Register for any of these engaging sessions below!
Beyond ChatBot: A Practical Guide to AI in the Classroom
Moving from "How do I stop it?" to “How do I use it?”
with Andrew Jung
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.
Who Had Help Before AI? Rethinking Equity and Student Support
with Natalee Cifuentes
April 8, 12:45– 2:00 p.m., KF Room library
Student AI use is pervasive, often secretive, and creates an exhausting "us vs. them" dynamic. We've been here before—calculators, Wikipedia, Google. The technology changes, but the anxiety doesn't.
But here's what's different: Who had access to tutors, office hours, and writing support before AI? Students with money and time. AI is free and available 24/7. What if it's actually democratizing?
This workshop moves us from surveillance to partnership. Through real scenarios and practical redesign work, we'll examine our assumptions, explore equity implications, and shift one practice from power-over to power-with. No AI expertise required — just curiosity and a willingness to rethink our approach.
Trauma-informed Pedagogy
with Carlene Davidson and 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.