TEACHx 2025: Full Schedule

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12:30pm CDT

Wednesday Registration

Wednesday May 21, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Louis Lobby

Stop by the Registration Desk to check-in to TEACHx and claim your name badge.

Wednesday May 21, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Louis Lobby

1:00pm CDT

Why Digital Accessibility Matters Today

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Louis Room A

Currently, there are vague digital accessibility requirements in Section 504 and in the Americans with Disability Act (Title II and Title III). By spring of 2026, there will be specific digital accessibility requirements for most public higher education institutions and any entity receiving funding from the Department of the Health and Human Services, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (Title II) and Section 504 respectfully. Regardless, whether these regulations happen or not, now is the time to be thinking about digital accessibility. We will be discussing the different legal frameworks, what does accessible in the digital environment mean, what content is covered and what are the small and large steps that need to be taken to improve your accessibility.

Speakers

Judith Risch

Title IX & Equity/Access Services Special Advisor, Grand River Solutions

Judith Risch, J.D., Ph.D., is the Title IX & Equity Access Services Special Advisor at Grand River Solutions. Judy brings over two decades of invaluable experience from her tenure at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education. Judy’s role at Grand River... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Louis Room A

Featured Workshop

Subject Accessibility and UDL

1:00pm CDT

From Knowing to Doing: GenAI-Powered Study and Time Management Support

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Northwestern Room B

Does getting your students to implement study and time management skills feel like a Sisyphean feat? How do we bridge the gap between students "knowing" how to study and actually utilizing beneficial study methods? LLM-based chatbots like ChatGPT and Copilot have the potential to be personalized tutors for our students but bring with them the potential for hallucinations and false illusions of learning. The Personal Academic Wildcat Support (PAWS) project is building prompts that convert an AI tool into a learning expert that coaches students to use effective learning strategies on their upcoming assessments. Unlike many AI study tutors, the focus is not on teaching course content, but on supporting students in implementing personalized study and time management strategies. The goal is not to replace the human connection between advisors/instructors and students or pre-existing institutional study resources, but rather to provide an additional support system to help students reflect on their learning and embed new skills and habits into their everyday routine. In this session, we'll share the ongoing research leading to our template prompts and walk through customizing these prompts for your specific needs. You'll walk away with personalized prompts that directly address your students' studying challenges.

Speakers

Rachel Goc

Learning Engineer, Northwestern IT Teaching & Learning Technologies

Chamille Lescott

Assistant Professor of Instruction, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Northwestern Room B

Workshop

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

1:00pm CDT

Making Space for Your Own Belonging

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Northwestern Room A

Are you feeling pushed to the margins? Stretched beyond your capacity to care? Not sure how to make room for yourself (much less support students while doing so)? You are not alone.

In this workshop, we'll engage in contemplative practices to center ourselves in our authenticity -- the heart of true belonging. After connecting with our authentic selves, we'll learn about Susie Wise's Design for Belonging framework, then use it to dream, plot, and make actionable plans for transforming our teaching work into spaces that foster our belonging.

Along the way, I'll share a few stories of how I've used Wise's design levers to cultivate a practice of transformative authenticity that makes room for my students, colleagues, and I to be (im)perfectly human learners together.

Speakers

April Andry Rahman

Assistant Director of Education Research / Adjunct Instructor, University of Illinois Chicago / Chicago State University

I'm an educational developer in the University of Illinois Chicago's Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence and adjunct faculty in the Nontraditional Degree Programs at Chicago State University. I bridge teaching and research with Black feminist homeplace pedagogies that... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Northwestern Room A

Workshop

Subject Instructor and Student Burnout and Self-Care

1:00pm CDT

Restorative Justice in Teaching: Self-Determination Theory and Assessment

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Lake Room

Restorative justice (RJ) as a style of teaching and learning emphasizes the practical importance of centering students' basic psychological needs. In the language of self-determination theory (SDT), basic psychological needs in education amounts to developing student autonomy, student relatedness, and student competence, the satisfaction of which is a reliable predictor of student success. This session will 1) introduce a conceptual alignment of RJ & SDT as motivational approaches to classroom learning and 2) review some recent RJ & SDT research and assessment models for higher education.

Speakers

Joe Rice

Criminology Instructor, DePaul University

Joe Rice is a Criminology Instructor at DePaul University, a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) at Cook County Jail, and U.S. Army veteran. His teaching philosophy and clinical approach are rooted in the ancient wisdom tradition of restorative justice, with a focus on the sacred practice... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Lake Room

Workshop

Subject Student Success and Assessment

2:45pm CDT

B-Side Insights: Using AI-Powered Remixes to Critically Examine Language

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT

Rock Room

Join us for an interactive session exploring how AI can be used as a tool for critical literacy. Across subjects, teachers want to support students in expanding their communicative abilities in different contexts while also gaining awareness of underlying assumptions and expectations around language. As professors in Developmental Education, we have been using generative AI tools in our classrooms because we want our students to be digitally prepared. At the same time, we want to find balance between the positive uses of AI and concerns about how AI's can impact language by homogenizing our communication. Participants will try some of the activities from our classroom, using generative AI tools to remix texts and analyze the results to gain insights. We will demonstrate how using AI to adapt text can help students compare language contexts, enhance communication skills, and critically examine the rules around language use. Join us for an engaging session where we explore the transformative power of AI in language analysis. This interactive experience is designed to provide hands-on practice with generative AI tools that can help students analyze the contexts for language use and apply various stylistic transformations.

Speakers

Eric VanDemark

Director of Developmental Education, National Louis University

Lauren Anderson

Assistant Professor of Developmental Education, National Louis University

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Rock Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

2:45pm CDT

Learner-Centered Syllabi: Conversation with an Assistant Professor of Instruction

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT

Northwestern Room A

One way to develop a more learner-centered atmosphere, where the students' needs are the focus of instruction, is by using a more learner-centered syllabus. Such syllabi should reflect the instructor's evolving understanding of and commitment to their students as they learn in a social and ever-changing world. This interactive presentation will promote the conference themes of Accessibility, Inclusive Teaching, and Universal Design for Learning by showcasing the characteristics of a learner-centered syllabus as well as the ways in which the instructor of a Black Feminist Though-informed, global health course has modified their course policies and assignments to address the needs of their students. The Northwestern Principles of Inclusive Teaching (2021) and Cullen and Harris™ (2009) framework for assessing learner-centeredness through course syllabi will be used to identify the ways in which the instructor's course has changed between Fall 2021 and Winter 2024. The features of this interactive presentation will include observing a dialogue between an educational developer and instructor as well as a mind mapping activity about constructing "knowledge-sharing"™ assignments. Discussion topics include: mental health days, grading grace periods, flextime, accountability days, allyship, and artificial intelligence.

Speakers

Veronica Womack

Associate Director of Inclusive Learning Communities, Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching

I love to talk about inclusive teaching, social justice, and mindfulness!

Charlayne Mitchell

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Northwestern Room A

Interactive Presentation

Subject Graduate Instructor Track

2:45pm CDT

PAPPL: Introducing the Personalized AI-Powered Progressive Learning System

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT

Northwestern Room B

Join us for an exciting session where we will explore how an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based assessment platform can truly elevate student engagement! We are thrilled to introduce the beta version of PAPPL (Personalized AI-Powered Progressive Learning), a robust tool that aids students by providing personalized AI-generated hints tailored to their interactions with the questions to help provide a personalized learning experience. Instructors will also benefit from valuable analytics, all designed to foster a supportive learning environment. By merging cutting-edge AI technology with inclusive teaching strategies, PAPPL offers customized feedback and tracks each student's progress on their journey to mastery. This tool not only alleviates burnout but also empowers students, boosting their confidence throughout their learning process. We look forward to engaging with you as we present PAPPL's capabilities, including how students can interact with this tool and what analytics can be generated by this system. Whether you are an instructor or a student across all levels and majors, join us in exploring a tutor powered by AI and thoughtful assessment to create meaningful learning experiences. Come and be part of this engaging discussion!

Speakers

Shayan Bafandkar

Ph.D. Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Alireza Talebpour

Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Northwestern Room B

Interactive Presentation

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

2:45pm CDT

The Metacognitive Feedback Loop

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT

Big Ten Room

Student success tends to be measured through assessment and grades. In this interactive presentation, we'll focus on how we can promote student success by providing students with metacognitive feedback. Metacognition plays a key part for learning and growth urging us to consider how our feedback can help both us and our students think about their learning process and success in the course. During our time together, you will learn about the value of encouraging metacognitive reflection for students, explore strategies and strengths of various feedback practices, and reflect on how your feedback impacts student learning. We will also practice composing metacognitive feedback and discuss practical ways of implementing it in your own classrooms.

Speakers

Jennifer Torres

Graduate student, University of Illinois Chicago

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Big Ten Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Graduate Instructor Track

2:45pm CDT

Demystifying Document Accessibility

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT

Wildcat Room B

When it comes to digital accessibility, documents are often overlooked. You take the time to create a professional, rigorous course, but are your documents accessible? Do you know what to look for and how to fix them? Adding another requirement seems daunting. Where do I begin? How can I find the time?

Getting started is much easier than it seems. Join our hands-on workshop as we break down the steps to fixing accessibility errors and creating accessible versions of your documents. Bring your laptop to practice the accessibility steps on sample documents.

What's in this Workshop:

What is an accessible document?
What does accessibility look like in Word and PowerPoint?
What does an accessible PDF look like?
What can we do to fix common types of documents?
What does the future look like?

Speakers

Christine Colwell

Accessible Document Specialist, Northwestern University

Rigel Anthis

Accessible Document Specialist, Northwestern University

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
Wildcat Room B

Workshop

Subject Accessibility and UDL

2:45pm CDT

Innovating Higher Education: Embracing Accessibility and AI in Teaching

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT

Louis Room A

Session 1: Embracing Digital Accessibility — Why It Matters and How Instructure Builds for It
Duration: 45 minute session

Explore the importance of digital accessibility in higher education and learn about Instructure’s process and program for developing accessible applications. This session will cover the benefits of inclusive design, showcase Instructure’s approach to building accessible features, and discuss how accessible technology creates equitable learning opportunities for all students. Participate in discussions on common challenges and practical strategies for integrating accessibility into your teaching and course development.

Session 2: Unlocking AI Features for Our Platform
Duration: 45 minute session

Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, AI has rocked education and asked us all to reconsider how we teach and how students learn. In this session, learn more about the current state of AI in education and about how Canvas’ open ecosystem is promoting innovation from Instructure, its EdTech partners, and from schools like Northwestern. You’ll see the latest AI features from Canvas, get a sneak peek of what’s coming next, and learn some practical tips for safely integrating AI into your classroom today. Join us to reimagine the future of teaching through innovative AI integration and inclusive accessibility practices—empowering faculty to create engaging, equitable, and personalized learning environments with Instructure.

Speakers

Melissa Loble

Chief Academic Officer, Instructure.com

Melissa Loble serves as the Senior Vice President, Customer Success & Partnerships for Instructure. In this capacity, she leads Instructure's customer success, services, support, and partnership organizations, all of which enable customers to successfully leverage Instructure’s... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
Louis Room A

Workshop

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

3:40pm CDT

Kindred Spirits: Collaborating Across Multiple Universities to Enhance Digital Accessibility

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT

Arch Room

Recent updates to the Department of Justice digital accessibility regulations mandate that all public institutions comply with WCAG 2.1AA standards by April 2026. This has prompted universities to find swift and effective ways to ensure all their digital materials meet these standards. For many institutions, this is a daunting task that is challenging to tackle alone.

Although these updated regulations do not yet apply to private institutions such as Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, they are anticipated in the future. Both universities aim to be well-prepared when the regulations take effect. As similar institutions located in the Chicago area, Northwestern and the University of Chicago have formed a collaborative partnership to share successful strategies for improving digital accessibility on their campuses.

This presentation will explore the approaches, tools, and outcomes related to ensuring the accessibility of Canvas course sites and documents at both institutions. It will also highlight how their collaboration has facilitated the implementation of effective accessibility solutions.

Speakers

Jim Stachowiak

Accessible Technology Strategy and Operations Lead, Northwestern IT Teaching & Learning Technologies

Emily Baker

Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist, University of Chicago

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT
Arch Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Accessibility and UDL

3:40pm CDT

See All of Me: ePortfolios for Adult Learners

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT

Rock Room

Adult learners returning to undergraduate education often have nonlinear pathways and may struggle to articulate how their experiences align with future goals. To support these students, Northwestern University's School of Professional Studies incorporates ePortfolio completion in their capstone course, fostering self-awareness and professional readiness.

A successful ePortfolio strategy starts by understanding the student's current identity and future aspirations post-graduation. This approach enables learners to delve into their learning experiences, reflect on the methods they employ, and apply knowledge practically. The process of creating an ePortfolio is emphasized as being just as crucial as the final product.

Presenters will cover strategies and challenges associated with adult learners' ePortfolios. They will share best practices from both faculty and student perspectives and involve participants in discussions on integrating ePortfolios within their own programs.

Speakers

Reba-Anna Lee

Assistant Dean, Distance Learning, Northwestern University School of Professional Studies

Susan Wesner

Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Northwestern University School of Professional Studies

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT
Rock Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Student Success and Assessment

3:40pm CDT

The Loneliness Epidemic with University Students at its Core: How to Help

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT

Lake Room

In 2023, the Surgeon General warned about America's "epidemic of loneliness," including international
concern with England and Japan appointing Ministers to combat the challenge. Loneliness is extreme
among college students. According to a survey by Active Minds and Timely Care (February, 2024),
nearly two-thirds of college students reported feeling lonely. International students are even more likely
to be lonely, yet the cause is not just from missing their families, but rather a mix of factors based on the
feelings of "outsiderness" from lack of adjustment to local cultural norms. Some interventions have been
tried for university students, and most concentrate on counseling and peer support without long-term
outcome impact. However, interventions for combating loneliness in older populations have shown
success, including initiating social contact with community engagement projects. We propose to try
similar interventions, like having university students, and specifically international students, work with
mission-driven organizations to create community impact. We believe providing them with community
engagement with nonprofits will lead to a decrease in loneliness. This work has proven effective with older populations.

This is an interactive session and the participants can offer opportunities of their own for alleviating the challenge of loneliness or suggestions on how to explore the concern.

Speakers

Nina Wieda

Interim Director, Chicago Field Studies, Northwestern University

Candy Lee

Professor, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications

Candy Lee is a professor at Medill, teaching in journalism and in integrated marketing communications. Previously she was vice president of marketing at The Washington Post, overseeing multiple functions, from marketing to research, and originating innovative programs.Prior to joining... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT
Lake Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Instructor and Student Burnout and Self-Care

4:30pm CDT

Networking and Refreshments, Sponsored by Panopto

Wednesday May 21, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm CDT

Louis Room

Join your colleagues for snacks and conversation following Day 1 of TEACHx. At 5 p.m., TEACHx sponsor Panopto will make a short presentation on new features in Panopto that will be of use to instructors looking to seamlessly incorporate video into Canvas.

Wednesday May 21, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm CDT
Louis Room

TEACHx 2025

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