Conference Tracks

Conference tracks help you plan your experience by interest, although you can attend any session in any track. We strive to offer a balanced program touching important topics in higher education. Look for sessions covering:

PLANNING

Topical Area 1: Preparing Your Course and Curriculum

These sessions promote innovative course design strategies, curriculum development, and ways to align learning outcomes with evolving academic standards. Sessions in this track may include:

  • Learner-centered course design
  • Backward design
  • Active learning
  • Gamification
  • Designing courses for critical thinking, reflection, collaboration, and motivation
  • Writing and aligning goals, objectives, and learning outcomes
  • Using artificial intelligence (AI) as a course preparation tool

Topical Area 2: Technology Tools for Teaching

Sessions in this track focus on the latest educational technologies, digital tools, and platforms that enhance learning experiences and foster student engagement, including artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Session may include:

  • Pedagogical research that supports the tool
  • Pros and cons of the tool
  • An introduction to using the tool
  • An example of the tool used in class for professional or personal development 

Topical Area 3: The Online Classroom

These sessions are for educators who seek to optimize their online courses, improve student engagement, and ensure quality teaching practices in the digital environment. Sessions in this track cover topics such as:

  • Maximizing your learning management system (LMS) features and settings
  • Course structure, file naming, organization
  • Creating and uploading resources including video, graphics, and documents
  • Humanizing/personalizing your course
  • Flipped classroom tips and ideas
  • Online course design best practices
  • Online teaching best practices

TEACHING

Topical Area 4: Student Engagement

These sessions address one or all of the dimensions of student engagement including behavioral, emotional, or cognitive. Sessions in this track cover topics such as:

  • Instructional strategies promoting engagement
  • Practices supporting engaging classroom climate
  • Promoting broadly engaged participation and discussion
  • Classroom-based engagement activities

Topical Area 5: Assessment and Feedback for Learning

These sessions focus on assignments, assessments, and grading practices, including strategies that measure students’ accomplishment of course objectives and learning outcomes, such as:

  • Tests and assignments
  • Grading systems and criteria
  • Self-assessment and peer-assessment 
  • Rubrics
  • Feedback
  • Using AI in assignments, assessments, feedback, and grading 

Topical Area 6: Inclusive Teaching 

This track focuses on strategies to create inclusive classrooms that address diversity, equity, belonging, and social justice, ensuring all students feel valued, seen, and supported. Sessions may include:

  • Creating inclusive learning climates
  • Universal design for learning (UDL)
  • Addressing implicit bias in the classroom
  • Promoting belonging and social justice
  • Equity-minded practices
  • Supporting underrepresented and marginalized students
  • Building DEI competencies

INSTRUCTIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Topical Area 7: Beyond the Classroom 

Sessions in this track focus on real-world skills and experiential learning within higher ed curricula. Explore how to create meaningful connections between academic content and practical skills that students need to succeed in their careers and lives beyond graduation. Topics include:

  • Faculty advising and mentoring
  • Grant writing and fundraising
  • Internships and work-based learning
  • Service learning and community engagement
  • Career readiness programs
  • Global learning
  • Research and scholarship
  • Academic integrity and professional ethics

Topical Area 8: Academic Career Growth

This track is designed to support faculty at different stages of their academic careers, whether they are just starting out or are experienced professionals looking to revitalize their work and prepare for new challenges. Ultimately, focusing on key aspects of faculty development, and providing insights on professional development, leadership skills, and navigating academic career paths. Sessions may include:

  • Classroom Management
  • Building effective mentoring relationships
  • Balancing teaching, citizenship, research, and scholarship
  • Revitalizing your teaching
  • Preparing for leadership and administration
  • Professional networking and collaboration
  • Maintaining work-life balance and renewal

Topical Area 9: Mental Health, Well-Being, and Resilience in Academia 

This track addresses the growing concern of mental health in academia, providing strategies for fostering resilience, well-being, and work-life balance for both faculty and students. Sessions may include:

  • Understanding mental health in academia
  • Promoting mental health awareness
  • Building resilience
  • Work-life balance strategies
  • Stress reduction techniques
  • Student mental health support and resources
  • Faculty well-being programs and resources
  • Identifying signs of burnout
  • Building a culture of care
  • Developing emotional intelligence (EI)