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1:00 - 1:50

Building Community in Online Courses
Presenter: Masha Krsmanovic

Online learning is most effective when students feel connected to their instructor, peers, and the course. This session explores practical strategies for creating a strong sense of community in online learning environments. Participants will examine how intentional course design, Canvas organization, instructor presence, and meaningful student interactions can be leveraged to support student engagement and belonging. 

2:00 - 2:45

Faculty Advising: Guiding Students Towards Success
Presenters: Lisa Rieger and Heather Broadhead

This session will explore best practices for faculty advising. Presenters will discuss strategies for effective communication, the role of mentorship, and other tips and tricks for successful advising. Bring your advising questions for Q&A.

10:00 - 10:50

Let's Be Fair: Copyright, Licensing, and Fair Use in Instruction
Presenters: Josh Cromwell & Grace Schmitt (virtual only)

This session will cover the basics of copyright and licenses as they pertain to using digital resources in the classroom and online. Attendees will learn how to interpret Copyright Law and license agreements to ensure that they are using digital resources, such as ebooks, articles, videos, and more, appropriately. They will also learn strategies for identifying and finding resources that can be freely used in their courses without additional conditions or permissions.

1:00 - 1:50

Simplifying Support: A Faculty Introduction to Accommodate
Presenter: Chase Robbins

Beginning in Fall 2026, Student Accessibility Services will transition to the Accommodate platform. This informational session will familiarize faculty with the new platform and provide guidance on changes to the look and feel of accommodation notification, exam scheduling, and exam proctoring.

2:00 - 2:45

Canvas - Setting Up for Success (welcome page, modules, calendar, syllabus)
Presenter: TBD

Bring your Canvas shell to life! This session will present strategies to personalize and organize course content in ways that help students succeed in both online and face-to-face modalities. 

10:00 - 10:50

What Are You Actually Assessing?
Presenter: Allison Downing

Examine your written tests as tools for teaching and learning. Attendees will learn how the construct of a written test is just as important as the content being tested. Practical ways to develop and format tests will be presented.

1:00 - 1:50

The Learning Assistant Program at USM
Presenter: Gayle Sollfrank

The LA Program brings faculty, undergraduate students in gateway courses, and high impact practices into a powerful story around student success. Participants will have a behind the scenes look at the LA Program at USM and how its structure contributes to retention, motivation, and community building in undergraduate courses.

2:00 - 2:45

Academic Integrity: A Q&A with Dr. Kendrick Buford  Presenter: Kendrick Buford, Ashley Allen (moderator)

What happens when I file an academic integrity complaint? Are there things I can do to curve cheating in my course? Are there ‘best practices’ in terms of designing my course with academic integrity in mind? Join Drs. Ashley Allen and Kendrick Buford for a Q&A about USM’s academic integrity policy and process. Bring your questions! 

9:00 - 5:00

Mental Health First Aid Certification

This full-day training provides participants with strategies and resources for supporting people who may be dealing with mental health challenges or who may be in crisis. Please note that this training requires a small amount of pre-work and space is limited. Reservations and full-day, in-person attendance are required. 

9:00 - 9:45

From Curiosity to Classroom: Faculty Experiences with Coursera
Presenters: Stacy Creel, Chris Gleason, Sabrina Reed, Jae-Hwa Shin, Joanne Tran (moderator)

Discover how Coursera can be leveraged to enhance student learning and modernize your curriculum. In this panel discussion, USM faculty members will share their firsthand experiences, insights, and practical strategies for integrating Coursera’s massive open online courses (MOOCs) and professional certificates directly into their courses. 

10:00 - 10:50

Detecting & Preventing AI Use: An Uphill Battle
Presenter: Ragan Downey

This session will focus on AI detection methods, advances in AI detection "defeaters," and methods to deter AI use.

1:00 - 1:50

A Win-Win on Instruction: The Pedagogical Benefits of Using Open Educational Resources for Faculty and Students
Presenters: Josh Cromwell, Danny Beard, Emileigh McCardle, Michele Frasier-Robinson (virtual only)

This session will introduce attendees to the use of Open Educational Resources (OER), which are cost-free textbooks and other educational materials, in university courses. Attendees will learn from faculty colleagues who have utilized OER in their courses, and they will discover how OER can benefit both instructors and students alike. Finally, participants will be introduced to the Open Textbook Initiative, a campus program to incentivize faculty to adopt OER in a course that they teach.

2:00 - 2:45

Canvas Basics - Quizzes, Assignments, and Gradebook
Presenter: Susan Rayborn

Setting up a digital classroom effectively is key to a smooth semester. This foundational session introduces instructors to the essential tools within the Canvas learning management system. Attendees will learn the step-by-step process of creating quizzes and assignments, managing settings for student submissions, and navigating the Gradebook functionality to efficiently track, weight, and input student grades. 

10:00 - 10:50

AI Learning Bots: What Worked, What Failed, and What Surprised Us
Presenters: Melissa Ziegler, Danny Lee, Chris Smith

This presentation explores how faculty designed and implemented AI-supported learning bots to promote student engagement, practice, reflection, and skill development. Attendees will learn practical strategies for creating AI-supported learning experiences, lessons learned from implementation, and considerations for aligning AI tools with meaningful student learning and course objectives.

12:00 - 12:50

Empowered with Staff Council & AOP
Presenters: Heidi Moore, Aretas Squire

This session will provide staff with information regarding the Staff Council and Association of Office Professionals (AOP).

1:00 - 1:50

Rethinking Assignments in the Era of Generative AI
Presenters: Melissa Ziegler, Tyler Surber, Nancy Speed

As generative AI tools become more common in higher education, faculty are increasingly challenged to determine when to design AI-inclusive assignments and when to implement AI-resistant strategies. This panel discussion brings together faculty participants to share practical examples, lessons learned, and reflections on integrating AI into teaching and assessment.

10:00 - 10:50

From Division to Discovery: Navigating Tough Topics Together
Presenter: Christy Kayser

Higher education classrooms frequently become spaces where deeply polarizing and sensitive issues emerge. This session provides faculty with practical frameworks and communication strategies to transform potentially divisive moments into constructive opportunities for learning and discovery. Attendees will explore techniques for establishing brave classroom environments, managing high-stakes discussions with empathy, and guiding students to engage critically and respectfully with challenging viewpoints.  

12:00 - 12:50

Teams Training
Presenter: Gayle Sollfrank

Did you know that Teams can help you organize your groups, schedule meetings, keep meeting notes, record meetings, assign tasks, and make announcements within a group? In this beginner-level session, learn how Teams can help you keep organized and manage your groups like a pro.

2:00 - 2:45

Canvas and Turnitin
Presenter: Susan Rayborn

Maintaining academic integrity while managing a heavy grading workload can be a balancing act. This practical session guides instructors through the integration of Turnitin within the Canvas learning management system. Attendees will learn how to set up Turnitin-enabled assignments, interpret similarity reports accurately, and use the feedback studio to streamline grading and provide meaningful commentary to students.