Faculty Development Events Calendar

The CfT Events Calendar is the home for all of your faculty development opportunities during the year. Working with partner offices across campus, we plan to have as many events as possible available at the start of the semester so you can mark your calendars and make plans early. Check out what is planned from now through November!

Call: Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium are midday or afternoon gatherings for sharing pedagogical research and/or teaching strategies in an open and supportive setting. Participants provide a 20-minute presentation of their project or teaching strategy, then engage in a 30-minute Q&A session with the audience.  Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium is also a great forum for rehearsing teaching-focused conference presentations.

If you are interested in presenting, please complete the Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium form. The preferred deadline is Friday, September 26th but applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Contact the Center for Teaching if you have questions or need more information. 

No Time to Read Book Club

The No Time to Read Book Club is tackling The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI. If you requested a copy but could not make pickup during PD Day, your books should be arriving via campus mail in the next few days.

Group discussions will be over Zoom on the following days (all sessions 3:30-4:30 PM):

• Thursday, October 2nd (chapters 1-2)
• Thursday, November 13 (chapters 3-4)
• Thursday, January 8 (chapters 5-7)

All are welcome, even if you didn’t read!

NEST Interest Meeting TODAY (11:00 AM in Panera)

Networks Exploring Strategies in Teaching (NEST) is a group that uses monthly meetings and classroom visits to explore and analyze different teaching approaches and strategies. Curious what is involved or want to learn how to participate during the fall semester? Elizabeth will be in the Panera on Friday, August 29th (today!) from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM to answer questions and share details.

If you can’t make today’s session, reach out directly to Elizabeth (ejohnso6@umw.edu) to find out more information.

Book Authors Group Resumes September 5th

Working on a book proposal, manuscript, article, or dissertation? Looking for a friendly group that provides gentle accountability towards your weekly writing goals? The Book Authors Group, facilitated by Zach Whalen (Communications & Digital Studies) and Brenta Blevins (English & Linguistics), meets every Friday over Zoom from 3:30-5:00 to support focused writing time and progress. This group gets results!

Contact Zach (zwhalen@umw.edu) or Brenta (sblevin2@umw.edu) for the Zoom link or more information.

AI Workshop Series

Anand Rao (Communication & Digital Studies and Director, The Center for AI in the Liberal Arts) is offering a series of workshops this fall demo-ing AI tools and their application for classroom learning. Sessions will be over Zoom and recorded–check out the September sessions below.

Using Deep Research (Tuesday, September 16th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM)

This hands-on workshop will demo various deep research tools, explore how they work, and outline potential classroom applications. We’ll also examine their limitations and concerns, helping instructors thoughtfully integrate these tools into teaching and learning. 

Using PlayLab in Class (Tuesday, September 30th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM)

This AI workshop will focus on PlayLab.ai, and we’ll demonstrate how PlayLab can be used to engage students and enhance classroom learning with student–created bots and tools. We’ll also discuss its limitations and suggestions for assignments, offering instructors practical insights for thoughtful integration. 

AI and the Environment Debate

Tuesday, September 16th, 3:30 – 5:00 PM in the HCC Digital Auditorium

Join us for a lively public debate on AI and the Environment, featuring UMW faculty Kaitlyn Haynal (Communication and Digital Studies) and Mike Reno (Cultural and Philosophical Inquiry) as they explore concerns about the environmental impacts of artificial intelligence development and use. The event is open to all and includes time for audience questions and discussion. 

PD Day AI Session Recordings

We are pleased to share recordings for the following PD Day AI sessions:

• Writing and Thinking Critically and Rhetorically with AI (Leah Schweitzer)
• AI Tools for Academic Research: New Developments for 2025 (Peter Catlin and Elyse Ridder-Roe)
• AI Update: What You Need to Know Before Fall Semester (Anand Rao)
• Provost Panel: AI in the Liberal Arts (Tim O’Donnell with Krystyn Moon, Scott Powers, Mike Reno, and Maya Mathur)

The recordings may be accessed via a password-protected webpage. Please see your First Friday email for the password or reach out to the Center for Teaching for assistance.

Understanding and Practicing the STAR Method for LAMW Reflection

Thursday, September 11th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM via Zoom

This interactive workshop introduces faculty to the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), a powerful tool for helping students articulate their Life After Mary Washington competency experiences. Participants will learn about the STAR Method and think about how to craft effective prompts that guide students in transforming classroom experiences into compelling, structured stories. Faculty will leave with ideas for how to use the STAR Method in their classes and practical preparation tools that can be implemented in their courses to better prepare students for professional success.

Going Accessible: Audio and Video Projects

Tuesday, September 23rd, 12:30 – 1:30 PM in HCC 407 (registration form)

Title II accessibility requirements become mandatory on April 24, 2026, and digital assignments are not exempt! In this session, the Digital Learning Support (DLS) team will cover what you (and your students) need to consider when designing and completing accessible audio and video assignments (like podcasts and video essays). These techniques can also be applied to audio or video lectures recorded for your classes.

Lunch will be provided upon request to those that register before 12 noon on Friday, September 19th.

Other CfT Happenings

• New Faculty Monthly Meetup: Wednesday, September 10th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM in Seacobeck 128
• CfT Consultations: If you would like to schedule a 30-minute session (in-person or virtual) to discuss teaching solutions and ideas, use the online consult scheduler. If you can’t find a day/time that works with your schedule, reach out to CfT directly and we’ll be happy to work with you.

We hope you are having a great start to the semester! The next First Friday post will go out on Friday, October 3rd.