It’s the first Friday of October and the weather is oh so slowly showing signs that fall is on our doorstep. Join CfT and partners across campus for a variety of programs–check out the offerings below!
No Time to Read Book Club
Tuesday, October 7th, 3:30 – 4:30 PM over Zoom
The October meeting explores chapters 1-2 from The Opposite of Cheating. The next meetings will be Thursday, November 13th and Thursday, January 8th. David Rettinger and Tricia Bertram Gallant will be joining us for the January meeting!
SPRING BOOK ALERT! Our spring 2026 book is John Warner’s More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI. If you are interested in a book copy, please email Victoria Russell by Friday, October 31st–we are not ordering extra books, so be sure to get your copy now!
NEST (Networks Exploring Strategies in Teaching)
Wednesday, October 8th & Wednesday, November 5th, 10:00 – 11:00 AM, CRUC 314 (Capital Room)
Missed the first meeting but interested in learning playful, low-tech teaching strategies? Reach out to Elizabeth Johnson-Young for more details.
Book Author Group
Fridays, 3:30 – 5:00 PM over Zoom (contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen for the link)
Yes, this group of faculty and staff meet every Friday to work on articles, manuscripts, books, grants, dissertations–you name it! Gentle accountability and helpful brainstorming are part of the experience, but at its heart the time is all about WRITING. Give yourself the gift of 90 minutes at the end of the week and make progress on your writing goals.
SAVE THE DATE: Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium
Wednesday, November 19th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Seacobeck 128
“Using Breakout Learning to Re-engage Students with Online Discussions” with Alex Dunn, College of Business-Management & Marketing
Breakout Learning is an AI-powered platform that moderates scenario-based, small-group discussions using dynamic multimedia case studies, creating authentic learning experiences requiring genuine student participation and collaboration. This presentation will feature insights from Dr. Dunn’s experience working with Breakout Learning during Summer 2025 and implementing it in Principles of Management for Fall 2025. She will share how the platform addresses the challenge of students using AI to complete traditional written discussion boards. The platform’s live, interactive discussion format ensures authentic student engagement while naturally developing the Life After Mary Washington competencies of communication through real-time collaborative dialogue, critical thinking through complex scenario analysis, and leadership through guided group decision-making processes.
Please RSVP by Friday, November 7th to reserve a lunch if you are attending.
What are You Listening To?
We love a good podcast! Here are a few current episodes getting a second listen in the CfT…
The Intentional Teaching’s latest episode, “Managing Hot Moments in 2025 with Rick Moore and Bethany Morrison” is worth a listen and deep dive in the show notes, especially during a time when any topic can become a ‘hot moment’ in the classroom.
A fan of James Lang and all things ‘small teaching’? He has a podcast out of Notre Dame University called Designed for Learning. For October, he and Derek Bruff discuss teaching students when (not) to use AI. AI, Cheating, and Trusting Students to be Human is another good episode (and the guest is Tricia Bertram Gallant, co-author of our No Time to Read fall selection).
Let us know what you are listening to (professional or for fun)–we would love to share in future First Friday posts!
Research and Creativity Collaborative
CfT is pleased to share a corner of the First Friday email with the Research and Creativity Collaborative! Learn more below (care of Betsy Lewis, Director of Undergraduate Research)…
Thanks to all who came to our open house on October 1 to see the new Research and Creativity Collaborative space! What is the UMW Research and Creativity Collaborative (RCC), you may ask?
- It’s a physical space on the main floor of Simpson Library that supports student research and creativity where students and faculty can meet, participate in events and workshops, learn about opportunities, or just hang out in a comfortable place
- It’s a virtual space on the UMW website for current and prospective students, and for faculty mentors, with information about student research and creativity, including links to important forms for funding
- It’s a group of student researchers and their faculty mentors who believe in the formative and transformative impact of research and creativity and who come together to support and promote it at UMW
RCC October Announcements, Events, and Workshops
- October 8: Deadline for application to the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Undergraduate Scholarship (MARCUS) held November 8, 2025, Randolph College.
- November 1: 6th Annual Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa) Symposium, Hurley Convergence Center, UMW
For more information and all upcoming events, see the RCC website.
Beyond the Classroom blog: Read our recent posts on student research and creativity. Have a great student research or creativity project or related news that you want to see featured on the BTC blog? Just fill out this simple form with a brief description of it, and upload a few photos.
Class Material Makeover Series: Digital Accessibility
DLS and CfT continue to offer 30-minute Zoom sessions on the foundational elements of digital accessibility for class materials. This month, we cover descriptive links, color and contrast, tables, and audio/video recordings. Full session descriptions and access links can be found on the Class Material Makeover Series page on UMW Learn.
If you are unable to make a session, recordings are posted (allow up to one week from session completion). You can also find a ‘learn at your own pace’ guide on the UMW Learn Digital Accessibility page.
AI in October
Mark your calendars for two events sponsored by the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts:
- Tuesday, October 28th, 12:00 PM: AI Workshop-Creating GPTs and Gems
- Wednesday, October 29th, 7:00 PM: Reclaiming Human Intelligence in the Age of AI-Plural Futures for Education and Society (Guest Lecture by Dr. Alan Coverstone)
Get more details (and access to past program recordings) on the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts website.
CfT’s next First Friday message will go out on Friday, November 7th. In the meantime, do not hesitate to schedule a consultation, drop by Seacobeck 209, or reach out directly to Victoria or Elizabeth.