Please join the Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation (CTEI) for one or all of the remaining sessions offered for the Spring semester! Register here today.
Embracing Academic Integration with Artificial Intelligence w/ Steve Adler
March 25, 12:45-2 p.m. (remote)
In this session, Steve Adler will share a proven use case, “Discovering Hidden Markets," an in-class activity from Multinational Marketing (MKT350). By the end of this session, participants will be able to do the following:
Set clear expectations for student use of AI tools by developing syllabus language promoting a balanced approach; Design course-specific AI use cases that enhance active learning and encourages students’ use of AI; Guide students in effective prompt development strengthening analytical thinking and creative problem-solving skills; Foster critical evaluation of AI outputs by leading structured classroom discussions with an emphasis on reasoning, validation, and evidence-based reflection; Create a supportive “AI sandbox” environment that encourages challenging each other’s findings. In addition to these objectives, attendees are encouraged to share their pedagogical experiences and suggestions to improve our students’ learning outcomes using an AI tool. The Teams link will be sent before the event.
Let’s Talk Teaching
April 1, 12:45-2 p.m. (Commons Private Dining Room, lunch provided)
Informal get-togethers where attendees bring their concerns and successes to the table to benefit from cross-disciplinary experiences.
Enhancing Learning Engagement through Game-Based Learning with Gengyun Le-Chan & Somaye Seddighikhavidak
April 3, 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. (CTEI lower-level library, lunch provided)
Game-based learning (GBL) increases engagement and retention in undergraduate Architecture and Biological Science courses through interactive design challenges, virtual labs, and real-world problem-solving. A mixed-methods pilot at the University of Hartford demonstrated significant gains in student engagement, classroom participation, confidence in key concepts, and perceived knowledge retention. In this session, participants will examine GBL strategies, review sample classroom activities, and discuss challenges and lessons learned. Attendees will leave with practical, scalable approaches for integrating GBL into STEM courses to foster deeper learning.
Beyond ChatBot: A Practical Guide to AI in the Classroom with Andrew Jung, PhD | Moving from "How do I stop it?" to “How do I use it?”
April 8, 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. (D318)
AI has moved beyond being a trendy term and is now a common presence in higher education. Rather than concentrating on ways to block or restrict it, the current question is how we can effectively utilize this technology to enhance education. This is the central focus of "Beyond Chatbots: A Practical Guide to AI in the Classroom." This interactive, hands-on workshop is tailored for educators eager to overcome their initial apprehensions and explore the potential of AI in educational settings.
Consider this session as a chance to perceive AI not as a monitor but as a genuine collaborator. We will demonstrate how AI can alleviate administrative tasks, foster stronger connections with students, and lighten the workload.
In just 75 minutes, we will clarify any confusion about AI and offer practical tools you can use immediately. You will discover how to create assignments that integrate AI (rather than oppose it), how to develop clear syllabi that leave no room for misunderstanding, and how to swiftly generate everything from analogies to grading rubrics using AI. Whether you are new to AI or already familiar with it, you will leave with a practical strategy to turn AI from a classroom challenge into a tool that enhances both productivity and learning.
Who Had Help Before AI? Rethinking Equity and Student Support with Natalee Cifuentes
April 8, 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. (KF Room library)
Student AI use is pervasive, often secretive, and creates an exhausting "us vs. them" dynamic. We've been here before—calculators, Wikipedia, Google. The technology changes, but the anxiety doesn't.
But here's what's different: Who had access to tutors, office hours, and writing support before AI? Students with money and time. AI is free and available 24/7. What if it's actually democratizing?
This workshop moves us from surveillance to partnership. Through real scenarios and practical redesign work, we'll examine our assumptions, explore equity implications, and shift one practice from power-over to power-with. No AI expertise required — just curiosity and a willingness to rethink our approach.
Trauma-informed Pedagogy with Carlene Davidson & Paola Sachetti
April 8, 12:45-2 p.m. (CTEI lower-level library, lunch provided)
This session explores what a regulated, trauma‑informed teaching approach can look like in undergraduate and graduate classrooms. We will examine how the mind–body connection can affect learning through a trauma‑informed lens, considering both instructor and student perspectives.
Faculty will gain greater awareness of the physiological and psychological responses that may show up in everyday classroom interactions and how these responses can shape learning, engagement, and relationships. A key focus will be on fostering co‑regulation—supportive, responsive interactions between instructors and students, as well as among students themselves.
Participants will leave with practical, applicable strategies to promote regulation, support student well‑being, and enhance learning across diverse classroom contexts.