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.

 

Teaching and Learning Day: May 13th

Plan on joining faculty and staff from across campus for Teaching and Learning Day on May 13th from 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM in Seacobeck Hall and the HCC-Digital Auditorium. From AI and LAMW to constructive dialogues and Canvas New Quizzes, there is something for everyone.

NOTE: The session descriptions are updated with presenters for the Pedagogy Playground–a new format for faculty to share interesting activities and assignments. Several recipients of the Provost AI Learning Excellence Grant and the NEH Spotlight on the Humanities grant will be sharing their projects.

Reserve your spot for all sessions by Friday, May 9th (and encourage a friend to join you, too!).

Book Authors Writing Retreat: May 14th

Get a jump on your summer writing plans (or finish your FAAR) at the Book Authors Writing Retreat on May 14th from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM in Seacobeck Hall. ALL WRITERS ARE WELCOME! Come and go as your schedule permits. Spaces will be available for individual and team writing, as well a social space in the Dome Room with an all-day beverage and snack station. Let us know you plan to attend any portion of the day–and, of course, bring a friend who always says they need to write but never finds the time. 🙂

CfT Summer 2025 Small Teaching Grants

Congratulations to the following faculty who will receive CfT Summer 2025 Small Teaching Grants:

• Kalpesh Bhatt (Art History, Anthropology, Classics, Philosophy, & Religious Studies)
• Maria Laura Bocaz (Modern Languages & Literatures)
• Nicole Crowder, Sarah Smith, & Leanna Giancarlo (Chemistry & Physics)
• Alex Dunn (Business)
• Samira Fallah (Business)
• Caitie Finlayson (Geography)
• Theresa Grana (Biological Sciences)
• Kaitlyn Haynal (Communication & Digital Studies)
• Debra Hydorn (Mathematics)
• Jennifer Magee (Mathematics)
• Sean McDonald (Education)
• Ginny Morriss (Biological Sciences)
• Hilary Stebbins (Psychological Sciences)
• Melissa Wells (Education)

Look for presentations about their projects at a CfT event in 2025-2026!

AI Provost Learning Excellence Grant

Congratulations to the following faculty who submitted projects after semester- and year-long work integrating AI into their course activities and assignments:

• Swati Agrawal (Biological Sciences)
• Karen Anewalt (Computer Science)
• Kalpesh Bhatt (Art History, Anthropology, Classics, Philosophy, & Religious Studies)
• Brenta Blevins (English & Linguistics)
• Rachel Bowman & Jennifer Walker (Education)
• Gonzalo Campos Dintrans (Modern Languages & Literatures)
• Coorain Devin (Studio Art)
• Erin Devlin (History & American Studies)
• Amrita Dhar (Economics)
• Samira Fallah (Business)
• Caitie Finlayson (Geography)
• Jackie Gallagher (Geography)
• Rachel Graefe-Anderson (Business)
• Surupa Gupta (Political Science & International Relations)
• Kaitlyn Haynal, J.D. Swerzenski, & Zach Whalen (Communication & Digital Studies)
• Christy Irish (Education)
• Betsy Lewis & Patricia Orozco Watrel (Modern Languages & Literatures)
• Kashef Majid (Business)
• Chris McBride (Psychological Sciences)
• Sean McDonald (Education)
• Marco Millones Mayer (Geography)
• Sarah Morealli (Earth & Environmental Sciences)
• Suzanne Nguyen (Chemistry & Physics)
• Katherine Parker (Historic Preservation)
• Alexis Rutt (Education)
• Suzanne Sumner (Mathematics)
• Melissa Wells (Education)
• Robert Wells (Music)
• April Wynn (Biological Sciences)

The first set of project presentations will occur at the Pedagogy Playground sessions on May 13th at Teaching and Learning Day. Look for the remaining grant recipients at CfT events during August Preweek and the next academic year!

CfT Summer Plans

The Center is available during the summer months for consultations and course design support, either in-person in Seacobeck 209 or over Zoom. Reach out for an appointment, or pop in if you are on campus.

We hope you have a relaxing summer–see you soon!

Faculty Spotlight: Christine Henry and Andrea Smith

What do historic preservation and podcasting have in common? A love for storytelling! This month’s faculty spotlight features two professors from the Historic Preservation department, Dr. Christine Henry and Dr. Andrea Smith, who are making history come alive—both in the classroom and through their own podcast. In their own unique style, they are giving us their faculty spotlight answers in podcast form. Check out Faculty Spotlight link to hear them discuss why preservation matters, share hands-on experiences from the field, talk about their dream course (it involves an RV), and give advice to students interested in the field.

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium (RSVP form)

“The ‘Elements’ of Success: Building Comfort and Skill in Mathematics for Future Science Courses” with Leanna Giancarlo, Associate Professor-Chemistry & Physics and Kelly Perkins, Senior Lecturer-Mathematics
Wednesday, April 9th (rescheduled from our February snow day)
3:00 – 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 139
This presentation will discuss supporting students interested in science careers in terms of their math and science preparation by providing more options for a first course (pathway) in science/math. In particular, we will describe the implementation of changes in the MATH 120 curriculum to correlate with preparing future science majors for their General Chemistry coursework. Strategies employed in MATH 120 and CHEM 101, an existing pathway course, will be compared in terms of the potential for successful trajectories to later science courses.

Summer 2025 Small Teaching Grants

The Center for Teaching is pleased to announce small summer teaching grants for full-time teaching faculty to support course development and revisions. Fifteen $1000 grants are available. Faculty should consult their inboxes for details. Please reach out to the Center for Teaching with questions.

SAVE THE DATE: May Teaching and Learning Day

Plan to join us on Tuesday, May 13th from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM for Teaching and Learning Day! Plans are being finalized for concurrent sessions filled with ideas to bring new energy to your fall classes. The full schedule and registration will be in your inbox on Friday, April 18th.

SAVE THE DATE: May Writing Retreat

The Book Authors Group is sponsoring a writing retreat on Wednesday, May 14th from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM in Seacobeck Hall. Group and individual writing spaces will be available as well as an all-day coffee/tea and snack buffet. Any and all writing projects are welcome–book chapters, articles, FAARs, dissertations, grant proposals, you name it! Registration will be available on the Teaching and Learning Day RSVP forms going out in two weeks, but walk-ins are also welcome.

Faculty Events Calendar

Tired of trying to find CfT and partner event details in your inbox? Can’t remember if a workshop is in Seacobeck or the HCC? CfT has a solution for you!

CfT is soft-launching a professional development calendar starting this month with a full roll-out beginning in August. The calendar will be a central location for speakers, workshops, and presentations. You can also use the calendar for planning events–no more emailing the Center for Teaching wondering if your event or speaker clashes with something on the schedule. Bookmark the site and see what is still coming up this semester. You can also subscribe through your Outlook or personal online calendar. Details about how to get YOUR event on the calendar will be distributed this August.

Provost AI Learning Excellence Grant

Feedback sessions must be completed by Friday, April 17th! The following group peer feedback sessions are scheduled and you do not need register in advance:

• April 8, 4:00 – 5:00 PM (Seacobeck 128)
• April 9, 12:00 – 1:00 PM (Seacobeck 151)
• April 10, 12:30 -1:30 PM (Seacobeck 151)
• April 17, 12:30 – 1:30 PM (Seacobeck 151)

If you cannot make a group peer feedback session, please schedule a consultation using our Bookings link.

All grant projects must be submitted by Friday, April 25th using the submission form. If you have questions, please reach out!

Other CfT Happenings…

• New Faculty Monthly Meetup: Wednesday, April 9th at 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 151 (focus: advising)
• NEST: Friday, April 18th in Farmer Hall, CDS Conference Room. Contact Elizabeth for time and more details
• UMW NEH AI Grant Cohort: Check your email next week–we will be rescheduling our next cohort meeting!
• Book Author Group: Every Friday at 3:30 PM via Zoom. Contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen with questions or for the meeting link.
• 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.

What do historic preservation and podcasting have in common? A love for storytelling! This month’s faculty spotlight features two professors from the Historic Preservation department, Dr. Christine Henry and Dr. Andrea Smith, who are making history come alive—both in the classroom and through their own podcast. In their own unique style, they are giving us their faculty spotlight answers in podcast form. Check out the link below to hear them discuss why preservation matters, share hands-on experiences from the field, talk about their dream course (it involves an RV), and give advice to students interested in the field.

Check out their conversation and the transcript using this Dropbox link.

You can follow their podcast, “Verdigris with Rae & Andi”, via their website or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Find UMW faculty development events at CfT’s Event Calendar! Subscribe to stay up-to-date with CfT and partner programming.

While you are soaking up the last days of Spring Break, CfT is gearing up for March and its usual busy-ness. As you set your preregistration advising schedule, make a bit of room to join your colleagues and attend a CfT or partner session!

Faculty Spotlight: We were on a break!

Our Faculty Spotlighter is getting a much needed break so we decided to pause the column until her and our Spotlight-ee’s return to campus. We’ll see you in April!

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium (RSVP form)

“Creating a Sustainable Gene Editing Module for Genetics” with April Wynn, Associate Professor-Biological Sciences and Ginny Morriss, Assistant Professor-Biological Sciences
Monday, March 31st
3:30 – 4:30 PM in Seacobeck 151
Gene editing technology is rapidly changing the landscape of scientific research and having a firm grasp on this technology can position UMW students to be competitive and successful After Mary Washington. CRISPR-Cas9, can be used to efficiently and selectively edit genes in living organisms. The best way for students to understand this technology and to fully grasp its power is to work with the technology itself. Our project was to significantly revise the General Genetics Laboratory to introduce a sustainable CRISPR/Cas9 laboratory module to our students as a foundational experience.

“The ‘Elements’ of Success: Building Comfort and Skill in Mathematics for Future Science Courses” with Leanna Giancarlo, Associate Professor-Chemistry & Physics and Kelly Perkins, Senior Lecturer-Mathematics
Wednesday, April 9th (rescheduled from our February snow day)
3:00 – 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 139
This presentation will discuss supporting students interested in science careers in terms of their math and science preparation by providing more options for a first course (pathway) in science/math. In particular, we will describe the implementation of changes in the MATH 120 curriculum to correlate with preparing future science majors for their General Chemistry coursework. Strategies employed in MATH 120 and CHEM 101, an existing pathway course, will be compared in terms of the potential for successful trajectories to later science courses.

March AI + AI Grant Workshops

Other CfT Happenings…

• New Faculty Monthly Meetup: Wednesday, March 12th at 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 151 (focus: research)
• UMW NEH AI Grant Cohort: Monday, March 24th at 4:00 via Zoom
• Book Author Group: Every Friday at 3:30 PM via Zoom. Contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen with questions or for the meeting link.
• 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.

Faculty Spotlight: Marcus Leppanen

What drives an award-winning professor to forge meaningful connections with their students? How can a meme set the tone for learning? This month, we’re excited to spotlight Dr. Marcus Leppanen from the Department of Psychological Sciences, whose outstanding contributions earned him both the Young Faculty Award and the Mary W. Pinschmidt Award.

February AI Workshops

AI workshops will be held via Zoom. Registration is not required to attend and is open to all faculty and staff.

AI Lab Sessions

Join us for informal ‘office hours’ to brainstorm ideas and strategies for using AI in the classroom. Members of CfT and DLS will be available to answer questions and discuss ideas. If you are working with a team on the Provost’s AI Learning Excellence Grant, AI Lab Sessions can be a great way to get together to work on your project.

• Thursday, February 6th, 3:30-4:30 PM in Seacobeck 128
• Tuesday, February 11th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM via Zoom
• Monday, February 17th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM via Zoom

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium (RSVP form)

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium is a forum for faculty to share strategies and innovations in their classrooms with the larger UMW community. After presenters offer an overview of their teaching strategies or research, the audience engages in a Q&A. Due to limited seating, participants are asked to RSVP. Please join us for our February presentation!

“The ‘Elements’ of Success: Building Comfort and Skill in Mathematics for Future Science Courses” with Leanna Giancarlo, Associate Professor-Chemistry & Physics and Kelly Perkins, Senior Lecturer-Mathematics
Wednesday, February 12th
3:00 – 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 139
This presentation will discuss supporting students interested in science careers in terms of their math and science preparation by providing more options for a first course (pathway) in science/math. In particular, we will describe the implementation of changes in the MATH 120 curriculum to correlate with preparing future science majors for their General Chemistry coursework. Strategies employed in MATH 120 and CHEM 101, an existing pathway course, will be compared in terms of the potential for successful trajectories to later science courses.

LAMW Competency of the Month: Teamwork & Collaboration

Other CfT Happenings…

• New Faculty Monthly Meetup: Wednesday, February 12th at 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 151.
• UMW NEH AI Grant Cohort Meeting: Monday, February 3rd at 4:00 PM via Zoom.
  • Don’t forget about the cross-institutional office hours on Wednesday, February 5th at 3:00 PM. Be sure to introduce yourself on Slack and check in with your assigned group!
• NEST: Friday, February 21st at 11:00 AM in HCC 210.
  • NEW MEMBERS WELCOME! Contact Elizabeth with questions.
• Book Author Group: Every Friday at 3:30 PM via Zoom. Contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen with questions or for the meeting link.
• 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.

Look for the next First Friday post on Friday, March 7th!

What drives an award-winning professor to forge meaningful connections with their students? How can a meme set the tone for learning? This month, we’re excited to spotlight Dr. Marcus Leppanen from the Department of Psychological Sciences, whose outstanding contributions earned him both the Young Faculty Award and the Mary W. Pinschmidt Award.

Over the past year, you’ve received both the Young Faculty Award and the Mary W. Pinschmidt Award, which highlight your exceptional teaching and ability to connect with students. What keeps you motivated in the classroom, and what do you think are the keys to building meaningful connections with your students?

While it might sound cliché, what keeps me motivated in the classroom is the students. I have had many days where I was not feeling up to going to a class, but after interacting with the students I almost always end up feeling better. Their genuine interest in learning and in me as a person really motivate me to give them my best effort. I think what helps with building meaningful connections is seeing the students as people first and students second. I try to start every class asking my students how they are doing (usually with a smattering of thumbs up or thumbs down in response) but when they ask me back it energizes me to have a good class. Equity in the classroom is important and having guidelines for students to follow is important, but there are ways to maintain those things while putting individuals first. My approach to teaching is to show the students that learning is fun and interesting, and that examples do not have to be boring. I think that attitude helps me to connect with them. I also think you have to want to be approachable and students pick up on that.

In what ways do you see your research and teaching informing one another?

I am trained as a cognitive psychologist. What that means is that I am interested in how people think and how thinking affects behavior. My graduate training and much of my research career has focused on memory. The goal of instructors is for students to learn, so having an understanding of what leads to stronger memories allows me to directly put my training into practice with how I develop assessments. At the same time, I am currently doing research looking at how eye movement behaviors during test taking are related to testing anxiety and test performance. I see how many students are anxious about testing in the classroom and have used those observations to drive a new line of research. I somewhat lucked into a career where my research and my teaching are pretty much directly related.

Can you share a time when you took a risk by trying something new in the classroom? What encouraged you to try it, and what was the outcome?

For me, one of the biggest risks I have taken was in how I assess my students. I was teaching my Cognitive Neuroscience class and really needing something to assess students on besides quizzes and a paper. I had never created a novel assignment from scratch before, but was encouraged by what I know about learning to make an assignment. I developed what I called a “Share the Knowledge” assignment. For the assignment, students are asked to have informal conversations with someone about what they are learning in class and then write a reflection on how it went, but also what it taught them about their own knowledge. The outcome of the assignment has been really exciting! The reflection papers are fun to read instead of the typical assignment we dread grading as faculty. Students seem to enjoy the activity and many will anecdotally write about how much they liked the practice of talking about class content. Students “accidentally” get exposed to different viewpoints through these conversations and they often notice that happening. I have also learned that the assignment is a low-stakes way to assess student writing while also being something that discourages the use of AI. I use the assignment in multiple classes because it is not about the content, it is about the process and the skills the students are practicing.

Is there anything that stands out to you that has prepared you or continues to prepare you most for effective teaching?

What has, and continues to, prepare me for effective teaching is having a group of colleagues who also care about teaching well. I find I am able to talk about my ideas to get feedback but that I also learn new ideas from talking with them.

Who was your favorite teacher?

I have had a lot of great teachers, but my favorite was Mr. Nelson. He was my High School earth sciences teacher. He always demonstrated a passion for his content while also taking the time to be interactive with his students. He made me laugh, but I also learned a lot. Because of him I almost went to college for Geology!

What is your favorite way to start a class?

I start all of my classes with a meme. I think getting students to chuckle about something unimportant at the start of class can help put them in a better mood for learning.

8 a.m. class or 4:00 p.m. class?

As someone who commutes 35 minutes to campus, definitely a 4:00pm class!

What is your favorite UMW class to teach? Why?

I think my favorite class to teach is Cognitive Neuroscience. I have always been fascinated by the brain and getting to talk to students about how biology is related to psychology is a fun challenge.

What would be your dream class to teach?

I would love to be able to teach a semester-long class just on memory. I was able to do that during my post-doc and it was great. There are so many nuances to how memory works that you just cannot get through in one week of class, so I would really enjoy getting to dive deeper into memory again.

What is one piece of advice you’d give a brand-new faculty member?

My biggest piece of advice would be to use the resources you have available to you and be curious. Many of the connections I have on campus have come from attending workshops put on by the Center for Teaching. Wanting to learn about how other people teach is a great way to improve your own teaching, feel more supported in a new environment, and develop connections within the campus community.

What podcast would you currently recommend? (or book/show/etc.)

I hate to admit I have only been reading fictional crime novels lately! James Patterson is always one of my go-tos.

If you could take any class in the UMW catalog, what would it be?

I recently learned that there is an American Studies class being taught about baseball that sounds absolutely fascinating to me. However, I have been told I need to wait until the next iteration before I do.

What were you like as a student in college?

I was a prototypical quiet student in college. I made a point to always show up to my classes, take notes, and get my work done on time, but I never raised my hand or participated unless I absolutely had to. I liked tests and thought of them as a way to challenge myself to see how much I knew about what I was learning. While my faculty never would have known, I enjoyed being in class and hearing an expert talk about something that was new to me. Learning is fun for me and that motivated me to try hard while I was in college.

Faculty Spotlight: Elizabeth Johnson-Young

We turned the tables on CfT’s Associate Director and put her in our December Faculty Spotlight! Learn about Elizabeth’s work in CfT, how her influence is extending beyond UMW, and her favorite place to fill all the travel mugs she carries around campus.

Wine and Refine: Tuesday, December 10th (RSVP form)

LAMW Competency of the Month: Digital Fluency

Our students demonstrate Digital Fluency when they:

• gain experience with the tools of digital creation
• practice creating content and using digital tools ethically and effectively
• recognize how what you do online impacts your online identity

We can help our students develop their Digital Fluency by:

• incorporating class projects that allow students to build websites, create podcasts, record videos, and design graphics to represent their learning
• engaging in discussions about the ethical uses of digital tools and platforms, such as AI
• offering feedback on how digital content best addresses audiences and how it contributes to larger storytelling perspectives
• reflecting on the impact of digital content on personal and professional identities

For more classroom-specific ideas, check out these resources:

• Digital Learning Support (DLS) Supported Toolbox guides (including excellent resource pages for digital-specific assignments under the Workshop section)
• UMW Learn Artificial Intelligence Resource Page
• ReFocus Online (UMW’s response to online teaching during Covid–the ideas and resources are still relevant today!)

Writers’ Retreat: Wednesday, December 18th (RSVP form)

Join the Book Author’s Group for a Writers’ Retreat on Wednesday, December 18th from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM in Seacobeck Hall!

Work among other writers in Seacobeck 151 or utilize a reserved small study space in the center of the building for individual and small group private writing sessions. Seacobeck’s Dome Room will serve as our ‘break room’, offering coffee, tea, juice, and water as well as an assortment of snacks all day.

ALL writers and writing projects are welcome! Come and go as your schedule permits. Contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen if you have any questions.

Provost AI Learning Excellence Grant: Reminder and FAQs

If you plan to submit an activity or assignment for the Provost’s AI Learning Excellence Grant, please complete your participation survey by Friday, December 13th. We currently have 35 faculty signed up!

We have fielded several questions about the AI Grant program since its announcement last month…

Is the grant only open to tenure track faculty?

No! All teaching faculty may participate.

Can we work in teams to develop one assignment?

Yes, however teams are limited to 4 faculty members. All team members will receive the full stipend. We encourage faculty sharing course sections or who teach a similar curriculum-specific course (e.g., FSEM, WI, etc.) to collaborate on common assignment templates. The team approach is also a great way to include adjunct faculty members as departments and programs develop their approaches to AI.

What if I don’t have an assignment in mind–can I still participate?

Yes! This initiative is designed specifically for anyone who has not fully worked out how to best integrate AI into a course. You will have time to think through issues, see different approaches, and design an assignment.

What is required to receive the stipend?

Three requirements must be met to receive the grant stipend:

• Attend a Getting Started Session the first week of classes (multiple virtual sessions will be offered throughout the week)
• Receive feedback on your draft assignment/activity in March-April
• Submit your assignment/activity with cover sheet by Friday, April 25th

My schedule is bananas–what if I can’t attend workshops during the spring semester?

Workshops are optional. Each month, content-focused virtual workshops will focus on AI integration with one of three LAMW competencies: Communication, Teamwork & Collaboration, and Critical Thinking. Content workshops will be recorded and uploaded to the grant’s Canvas site. All participants will be invited into the Canvas site by December 18th.

In addition, we will offer monthly in-person and virtual ‘lab’ sessions for project brainstorming and feedback. These sessions will be great for teams and discipline-based faculty to work together. Lab sessions will be set after surveying the cohort in January. Lab sessions will not be recorded.

Please reach out to the Center for Teaching with any questions you have about the grant program. The slide deck from Monday’s information session contains additional details.

January Preweek AI Virtual Workshops (Registration form)

Join us as we kick off the Provost’s AI Learning Excellence Grant with a short series of virtual workshops and meetups January 7-10th. Workshops will focus on foundational AI skill development and effective uses for specific learning outcomes. Check out the session descriptions and be sure to register by Monday, January 6th at noon.

Spring AI workshops will be announced in January–stay tuned!

DLS January Preweek Sessions

Join DLS during January Preweek for some less AI-centric digital learning sessions. If you rely on Canvas quizzes or want to explore digital assignment design, be sure to review the offerings below.

Transitioning to Canvas New Quizzes (Registration form)
Tuesday, January 7th, 11:00 – 11:50 AM via Zoom

Time is running out! Canvas has introduced a new quizzing system called “New Quizzes,” which will replace the current “Classic Quizzes” within the next year. If you have quizzes in the Classic format that you wish to continue using, they must be migrated to New Quizzes before Classic Quizzes are phased out. This workshop will guide you through the features of New Quizzes and provide step-by-step instructions on how to convert and migrate your existing Classic Quizzes. 

Digital Assignment Jam, Including AI! (Registration form)
Craft A Project You Can Implement Spring Semester (or later… no pressure!)
Tuesday, January 7th, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM in HCC 410
Workshop is capped at 15; Boxed lunch provided to those that register by December 17th

This open work session will provide instructors with an opportunity to bring their digital assignment ideas and develop them for implementation into a course. We will also be exploring AI tools that could be incorporated into these assignments. Time will be allotted for faculty to bounce ideas off one-another, as well as members of Digital Learning Support and the Digital Knowledge Center. We will work through ideas, provide guidance, and explore the many ways we can support your project. The session will be informal, but we hope that by the end of it you’ll have an assignment ready to go for the semester.

Looking Ahead: Spring 2025 Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium (RSVP form)

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium is a forum for faculty to share strategies and innovations in their classrooms with the larger UMW community. After presenters offer an overview of their teaching strategies or research, the audience engages in a Q&A. Due to limited seating, participants are asked to RSVP. Lunch or an afternoon snack is offered.

We are pleased to share our Spring 2025 presenters–join us to hear about great teaching across campus.

“Minecrafting the Past: Sandbox Games and Historical Exploration” with Susan Fernsebner, Professor-History and American Studies
Monday, January 27th
12:00-1:00 PM in Seacobeck 139
How might we make the best use of digital play spaces and sandbox games as a site for exploring history? This talk will introduce the ways in which Minecraft has been used in a recent History course focused on lived architectures of 19th and early 20th century China. We’ll explore approaches to group work, digital environments, and crafting a 3-D vision of the past as a form of exhibition.

“The ‘Elements’ of Success: Building Comfort and Skill in Mathematics for Future Science Courses” with Leanna Giancarlo, Associate Professor-Chemistry & Physics and Kelly Perkins, Senior Lecturer-Mathematics
Wednesday, February 12th
3:00 – 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 139
This presentation will discuss supporting students interested in science careers in terms of their math and science preparation by providing more options for a first course (pathway) in science/math. In particular, we will describe the implementation of changes in the MATH 120 curriculum to correlate with preparing future science majors for their General Chemistry coursework. Strategies employed in MATH 120 and CHEM 101, an existing pathway course, will be compared in terms of the potential for successful trajectories to later science courses.

“Creating a Sustainable Gene Editing Module for Genetics” with April Wynn, Associate Professor-Biological Sciences and Ginny Morriss, Assistant Professor-Biological Sciences
Monday, March 31st
3:30 – 4:30 PM in Seacobeck 151
Gene editing technology is rapidly changing the landscape of scientific research and having a firm grasp on this technology can position UMW students to be competitive and successful After Mary Washington. CRISPR-Cas9, can be used to efficiently and selectively edit genes in living organisms. The best way for students to understand this technology and to fully grasp its power is to work with the technology itself. Our project was to significantly revise the General Genetics Laboratory to introduce a sustainable CRISPR/Cas9 laboratory module to our students as a foundational experience.

Join us for January Preweek virtual workshops to jumpstart the Provost’s AI Learning Excellence Grant. Workshops focus on foundational AI skill development and exposure to AI tools for different learning outcomes.

All faculty and staff are welcome to attend. Registration for all workshops closes on Monday, January 6th at noon.

Sessions may be accessed through a single Zoom link (see CfT December First Friday email or your registration form receipt). Please email vrussel3@umw.edu if you have difficulty joining any sessions.

Click the triangle next to each date to see available sessions and descriptions:

Tuesday, January 7th

10:00 – 11:00 AM: To AI or Not to AI?: It’s a Real Question

How do we decide where and when to use AI in class assignments and activities? In this session, we’ll examine how current AI tools can maximize specific kinds of learning goals and where the tools fall short. Participants will begin to draft personal decision-making frameworks for AI use and discussion with students. #CriticalThinking

Wednesday, January 8th

10:00 – 10:50 AM: Welcome to the AI Thunderdome

Join Digital Learning Support and Digital Knowledge Center staff as we use different Generative AI platforms and compare their abilities. We’ll explore multiple approaches to your questions like how to create assignments, do research, approach daily work, or help build courses. We will compare the results we get from the different platforms and repeat the process with new questions. #DigitalFluency

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: AI Tools for Academic Research

In this session, UMW librarians will demo several different AI tools that promise to assist with academic research (https://library.umw.edu/SimpsonAI). We will review what the tools can do, what their limitations are, and what you should know about how you and your students can use them. Attendees will have an opportunity to experiment with these tools and share their experiences with the group. It may be a good idea to create a free account with tools Consensus (https://consensus.app) and/or Elicit (https://elicit.com/) before the session. #CriticalThinking

2:00 – 3:00 PM: WI and AI–Working Through the Contradictions

In writing intensive courses (or any course which assigns writing), it can seem counter-intuitive to allow any use of AI; while you’re not alone in wanting to keep AI out of the writing classroom, the reality is our students are using it.  So how do reconcile what seem to be competing interests? This session will provide some practical ideas for how to incorporate AI into your writing assignments in ways that don’t compromise the integrity of teaching writing as well as how to help students think critically about what AI can and, more importantly, can’t do for them. We will also touch on how to assess writing assignments that utilized AI. #Communication

Thursday, January 9th

10:00 – 11:00 AM: AI Prompting 101-Getting the Most from AI Tools

In this session, you will learn best practices for crafting precise and effective AI prompts. We will discuss iterative prompting, the value of context, and how to avoid common pitfalls. Participants will have time to practice and refine their prompting skills. Resources to support student skill development in AI prompting will also be shared. #DigitalFluency

Small Group Brainstorming

Gather with a small group of colleagues for open-ended brainstorming and discussion about AI issues relative to your classes facilitated by the Center for Teaching. Sessions will be limited to 10 faculty. Reserve your spot early! #TeamworkCollaboration

Session #1: 1:00 – 2:00 PM

Session #2: 2:30 – 3:30 PM

Session #3: 4:00 – 5:00 PM

Friday, January 10th

Individual Consultations

Schedule a 1:1 appointment with the Center for Teaching to discuss your individual class assignment. Consultations are a great way to work through and synthesize ideas shared during the week. Individual consultations are virtual and are scheduled through the CfT online appointment scheduler. #TeamworkCollaboration