**ONLINE** LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor: Protect the Integrity of Online Tests
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 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. Workshop is led by staff from Respondus. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Empowering Self-Directed Learners: Strategies for Academic Success and Lifelong Skills
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Have you ever paused to think about what sets successful students apart from those who struggle? What if we could create classrooms that truly empower every learner and foster students' agency, making education meaningful and inclusive? By mastering self-directed learning skills, students can grow into their potential and confidently steer their own educational journeys. Join us for a discussion of practical strategies designed to help self-directed learners not only excel academically but also cultivate essential skills that will serve them for life. Advance registration required.
Register Now!
**ONLINE** Calculating Overall Grades with Blackboard Ultra Gradebook
Thursday, July 30, 2026 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.
Register Now!
**ONLINE** Perusall - See What's New: Checkpoints, Context, Easy Grouping & More - Summer 2026
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
We've added new features and updates to Perusall — and we want to show you exactly what that means for your courses.
Join CTO & Co-founder Brian Lukoff for a live walkthrough of four new features now available in Perusall:
Checkpoints, Context, Easy Grouping, and our new SOC 2 Type 2
certification.
In this live webinar, you'll learn how to:
- Guide students through video, podcast, and text content with interactive Checkpoints
- Set clear learning objectives so students always know what they're working toward
- Automatically set up and distribute student groups in seconds
- & more!
Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send you a recording. Workshop is presented by Perusall. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Coffee Chat | Accessibility Deadline Delayed: Don’t Take Your Foot Off the Gas
Thursday, August 6, 2026 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
The DOJ accessibility rule has created new urgency across higher education, but many institutions have been building accessibility programs for years. Join colleagues for an informal conversation about maintaining momentum, sharing lessons learned, and preparing for what's ahead. (*Free for UPCEA members; NIU is an institutional member). Register Now!
**ONLINE** “Use Tomorrow” Strategies for Supporting Neurodivergent Students
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 from 3:10 PM to 3:40 PM
Looking for simple, effective ways to better support neurodivergent students in your courses? Jennifer Pusateri will share practical, ready-to-use strategies from her new book that can help instructors clarify expectations, improve student engagement, and foster success for neurodivergent learners. This session is offered by OneHE. Register Now!
Fall 2026 Teaching Effectiveness Institute - Designing for Access: UDL, Accessibility, and Inclusive Course Design
Thursday, August 13, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Accessibility at NIU is more than compliance—it reflects a core commitment to inclusive excellence and student success. By intentionally designing courses that anticipate and remove barriers, we create learning environments where all students, regardless of ability, background, or learning preference, can fully engage and thrive.
This interactive institute explores how accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) work together to support effective, student‑centered teaching. You will examine practical approaches that make learning more flexible, engaging, and equitable for everyone. Learn more at citl.niu.edu/fall-tei
Register Now!
**ONLINE** Get Started with Perusall
Monday, August 24, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Brian Lukoff, Perusall Co-founder, Chief Technology
Officer, and Assistant Professor of Instruction at the McCombs School of
Business at the University of Texas at Austin, will walk
through our recommended course setup strategies, helpful features
configurations, and best practices for creating engaging learning
experiences for your students. He will also demonstrate several of our
newest features, explain how they fit into your teaching, and provide
practical guidance to help you confidently prepare your course for the
semester ahead.
This is the perfect session to build the
foundation for your course, explore new features, and begin the Academy
series with insights from one of our amazing founders and a fellow
educator!
Can't join live? Register anyway and we'll send you the recording and the Perusall sandbox course. Workshop is presented by Perusall. Register Now!
**ONLINE** EDUCAUSE Demo Day | AI Teaching and Learning Tools
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching and learning by
enabling new approaches to course content creation, student support,
assessment, and instructional design. As institutions advance their
digital and academic strategies, AI‑enabled tools are increasingly being
used to support faculty innovation, personalize learning experiences,
and improve student outcomes, all while maintaining alignment with
pedagogical goals and institutional values.
Join us for a series of engaging live sessions exploring how
AI‑powered teaching and learning solutions are being implemented across
higher education. Attendees will see live demonstrations, learn about
implementation considerations, and hear how to use AII to enhance
instructional effectiveness, support student success, and strengthen
teaching and learning ecosystems.
This session is led by EDUCAUSE; NIU faculty, staff, and students can create an EDUCAUSE account using their NIU email address to attend at no cost. Register Now!
