Center for Teaching, Learning, and Leadership

Academic Advising at UNG: An Overview
Led by Erin Connelly
This workshop will provide an overview of undergraduate academic advising at UNG. It will look at the organizational structure of advising at UNG, discuss the blended academic advising model, and provide a picture of the student lifecycle at UNG. It will also look more in-depth at the function of academic advising, as well as the role of academic advising within the operational structure of UNG.
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Access, Not Advantage: Busting Common Accommodation Myths
Led by Tracey Hurd, Director of Student Accessibility Services

This workshop will explore some of the most common myths surrounding student accommodations. During this interactive workshop, faculty will have a chance to ask questions, as well as examine how they might respond in classroom scenarios presented.

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Sessions on policies and portfolio for faculty coming up for pre- and post-tenure. Six virtual workshops will be offered for fall - three for pre-tenure and three for post-tenure. You only need to attend one of the sessions offered.

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Practice Before Placement: Using Role Play and Technology to Strengthen Student Soft Skills
Led by Jennifer Sears
This professional development session will explore ways faculty can help students strengthen essential soft skills before beginning an internship experience. Participants will examine how classroom-based role play and mixed reality simulation can give students opportunities to practice difficult conversations in a supportive environment. The session will highlight a course project in which students prepare in advance, interact with an adult through an actor-supported simulation, and receive immediate feedback to improve their communication, professionalism, and confidence.

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AI, Oh My: Navigating Our Brave New Policy on Student AI Use
Led by Richelle Keilholz
In collaboration with Academic Affairs, the Office of Student Integrity is implementing a NEW academic misconduct policy for the 2026-2027 academic year. This session will provide attendees with the opportunity to learn more about the new policy, as well as answer questions related to AI use in the classroom.

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Thinking About Getting Students to Think About Thinking
Led by Lori Furbush and Alison Hite
This presentation will focus on metacognition in college classes. We will discuss ways to help students recognize the learning strategies they are using, evaluate whether those strategies are working, and adjust when needed. The session will also explore practical approaches instructors can use to encourage reflection, planning, monitoring, and flexibility so students can become more intentional and effective learners.

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Universal Design for Learning: Principles and Practice
Led by Jennifer Sears
This introductory workshop explores what Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is and why it represents a fundamental shift in how we approach course design and instruction. Participants will learn the core principles of UDL—multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement—and discover how these principles directly benefit all students while addressing the needs of all leaners.

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AI, Oh My: Navigating Our Brave New Policy on Student AI Use
Led by Richelle Keilholz
In collaboration with Academic Affairs, the Office of Student Integrity is implementing a NEW academic misconduct policy for the 2026-2027 academic year. This session will provide attendees with the opportunity to learn more about the new policy, as well as answer questions related to AI use in the classroom.

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Introductory Session: Why Should I Bother?
Led by the Writing Across the Curriculum Network

In this session, we look at strategies for combatting AI-driven futility: Why bother learning something if an AI can already do it? And why bother grading if an AI can give reasonable feedback? We begin by examining the problem (which did not begin with the advent of AI), and then we introduce two tools from Engineering professor Josh Brake for talking—and thinking critically—about the relation between assignments, learning, assessments, and technology (both its affordances and constraints). All of our subsequent sessions will build on this introductory discussion.

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Sessions on policies and portfolio for faculty coming up for pre- and post-tenure. Six virtual workshops will be offered for fall - three for pre-tenure and three for post-tenure. You only need to attend one of the sessions offered.

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AI is Already in the Room
Led by Chuck Robertson
In this session we will discuss Eaton's AI 101, Mollick's Homework Apocalypse, and Vee's Critical AI Literacy to develop a shared vocabulary, reduce anxiety surrounding AI, and clarify what faculty and students need to know about AI and its role in higher ed.

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Academic Advising: Training Resources
Led by Erin Connelly
This workshop will provide an overview of undergraduate academic advising training and reference resources available to all academic advisors at UNG. It will provide an in-depth overview of the Academic Advisor Training course shell in D2L, information that is available, and how to use provided resources.

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Sessions on policies and portfolio for faculty coming up for pre- and post-tenure. Six virtual workshops will be offered for fall - three for pre-tenure and three for post-tenure. You only need to attend one of the sessions offered.

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A Leadership Conversation with Dr. Elisabeth Burgess 
Dean for the College of Arts and Letters at the University of North Georgia
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Balance or Burnout
In this FRAME session, we will explore practical strategies for maintaining well-being, managing competing responsibilities, prioritizing work that matters, and building sustainable habits that support long-term success in academia by setting boundaries creating routines that protect well-being and career progress.
 
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Sessions on policies and portfolio for faculty coming up for pre- and post-tenure. Six virtual workshops will be offered for fall - three for pre-tenure and three for post-tenure. You only need to attend one of the sessions offered.
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Providing High Quality Undergraduate Research Experiences in the Classroom
Led by Amanda Halliburton
In this session, we will discuss how to effectively incorporate undergraduate research into required or elective classes. Topics will include assessing student readiness and goals, building motivation, scaling based on class size, and elevating the experience for students who want to go the extra mile.

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Demystifying Quantum Computing
Led by Xiuping Tao, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Cybersecurity
Quantum computing is no longer a distant theoretical concept confined to physics labs; it is rapidly becoming a transformative force across the global economy. As our university prepares to launch its first official course in the field (CSCI 4020) in Fall 2026, this session provides faculty and staff with a foundational, "low-barrier" introduction to the quantum landscape. This talk is specifically designed for a non-specialist audience, requiring no prior background in advanced mathematics or physics.

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A Leadership Conversation with Dr. Nathan Price 
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs of the University of North Georgia

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Shut Up & Write provides participants with a structured time to make progress on research and writing. Participants will work in a fifty-minute block with a five-minute block of discussion at the beginning and a five-minute block of rest and discussion at the end.

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All the World's a Stage: Setting the Scene for Motivation, Engagement, and Belonging
Led by Lori Furbush, Kelly McFaden, and Alison Hite
This presentation focuses on practical, high-impact strategies for creating a welcoming and purposeful start to the semester. While a clear syllabus is essential, the "stage" is truly set through the intentional development of instructor-student rapport. We will explore how early efforts to build connection directly fuel student motivation, increase classroom engagement, and foster a deep sense of belonging. 
 
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Attention Please: Demystifying Artificial Intelligence for a General Audience
Led by Yong Wei 
How do ChatGPT and other modern AI systems actually work? This talk demystifies the fundamental ideas behind large language models and multimodal foundation models, including transformers, attention mechanisms, and vision-language models. Designed for a general audience, the presentation provides an accessible introduction to the algorithms that enable AI to understand and generate text, images, and more.

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Sessions on policies and portfolio for faculty coming up for pre- and post-tenure. Six virtual workshops will be offered for fall - three for pre-tenure and three for post-tenure. You only need to attend one of the sessions offered.

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Teaching with Library Resources and Partnerships
Led by Melissa Lockaby and Amanda Nash
In this session, we will discuss how collaborating with UNG librarians and leveraging library resources can strengthen student learning, research skills, and course design.

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Why Bother? Writing Lab Reports 
Led by the Writing Across the Curriculum Network

In this session, members of the WAC Network partner with colleagues in Psychology to look at why we write lab reports, ways we can teach and assess the report genre, and how to help students value the research and writing processes they are practicing when drafting lab reports.

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Sessions on policies and portfolio for faculty coming up for pre- and post-tenure. Six virtual workshops will be offered for fall - three for pre-tenure and three for post-tenure. You only need to attend one of the sessions offered.

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A Leadership Conversation with Dr. Anastasia Lin
Assistant VP for Academic Affairs and Dean of Honors of the University of North Georgia

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Academic Advising Technology: An Overview
Led by Erin Connelly
This workshop will provide a brief overview of key academic advising technology: the AdviseMe Appointment System, student records, and DegreeWorks. It will provide instructions and resources for implementing AdviseMe, a review of the DegreeWorks audit system, and practical tips for accessing and interpreting student records.

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Using AI to Your Advantage: Planning and Updating Course Materials
Led by Jennifer Sears
This session focuses on ways to utilize AI tools - specifically NotebookLM - to prepare for future courses or to update existing materials.

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High-Impact Capstones: Designing Transformative Culminating Experiences for Student Success
Led by Caitlin Wills
Capstone experiences provide students with a powerful opportunity to integrate, apply, and showcase what they have learned throughout their academic journey. This interactive workshop explores the essential elements of high-impact capstone design, helping faculty create meaningful culminating experiences that promote student engagement, achievement, and post-graduation readiness.
Participants will examine evidence-based practices for developing capstones that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, reflection, collaboration, and real-world application.

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A Leadership Conversation with Dr. Michael Shannon 
President of the University of North Georgia.

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Shut Up & Write provides participants with a structured time to make progress on research and writing. Participants will work in a fifty-minute block with a five-minute block of discussion at the beginning and a five-minute block of rest and discussion at the end.

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The Un-Toasted Teacher: How to Stay Fresh During Heated Semesters
Led by Andrew Jakiel and Susan Brantley
In the high-pressure environment of higher education, the line between professional dedication and personal exhaustion is often blurred. A proactive workshop designed to help faculty identify the warning signs of burnout and implement concrete strategies to reclaim their time, energy, and passion for academia. We will explore how to establish sustainable boundaries, streamline administrative "drifting," and recalibrate expectations without sacrificing teaching excellence or research productivity.

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AI in the Classroom: Practical Strategies for Any Faculty 
Led by Jane Morris
This session introduces faculty to practical, beginner-friendly strategies for using artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. Participants will explore how AI can support teaching, enhance student learning, and be integrated into assignments across disciplines, with a focus on simple approaches that can be implemented immediately. 
 
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Translating Universal Design for Learning Theory into Your Classroom 
Led by Jennifer Sears
This hands-on workshop invites instructors to consider a current course component—whether an assignment, assessment, lecture format, or course policy—and work through a structured redesign process using UDL principles. Participants will learn practical strategies for building flexibility into their instruction and will leave with an action plan for revising at least one element of their course.

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