CAE Back-to-School Workshops: January 8 - 12, 2024

We invite you to join us for a transformative week of professional development at Fairfield University, where we embark on a journey of learning and growth. This series of workshops is designed to equip our faculty with innovative tools and methodologies, ensuring a successful and impactful semester. Each day promises a wealth of knowledge and skills development, aligning with Fairfield University's commitment to academic excellence and innovation. We encourage all faculty to participate and enrich their teaching and learning methodologies for the upcoming semester.

For each in-person workshop day, the CAE will notify registered participants by 8 am if weather conditions necessitate a shift to Zoom sessions.

Your CAE Team, 

Nick Kapoor

Christine Rodriguez

Jay Rozgonyi

Emily Smith

Debbie Whalley

Monday, January 8 - We Begin Again: Getting Yourself Set Up for a Great Semester

Zoom 

• 9:00 am - 11:00 am Empowering Learners: UDL-Based Syllabus Creation 
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6576969/2024017-empowering-learners-udl
• This hands-on session will cover integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to address diverse learning needs, enhancing classroom accessibility and engagement, and utilizing innovative strategies to support varied learning styles. The workshop will allow participants to revise their existing syllabi with expert guidance, equipping them with practical tools for fostering a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive learning environment. This is an essential session for faculty seeking to promote academic success and well-being for all students.
• 11:15 am - 12:30 pm Day 1, Week 2, Month 3: How to Create Learning Checkpoints
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6576968/2024018-day-1-week-2-month-3
• In this session, we will guide faculty through strategies for impactful teaching, starting with making a strong first impression on Day 1, sustaining classroom momentum by Week 2, and preparing for critical academic milestones by Month 3. It's an opportunity for faculty to share experiences learning adaptive teaching strategies, effective assessment tools, and methods for fostering deep student engagement. Whether new or seasoned, this workshop is a chance for all instructors to refine their teaching approach, ensuring a productive and engaging semester for both faculty and students.
• 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm Using a Trauma-Informed Framework in the Classroom 
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578105/2024019-using-a-trauma-informed-framework-in-the-classroom
• Experiences of trauma are pervasive in our society and many would argue that the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant collective trauma. Understanding the impact of trauma and making pedagogical decisions through a trauma-informed framework has the potential to improve classroom experiences and student learning outcomes. This workshop with Dr. Julie Berret-Abebe will provide an overview of the trauma-informed care framework principles and discuss applications to college classrooms. Please bring questions and examples as we will have time to share ideas with one another.

Tuesday, January 9 - Tech Tune-Up: Blackboard Ultra and Other Tech Tools

In-Person 

As the University completes the final steps in its move from the older version of Blackboard Learn to the new and improved Blackboard Ultra Course View, the CAE is working closely with Academic Computing to be sure that everyone is prepared for the change. Remember, as of this coming summer (May 2024), ALL graduate and undergraduate courses will be created using the Blackboard Ultra Course View and there will be no option to use the older version of Learn.

• 9:30 am - 10:45 am Blackboard Ultra 101: Introduction to Blackboard Ultra
• Location: NHS 210
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578107/2024021-blackboard-ultra-101
• Curious about Ultra and how it compares to Original Course View? Join us in this workshop to learn the basics of navigating an Ultra Course. We'll discuss new ways to copy or build content, leveraging the Ultra toolset for student engagement and success, and practical strategies for transitioning existing courses from Original Course View to Ultra.
• 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Blackboard Ultra 201: New Features and a Deeper Dive (with Lunch!)
• Location: NHS 210
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578109/2024022-blackboard-ultra-201
• Blackboard Ultra releases updates on a regular basis, and in this workshop we'll cover some of the more innovative features available to you this Spring. Discover how the AI Design Assistant and UnSplash image generator can help you design course content and assessments that align with your learning outcomes, along with other LTIs that have been made available to engage your students in deeper learning experiences.
• 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm Blackboard Ultra 301: Leveraging Video Tools for Collaboration, Presence, and Engagement 
• Location: NHS 210
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578112/2024023-blackboard-ultra-301
• Learn new ways to engage students using Kaltura and Zoom. With Kaltura, you can create a strong instructor presence - introduce yourself before classes begin, engage in video discussions, or create quick tutorials for your students to learn from independently. In Zoom, you and your students can now stay more engaged by leveraging the new AI and built-in note-taking tools. And with the integration between Zoom Cloud Recordings and Kaltura, sharing recordings is easier than ever!
• 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm Blackboard Ultra 101: Introduction to Blackboard Ultra - on Zoom
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578113/2024024-blackboard-ultra-101
• Curious about Ultra and how it compares to Original Course View? Join us in this workshop to learn the basics of navigating an Ultra Course. We'll discuss new ways to copy or build content, leveraging the Ultra toolset for student engagement and success, and practical strategies for transitioning existing courses from Original Course View to Ultra.

Wednesday, January 10 - Breaking Boundaries: Embracing Diversity and Dynamic Learning at Fairfield University

Zoom 

• 9:30 - 10:45 am Optimizing Learning and Maximizing Impact: Refining Research Assignments with Librarian Insights 
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578114/2024026-optimizing-learning-and-maximizing-impact-refining-research
• Ideally, research assignments are designed so students spend most of their time engaging with concepts that work toward course or programmatic objectives. However, that is not always the case, and students spend a lot of time focused on portions of an assignment that are trivial or unimportant. In this workshop, Research Librarians share their experience providing reference assistance to students so that faculty can consider reshaping assignments so students spend their time on what matters most.
• 11:00 am - 12:15 pm Diversity in Dialogue: Shaping an Inclusive Future at Fairfield University 
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578116/2024025-diversity-in-dialogue
• Please join VP of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) Dr. Don Sawyer, and Profs. Olivia Harriot, Mousumi Bose Godbole, and Nicholas Kapoor in conversation about the status of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) at Fairfield University. We will also be joined by Quinnipiac Assistant Professor of English and Teaching & Learning Center Director, Dr. JT Torres, to discuss creating inclusive classrooms. This panel will explore strategies for enhancing DEIB in academic settings, share insights from various disciplinary perspectives, and highlight practical approaches for fostering an inclusive learning environment. The event aims to encourage open dialogue, exchange innovative ideas, and offer actionable solutions for making our campuses more welcoming and equitable for all students, faculty, and staff.
• 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm - Breaking out of the Manbox: A Conversation on Manhood with Dr. Jay Taylor 
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578120/2024026-breaking-out-of-the-man-box
• Violence and discrimination against women and girls are rooted in a history of male domination that has deeply influenced the definition of manhood in our culture. Preventing domestic, sexual, and all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls is all of our responsibility. Learn about the resocialization of men and how to promote healthy concepts of manhood on campus and beyond.
• 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm - Bridging Theory and Practice: Creating Experiential Learning Projects 
• Location: Zoom
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578123/2024027-bridging-theory-and-practice-creating-experiential-learning
• In Spring 2023, Librarians Lisa Thornell and Matt Schirano worked with Prof. Mary Kelly of the Marketing department to provide an experiential learning project wherein the library served as a client to groups of students who acted as marketing firms. This workshop will provide a description of that work, and also describe other ways the library can be integrated into experiential learning projects based on a review of the literature.

Thursday, January 11 - Working on Assessments with Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities

In Person

• 9:30 am - 10:45 am Artificial Intelligence 101: Getting Oriented to AI and Its Use in Your Classroom 
• Location: NHS 210
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578106/2024020-artificial-intelligence-101
• As we saw at our recent FDEC Day event on Artificial Intelligence, a lot of Fairfield faculty have begun experimenting with tools like ChaptGPT, Claude.ai, DALL-E, and Stable Diffiusion in their classrooms. In this interactive session, we’ll orient faculty to what tools are out there for your use (and your students’ use), test out some basic strategies for getting meaningful output from them, explore how you can add AI assignments to your classes, and set the foundation for our deeper dive into AI and Assessments during our full-day session on Thursday, January 11.  Note: If you’re intending to take part in the following AI sessions, the CAE recommends that you attend this session, as it will serve as an introduction to the hands-on work of workshop
• 11:00 am - 2:30 pm Artificial Intelligence 201: Using AI in the Classroom (with Lunch!)
• Location: NHS 210
• Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578124/2024028-ai-201
• The introduction of using artificial intelligence in education is reshaping the way we teach. In this in-depth session, we will explore ways to incorporate AI into your classroom. The session will lead participants through applications and practices to explore what works for you in your discipline. Learn how to build engaging activities and assessments that leverage AI responsibly . Refine your own skills in structuring AI prompts and fostering dynamic conversations for optimal results, as well as how to guide students through this process. Bring your unique challenges, and leave with practical solutions ready to try in your courses. Lunch will be provided for all attendees.

Friday, January 12, 2024 - The Author’s Day Out: A Day of Writing with the CAE

In Person

• 10:00 am - 3:00 pm: Writing Retreat (with Lunch!)
• Location: NHS 210
• Signup Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6578132/2024030-writing-retreat
• Join the CAE and a community of colleagues for a day-long in-person writing retreat on Friday, January 12th, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Plan, begin, revise, or complete writing projects (e.g., manuscripts, books, syllabi, reports, portfolios/dossiers). Share and report on your writing goals, consult with peers or CAE staff about any stage of your writing process or use the time for some solo writing. 
• Syllabus Drop-in: 10:30 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 2:30 
• Location: Zoom and NHS 218
• Zoom Link: https://Fairfield.zoom.us/j/97588146368
• Sign into the Zoom link or stop by NHS 218 for a one-on-one consultation with a CAE Director about any aspect of your syllabus (learning outcomes, assessment strategies, active learning activities, tech tools, etc.).