Teaching Excellence and Innovation Day

7:45 – 8:15 AM

D2L Sponsor Table & Coffee and pastries/fruit – 75 max

8:15 – 8:30 AM

Welcome – Provost Maggy Tomova, Provost of Augusta University

8:30 – 10:00 AM

Plenary Session Title: How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching*
Facilitator: Michele DiPietro, Kennesaw State University
Description: A tenet of learner-centered teaching is that learning is the litmus test of any pedagogy. Therefore, one of the most important investments professors can make is to understand the learning process so that their teaching is conducive to student success. This keynote is based on the newly-released second edition of How Learning Works, which synthesizes 60+ years of research on learning from the cognitive, motivational, and developmental perspectives into eight integrated principles. This interactive workshop will illustrate highlights from the eight principles with demonstrations, reflections, and other activities to enhance participants’ teaching.

10:00 – 10:15 AM

Break

10:15 – 11:30 AM

Concurrent Sessions (75 minutes)

Scholarship of Teaching & Learning: Connecting Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
Facilitators: Deborah Richardson and Rob Bledsoe, Augusta University
Location: JSAC Ballroom (Room 155)

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is recognized internationally as a significant field of research and a route to demonstrating commitment to scholarly teaching. As such, SoTL has been incorporated by both the USG and Augusta University into their guidelines for tenure and promotion. This session will engage participants in discussions of the value and practice of SoTL from the perspectives of long-time practitioners and of faculty members considering how SoTL may fit in their professional trajectory. We will also address current institutional support(s) for SoTL work at AU.

Dice & Design: A Playful and Collaborative Imaginary Course Design “Workshop”*
Facilitator: Mary Peabody, Georgia State University
Location: JSAC – Coffeehouse (Room 235)

A collaborative & creative session where dice rolls spark imaginative curriculum design. Attendees will develop imaginary (and often less-than-sensical) courses with unique outcomes, assessments, and delivery methods. This session reinforces learner-centered, career-relevant, and aligned curriculum & assessment in a way that is creative, encourages peer interaction, and provides a framework that will stick with participants well into the future.

Designing Interactive Learning Activities with AI —No Coding Required*
Facilitators: Arthur Takahashi, Andrew Everett, Jeff Mastromonico, Augusta University
Location: Butler Meeting Room (Room 227)

BRING YOUR LAPTOPS!

What if building interactive learning tools didn’t require knowing how to code? In this session, you’ll explore vibe coding — the art of talking with generative AI to co-design and edit code. Together, we’ll walk through hands-on prompting strategies to build the beginnings of tools like text-based simulations, interactive graphs, and short digital games. Please bring your devices and come ready to use your favorite GenAI tool to vibe code with us. You’ll leave with a starter prototype, a prompt framework for vibe coding, and the confidence to turn conversations with AI into interactive instructional materials.

11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Lunch – 140 max – A Word from Our Sponsor – D2L Brightspace

12:30 – 1:45 PM

Keynote: "BC/AC:  Teaching Before and After ChatGPT "
 Facilitator: David Joyner, Georgia Institute of Technology
 
This talk offers a grounded, historically-informed look at how generative AI has reshaped teaching and learning since ChatGPT's arrival in 2022—what we overestimated, what we caught us off guard, and what we got right. The talk will survey the current landscape of AI use in classrooms, including real tools and faculty experiments organized around using, teaching, and reacting to AI. The talk then looks ahead to five key challenges and opportunities, leaving attendees with a practical framework for thinking about where AI fits in education practice going forward, grounded in honest skepticism and cautious optimism rather than hype.

1:45 PM

Adjourn