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.
Fall 2027 Session Schedule
From Summer Institute to Classroom Practice: Faculty Perspectives on TiLT and UDL
with Taylor Bellagamba, Peggy Beauregard, Christy Ross, Song Wang, Kevin Beck & Andrew Aavatsmark
Wednesday, October 14th, 12:45–2 p.m.
Learn from faculty who participated in the Summer Institute as they share how they have applied the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT) template and other Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies in their courses. Representing a variety of disciplines, panelists will discuss their experiences redesigning assignments, increasing transparency, and implementing practices intended to reduce barriers and support student learning. Join us for a conversation about lessons learned, successes, challenges, and practical ideas you can adapt for your own teaching. Lunch provided.
What Are You Thinking? Using Oral Exams to Reveal Student Understanding
with Patricia Mellodge
Monday, November 9th, 12:45–2 p.m.
Oral exams can be seen as daunting for both students and instructors, yet they can be one of the most effective ways to assess genuine understanding. Drawing on years of experience in engineering courses, I'll discuss a structured oral final exam process that gives students immediate feedback, minimizes grading workload, and turns assessment into a learning experience. Lunch provided.
Beyond Think-Pair-Share: Incorporating active learning, and empowering students to invest in their educational experience.
with Donna Menhart
Wednesday, November 11th, 12:45–2 p.m.
How can higher education adapt “learning through play?” What are the benefits to sharing the decisions on how to deliver course information? When will our students find their voice? This workshop will explore strategies to create a safe space where students collaborate with each other and the instructor, to engage in and take personal responsibility for their own learning process, to remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. Lunch provided.
Trauma-Informed Pedagogy, Part 2: Practical Strategies for Learning and Well-Being
with Carlene Davidson & Paola Sacchetti
Wednesday, December 9th, 12:45–2 p.m.
Building on our previous session, this interactive workshop focuses on practical, classroom-ready strategies that support student well-being, engagement, and learning through a trauma-informed lens. Participants will explore concrete approaches for fostering regulation, creating psychologically safe learning environments, and strengthening connection and belonging in both undergraduate and graduate classrooms. Lunch provided.