**NEW - ONLINE** Improving Accessibility in Microsoft Word
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Ensure every student can fully engage with your course materials. In this hands-on workshop, you'll explore practical strategies for making Word documents accessible to all learners, including those who use screen readers. By the end of the session, you'll be able to use Word’s built-in Accessibility Checker effectively and apply best practices for formatting and designing documents. Join us to enhance your document design skills and create a more inclusive learning environment for everyone. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Building Resilient Learners: Strategies for Converting Self-doubt into Student Success
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Imposter syndrome is a common feeling characterized by persistent self-doubt despite evidence of competence. It is especially prevalent among people working in a field where their gender, race, first language, or parental status makes them an obvious minority, such as women in STEM and people of color in higher education. This workshop discusses strategies that instructors can use to destigmatize imposter feelings and to acknowledge productive failures are necessary for success. Advanced registration required.
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**ONLINE** LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
This comprehensive training webinar is intended for faculty who are interested in using LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor to promote academic integrity for their online exams. The session provides a detailed demonstration of both applications, including enhancements that make Respondus Monitor even more effective and easy to use. This session is led by staff from Respondus. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Exploring Kaltura Features
Thursday, September 18, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Learn about NIU's video platform, Kaltura! This workshop will provide a broad overview of the features and functions of Kaltura and strategies for incorporating these to meet your multimedia needs. Topics covered in this introductory workshop will include uploading videos, recording webcam video, screen recording, basic editing features, and more. This workshop will also prepare you for the next series of Kaltura workshops covering more advanced features. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Strategies for Equitable Learning Environments
Friday, September 19, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
When we create inclusive learning environments, all of our students can be more successful. This includes examining our policies and classroom management strategies to accommodate diverse learning needs. In this interactive workshop, we will use case studies and group activities to implement practices that ensure all students feel valued and supported. Advance registration required.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Elevating Student Learning with Rubrics and Assessment Techniques
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Are you looking to make your assessments more meaningful and effective? This workshop will explore creative ways to use formative and summative assessments to support student learning. We will also consider how to use rubrics as powerful tools for clarity, feedback, and grading. Walk away with practical strategies you can apply in the classroom. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Using Blackboard Ally to Support Accessibility in Your Course
Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Blackboard Ally is a powerful tool for providing your students with more accessible content. NIU is full of diverse students with unique learning abilities, and Ally allows students more choice in a format that works best for them. The best part is that this is done automatically. In this workshop, you will discover how Blackboard Ally generates alternative formats for students to download and gives instructors feedback on how to improve their courses' accessibility. We will also discuss some other practical strategies for incorporating Universal Design for Learning principles in your course. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests
Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
This comprehensive training webinar is intended for faculty who are interested in using LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor to promote academic integrity for their online exams. The session provides a detailed demonstration of both applications, including enhancements that make Respondus Monitor even more effective and easy to use. This session is led by staff from Respondus. Register Now!
**NEW - ONLINE** Academic Program Assessment Basics: Creating an Assessment Plan
Friday, September 26, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Join us for a workshop designed to help faculty develop effective assessment plans for academic programs. Grounded in the principles of faculty ownership and continuous improvement, this session will guide you through the essential components of a strong assessment framework. Participants will learn how to:
- Define clear and measurable student learning outcomes
- Select appropriate methods for assessing student learning
- Design a sustainable plan for collecting and analyzing evidence over time
We’ll also provide a tour of key resources available to support your assessment efforts. Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an existing plan, this workshop will equip you with practical tools and strategies to enhance student learning through meaningful assessment. Advance registration required.
Register Now!
**ONLINE** LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests
Tuesday, September 30, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
This comprehensive training webinar is intended for faculty who are interested in using LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor to promote academic integrity for their online exams. The session provides a detailed demonstration of both applications, including enhancements that make Respondus Monitor even more effective and easy to use. This session is led by staff from Respondus. Register Now!
**NEW - ONLINE** Multimedia Accessibility
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Is your content reaching everyone, even those who may have disabilities or challenges in their learning? In this one-hour workshop, we'll dive into the essentials of multimedia accessibility using tools available to all faculty, students, and staff at NIU. You'll learn simple, practical strategies for creating media presentations accessible for all learners. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Blackboard Assessment Tools to Measure Student Achievement
Thursday, October 2, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Blackboard Ultra offers instructors a variety of useful options for online assessment. Each tool can incorporate text, images, and multimedia into your assessments and student work is automatically available in gradebook for easy grading and feedback. In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn effective practices for using assignments, tests and graded discussions to measure student achievement. Advance registration required.
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**IN-PERSON** Enriching the Design of General Education - October 2025
Friday, October 3, 2025 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The Enriching the Design of General Education (EDGE) initiative supports excellence in general education teaching by fostering a thriving and supportive community of practice among faculty and emphasizing the unique philosophy and practices that define general education courses. This in-person brown-bag event will be informal - feel free to bring your lunch!
Embedding career readiness skills into general education courses equips students with the essential competencies they need to thrive in today’s dynamic workforce. In this session, Andrea Radasanu, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Enhancement, will provide insight into new tools and strategies available from Career Services can support student career readiness. We will also discuss how you can highlight the ways you already address key career competencies like communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and technology in your courses to help students translate that work into future career success.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Energizing Minds: Strategies for Boosting Cognitive Engagement in the Classroom
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Cognitive engagement is the mental effort students invest in mastering content, creating an inspiring and dynamic classroom. It embodies perseverance, reflection, and sharing insights that ignite a passion for learning. Join our workshop to discover techniques that enhance cognitive engagement and build a vibrant classroom community. Secure your spot today and inspire your students to reach their full potential! Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Technology Driven Formative Assessment
Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Formative assessment is a planned, ongoing process used to gather evidence of student understanding and progress. Its primary goal is to inform instruction and improve student learning outcomes by identifying areas where students struggle and adjusting teaching strategies accordingly. In this session, we will explore how digital tools from Blackboard, Kaltura, Adobe, and Microsoft can help you gauge student understanding in real-time. Join us to explore innovative ways to check student comprehension, foster engagement, and tailor your instruction to meet diverse learning needs. Advance registration required.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Academic Program Assessment Basics: Executing an Assessment Plan and Documenting it via Reports
Friday, October 10, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Ready to move from planning to implementation? This workshop focuses on best practices for putting your academic program assessment plan into action. With an emphasis on faculty ownership and the continuous improvement of student learning, we’ll explore strategies for:
- Analyzing assessment data effectively
- Taking evidence-informed actions to enhance learning
- Tracking and documenting the impact of actions over time
We’ll also provide a guided tour of key resources to support your implementation efforts. Whether you're launching a new plan or refining an existing one, this session will help you turn insights into meaningful improvements. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Best Practices for Creating, Sharing and Storing Multimedia
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Discover best practices for storing and backing up your valuable media files, and don't let a technical glitch erase your hard work. How you store and back up your media files is an important digital literacy skillset. In this workshop, you will learn strategies to organize, secure, and preserve your digital content. We'll explore efficient file management techniques, compare cloud and local storage options, and provide hands-on demonstrations. You'll also gain insights into NIU's file storage and retention policies. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Inclusive Group Work: Fostering Teamwork among Diverse Identities
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Collaborating effectively is an essential skill for achieving success in the workplace. Collaborative projects help students develop important interpersonal skills, such as communication and conflict resolution. Nevertheless, some students may feel uneasy working alongside others who have different backgrounds and perspectives. To foster trust and establish belonging, students need to comprehend their role within the group and how they can contribute to achieving its goals. This workshop will help you identify the characteristics of inclusive and collaborative group assignments and examine fair, equitable grading practices for group projects. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Best Practices for Synchronous Online Sessions
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Discover strategies to create engaging and effective synchronous online course sessions. Learn new ways to facilitate active learning, foster student interactions, and manage the unique dynamics of real-time online instruction. By the end of this session, you’ll feel prepared to design and deliver synchronous sessions that promote deeper student engagement and collaboration. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Teaching Multilingual Learners: Lowering Barriers to Success
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
In a globalized higher education system, institutions must support multilingual learners by addressing language barriers and unfamiliar academic norms. This workshop aims to help educators support multilingual learners by addressing cultural nuances and language barriers. It will cover strategies for success, including instructional techniques and the use of digital literacy and AI for inclusion. Additionally, the workshop will discuss ethical considerations and challenges of using AI and technology to democratize English for multilingual learners. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Blackboard Communication Tools
Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Communication is a critical element of a successful course, and Blackboard Ultra Course View has a wealth of tools to facilitate building community, encouraging academic discussion, and fostering interaction with and between your students. In this session, you will be introduced to the asynchronous and synchronous tools available in the Blackboard Ultra Course View, including discussions, announcements, conversations, messages and web conferencing. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Supporting Neurodiverse Students in the Classroom
Friday, October 24, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
The number of students diagnosed with neurodivergent conditions has increased significantly in the last decade, which means that traditional methods of teaching and grading may not be the most effective ways for students to learn. This workshop is designed for educators to enhance their understanding of neurodiversity and learn practical skills that will help create an inclusive learning environment for neurodiverse students. Together, we will think critically about the varying needs of neurodiverse students and how we can create environments that support their learning instead of overlooking or punishing them. Advance registration required.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Creating Podcasts with Adobe’s AI Powered Tools
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Adobe Podcast is an online platform which simplifies podcast creation and editing using AI-powered tools. Allowing users to record, transcribe, edit, and enhance audio directly in their browser. This makes podcasting easier by offering features like speech enhancement, text-based editing, and collaboration tools. This workshop will cover how to engage faculty and students with their educational content by leveraging audio podcasts. As part of NIU’s Adobe License, NIU faculty, staff, and students now have access to the Adobe Podcast online tools. Advance registration required.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Improving PDF Accessibility
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
PDFs are everywhere in our courses, but too often they create hidden barriers for students who use screen readers or other assistive technologies. The good news is that a few simple fixes can make a big difference. In this workshop, we’ll explore easy, practical steps you can take with the tools you already have to improve PDF accessibility. You’ll learn how to check if your PDFs are readable, add tags, adjust reading order, and include headings and alt text. Join us to discover how small changes now can help ensure all students can fully engage with your course materials. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities
Friday, October 31, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
When courses aren’t created with students with disabilities in mind, educators may be unprepared for accommodating them. Designing your course with accessible features built in can help you avoid scrambling to meet students' needs. Accessible course design also ensures all of your students can access content and participate in class without being shamed for their needs. In this workshop, we will discuss how to create accessible course materials, as well as class policies and coursework that take into account students' needs. Advance registration required.
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**IN-PERSON** Enriching the Design of General Education - November 2025
Friday, November 7, 2025 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The Enriching the Design of General Education (EDGE) initiative supports excellence in general education teaching by fostering a thriving and supportive community of practice among faculty and emphasizing the unique philosophy and practices that define general education courses. This in-person brown-bag event will be informal - feel free to bring your lunch!
AI is already shaping how students learn, work, and interact with the world—so how can we help them build the skills to use it thoughtfully? In this conversation, we’ll explore ways to bring AI literacy into general education courses, helping students think critically, ask good questions, and prepare for a future where AI is part of nearly every career path.
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**IN-PERSON** Enriching the Design of General Education - February 2026
Friday, February 6, 2026 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The Enriching the Design of General Education (EDGE) initiative supports excellence in general education teaching by fostering a thriving and supportive community of practice among faculty and emphasizing the unique philosophy and practices that define general education courses. This in-person brown-bag event will be informal - feel free to bring your lunch!
In this session, we will focus on teaching in each of the three knowledge domains. Join us to engage in a lively discussion with faculty who are teaching in the same knowledge domain and to compare success, challenges, and strategies for addressing the same general education outcomes from different disciplines.
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**IN-PERSON** Enriching the Design of General Education - March 2026
Friday, March 6, 2026 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The Enriching the Design of General Education (EDGE) initiative supports excellence in general education teaching by fostering a thriving and supportive community of practice among faculty and emphasizing the unique philosophy and practices that define general education courses. This in-person brown-bag event will be informal - feel free to bring your lunch!
General education courses provide opportunities for innovation at every turn including exciting topics, bold approaches to teaching, and unexpected perspectives on learning. This session will feature a panel of faculty who have taken new and fascinating approaches to teaching general education courses.
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**IN-PERSON** Enriching the Design of General Education - April 2026
Friday, April 3, 2026 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The Enriching the Design of General Education (EDGE) initiative supports excellence in general education teaching by fostering a thriving and supportive community of practice among faculty and emphasizing the unique philosophy and practices that define general education courses. This in-person brown-bag event will be informal - feel free to bring your lunch!
Don't miss this exciting session!
Register Now!
