About CTEI Semester Events
For recordings of previous Learn@Lunch sessions go to CTEI Teaching Resources.
The Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation (CTEI) offers events throughout each semester which provide an opportunity for University of Hartford faculty to lead and engage in discussions about teaching and learning.
The sessions (typically 3-4 each semester) are designed to encourage faculty to share and explore new teaching methods and are intended to foster collegiality, community, and peer support around teaching.
Each semester, the topics vary and are selected based on feedback from faculty and with the guidance of the CTEI Faculty Advisory Committee.
Do you have an idea for a session? Email CTEI@hartford.edu and share your idea with us.
Spring 2026 Session Schedule
PENCIL Cases: Elevating Critical Thinking Through Case-Study Scaffolding and Assessment w/Lindi Mitsou & Steve Charry
February 11, 12:45- 2 p.m., CTEI lower-level library
Lunch provided
Case studies rarely have a single correct answer, which makes evaluating them challenging. In this Learn@Lunch session, participants will explore the PENCIL rubric, a structured tool that supports fair, consistent, and quantitative assessment of case-study responses. You’ll learn how the framework scaffolds reasoning, emphasizes patient assessment over “the answer,” and helps educators provide more transparent, defensible feedback to learners. This rubric was created for clinical reasoning but will easily adapt to other disciplines that use case-study methodologies.
AI In Action: Classroom Activities and Assignments Using Generative AI w/Amy Weiss
February 11, 12:45- 2 p.m., Greenberg Center
This workshop will provide instructors with examples of classroom activities and at-home assignments that use generative AI (artificial intelligence). The examples can be adapted to a variety of courses, but there will be an emphasis on how these assignments apply to humanities and social sciences courses. The goal of the workshop is two-fold: 1) To provide professors with the necessary know-how to use specific AI tools and 2) to share examples and suggestions of how to use generative AI in classroom assignments to advance the learning outcomes of the course. By the end of the workshop, instructors will leave with sample materials on how to use generative AI in their courses.
Let’s Talk Teaching
February 25, 12;45-2 p.m., Commons Private Dining Room
Lunch provided
Informal get-togethers where attendees bring their concerns and successes to the table to benefit from cross-disciplinary experiences.
Thinking Critically with AI w/ Sarah Senk & Taiyo Inoue
March 2, 5–6 p.m., Greenberg Center (sponsored by the Humanities Center; no registration required)
Description coming soon!
Embracing Academic Integration with Artificial Intelligence w/ Steve Adler
March 25th, 12:45-2 p.m., REMOTE
In this session, Steve Adlerwill share a proven use case, “Discovering Hidden Markets”, an in-class activity from Multinational Marketing (MKT350). By the end of this session, participants will be able to do the following:
Set clear expectations for student use of AI tools by developing syllabus language promoting a balanced approach; Design course-specific AI use cases that enhance active learning and encourages students’ use of AI; Guide students in effective prompt development strengthening analytical thinking and creative problem-solving skills; Foster critical evaluation of AI outputs by leading structured classroom discussions with an emphasis on reasoning, validation, and evidence-based reflection; Create a supportive “AI sandbox” environment that encourages challenging each other’s findings. In addition to these objectives, attendees are encouraged to share their pedagogical experiences and suggestions to improve our students’ learning outcomes using an AI tool. The Teams link will be sent before the event.
Let’s Talk Teaching
April 1, 12:45-2 p.m., Commons Private Dining Room
Lunch provided
Informal get-togethers where attendees bring their concerns and successes to the table to benefit from cross-disciplinary experiences.
Enhancing Learning Engagement through Game-Based Learning with Gengyun Le-Chan & Somaye Seddighikhavidak
April 3, 12:45-2 p.m., CTEI lower-level library
Lunch provided
Game-based learning (GBL) increases engagement and retention in undergraduate Architecture and Biological Science courses through interactive design challenges, virtual labs, and real-world problem-solving. A mixed-methods pilot at the University of Hartford demonstrated significant gains in student engagement, classroom participation, confidence in key concepts, and perceived knowledge retention. In this session, participants will examine GBL strategies, review sample classroom activities, and discuss challenges and lessons learned. Attendees will leave with practical, scalable approaches for integrating GBL into STEM courses to foster deeper learning.
Beyond ChatBot: A Practical Guide to AI in the Classroom with Andrew Jung, PhD
Moving from "How do I stop it?" to “How do I use it?”
April 8, 12:45–2 p.m., D318
AI has moved beyond being a trendy term and is now a common presence in higher education. Rather than concentrating on ways to block or restrict it, the current question is how we can effectively utilize this technology to enhance education. This is the central focus of "Beyond Chatbots: A Practical Guide to AI in the Classroom." This interactive, hands-on workshop is tailored for educators eager to overcome their initial apprehensions and explore the potential of AI in educational settings.
Consider this session as a chance to perceive AI not as a monitor but as a genuine collaborator. We will demonstrate how AI can alleviate administrative tasks, foster stronger connections with students, and lighten the workload.
In just 75 minutes, we will clarify any confusion about AI and offer practical tools you can use immediately. You will discover how to create assignments that integrate AI (rather than oppose it), how to develop clear syllabi that leave no room for misunderstanding, and how to swiftly generate everything from analogies to grading rubrics using AI. Whether you are new to AI or already familiar with it, you will leave with a practical strategy to turn AI from a classroom challenge into a tool that enhances both productivity and learning.
Trauma-informed Pedagogy with Carlene Davidson & Paola Sachetti
April 8, 12:45-2 p.m., CTEI lower-level library
Lunch provided
This session explores what a regulated, trauma‑informed teaching approach can look like in undergraduate and graduate classrooms. We will examine how the mind–body connection can affect learning through a trauma‑informed lens, considering both instructor and student perspectives.
Faculty will gain greater awareness of the physiological and psychological responses that may show up in everyday classroom interactions and how these responses can shape learning, engagement, and relationships. A key focus will be on fostering co‑regulation—supportive, responsive interactions between instructors and students, as well as among students themselves.
Participants will leave with practical, applicable strategies to promote regulation, support student well‑being, and enhance learning across diverse classroom contexts.