TEACHx 2025: Full Schedule

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

8:00am CDT

Breakfast

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:30am CDT

Lake Room

Grab some coffee and a snack to kick off your day at TEACHx!

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:30am CDT
Lake Room

8:00am CDT

Thursday Registration

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Louis Lobby

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

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Louis Lobby

8:30am CDT

Achieving Balance as a Grad TA Through Small, Consistent Steps

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT

Northwestern Room

It's difficult to know where to funnel your energy when someone or something is constantly demanding your attention- especially as grad TA's. How do we set ourselves up for success? How do we accomplish what we need to do and do it exceptionally well? How can we be masters of time? In this talk, I will share real tools that you can take with you to downsize your stress, organize your day, and determine what your priorities and boundaries are.

Speakers

Ashley Rasmussen

Graduate student, University of Illinois at Chicago

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT
Northwestern Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Graduate Instructor Track

8:30am CDT

Echo360: Transforming Student Engagement

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT

Rock Room

In today’s rapidly changing educational landscape, fostering active participation and enhancing student engagement remains a focal point in higher education. This session will explore EchoPoll’ impact on student engagement, providing case studies of demonstrated success, and how the solution’s interoperability with Echo360’s Learning Transformation Platform™ (LTP™) - the Echosystem™ - is transforming the future of education.

Through the power of the EchoSystem, the world’s and only first Learning Transformation Platform, Echo360 has delivered a wholistic approach to student engagement with EchoEngage. By leveraging real-time, interactive polling technology, EchoPoll, one of the two EchoEngage solutions, instructors around the world are transforming traditional classroom dynamics into a more accessible and personalized exchange of ideas.

EchoPoll empowers instructors to integrate data-driven engagement strategies into lectures in a new way, seamlessly adding polls, quizzes, and surveys into their live and recorded lessons. This real-time interaction, which can always be captured and distributed for asynchronous engagement and review, not only provides immediate feedback on student understanding but also promotes critical thinking and semester-long discussions. This technology ensures that every voice is heard, regardless of class size, and allows students to respond anonymously, which can improve participation rates and reduce the barriers to speaking up.

Speakers

James O'Donnell

Account Executive, Echo360

Michael Wright

Customer Success Manager, Echo360

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT
Rock Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

8:30am CDT

GEST: A Card Game to Reinforce Music Theory Terminology

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT

Arch Room

During the spring 2024 quarter, a PhD candidate and music theory professor teamed up to conduct a teaching experiment across four sections of 2nd year music theory (including two sections taught by graduate students). The question: Could a card game improve students' retention and recall of music theory terminology definitions? This digital poster will describe the terminology card game, present the process and results of our teaching experiment, and outline plans for future modification/implementation.

Speakers

Jaz Thomasian

PhD Candidate, Bienen School of Music

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT
Arch Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Graduate Instructor Track

8:30am CDT

Self-Efficacy and Student Learning

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT

Wildcat Room

Can a student's belief affect their behavior and learning? Research supports that self-efficacy can predict performance and account for poor performance when students have the required skills needed to learn. In this presentation, we will evaluate and explore our own self-efficacy as well as gain a general understanding of the impact of self-efficacy on learning. Then, we will discuss ways that we, as professors, administrators, parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, and others, can increase the development of belief in oneself and others. Lastly, we will work on setting two concrete goals with an action plan to implement steps to reach those goals. If a person's belief, or self-efficacy, that they can succeed influences learning, we must implement strategies to build self-efficacy.

Speakers

Susan Schulhof

Assistant Professor, National Louis University

Susan Schulhof is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education. She has been working in the Early Childhood Education field since 2001 with previous experience in Elementary Education and Social Work. In addition to teaching and leading others, she was an Assessor and Training... Read More →

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT
Wildcat Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Student Success and Assessment

8:30am CDT

The Digital Accessibility Coach (DA Coach): AI-Powered Inclusion Support

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT

Big Ten Room

This session presents the Digital Accessibility Coach (DA Coach), an AI-powered assistant designed to support faculty and staff in ensuring digital accessibility compliance within university course materials. Developed by the Innovation in Digital Accessibility (IDA) Working Group, this initiative aligns with ADA Title II regulations, providing a scalable solution for achieving 100 percent accessibility compliance across diverse pedagogies and course materials.

Participants will explore the AI-driven accessibility assessment tool, built using Python and API integrations, which provides one-on-one personalized support for digital accessibility learning and compliance. The DA Coach will guide users through step-by-step accessibility checks, improving usability, user experience, and WCAG compliance through an iterative design process.

This approach not only enhances faculty accessibility practices but also drives long-term student success in a fully digitally inclusive learning environment.

Speakers

JaEun Jemma Ku

Director, IT Accessibility & Technology Solutions, University of Illinois at Chicago

Jeremy Riel

Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago

Rocco Catrone

Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago

Andrew Nichols

Director of Information Systems, Security, and Compliance, University of Illinois Chicago Division of Specialized Care for Children

Andrew Nichols is the Director of Information Systems, Security, and Compliance at the University of Illinois Chicago Division of Specialized Care for Children. With extensive experience in higher education IT leadership, he oversees enterprise information systems, cybersecurity strategy... Read More →

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT
Big Ten Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Accessibility and UDL

8:30am CDT

Unlocking Deeper Learning: How AI Can Make That Happen!

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT

Lake Room

This presentation explores a novel approach to leveraging AI in education, not as a replacement for critical thinking, but as a catalyst for it. We'll delve into a case study where students used AI Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyze a business case, and then reflect on the AI's strengths and weaknesses. The surprising outcome? Students produced unusually insightful and lengthy reflections, demonstrating a level of engagement and ownership rarely seen in traditional assignments. This presentation will unpack the pedagogical principles behind this success, focusing on how AI-assisted assignments can naturally incorporate spiraling, spaced repetition, and agency -- three key elements for deep and lasting learning. Participants will leave with practical strategies for designing their own AI-enhanced assignments to promote deeper learning in their classrooms.

Speakers

William Burnett

Associate Instructor, University of Wisconsin, Parkside and Milwaukee

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am CDT
Lake Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

9:00am CDT

Emerging Technologies Lab

Thursday May 22, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Armadillo Room

Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of cutting-edge technology at the Reality Room! This drop-in event is your chance to experiment with the latest in augmented and virtual reality, photogrammetry, motion capture, and creative generative AI. You'll be able to try on augmented reality headsets, explore virtual reality simulators, create stunning 3D models with photogrammetry software, capture your every move with motion capture devices, and learn how to use AR/VR tools for prototyping. With inspiring guest speakers from various fields, you'll learn how these technologies can transform education, entertainment, and design. Come and experience a new reality that will leave you spellbound and ready to take your own projects to the next level.

Speakers

Kat Caribeaux

Doctoral Student, Northwestern University

Rodolfo Vieira

Developer Lead, Northwestern University

Zoran Ilic

Senior Academic Systems Engineer, Northwestern IT Media & Technology Innovation

Vince LaGrassa

Developer, Northwestern University

Orzu Tursnova

Full-Stack Software Developer, Northwestern University

Craig Stevens

PhD Candidate, Archaeology, Northwestern University

Thursday May 22, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Armadillo Room

Hands-on Lab

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

9:30am CDT

Educating Humans to Thrive in an AI World

Thursday May 22, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Louis Room

It is hard to ignore the AI threats to economic, academic, political, environmental and psychological well-being. Higher education, however, finds itself in a unique position to understand and combat these threats: asking better questions and judging answers has always been at the center of a critical thinking education. Education manages the tension between learning to be fully human and preparing for a successful career. Since expertise is also essential to using AI well, we will need to prepare students to be experts in a world where AI can produce better work than many interns. Understanding how we might (or might not) use AI to support human thriving will be essential as we begin the process of maintaining the best of our tradition while rethinking curriculum for a new world.

Speakers

José Antonio Bowen

Educator, Musician, Scholar

José Antonio Bowen has been leading innovation and change for over 40 years at Stanford, Georgetown, and the University of Southampton (UK), as a dean at Miami and SMU, and as president of a top ten USN&WR most innovative college until 2019. He now runs Bowen Innovation Group L.L.C., and does innovation, leadership and inclusion consulting and training for Toyota, AT&T, Chevron, Pfizer, and other Fortune 500 companies.Bowen holds four degrees from Stanford University (in Chemistry, Music, and Humanities... Read More →

Thursday May 22, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Louis Room

Keynote

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

10:00am CDT

Emerging Technologies Lab

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Armadillo Room

Speakers

Kat Caribeaux

Doctoral Student, Northwestern University

Zoran Ilic

Senior Academic Systems Engineer, Northwestern IT Media & Technology Innovation

Vince LaGrassa

Developer, Northwestern University

Craig Stevens

PhD Candidate, Archaeology, Northwestern University

Orzu Tursnova

Full-Stack Software Developer, Northwestern University

Rodolfo Vieira

Developer Lead, Northwestern University

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Armadillo Room

Hands-on Lab

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

10:45am CDT

Designing Data Infographics for Adaptive Learning: Enhancing Engagement

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Rock Room

I did a study to investigate how learners with diverse cognitive abilities process data stories presented through infographics, focusing on the impact of visual and verbal data representations. Conducted in a controlled lab setting using an eye tracker, the experiment examined how individual cognitive differences -- such as working memory, visuospatial abilities, and inhibitory control -- affect infographic comprehension. I used Machine Learning algorithms to analyze learners' eye movement data and explored how they engage with data presented through both visual (graphs, charts) and verbal (textual descriptions) formats.

The results suggest that learners engage more effectively with data stories when critical information is communicated verbally rather than through data visualizations, especially when the content requires comprehension of complex data relationships. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the need to minimize seductive details in graphical representations, as these details can distract learners and hinder their ability to extract key information.

The study also highlighted important implications for educators and developers. Teachers should implement strategies to enhance learners' visuospatial abilities to improve overall engagement with graphical content. Developers should consider using eye-movement data to create adaptive infographics that cater to individual cognitive strengths, ultimately improving accessibility and comprehension for all learners.

Speakers

Kristine Zlatkovic

Mellon Postodctoral Fellow, Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Hi!I am Kristine, and I’m excited to share with you my presentation, "Designing Data Infographics for Adaptive Learning: Enhancing Engagement." This presentation is based on my research aimed at understanding how people generally comprehend visual data and make decisions in learning... Read More →

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Rock Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Accessibility and UDL

10:45am CDT

From Plato to Pixar: Using Storytelling Frameworks to Drive Engagement

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Northwestern Room

From Succession to Squid Game, from Game of Thrones to Severance, we live in a culture saturated with stories. As educators, technologists, and researchers, we're frequently told that using stories will keep our audiences engaged when we need to convey information in a presentation or instructional-based format. How do we do that, though? We're not all natural-born storytellers, but there are effective, powerful frameworks that can help us tell compelling stories regardless of the subject.

After reviewing the four cornerstones of narrative, we'll cover two key frameworks for engagement through storytelling: Campbell's Hero's Journey and the Pixar Storytelling Framework. Participants will take what they have learned about the Pixar storytelling framework and apply it to a segment of content from their own area of expertise. After a brief working period, participants will be asked to share their work with the session audience for feedback. Each participant will leave with the experience of applied knowledge and be better able to tell stories in their own higher education environments.

Speakers

Brian Klaas

Instructor, Johns Hopkins University

Brian Klaas is the Assistant Director for Technology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Teaching and Learning. He also has a faculty appointment in the School's R3 Center for Innovation in Science Education. He teaches graduate level courses on communications... Read More →

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Northwestern Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject Student Success and Assessment

10:45am CDT

Software Instruction to Support Digital Fluency in General Chemistry

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Arch Room

Fluency in software is often assumed before students enter a course, but when students are challenged to perform concrete tasks, they struggle to work independently. In general chemistry lab courses we prioritize learning Microsoft Excel for data analysis and visualization early in the first quarter. While many students report prior experience with Excel, they struggle to execute the tasks required in a science lab course. To better support all students, we have integrated an in-class "data analysis" lab that allows them to gain fluency in the software with the support of their peers and teaching assistants. This requires some class time is devoted to active learning of the software; it also requires adequate training of the TAs. In this presentation, we will detail how we prioritize what tasks are done in class and what is expected to be independent work. While our example is in the teaching of Microsoft Excel, we aim to discuss objectives more generally to help participants assess their own relationship to the software of their choice. Bring your laptop!

Speakers

Veronica Berns

Associate Professor of Instruction, Northwestern University

Veronica Berns (she/her) earned her BA in Chemistry at Northwestern University in 2009 before her PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2014. Her doctoral thesis focused on the way atoms pack together in solids, specifically in compounds with multiple... Read More →

Katherine Gesmundo

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Northwestern University

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Arch Room

Interactive Presentation

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

10:45am CDT

Celebrating Pedagogical Innovation: Insights from Award-Winning Educators

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Lake Room

Join us for an insightful and multi-disciplinary panel discussion featuring winners of Northwestern’s University Teaching Awards, who exemplify excellence in undergraduate classroom teaching. Following Bowen’s keynote, we will delve further into the student-instructor connection. Panelists will describe their commitment to fostering student belonging and success. We will explore how these educators are leveraging innovative technologies, creating immersive learning experiences, and honing students’ critical thinking to grapple with wicked problems. Additionally, the panel will discuss effective strategies for driving meaningful assessment and student success. We will close the conversation with reflections on the importance of safeguarding instructor vitality and questions from the audience. Hosted by the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching and moderated by Senior Director, Jennifer Keys.

Moderators

Jennifer Keys

Senior Director, Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching

Speakers

Mei-Ling Hopgood

William F. Thomas Professor, Northwestern University

Mei-Ling Hopgood is a freelance journalist and author of Lucky Girl and How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm. She has been a recipient of the National Headliner Best in Show, ICIJ Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting and several other investigative and enterprise... Read More →

Barbara Butts

Associate Professor of Instruction, Theatre, Northwestern University

Ilya Mikhelson

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Associate Professor of Instruction, Northwestern University

Michael Beltran

Director of 3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping Lab Senior Lecturer Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Lecturer, Northwestern University

Lilah Shapiro

Assistant Professor of Instruction, School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Lake Room

Panel Discussion

Subject Student Success and Assessment

10:45am CDT

Using Data-Driven Teaching to Drive Assessment Design and Student Success

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Big Ten Room

Reflective, data-driven teaching practices help instructors answer the question, "How do I know if what I'm doing in the classroom is working?" Importantly, engaging in reflective cycles of teaching, collecting data, and making changes based upon data (see Brookfield, 2017) can inform assessment design and strategies for student success.

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence's Action Research Scholars program at the University of Illinois Chicago builds capacity for instructors to systematically investigate the efficacy of their teaching. The program uses a scaffolded approach grounded in an ethos of care for instructor well-being by providing training, connections to campus experts, and space for dialogue and community with peers across disciplines. The program culminates in an IRB approved research plan, data collection, and dissemination of findings.

During the session, participants will hear from instructors who have completed the program. Moderators will ask panelists about their research questions, study design, and findings; issues of power and marginalization that they navigated; challenges they faced; and the impact of their study on their assessments and students' learning experience. Moderators will lead participants through a reflective teaching exercise in which participants will brainstorm with colleagues about strategies to implement data-driven teaching in their contexts.

Moderators

Crystal Tse

Associate Director for Faculty Engagement in Action Research, University of Illinois Chicago

Speakers

Trischa Duke

Senior Lecturer, University of Illinois Chicago

Tara Driscoll

Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Chicago

April Andry Rahman

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

Laura Thorp

Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois Chicago

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Big Ten Room

Panel Discussion

Subject Student Success and Assessment

10:45am CDT

What is “Good” Writing?: Perspectives from The Writing Place

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Wildcat Room

The Writing Place is Northwestern's peer-to-peer writing center. This presentation will synthesize the research and experience of Writing Place tutors and administrators to explore the question, "What is 'good' writing?" The first 10 minutes of the session will introduce existing scholarly conversations on the teaching of writing and writing assessment as presented through the lens of writing center studies. Writing centers operate within interstitial spaces of the university, providing one-on-one feedback on student writing at a remove from the hierarchies of the classroom. Students trained to work at the Writing Place sometimes experience a disconnect between the theoretical tutoring philosophies that they learn during their tutor instruction and the real-life expectations of faculty. Our 25-minute moderated panel discussion will dig into topics such as linguistic diversity, the pressures of writing assessment on the student writing experience, and assumed conventions of "good" writing from the perspective of the writing center tutors and administrators. In the last 10 minutes, panelists will lead small break-out group conversations with the audience.

Moderators

Meaghan Fritz

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Meaghan Fritz received her PhD in English in 2018 from Northwestern University, where she specialized in nineteenth-century American women’s literature. She teaches College Seminars, First-Year Writing Seminars, Practical Rhetoric, and Writing and Speaking in Business in the Weinberg... Read More →

Speakers

Elizabeth Lenaghan

Professor of Instruction, Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Amelia Hurley

Student and Undergraduate Writing Consultant at the Main Library Writing Place, School of Education and Social Policy

Thursday May 22, 2025 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Wildcat Room

Panel Discussion

Subject Student Success and Assessment

11:00am CDT

Emerging Technologies Lab

Thursday May 22, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Armadillo Room

Speakers

Kat Caribeaux

Doctoral Student, Northwestern University

Zoran Ilic

Senior Academic Systems Engineer, Northwestern IT Media & Technology Innovation

Vince LaGrassa

Developer, Northwestern University

Orzu Tursnova

Full-Stack Software Developer, Northwestern University

Craig Stevens

PhD Candidate, Archaeology, Northwestern University

Rodolfo Vieira

Developer Lead, Northwestern University

Thursday May 22, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Armadillo Room

Hands-on Lab

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

11:45am CDT

Teaching the Essential Skills of Tomorrow: Building Cloud and GenAI Literacy through AWS Sandboxes

Thursday May 22, 2025 11:45am - 11:52pm CDT

Louis Room

This session introduces educators to AWS teaching resources, specifically AWS Academy and AWS Innovation Sandboxes, designed to enhance classroom instruction in cloud computing and generative AI. We'll demonstrate how these tools can be integrated into your curriculum to provide hands-on experience with industry-leading technologies. Learn practical strategies for teaching students to effectively and responsibly use generative AI tools while developing crucial technical skills demanded by employers. This workshop introduces instructors to resources needed to prepare students for the evolving technological workplace.

Speakers

Carolyn Przybylinski

AWS Account Manager, AWS Worldwide Public Sector

Thursday May 22, 2025 11:45am - 11:52pm CDT
Louis Room

Lightning Talk

Subject AI and Digital Innovation

11:53am CDT

Unraveling Dualities: Finding Peace in Paradox

Thursday May 22, 2025 11:53am - 12:00pm CDT

Louis Room

There is a burnout related to having to navigate seemingly contradictory emotions and behaviors in life. Learning to unravel the paradoxes can help us thrive. "Unraveling Dualities: Finding Peace in Paradox, is a book that I wrote and recently published. After having a conversation about some of the topics that I consult on and teach at Kellogg, I had an epiphany. I was able to bring together most of the ideas that I have taught for decades under a clear umbrella. I was excited to share my perspective with others in the hope that it would help people to navigate challenges and difficulties that they face, sometimes on a daily basis, with more clarity and confidence.

Dualities, what seem to be contradictions, are everywhere. For example, people walk the tightrope of emotion vs. rational thinking almost every single day. The ideas in the book do not rely on a one-size-fits-all approach to leadership skills and actions but, rather, provide a framework and activities for developing greater self-awareness, and navigating and personalizing your thought process and behaviors. The most successful people are versatile â€” they pivot, listen, and adapt their methods appropriately in any given situation.

I hope that the talk will help participants to learn how to make choices that enable them to behave and deliver outcomes aligned with values to become better people.

Speakers

Gail Berger

Clinical Professor, Management and Organizations; Deputy Director of Kellogg Center for Executive Women, Kellogg School of Management

Gail Berger is a Clinical Associate Professor at Northwestern University in the Kellogg School of Management, the McCormick School of Engineering, and the School of Communication, and the Deputy Director of the Center for Executive Women at Kellogg. She is also an experienced executive... Read More →

Thursday May 22, 2025 11:53am - 12:00pm CDT
Louis Room

Lightning Talk

Subject Instructor and Student Burnout and Self-Care

12:01pm CDT

KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) and AWE (Accessible with Examples)

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:01pm - 12:08pm CDT

Louis Room

It's easier than you might think to create an accessible Northwestern Canvas course with links to free, high-quality course materials. The secrets: KISS (Keep It Short and Simple). And use tools like SensusAccess to make sure your site is AWE (Accessible With Examples).

By the end of this session, participants will know how to use SensusAccess to make PDF's of magazine articles and book pages so they're easier for visually impaired students to read. They will also know how to streamline their syllabi and link to "Mission Accessible"-certified course materials hidden on "pages." They will understand why underlining is a no-no because it looks like a hyperlink.

Speakers

Karen Springen

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

Karen Springen directs Medill's Journalism Residency program, leads the graduate journalism Magazine Specialization, and teaches undergraduate and graduate reporting and writing classes. She advises several student groups, including the student-run North by Northwestern magazine.Springen... Read More →

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:01pm - 12:08pm CDT
Louis Room

Lightning Talk

Subject Accessibility and UDL

12:08pm CDT

Constructing a Syllabus to Help with Burnout (Instructor and Student!)

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:08pm - 12:15pm CDT

Louis Room

Teaching through COVID-19 and recent political and world events has been challenging, overwhelming, and even exhausting for students and faculty. Many lessons and strategies I implemented during COVID-19 have become a standard part of my courses and syllabi to help ease the stress of students and teaching staff. The point of this lightening talk session would be to discuss some of the tangible changes I've made in recent years to encourage less stress and self-care (including the structure of discussion boards, increased use of technology/Canvas, late policies, collaborative assignment options, clarity in syllabus statements, etc.). While the unexpected has definitely happened in recent years where course pivots needed to happen quickly, this session will focus on syllabus creation and policies to help anticipate potential areas of flexibility and self-care for instructors and students.

Speakers

Karrie Snyder

Associate Professor of Instruction - Sociology, Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:08pm - 12:15pm CDT
Louis Room

Lightning Talk

Subject Instructor and Student Burnout and Self-Care

12:15pm CDT

Canvas Hall of Fame Ceremony, Sponsored by Instructure

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:15pm - 12:30pm CDT

Louis Room

Come celebrate the end of TEACHx by helping us honor the instructors who went above and beyond to create engaging experiences for their students using Canvas.

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:15pm - 12:30pm CDT
Louis Room

12:30pm CDT

Closing Remarks and Refreshments

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT

Louis Room

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT
Louis Room

TEACHx 2025

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