Pre-Conference Workshop 1 - PBL Power-Up: Revolutionize Your Classroom with Project & Problem-Based Learning
Project- and problem-based learning (PBL) are powerful pedagogies that foster deep engagement with course content while simultaneously cultivating essential professional skills such as collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Join CETL and the Academy of Experiential Learning for a pre-conference workshop to explore why PBL is becoming an indispensable approach in higher education. In this interactive session, we will: - Distinguish between project-based and problem-based learning and compare them to traditional teaching methods. - Demonstrate how PBL supports students in mastering disciplinary knowledge while also preparing them with transferable skills valued in professional contexts. - Outline the key elements and processes for designing and implementing PBL in your courses. - Share strategies for adapting courses from traditional models to those incorporating elements - or full integration - of PBL. This workshop is designed for instructors at any stage of adopting PBL who want to enrich student learning and equip graduates for success in their academic and professional journeys.
Pre-Conference Workshop 2 - Building Better Peer Observation: A Practical Blueprint from Design to Impact
Peer observation is a powerful way to reflect on teaching, learn from colleagues, and enhance student learning outcomes. This interactive, 3-hour pre-conference workshop walks participants through the full lifecycle of a peer-supported teaching observation program, from initial concept and stakeholder alignment to implementation, feedback, and impact assessment. Drawing on examples from diverse disciplines, we’ll explore developmental, evaluative, and hybrid observation models, describe observer and observee roles, and discuss preparation, confidentiality, and feedback workflows. Strategies for fostering trust and improvement-focused dialogue will be emphasized. Special attention is given to online, hybrid, and HyFlex teaching, including practical ways to use LMS artifacts, session recordings, and chat interactions while maintaining privacy and consent. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a concise, customizable roadmap, including policies, tools, and timelines, to launch or refine peer-supported teaching observations in their department or college. Who should attend: Faculty, instructional designers, and department leaders seeking practical strategies to strengthen teaching, provide actionable feedback, and cultivate reflective practice.
Pre-Conference Workshop 3 - Fostering Teaching Excellence: Supporting Graduate Students’ Teaching and Professional Growth
Graduate students are not only emerging scholars but also future educators, yet many receive uneven preparation for teaching. This interactive workshop is designed for faculty, administrators, teaching center staff, and others who mentor, train, or support graduate students in developing as teachers and professionals. The session focuses on creating intentional and sustainable structures that empower graduate students to grow as confident, reflective, and effective educators. Participants will explore how teaching functions as a critical site of professional development, fostering transferable skills in communication, leadership, and collaboration. Through guided discussion and shared examples, attendees will examine models for integrating pedagogical training into graduate programs, from teaching assistant (TA) development to badging and certificate initiatives and learning communities. Facilitators will highlight evidence-based approaches for building graduate students’ teaching capacity while supporting a range of career goals and disciplinary contexts. The workshop will also address strategies for assessing and recognizing teaching excellence among graduate students, supporting student-centered pedagogy, and promoting teaching as a valued component of academic identity. By the end of the session, participants will: - Understand how teaching contributes to graduate students’ holistic professional development. - Identify effective frameworks and practices for supporting graduate students as current and future educators. - Implement practices that meaningfully recognize and support graduate students’ growth as educators. This workshop invites faculty and administrators to reflect on their roles in shaping future educators and to collaborate on strengthening institutional cultures that prepare graduate students for success in teaching and beyond.
