Let’s be honest, we’ve all seen the formulaic discussion post “write 500 words and reply to two classmates.” In the era of generative AI, these rigid, transactional prompts are easily automated by AI and often result in students just “phoning it in.” While AI can instantly synthesize text, it cannot replicate genuine human curiosity, shared lived experiences, or real student connection. To help you reclaim … Continue reading Fostering Authentic Connection in the AI Era »

Are you interested in organizing your course materials to make them more accessible for your students? This workshop will offer best practices for organizing your content within U-M’s learning management system, Canvas. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1    

Active learning strategies, where students are active participants during the learning experience remains a best practice in learning design. While many instructors are familiar with the concept of active learning, designing meaningful and effective active learning activities can be challenging, especially when learning spaces implicitly promote passive teaching practices. In this session, participants will be introduced to a practical framework for planning and designing active … Continue reading Designing Active Learning Experiences »

As LLMs continue to disrupt written assignments, it is worth looking at how AI is also impacting video assignments, from scripting and editing, to wholesale video generation. Is it viable? Can AI-produced videos resemble authentic student work? How does GenAI video differ from AI-enhanced editing tools? In this workshop, we’ll explore these questions and more. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1

Learn practical strategies for creating accessible course materials that improve usability and support student success. This workshop covers document accessibility best practices, including headings, styles, fonts, color contrast, descriptive links, PDF considerations, secure alternative file formats, and tools to help you create more inclusive learning materials. https://umich.zoom.us/j/99289440171?pwd=jvmegqP5G1WqrVotEdTh8Z96

Caring for students is an important step in creating a warm and supportive learning environment. Research shows that students who feel connected to their instructors and classmates experience better outcomes. This session will share concrete strategies for demonstrating care and building a culture of trust and belonging that encourages students to be more invested in learning. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1

In this 35-minute Zoom workshop, LSA faculty will explore evidence-informed strategies for encouraging and sustaining student attendance in college courses. Drawing on a synthesis of 10 peer-reviewed studies, the session will consider how course structures, classroom experience, technology tools, and broader support can shape students’ motivation and ability to attend. Participants will receive an annotated bibliography and cross-paper strategy matrix to support adapting these practical … Continue reading Evidence-Informed Strategies for Encouraging Student Attendance »

Small Teaching is for instructors who want to make their teaching more effective without redesigning an entire course. In this workshop, we’ll look at simple, research-based strategies like pausing during lecture, asking students to make predictions, using quick retrieval activities, and building in reflection, which can help students learn and remember more. The focus is on practical teaching moves that are easy to use, even … Continue reading Small Teaching: Make a Big Impact with One Small, Intentional Change at a Time »

Join this session to explore new Canvas resources available to LSA instructors. Resource pages will include: (start bulleted list) A customizable course homepage template that can be adapted for your course; Accessibility tips and tools, including guidance on using DesignPLUS, a new Canvas tool that supports improved course navigation and accessibility; Student-facing resources designed to provide technical support to students; Additional faculty support pages and … Continue reading Custom LSA Canvas Resources »

Visuals and videos can spark interest and support different ways of learning. In this session, you’ll explore techniques for making images, charts, diagrams, and multimedia content accessible and easier to understand. Topics will include writing effective alternative text, using color and contrast thoughtfully, sizing visuals for readability, and providing captions and transcripts for video. https://umich.zoom.us/j/95477597626?pwd=yFweGe2ASUlXPbrcnxZ5W5OaFmBskH.1

With Generative AI now widely available, it can feel like only a matter of time before you encounter an AI-created assignment submission. During this session, we will review assignments that are more likely to encourage meaningful student engagement, as well as strategies for responding when students rely on AI in ways that undermine learning. Join us for a conversation around authentic assessment. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1

Join us for a moderated discussion about the current state of GenAI, including success stories and challenges. If you have specific questions or topics you would like us to cover, we will collect them at the start of the session. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1

Students may be tempted to use AI tools to answer traditional exams. LSA supports tools and methods that include Process Feedback and TopHat testing to encourage authentic assessments and reduce the need for test proctoring. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1

In this session, we will examine proven methods for designing authentic exams that align with your course learning goals and make the most of both analog and digital tools available in LSA. You’ll leave with resources and templates to help you build effective assessments. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1

During this session we will provide a brief overview of Ecoach and Problem Roulette, software tools designed to give students a personalized learning experience through tailored communication and custom exam study sessions. We’ll cover how you can leverage these tools to help your students succeed in your course. https://umich.zoom.us/j/96090221304?pwd=fXFwT9ry51e2XruAb0kqNbtar8DwOw.1

Classes are incorporating more and more multimodal projects that ask students to produce final products that are public-facing. Accessibility is an essential component to creating digital content available on the internet. It is important that instructors are incorporating accessible design into their teaching and requirements of public-facing projects. This session will cover what accessibility is, why it is important, and guidance on what to teach … Continue reading Digital Accessibility for Public-facing Student Projects »