Category Archives: Professional Development

09.16.24

Faculty Book Club begins Monday

Join us for a three-part faculty book club series, led by Becky Miller, professor,  psychology, centered on “Small Teaching” by James Lang, a transformative guide offering practical, research-based strategies for enhancing classroom instruction. We will explore how small, targeted changes in teaching practices can lead to significant improvements in student learning. Each session will provide a collaborative space for faculty members to discuss and apply these insights to their own teaching. Engage with your peers, share experiences and discover actionable strategies that can be immediately integrated into your courses. All participants will receive a free copy of “Small Teaching.”

Register now and receive your copy of “Small Teaching” before the session dates.

Note: Faculty will receive one point for each session attended. Those who attend all three will be awarded an extra point (four total).

09.16.24

Monday Morning Mentor: How Can I Teach Courses that are inclusively accessible to all learners?

This week’s Monday Morning Mentor is How Can I Teach Courses That Are Inclusively Accessible to All Learners? The presentation is available Sept. 16, 2024 with this online link, and on-demand for one week. You will need to use the password, accessible579

Access to the programs in the Monday Morning Mentor series is restricted to members of the subscribing institution. Any unauthorized use or access, including sharing access with faculty and staff not affiliated with the subscribing institution, is prohibited.

09.13.24

Faculty Book Club begins Monday

Join us for a three-part faculty book club series, led by Becky Miller, professor,  psychology, centered on “Small Teaching” by James Lang, a transformative guide offering practical, research-based strategies for enhancing classroom instruction. We will explore how small, targeted changes in teaching practices can lead to significant improvements in student learning. Each session will provide a collaborative space for faculty members to discuss and apply these insights to their own teaching. Engage with your peers, share experiences and discover actionable strategies that can be immediately integrated into your courses. All participants will receive a free copy of “Small Teaching.”

Register now and receive your copy of “Small Teaching” before the session dates.

Note: Faculty will receive one point for each session attended. Those who attend all three will be awarded an extra point (four total).

09.06.24

Faculty Book Club

Join us for a three-part faculty book club series, led by Becky Miller, professor,  psychology, centered on “Small Teaching” by James Lang, a transformative guide offering practical, research-based strategies for enhancing classroom instruction. We will explore how small, targeted changes in teaching practices can lead to significant improvements in student learning. Each session will provide a collaborative space for faculty members to discuss and apply these insights to their own teaching. Engage with your peers, share experiences and discover actionable strategies that can be immediately integrated into your courses. All participants will receive a free copy of “Small Teaching.”

Register now and receive your copy of “Small Teaching” before the session dates.

Note: Faculty will receive one point for each session attended. Those who attend all three will be awarded an extra point (four total).

09.04.24

Fall 2024 Faculty Development Schedule – Available now!

We are excited to announce our Fall 2024 Faculty Development Schedule, which consists of a variety of face-to-face and virtual sessions in the following topics: accessibility, active learning, AI, Canvas, DEIJ, H5P, innovation, and student success. As part of this semester’s lineup, we are also launching a new faculty book club led by Becky Miller, AIeL faculty liaison and professor of psychology. All participants will receive a free copy of “Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning,” by James M. Lang.

Registration for individual workshops is available on the portal, along with a detailed printable schedule and a one-page at-a-glance schedule. We encourage you to register in advance if possible, so that we can plan accordingly.

If you have any questions about the fall schedule, or you have any ideas or proposals for a future faculty development workshop, please email John Freml at 217-786-4669.

09.03.24

Wednesday’s faculty workshop, Accessibility Updates in Canvas

Join us for an informative in-person workshop, Accessibility Updates in Canvas: Streamlining Your Courses with UDOIT and TidyUP, by John Freml, director, faculty development and Matthew Trueblood, instructional designer. Explore the latest updates to digital accessibility regulations and introduce two powerful new tools integrated into Canvas—UDOIT and TidyUP. These tools replace the old Ally Accessibility Checker, offering a more streamlined and user-friendly approach to ensuring your course content meets current accessibility standards. We’ll guide you through how UDOIT scans and identifies accessibility issues in your course, and how TidyUP helps you manage and clean up unnecessary files. By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to create more accessible and organized online learning environments for all students.

Wednesday, Sept. 4 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Sangamon  Hall 1101.  Register online. 
This face-to-face workshop will be repeated later in the semester in a virtual format.

08.19.24

Monday Morning Mentor: How Can I Use My Teaching to Improve Student Study Skills?

This week’s Monday Morning Mentor is, “How Can I Use My Teaching to Improve Student Study Skills?”

The presentation is Aug. 19, 2024, and available on-demand for one week. From the link you can view the featured 20-Minute Mentor, as well as access the transcript, handouts, and supplemental material. You will need to enter the password, improve343, to view the program.

Access to the programs in the Monday Morning Mentor series is restricted to members of the subscribing institution. Any unauthorized use or access, including sharing access with faculty and staff not affiliated with the subscribing institution, is prohibited.