As the semester begins, take advantage of personalized support to ensure smooth preparation
for the spring semester. Whether you need assistance with setting up assignments,
preparing your gradebook, or navigating Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View (UCV) features,
facilitators from the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and eLearning Services
(eLS) are here to help! Register
Thursday, January 9, 9:30am - 10:30am - Webinar
This online workshop familiarizes attendees with Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View
(UCV). eLearning Services will demonstrate how instructors can navigate a UCV course,
communicate with students, add content, find and utilize Blackboard tools, and grade
assignments.Register
Thursday, January 9, 11:00am - 12:00pm - Webinar
This workshop is designed for Blackboard users who are familiar with the new Ultra
Course View but want a more intensive look at the UCV Gradebook. In this 60-minute
session, a consultant from eLearning Services will share best practices and tips &
tricks for setting up a Gradebook that works for you, present a live demonstration,
and answer questions. Register
Thursday, January 9, 12:15pm - 1:15pm - Webinar
Unleash the full potential of assessments in Blackboard Ultra Course View with this
virtual workshop designed for faculty members. Explore how to create engaging and
effective assignments and tests that not only evaluate student learning but also enhance
their experience. We’ll cover the essentials of setting up assignments and tests and
incorporate engaging and creative elements to add that extra flair. By the end of
this one-hour session, you will be better equipped to take the assessments in your
course to the next level. Register
Thursday, January 9, 1:30pm - 2:30pm - Webinar
Panopto is an all-in-one video management platform built into Blackboard Learn. In
this session, attendees will learn how to create and manage video learning content
in Panopto that can be easily integrated into Blackboard courses. Register
Thursday, January 9, 3:00pm - 4:00pm - Webinar
In October 2024, USC took part in Anthology's Global Fix Your Content Day competition—and
we came so close to breaking into the top 10! With more instructors joining in, we
can win it next time! In this workshop, discover how simple it is to enhance accessibility
using the tools built right into your Blackboard course. By following a few straightforward
steps, you'll save time in the long run while significantly improving the learning
experience for your students. Let’s make a difference together! Register
Friday, January 10, 9:30am - 10:45am - Webinar
This comprehensive training session is designed to help educators effectively use
Zoom and Blackboard together to enhance their online teaching experience. Whether
you are new to Zoom or looking to optimize your use of these tools, this training
covers everything you need to know. Participants will learn how to set up and use
Zoom and its features right from their Blackboard course; how to schedule and manage
Zoom meetings; how to manage recordings after your Zoom sessions, and more! Register
Friday, January 10, 11:00am - 12:00pm - Webinar
Blackboard Ultra Course View (UCV) is the newest version of the Blackboard Learning
Management System. With new improvements being made monthly to Ultra Course View there
are exciting changes which instructors may not have seen. This is a short presentation
about the most recent updates that have occurred in Blackboard Ultra Course View and
will include information on how to stay up to date on future improvements. Register
Friday, January 10, 12:15pm - 1:15pm - Webinar
Grading doesn't have to be a time-consuming task! In this workshop, you'll learn efficient
grading workflows and discover tips and tricks to make managing assessments in Blackboard
Ultra Course View easier than ever. We'll explore tools like rubrics, inline grading,
and feedback options to help streamline your process and provide meaningful feedback
to students. Whether you're new to Ultra or looking to refine your grading approach,
this session will equip you with practical strategies to save time and enhance your
teaching effectiveness.Register
Friday, January 10, 1:30pm - 2:30pm - Webinar
Discover the power of AI to enhance your course design and teaching! In this workshop,
we'll showcase cutting-edge and ethical AI tools available in Blackboard Ultra Course
View, including the AI Design Assistant, AI Conversation, rubric generator, and more.
See how these tools can simplify your workflow, inspire creativity, and help you build
engaging, effective courses with ease. Join us as we explore the ways AI can elevate
your teaching and simplify course management.Register
Friday, January 10, 3:00pm - 4:00pm - Webinar
In this session you'll learn how to transform your Blackboard Ultra course from ordinary
to extraordinary! Discover how best to organize your content to make your course visually
engaging and user-friendly and then take it a step further with customization to add
some pizazz. Whether you're looking to streamline your course structure, add some
creative touches, or both, this session will give you the tools to make your course
stand out.Register
Thursday, January 16, 10:05am - 11:20am - Webinar
Clearly articulating classroom expectations helps to set the foundation for a mutually
beneficial course. Research shows that persistence and retention is connected to student's
sense of belonging. Furthermore, students who engage in quality interactions with
faculty are retained at a higher rate (Astin 1977, 1993). As a faculty member, it
is important to assist in developing this sense of belonging and aid in student's
persistence and retention. This session will cover pedagogical strategies and ways
to negotiate positive norms within your classroom to assist you in developing a meaningful
academic environment.
Good supervision is a shared responsibility between the faculty member and the graduate
teaching assistant (GTA). Fundamental to the idea of “supervision” is that a faculty
member takes primary responsibility for successfully guiding a student through the
requirements of their role. The best supervisors not only provide guidance in navigating
the expectations and teaching needs of the course, but also act as a mentor, introducing
the graduate TA to the academic teaching culture of their discipline. Graduate students
are more likely to persist in their academic decisions if engaged in positive mentoring
experiences (McGee and Keller, 2007; Williams et al., 2016).
Supervision can take many forms, depending on the faculty member’s personal supervision
style, the GTA’s academic and personal needs, the standards of the discipline, and
more. Regardless of style, all faculty supervisors of GTAs should ensure they follow
key guidelines of good supervisory practice, including providing a supportive work
environment, providing clear feedback and guidance as to work and role expectations,
handling any unanticipated problems with respect, understanding, and integrity, and
many other aspects. Failure to adhere to these guidelines can result in the GTA not
knowing what the expectations are, struggling to complete their tasks in a timely
manner, negative perceptions of the teaching role, and at the most extreme, leaving
the program.
Join this webinar to learn the recommended guidelines and best practices for good
supervision of GTAs, including how to ensure effective and respectful communication,
and how to navigate problematic situations through a scenario-based discussion approach.
Register
Tuesday, January 21, 10:05am - 11:20am - In-Person
The practice of active listening is, according to some, a dying form of art and a
waning skill. In this presentation, we will explore how to bring this transformative
technique back into the classroom, so that it can help educators and students foster
deeper and more meaningful personal and professional relationships, improve classroom
communication, strengthen empathy, and resolve conflict. Register
Thursday, January 23, 8:30am - 9:45am - In-Person
Learn to question your assumptions about what students know and explicitly identify
the knowledge and skills you want them to acquire when completing library research
assignments. [In this session, participants will explore common challenges students
face when conducting library research and identify best practices for designing assignments
that require or encourage the use of library resources. Participants will also have
the opportunity to learn about ways in which faculty can partner with librarians to
support student success. By creating research assignments with specific learning outcomes
that are clear to your students, you can improve the experience for everyone involved.
Having a successful, positive experience during a graduate teaching assistantship
is a shared responsibility, including both the faculty member supervisor and the graduate
teaching assistant (GTA). While the faculty member/supervisor takes primary responsibility
for guidance through the requirements of GTA’s role, the GTA also needs to be pro-active
and involved.
Supervision can take many forms, depending on the faculty member’s personal supervision
style, the GTA’s academic and personal needs, the standards of the discipline, and
more. Regardless of style, both the supervisor and GTA should follow key guidelines
of good supervisory implementation and practice. On the part of the GTA, this includes
good communication with your supervisor, cooperative participation in the process,
developing with your supervisor realistic timelines and expectations for your role,
and handling any unanticipated or emerging problems with respect, understanding, and
integrity.
Join this webinar to learn the recommended guidelines and best practices including
how to ensure effective and respectful communication and how to navigate problematic
situations through a scenario-based discussion approach. Be proactive so that you
ensure your graduate teaching assistantship is positive, successful, and provides
you with a professional development opportunity that benefits you in all aspects of
your graduate career. Register
Monday, January 27, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - In-Person
Want to try new immersive tech but just don't have the time to research the latest
tools? Worried that you wouldn't even know where to begin or know how to incorporate
it in thoughtful ways? The 'Try the Tools' series can help. Bring your ideas, try
options available here at USC, and then consult on how these tools can work for you.
Come out of curiosity and leave with new ideas and lesson plan options for adding
innovation to your course. January offerings include Virtual Reality, 360° video,
and video games. Have a special request? Email Kristin Harrell for more information:
kharrell@sc.edu. We're excited to help! Register
Tuesday, January 28, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
Determining whether mentees understand core concepts about the research they are doing
is critical to a productive mentoring relationship, but it is surprisingly difficult
to do. Developing strategies to assess how well mentees understand the purpose of
their research, the principles underpinning their research and experimental techniques,
and the context of their work is an important part of becoming an effective mentor.
Moreover, it is important for mentors to be able to identify causes for confusion
among mentees and strategies to address misunderstandings.
Wednesday, January 29, 9:40am - 10:30am - In-Person
This interactive presentation educates participants on their rights at the University
related to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. It will also apprise
participants of the supports and options available to them through the Office of Civil
Rights and Title IX. Additionally, this presentation will allow participants to explore
strategies to intervene in situations where harm is happening and will encourage open,
honest dialogue to empower them to treat members of our community with dignity and
respect.
Wednesday January 29, 10:50am - 11:40am - In-Person
This session will cover the use of AI tools in teaching college-level courses. The
session aims to provide an overview of integrating AI to enhance educational experiences.
Topics include AI-generated presentations, in-class activities using ChatGPT and other
AI tools, advanced search and summarization tools, and creative branding exercises
with AI. This session is intended for educators interested in applying AI technology
to improve teaching methodologies.
Thursday, January 30, 10:05am - 11:20am - In-Person
During their time at USC, our undergraduate students enroll in courses, participate
in cocurricular engagements, hold down jobs while preparing themselves for their future
careers, engage with the community, and manage their own personal challenges (AAC&U/Carnegie
Foundation, 2004), but how do they make sense of these varied experiences and realize
how they all interconnect? Integrative learning provides students with strategies
to make connections between these within and beyond the classroom activities to help
them apply their skills to new and complex problems and challenges.
This presentation explores teaching strategies and philosophies that encourage students
to engage in activities beyond the classroom and then have students relate those experiences
to their courses and curriculum. We will review current research and practices on
integrative and experiential learning and how the Center for Integrative and Experiential
Learning supports IL and EL, including the impactful role of our Quality Enhancement
Plan, Experience by Design. Participants will discuss strategies for encouraging students
to reflect and make interdisciplinary connections between their experiences within
and beyond the classroom to promote creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
Are you equipped to provide accessible content that meets the needs of all your students?
Come prepared - with your laptop (if possible)-to gain hands-on experience of applying digital accessibility best practices during
this session.
This workshop will provide guidance for applying accessibility practices to your documents
appropriately and how to prevent potential barriers people experience due to disabilities.
An overview of disabilities and the challenges they cause will be provided including
types of assistive technologies (AT) that help alleviate those challenges.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be touched on related to its part in developing
accessible content. Integrated automated accessibility checkers of Microsoft and Blackboard
platforms will also be covered. These automated tools can identify accessibility issues
and provide guidance to resolve them.
Attend with curiosity to help lead toward innovative and inclusive content design
strategies. Leave with a strong sense of applying accessibility best practices that
opens the path of better experiences for all your students.
Learning Outcome
Gain insight into challenges people with disabilities can experience with digital
content.
Increase awareness of assistive technologies that students may utilize.
Expand your understanding of digital accessibility, why it matters, and how it relates
to your content.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming an integral part of our world. However,
it's crucial to understand that AI complements human innovation and creativity rather
than replacing it. In this webinar, we'll explore how Generative Artificial Intelligence
(GenAI) can empower learners and educators alike, fostering responsible and innovative
use across disciplines.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Define Generative AI and explain how Generative AI works.
Recognize the level of familiarity high school students have with using Generative
AI.
Develop a lesson plan with Generative AI elements for student use.
Create clear expectations of Generative AI use in your classroom.
The Career Champions training educates and empowers campus faculty and staff on best
practices to have career conversations with students. Career Champions Module 1 serves
as a foundation, reviewing career development, our roles in a career ecosystem, and
resources. The learning outcomes for level 1 are as follows:
Gain a basic knowledge of the career development theories, career decision making
process and employability.
Gain a foundation of basic helping skills to best assist students with career planning
Learn how to assist students with goal setting regarding their career development
Learn how to make an effective referral to the Career Center
Learn the professional and ethical guidelines as outlined through the National Association
of Colleges & Employers (NACE)
Wednesday, February 5, 10:50am - 11:40am - Webinar
Do you struggle with grading and assessing student work? Do your assessments accurately
demonstrate student capabilities? In this session, you will learn about the ways in
which instructors in higher education are adjusting the traditional ways that we approach
assessment in coursework through the umbrella of methods commonly referred to as alternative
grading. We will explore the basics of alternative grading methods such as ungrading,
specifications grading, and the transparency in learning and teaching (TiLT) framework.
You will then identify your assignments that could benefit from a new strategy.Register
Thursday, February 6, 10:05am - 11:20am - In-Person
How can we excel at supporting all graduate and professional students at USC? This
interactive presentation explores this question through a look at the needs and experiences
of this often, under-resourced population of students, from both a national and USC-specific
perspective. Through facilitated discussion, participants will learn about key challenges
to graduate student academic and career success and how to translate skills to the
labor market as well as academia and explore resources and recommendations for fostering
a culture of support in the classroom and beyond.
With the launch of Carolina Experience in 2024, a heightened emphasis has been placed
on understanding and supporting the experiences of sophomore, junior, transfer, and
senior student populations through an emphasis on community development and career
readiness. To help in these endeavors, longitudinal qualitative and quantitative data
collected from the Student Success Center has been instrumental in better understanding
these target populations.
We will go over the assessment findings and what specialized resources are already
in place at USC to support these populations, as well as provide recommendations for
instructors and course-based activities. Finally, we will wrap up this session with
group discussion on suggestions to further support the target populations through
the Carolina Experience, including additional ways for campus stakeholders to get
involved.
Are your students sometimes mystified by their grades, or perhaps lacking motivation
to take ownership of their learning? Have you ever wanted to help your students become
more effective learners? Today’s students come to college with widely varying academic
skills, unaware of the study skills needed to meet college-level expectations for
learning.
Metacognition is the practice of “thinking about thinking”: the awareness and ability
of learners to identify their cognitive processes and make changes to their learning
behaviors (Lovett, 2008). Promoting metacognition can increase students' understanding
of how learning works, teaching students how to understand what caused their successes
or failures and direct their own learning (Brownlee, Purdie, & Boulton-Lewis, 2001).
This webinar will go beyond the basics of metacognition and explore how to use metacognitive
techniques to help students monitor and regulate their own learning, providing you
with concrete strategies and adaptive instructional materials for incorporating into
your course. Register
Monday, February 10, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
Come develop a deeper understanding of inclusive excellence and why it is central
not only to how we prepare students to lead, but also to how we engage all members
of our USC community. Learn about the ways in which the Office of Access and Opportunity
seeks to operationalize inclusive excellence, as well as how the office intends to
use its equity and inclusion strategy to track the University's effectiveness.
Creating an environment of integrity within the classroom truly takes a village. Faculty,
administrators, and students all play a role in maintaining an ethical campus community.
This workshop will explore preventative tools to address classroom roadblocks.
The Career Champions program was created to educate and empower campus faculty and
staff on best practices to have career conversations with students. The learning outcomes
for level two are as follows:
Gain knowledge around experiential education
Identify different opportunities in the Career Center and beyond available for students
to gain experience
Identify ways to help students discover what opportunities they are interested in
and know where to find them
Gain knowledge in how to support students while they are involved in their experience
to make it more impactful
Articulate ways on how to encourage reflection during and after the experience
Identify ways on how to handle concerns that can arise while a student is participating
in an experiential education opportunity
Wednesday, February 12, 10:50am - 11:20am - Webinar
How can you create open and transparent assignments to better guide all of your students?
In this session, you will learn about the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT)
framework for assignment design and how it can increase student success for all of
your students, but especially your first-generation students and students from minoritized
groups. You will then utilize the purpose, task, criteria model to outline or revise
one of your own assignments.Register
Wednesday, February 12, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
The need for flexible, efficient, and engaging learning experiences has never been
greater. Microlearning, the practice of delivering content in small, focused segments,
is emerging as a powerful approach to help fulfill these demands. In this presentation
we will explore how bite-sized learning opportunities are gaining traction in contemporary
education, in what ways microlearning enhances learner engagement and retention, and
we will look at various way to incorporate microlearning into teaching and learning.Register
Thursday, February 13, 11:40am - 12:55pm - In-Person
Through Recovery Ally workshops, Gamecock Recovery strives to empower students, faculty
and staff to make campus more supportive of students in recovery from substance use
disorder. Learn to: confront myths and stigma about substance use disorder; use and
model acts of allyship in everyday interactions; and identify, access, and direct
people to recovery resources at USC.
The Recovery Ally workshop is presented in a flipped-classroom model that includes
a self-paced video module as prework (estimated 20 minutes) and an in-person session.
Please review the recorded content prior to your workshop session.
Assessing your course is crucial to gather valuable feedback on how effectively your
teaching methods are working and make adjustments to improve the overall learning
experience for your students. Course assessment should go beyond end-of-semester student
evaluations, by obtaining meaningful, actionable input from students regarding their
experience in your class, their needs and perceptions. There are many ways to collect
feedback from your students; which method is best depends on your objectives and the
kind of information you need. In this webinar, we will explore a variety of techniques
for obtaining this kind of formative whole-course feedback, how to identify areas
of improvement, what to ask your students, when and how to collect feedback, and how
to interpret and respond to that feedback so you can improve your course for all involved.
Register
Monday, February 17, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
Are you curious about the potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence to transform
teaching and learning? In this webinar, we will explore the world of Generative AI,
a powerful technology that can generate text, translate languages, write different
creative content, and answer your questions with human-like responses. With prompt
engineering, the art of crafting effective instructions for Generative AI, you will
discover how to design prompts that elicit thoughtful responses.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Define and explain Generative Artificial Intelligence and promptwriting.
Identify the various ways Generative AI can enhance teaching and learning.
Explore three popular large language models, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
Part of living a healthy life and caring for personal wellbeing is being mindful about
how we spend our time as academics. This workshop will provide participants with tools
and training for how to audit our time use and rethink our role as holistic (whole-person)
faculty members. This includes revisiting the humanist angle on practices and expectations
in the faculty lifestyle: time management, over-teaching, communication and meeting
structures, and pedagogical social interactions. The session will provide practical
examples of ways that the humanist learning model can be used to help reduce overwhelm
for both instructors and students and help us re-orient our pedagogical decisions
to refocus on the foundational purpose of education. Register
Tuesday, February 18, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
A goal of most mentoring situations is to enable the mentee to identify and achieve
both academic and professional objectives. Though learning to do disciplinary research
is an important academic outcome in research mentoring relationships, there are many
other outcomes that will influence a mentee’s future career. Mentors should consciously
consider and support their mentees to achieve these other outcomes.
Wednesdy, February 19, 10:50am - 11:20am - Webinar
Do you hate grading? Are unsure that your assessments are accurately demonstrating
student mastery of your learning outcomes? Try a new approach to your course design
and grading criteria! Specifications grading is a framework to simplify grading and
put the focus back on learning by setting explicit and challenging criteria for students
to achieve their best. In this webinar you will learn about the specifications grading
framework, benefits, and primary elements. We will then practice creating specifications
for your own assessments. Feel free to bring your syllabus or an assignment you would
like to improve!Register
Thursday, February 20, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - Webinar
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a widely recognized, research-supported framework
for creating inclusive learning materials and curricula. It focuses on proactively
addressing learners' diverse needs by prioritizing accessibility through three main
principles: engagement, representation, and action and expression. In this workshop,
we will briefly review the core principles of UDL and then showcase how these principles
are applied in real-world settings. Participants will have the opportunity to analyze
and revise sample learning materials, applying UDL strategies to enhance accessibility
and effectiveness. Register
Friday, February 21, 9:00am - 1:00pm - In-Person
Join the Center for Teaching Excellence for the Generative Artificial Intelligence
(GenAI) Showcase, where faculty from the AI Teaching Fellowship will present their
hands-on experiences integrating GenAI into their teaching practices. This showcase
will explore diverse and practical applications of GenAI across multiple disciplines,
including instructional design, professional communication, social work, finance,
music education, health promotion, engineering ethics, technical writing, and cartography.
Faculty fellows will exhibit how Generative AI was used to:
Enhance student engagement
Assist with complex assignments
Facilitate ethical decision-making
Support creative projects
Provide tutoring support and guidance
Improve data visualization and analysis
These real-world applications highlight how GenAI has transformed teaching, learning
experiences, and student outcomes. Attendees will gain insights into innovative teaching
strategies and engage in discussions on the future of GenAI in education. Register
Monday, February 24, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - In-Person
Want to try new immersive tech but just don't have the time to research the latest
tools? Worried that you wouldn't even know where to begin or know how to incorporate
it in thoughtful ways? The 'Try the Tools' series can help. Bring your ideas, try
options available here at USC, and then consult on how these tools can work for you.
Come out of curiosity and leave with new ideas and lesson plan options for adding
innovation to your course. February offerings include visual AI, text analysis (Voyant,
Constellate), and Virtual Reality. Have a special request? Email Kristin Harrell for
more information: kharrell@sc.edu. We're excited to help! Register
Tuesday, February 25, 10:50am - 11:40am - In-Person
Utilizing integrative learning principles, the presenters will share examples of how
high impact practice (HIP) characteristics are incorporated across different disciplines
and identify classroom assessment techniques (CATs) that can be applied across a variety
of academic settings. Participants will have opportunities to share examples of reflection
and integrative learning principles in the design of assignments and appropriate assessment
methods for their classroom.
The Career Champions training educates and empowers campus faculty and staff on best
practices to have career conversations with students. Career Champions Module 1 serves
as a foundation, reviewing career development, our roles in a career ecosystem, and
resources. The learning outcomes for level 1 are as follows:
Gain a basic knowledge of the career development theories, career decision making
process and employability.
Gain a foundation of basic helping skills to best assist students with career planning
Learn how to assist students with goal setting regarding their career development
Learn how to make an effective referral to the Career Center
Learn the professional and ethical guidelines as outlined through the National Association
of Colleges & Employers (NACE)
Wednesday, February 26, 10:50am - 11:40am - Webinar
Why do teaching frameworks matter when integrating new technology? They ensure that
pedagogical goals drive the use of tools, rather than letting technology dictate the
teaching approach. In this webinar, we will explore how Blackboard's AI Design Assistant
can streamline your course creation process while aligning with proven frameworks
like Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Backward Design, and others. Learn how to
generate learning modules, assessments, and rubrics that not only save time but also
enhance teaching effectiveness and student engagement. We'll also discuss strategies
to ensure AI-generated content supports meaningful learning experiences for all students,
fostering inclusivity and accessibility. Whether you're new to Blackboard or seeking
to optimize your course development, this session offers valuable insights to elevate
your teaching. Register
Wednesday, February 26, 1:10pm - 2:00pam - Webinar
You'll feel more comfortable in the classroom when you understand how copyright applies
to course materials. Come explore how to use freely available, licensed, and copyrighted
materials in instruction and on Blackboard. We’ll discuss the practical applications
of fair use and other exceptions and limitations. Finally, we’ll examine how the library
can assist you with posting materials for your class.
Thursday, February 27, 11:40am - 12:55pm - In-Person
We posit that the key to creating inclusive campus cultures where women and other
historically excluded identities can thrive in faculty leadership and administration
is making intercultural competence a strategic institutional priority. At USC's Darla
Moore School of Business (DMSB), we launched an intercultural competence pilot program
to advance inclusion and facilitate intentional interaction and engagement across
difference
Join us for an interactive and engaging session where we will share key data and outcomes
from our Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) pilot project. This session will
provide essential knowledge about the IDI assessment, a powerful tool for enhancing
intercultural competence and fostering inclusion. Participants will gain valuable
insights into the strategic use of the IDI assessment and its potential impacts. Additionally,
attendees will acquire practical tips to promote and advance inclusive practices in
their workplaces using the IDI assessment tool.
Thursday, February 27, 11:45am - 1:00pm - In-Person
This Mutual Expectations discussion will examine free speech on the college campus-
both outside and inside the classroom. How can we disagree with one another but still
engage in respectful dialogue?
In this workshop, students, faculty and staff will explore expectations on classroom
discussion, especially when the topic may be one where there are many opposing viewpoints.
We hope to help find common ground on how we converse and engage with one another
respectfully. Join this fun discussion with fellow students and faculty over a free
lunch!
RSVP is required.
Sponsored by the Carolina Experience and the Center for Teaching Excellence.
Artificial Intelligence(AI) software programs such as ChatGPT powered by OpenAI have
been created in an effort to enhance the human experience by eliminating barriers
to access to information. AI is a tool that some equate to the creation of the calculator
or the internet. This presentation will explain what Artificial Intelligence is as
it pertains to its possible use in Higher Education by our students, faculty, and
staff. We will also briefly discuss why students may be inclined to use programs like
ChatGPT and how we can better adapt our course material to either incorporate the
use of AI or make it nearly impossible to use on assignments in the first place. Ultimately,
we believe that AI is not the end of Higher Education but, rather it's a new beginning.
Enhance your teaching approach with innovative content creation and course design.
This webinar offers educators practical insights into using Generative Artificial
Intelligence to develop lectures, instructional materials, course structures tailored
to the needs of 21st-century learners. From reimagining traditional content delivery
methods to incorporating creativity and interactivity into materials and course frameworks,
participants will explore innovative approaches that utilize the power of Generative
AI. Discover how Generative AI can enhance engagement, foster deeper understanding,
and inspire interest in your students.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Apply prompt writing in the context of course content and course design.
Utilize Generative AI tools to generate dynamic and interactive course content, such
as lectures, presentations, and multimedia materials.
Create effective and meaningful learning experiences that facilitate student success.
In this introductory workshop, participants will learn how publishing models affect
students’ abilities to access affordable course materials and how libraries can acquire
learning resources for the classroom. Workshop facilitators will demonstrate how to
use the library to provide affordable and equitable access to course materials through
e-reserves, purchasing, video streaming, and open educational resources.
Through Recovery Ally workshops, Gamecock Recovery strives to empower students, faculty
and staff to make campus more supportive of students in recovery from substance use
disorder. Learn to: confront myths and stigma about substance use disorder; use and
model acts of allyship in everyday interactions; and identify, access, and direct
people to recovery resources at USC.
The Recovery Ally workshop is presented in a flipped-classroom model that includes
a self-paced video module as prework (estimated 20 minutes) and an in-person session.
Please review the recorded content prior to your workshop session.
Join us for the 3rd module of Career Champions. In this session we'll learn about
the career competencies employers are looking for within our students and how to incorporate
those into our academic lessons, student employment, internships, etc. You'll also
know how to help students see these competencies within themselves and how to advocate
their talents, abilities, and experiences.
Engaging students through interactive and dynamic activities is essential for fostering
a stimulating learning environment. In this webinar, educators will explore how to
leverage Generative Artificial Intelligence to enhance their teaching practices and
create impactful activities for 21st-century learners. From designing collaborative
projects to incorporating AI-generated prompts and feedback, participants will discover
innovative ways to integrate Generative AI into their instructional activities.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Apply prompt writing in the context of learning activities.
Design interactive activities that leverage Generative AI to enhance student engagement
and participation.
Identify opportunities for further integration of Generative AI into instructional
activities to enhance student learning outcomes.
Over 20% of USC students identify as first-generation (first-gen). With the launch
of the First-Generation Center and First-Generation Living and Learning Community
in fall 2024, a heightened emphasis has been placed on first-generation student success.
This interactive session will present both national and USC-specific data, along with
effective strategies and best practices for supporting first-generation students.
Enjoy a lively discussion with colleagues and students.
Learning to identify, reflect upon, learn from, and engage with people who are different
from ourselves is essential for fostering an effective mentoring relationship and
a broader intellectual community. This workshop will help you increase your own understanding
of inclusivity on mentor/mentee interactions, recognize the impact of conscious and
unconscious preconceptions, biases, and prejudices, and identify concrete strategies
for addressing issues of community and inclusivity.
This interactive session will explore the needs, demographics, and attitudes of today’s
first-year students, both nationally and locally. Through a facilitated discussion
and game show format, participants will learn more about the realities and needs of
students entering college in 2024.
Want to try new immersive tech but just don't have the time to research the latest
tools? Worried that you wouldn't even know where to begin or know how to incorporate
it in thoughtful ways? The 'Try the Tools' series can help. Bring your ideas, try
options available here at USC, and then consult on how these tools can work for you.
Come out of curiosity and leave with new ideas and lesson plan options for adding
innovation to your course. March offerings include table-top RPGS, Reacting to the
Past role-playing games, video games, and more! Have a special request? Email Kristin
Harrell for more information: kharrell@sc.edu. We're excited to help! Register
Monday, March 24, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
The Career Champions program was created to educate and empower campus faculty and
staff on best practices to have career conversations with students. The learning outcomes
for level two are as follows:
Gain knowledge around experiential education
Identify different opportunities in the Career Center and beyond available for students
to gain experience
Identify ways to help students discover what opportunities they are interested in
and know where to find them
Gain knowledge in how to support students while they are involved in their experience
to make it more impactful
Articulate ways on how to encourage reflection during and after the experience
Identify ways on how to handle concerns that can arise while a student is participating
in an experiential education opportunity
Wednesday, March 26, 11:00am - 12:30pm - In-Person
Are you equipped to provide accessible content that meets the needs of all your students?
Come prepared - with your laptop (if possible)-to gain hands-on experience of applying digital accessibility best practices during
this session.
This workshop will provide guidance for applying accessibility practices to your documents
appropriately and how to prevent potential barriers people experience due to disabilities.
An overview of disabilities and the challenges they cause will be provided including
types of assistive technologies (AT) that help alleviate those challenges.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be touched on related to its part in developing
accessible content. Integrated automated accessibility checkers of Microsoft and Blackboard
platforms will also be covered. These automated tools can identify accessibility issues
and provide guidance to resolve them.
Attend with curiosity to help lead toward innovative and inclusive content design
strategies. Leave with a strong sense of applying accessibility best practices that
opens the path of better experiences for all your students.
In this session we will discuss the academic misconduct trends we are seeing online
and in person with our students. Additionally, we will discuss how to identify and
address these common violations while maintaining a productive instructor/student
relationship.
Each major principle of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emphasizes learner agency,
which relies on a sense of identity and psychological safety. In this workshop, we
will explore how instructors can incorporate trauma-informed strategies into their
instructional and curricular design to create more inclusive learning environments.
Participants will engage with case studies and scenarios, while also reflecting on
their own approaches to curriculum design. Register
April 2025
Tuesday, April 1, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - In-Person
This interactive presentation educates participants on their rights at the University
related to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. It will also apprise
participants of the supports and options available to them through the Office of Civil
Rights and Title IX. Additionally, this presentation will allow participants to explore
strategies to intervene in situations where harm is happening and will encourage open,
honest dialogue to empower them to treat members of our community with dignity and
respect.
Come develop a deeper understanding of inclusive excellence and why it is central
not only to how we prepare students to lead, but also to how we engage all members
of our USC community. Learn about the ways in which the Office of Access and Opportunity
seeks to operationalize inclusive excellence, as well as how the office intends to
use its equity and inclusion strategy to track the University's effectiveness.
Assessments just got a major upgrade! This webinar explores how Generative Artificial
Intelligence can transform your assessments from rote memorization exercises to engaging
experiences that promote deeper learning. Discover how to generate assessments that
align with your course learning outcomes to foster creativity, critical thinking,
and personalized learning experiences.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:• Apply prompt writing in the context of assessments.
Differentiate between traditional assessment methods and generative AI-powered assessments.
Design effective assessments that measure student mastery and promote meaningful learning
outcomes.
This Mutual Expectations discussion will focus on the benefits and practical steps
that faculty/staff can take on developing meaningful professional relationships with
one another. How students can approach faculty, why developing professional relationships
matter, how this may be different than a mentor relationship and more. Join this fun
discussion with fellow students and faculty over a free lunch!
RSVP is required.
Sponsored by the Carolina Experience and the Center for Teaching Excellence.
In an era where education is increasingly seen as a dynamic, interactive process,
narrative pedagogy offers an innovative approach to teaching and learning that centers
on the power of storytelling. This session will explore how integrating narrative
techniques into educational practices can deepen student engagement, foster critical
thinking, and create meaningful connections between learners and content. Register
Thursday, April 10, 10:00am - 11:30am - In-Person
Join us for the 3rd module of Career Champions. In this session we'll learn about
the career competencies employers are looking for within our students and how to incorporate
those into our academic lessons, student employment, internships, etc. You'll also
know how to help students see these competencies within themselves and how to advocate
their talents, abilities, and experiences.
A teaching philosophy statement provides a concise description of an instructor's
perspective on teaching, student learning, methodologies, and implementation, and
institutions typically request a teaching philosophy statement from applicants for
faculty positions and as part of the tenure and promotion process.
What, then, is your teaching philosophy? What aspects should you reflect upon, write,
or include? And how has the writing of this document changed as a result of ChatGPT,
both in the document construction as well as your perspective on this fundamental
shift in higher education? This will be a working webinar, where we will discuss strategies
for composing the statement, incorporating time for theme development, group discussion
and feedback, and ChatGPT prompt exploration. Participants will leave with a thematic
outline of their statement, a draft of the opening paragraph, and guidelines to continue
crafting it.
NOTE:For you and other participants to benefit the most in the time available, this webinar
requires that you do some reflective writing in advance of the session.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Reflect on and clarify their values about teaching and learning.
Expound upon these values and craft a working thematic outline.
Explore the ethical usage of ChatGPT in teaching statement construction.
Engaging in conflict is challenging whether you are an experienced instructor or new
to your role. A common strategy is to ignore the behavior due to our own discomfort,
concern over retaliation or fear that our intervention may cause more harm or disruption.
We will identify what our fears are about classroom disruption and use case study
examples to practice strategies to stretch participants' comfort zones. This workshop
will also explore Gerald Amada's research from Coping with Misconduct in the College
Classroom and provide participants with tangible strategies to prevent and respectfully
address disruptive behavior.
Reflecting upon your mentoring relationships is a vital part of becoming a more effective
mentor. This is especially important immediately following a mentor-mentee training
sequence like Entering Mentoring as it allows you to consider how to implement changes
in your mentoring practice based on the training you have received. The ability and
practice of reflecting on your mentoring at regular intervals is strongly encouraged.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a proactive approach to making course materials
more accessible, but its principles can also enhance how students express their understanding
of course content. In this workshop, we will explore strategies for engaging with
students who may approach assessments in unexpected ways and how to design more inclusive
assessments that allow for diverse demonstrations of learning. We will also focus
on designing assessments efficiently, prioritizing student agency while minimizing
instructor burnout. Register