey that information to learners, how we will assess learner understanding, and what strategies will help us manage it all.  This workshop will provide opportunities to consider […]

Universal Design Strategies for the In-Person Classroom

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Representation, Engagement & Action and Expression When we deliver in-person courses, we often consider what content we need to cover, how we will convey that information to learners, how we will assess learner understanding, and what strategies will help us manage it all.  This workshop will provide opportunities to consider […]

Increasing Learner Success Through Universally Designed Assessments

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Engagement and Action & Expression Have you ever struggled with what feels like a disconnect between how some learners perform on assessments and what was taught in the classroom? There are some pedagogical strategies that can help all learners perform better on assessments, such as providing more opportunities for […]

Increasing Learner Success Through Universally Designed Assessments

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Engagement and Action & Expression Have you ever struggled with what feels like a disconnect between how some learners perform on assessments and what was taught in the classroom? There are some pedagogical strategies that can help all learners perform better on assessments, such as providing more opportunities for […]

Teaching on the DLC Orientation: Part 1 Setting up for Success

Join us for a 2-part series designed to guide your preparations to teach a DLC course to students at multiple campuses. These 1-hour sessions will cover the essentials from logistical processes to pedagogical approaches, and everything in between.   Part 1: Setting up for Success  The first workshop will focus on essential considerations for teaching […]

Designing Your Syllabus to Support Learner Success

Did you know that the majority of disabled learners in your classroom have invisible disabilities that you can not see? The recommended strategies to reach these disabled learners actually benefit ALL learners in your classroom. This hands-on workshop will focus on strategies that you can use to make your course more universally designed for all learners. During the workshop, you will be able to apply your new skills to your course syllabus.

Teaching on the DLC Orientation: Part 2 Designing for Engagement

Join us for a 2-part series designed to guide your preparations to teach a DLC course to students at multiple campuses. These 1-hour sessions will cover the essentials from logistical processes to pedagogical approaches, and everything in between.   Part 2: Designing for Engagement In the second workshop, we will explore strategies to enhance interaction, […]

Commonwealth Connections: Instructor Days

Save the Date! Join us for a half-day, virtual event focusing on teaching, learning, and technology which will include a student panel, followed by an instructor panel. More information will be provided soon.  

Introduction to Canvas for New Commonwealth Campus Instructors

IT Learning Design (ITLD) is offering a Canvas Training for new Commonwealth Campus instructors on Zoom on: January 9th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Participants will be able to:    Identify key features and tools of Canvas and their basic functions    Identify possible use cases for Canvas    Identify benefits of using Canvas    Locate support resources for using Canvas    […]

Set up Your Canvas Gradebook to Work for You (And Your Students!)

Are your students frequently asking about their grades or expressing confusion about how they’re calculated? Learn how to make your Canvas gradebook work for you and your students. In this workshop, we’ll discuss automating common grading policies like dropping the lowest test or homework scores, weighting assignments, and more. Bring your Spring 2025 syllabus and […]

Designing in Canvas for All Learners, Part 1

A key component of learner success is course content that learners can easily navigate.  By considering the design of course content in Canvas, faculty can significantly affect how successful learners are in a course.  This workshop will provide participants with best practices related to course navigation, module structure, and the Canvas content editor.  These strategies will help you reduce barriers for learners. 

Designing Course Videos to Engage All Audiences

Using instructional video can increase learner engagement with course material.  Video can provide alternatives for representing ideas to students, add relevance and value, and provide options to learners.  This workshop will help participants to develop new instructional video that is universally designed and consider the many ways in which learners will consume video content in […]

Designing Course Videos to Engage All Audiences

Using instructional video can increase learner engagement with course material.  Video can provide alternatives for representing ideas to students, add relevance and value, and provide options to learners.  This workshop will help participants to develop new instructional video that is universally designed and consider the many ways in which learners will consume video content in […]

Accessible Skills Challenge

Join the Accessible Skills Challenge where you will learn the core skills to make your course accessible!

Instructional Strategies to Support Invisible Disabilities

Did you know that the majority of accommodation requests are for disabilities that are not considered apparent? To make matters worse, that number only includes those students who choose to identify as having a disability. Imagine what it is like to struggle with a disability, but be afraid to request help for fear of judgment. […]

Instructional Strategies to Support Invisible Disabilities

Did you know that the majority of accommodation requests are for disabilities that are not considered apparent? To make matters worse, that number only includes those students who choose to identify as having a disability. Imagine what it is like to struggle with a disability, but be afraid to request help for fear of judgment. […]

Supporting Learner Success in the Humanities Classroom

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Representation, Multiple Means of Engagement  Humanities and social science course content present a variety of challenges when it comes to universal design.  Depending on the course, content can be very specialized and intricate.  This is exacerbated when learners potentially have visual, hearing, or cognitive barriers to consuming the content. […]

Creating STEM Content that All Learners Can Understand

Universal Design Guideline: Multiple Means of Representation, Multiple Means of Engagement  STEM content can be especially difficult for learners to comprehend.  This includes content such as math and science equations, complex images, and tables. That difficulty increases when learners have a disability like ADHD or a cognitive processing disorder.    This workshop will provide participants […]

Designing in Canvas for All Learners, Part 2

A key component of learner success is course content that learners can easily consume.  By considering the design of course content in Canvas, faculty can significantly affect how successful learners are in a course.  This workshop is a second installment in designing course content in Canvas.  It will provide participants with best practices related to developing the Canvas syllabus, assignments and page design, and supporting learners with Canvas tools. These strategies will help you reduce barriers for learners. 

Creating Universally Designed PDF Documents

Do you have PDF documents in your course that are articles from publishers?   Have you ever scanned pages from a book to make sure students did not need to buy the entire book?  Do you create content in a specialized software program and convert it into a PDF to post in your course?  Have you […]

Creating Universally Designed PDF Documents (10/31/25)

Do you have PDF documents in your course that are articles from publishers?   Have you ever scanned pages from a book to make sure students did not need to buy the entire book?  Do you create content in a specialized software program and convert it into a PDF to post in your course?  Have you […]

Saving and Sharing Course Materials

Curious about the best ways to share and back up your Canvas course materials? Join our workshop to explore practical tips for 1) saving your course content in a personal archive, and 2) sharing content with colleagues.

Saving and Sharing Course Materials

Curious about the best ways to share and back up your Canvas course materials? Join our workshop to explore practical tips for 1) saving your course content in a personal archive, and 2) sharing content with colleagues.