**ONLINE** AI @ WMU: Decoding our Humanity in the AI Revolution
Monday, April 7, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM
Join us for a talk entitled "Minds, Mirrors and Gods: Decoding Our Humanity in the AI Revolution," given by Dr. Shannon Vallor, Baillie Gifford Chair in the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence at the Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) at the University of Edinburgh, where she is Director of the Centre for Technomoral Futures in EFI and co-Director of the BRAID (Bridging Responsible AI Divides) Programme. Her new book, The AI Mirror (2024), has been heralded as "a fresh and fascinating take on the perils and promises of a much-debated technology" by Publishers Weekly. This session is co-sponsored by the WMUx Office of Faculty Development, the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society, and the Department of Philosophy. This session is offered and managed by WMUx. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Teaching Digital Literacy with Adobe Express
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Explore Adobe Express, a versatile digital design tool now available to all NIU faculty, staff, and students. This all-in-one solution covers image generation, photo and video editing, web design, posters, presentations, animations, and more, enhanced by generative AI. With hundreds of templates to inspire creativity, Adobe Express addresses the need for accessible digital tools in education. In this hands-on workshop, participants will create a self-portrait for course use, learning to generate customized content. Discover how to easily supplement your instructional materials with suitable images. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** VoiceThread Advanced: Skills and Ideas
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
This training is designed for faculty members who have mastered all of the basic technical aspects of using VoiceThread, but would like to see some alternate pedagogical approaches. We will take a deep dive into some uses cases that demonstrate how to incorporate elements of storytelling and game-based learning into your VoiceThread activities. We will discuss playback settings like “one conversation” and timed comments, and we will have an open Q&A throughout the training. The workshop is led by VoiceThread staff. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Engaging Minds: Strategies for Authentic Learning and Real-World Problem Solving
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Are you looking to engage students in authentic learning activities that inspire them? This workshop will explore strategies for identifying and developing meaningful problems that resonate with students' experiences. Participants will learn how to engage students in authentic learning activities focused on investigating and resolving complex, real-world issues, sometimes through community-engaged partnerships. These instructional techniques will help students enhance their collaboration skills, improve their problem-solving abilities, and take ownership of their learning journey. We will also discuss strategies for instructors to effectively act as facilitators and coaches, guiding students through this interactive process. Advance registration required.
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**NEW - IN PERSON** Community Engagement Executive in Residence: Community Engaged Work: Envision, Write, Publish!
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Learn or brush up on the process of planning, producing and publishing community-engaged work.
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**NEW - ONLINE** NIU Yellowdig Spring Workshop
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
When students are part of a community, their education becomes so much more than classes, textbooks, projects and grades. NIU has Yellowdig, which sparks real interactions that result in real communities. In this workshop, you will learn about the benefits of social cognition and how to incorporate Yellowdig into your courses. Advance registration is required.
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**NEW - IN PERSON** Community Engagement Executive in Residence: Success Strategies for Publishing Your Community Work
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
How do you get from rough draft to publication-ready piece? What are the most efficient and effective ways to get published? You’ve got questions, Dr. Doberneck’s got answers informed by years of experience.
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**NEW - IN PERSON** Community Engagement Executive in Residence: Community Engagement Write-in
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Stick around or drop in for dedicated time to write, collaborate and get 1:1 help from Dr. Doberneck.
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**NEW - IN PERSON** Community Engagement Executive in Residence: Engagement Practitioners Can Publish, Too!
Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Innovative engagement practice should be recognized, celebrated and published. Tips and tricks for staff will be shared in this workshop.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Technology Driven Formative Assessment
Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 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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**ONLINE** Anthology Blackboard: The One Where Engagement Meets Innovation
Friday, April 11, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Discover strategies and tools to foster student engagement, collaboration, and active learning in digital, hybrid, and face-to-face classrooms. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Supporting Neurodiverse Students in the Classroom
Monday, April 14, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
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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**IN-PERSON** How to Create a Community-Engaged Course
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
NIU faculty and staff are doing impactful, community-engaged research, teaching and collaboration. This brown bag lunch series is your chance to hear their stories, ask your questions, make connections, and leave with tools and inspiration to pursue your community engagement goals.
In this session, part of the Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development Community Engagement Brown Bag Lecture Series, you'll hear from Alicia Schatteman, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and Laura Ruth Johnson, Ph.D., NIU Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies. Learn about the new NIU community-engaged course designation, find out what best practices make for a successful community-engaged course and hear about the speakers' experiences teaching community-engaged courses. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Inclusive STEM Teaching: Insights from Student-Centered Pedagogy
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Are you looking to create a more inclusive and empowering classroom environment? Join us for an interactive workshop exploring how feminist teaching approaches can help close the persistent gaps in STEM degree completion, particularly for women and students from underrepresented groups. You'll discover practical strategies to challenge traditional classroom dynamics and create spaces where all students can thrive. We'll explore ways to validate diverse perspectives and learning styles while building supportive learning communities. Whether you're new to these concepts or already incorporating inclusive practices, you'll walk away with concrete tools to promote more equitable outcomes in your teaching. Bring your experiences and questions! Advance registration required.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Implementing AI in the Writing Classroom
Thursday, April 17, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Join us and guest presenter Eric Hoffman from the English Department to explore pedagogical strategies for integrating AI tools into writing instruction while maintaining academic integrity and fostering critical thinking. This workshop will address the challenges and opportunities AI presents in the writing classroom, focusing on enhancing student engagement and the writing process. Participants will gain insights into leveraging AI to support writing assignments and promote deeper learning. Additionally, we'll discuss an ongoing project where First-Year Composition TAs are collaborating with students to incorporate AI into their curriculum, providing real-world examples of ethical and effective AI use in writing education. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Strategies for Equitable Learning Environments
Friday, April 18, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 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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**ONLINE** Student Collaboration with Blackboard Groups
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Student group work can be an effective component in meeting and enhancing your course objectives. Unfortunately, the logistics of forming, supporting, and assessing groups can also present significant challenges. In this workshop, we will explore the group features in the Blackboard Ultra Course View and discuss related tools and strategies in order to address some of the more common difficulties when working with groups. Advance registration required.
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**NEW - ONLINE** VoiceThread Accessibility for NIU
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
In this VoiceThread workshop delivered only to NIU Faculty and Staff, we will explore the accessibility features in VoiceThread. This session is led by VoiceThread staff. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Inclusive Group Work: Fostering Teamwork among Diverse Identities
Wednesday, April 23, 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** Creating Podcasts with Adobe Audition
Thursday, April 24, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Adobe Audition will help you record and edit high-quality audio that you can use to produce podcasts, voice-overs, and other audio-related projects. Audition is available to all faculty and students as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, at no cost. This workshop will introduce you to the Adobe Audition software and help you get started with best practices to ensure high-quality audio. Advance registration required.
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**NEW - ONLINE** Visual Storytelling
Friday, April 25, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
In today's world, capturing and retaining student attention is more crucial than ever. This workshop will equip you with practical strategies for incorporating visual storytelling into your teaching practices. We'll explore different types of media and how to leverage the power of visuals to enhance learning outcomes, foster deeper engagement, and assess students. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Facilitating Group Work Online
Monday, April 28, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Group work can be an excellent way to engage students in an online course. When effectively implemented, students working in groups or teams can foster critical thinking and dynamic interaction in an online environment. In this workshop, we will explore different types of group structures, identify the benefits and challenges of group work and discuss how to set up group online. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Calculating Overall Grades with Blackboard Ultra Gradebook
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
In the Blackboard Ultra course view, the Gradebook is a useful tool for tracking student grades and helping students understand their progress throughout the semester on individual assessments, but it can also efficiently calculate an overall grade on an ongoing basis, as well as a final grade. The overall grade is visible to students on the Grades page in the base navigation and provides students with a sense of their current performance. At the end of the semester, NIU faculty can then use the Grade Submission tool to publish grades from the Gradebook directly to MyNIU, saving even more time. In this online workshop, we will discuss how to calculate overall grades, including how to use the weighted total feature, share best practices, and answer questions about specific grading systems. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Using VoiceThread in Blackboard
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
In this workshop, you will learn how to create VoiceThreads and then add them to your Blackboard course as lessons, discussions, or assessments. This will be a hand-on workshop where you can follow along with the activities and add VoiceThreads into your course modules. This session is facilitated by VoiceThread.
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**IN-PERSON** Enriching the Design of General Education - April Brown-Bag
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
The Enriching the Design of General Education (EDGE) pilot 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, the University Libraries and the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning collaboratively facilitate a conversation about the impact of adopting low- and no-cost course materials as well as the support and opportunities for finding, adapting, or creating open education resources.
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**ONLINE** Using AI to Generate Engaging Course Content
Friday, May 30, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Explore key strategies for creating compelling online course content, focusing on storytelling, multimedia integration, and the application of learning theories. Discover how to leverage Custom GPT for personalized learning scenarios and image AI tools for captivating visuals. This session is sponsored by Quality Matters and facilitated by Lisa Byrnes, Instructional Designer for Penn State World Campus. Register Now!
