For the third year, our Faculty Learning Community (FLC) brought South’s lab experts together to explore best practices for lab instructional support, increase student engagement, and share resources to design meaningful and transparent exercises. A universal challenge across our disciplines is making content feel relevant and applicable to students’ lives and future careers. To bridge the gap, we explored practical strategies to enhance course relevancy by linking learning objectives to everyday experiences, career readiness, and effective course design. We considered content delivery methods, the role of AI in learning, and teamwork-focused activities to refine our course design and align it with real-world professional expectations. This roundtable discussion explores our takeaways from this year’s meetings, revealing how the FLC discussions have influenced us in our unique lab experiences and disciplines to answer the question of why our courses matter. During our roundtable,
This roundtable discussion will focus on the development of a Social Sciences Research and Data Analysis Minor at a small, liberal arts college. A short summary of the program will be provided, which will be followed by interactive dialogue with the aim of gaining insights into participants’ views of the benefits, detriments, and challenges of developing such a program. Participants will gain insights into the benefits of developing programs that meld machine intelligence and human intelligence.
This presentation explores how different levels of instructor presence in online video lectures—visual and vocal, vocal only, and no instructor presence—affect student learning experiences. The study investigates students' perceived connection to the instructor, engagement, satisfaction, and learning outcomes. Participants will engage in watching videos, completing quizzes, and providing feedback through surveys. The research aligns with the conference theme by addressing the evolving needs of online instruction and providing practical insights into enhancing student engagement through instructor presence. The session will offer outcomes that guide instructors in designing effective online learning environments.
As the educational and research landscape begins to evolve toward more hybrid learning environments, instructors and researchers must adopt innovative tools to manage complex qualitative data. This research talk explores how different AI platforms can streamline data organization, coding, and analysis, specifically for qualitative data related to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research. Aligned with the theme "Preparing for a Hybrid Future," the session demonstrates practical strategies for integrating AI into qualitative research, enhancing interprofessional collaboration in hybrid settings. Participants will engage in live demonstrations of AI-driven tools, explore differences in the use of two different platforms, and participate in interactive audience polling to identify common challenges in managing qualitative data. By the session’s conclusion, attendees will be able to: (1) explain the potential use of AI for qualitative research, (2) discuss potential barriers to
Originating as a learning community, an African American Studies course evolved from fostering social and academic connections within the local campus to cultivating global awareness, grounded in local history. This research talk uses storytelling techniques to weave a data-driven narrative of how the course expanded students' communication and cross-cultural skills through both a virtual exchange and a study abroad experience. Participants will gain insights from both student and instructor perspectives on how these experiences enhanced communication competencies, cultural understanding, and global engagement. As a result of this transformative learning experience, enrollment in the course increased. Additionally, the course’s integration of virtual exchange and study abroad ultimately demonstrated the power of experiential learning in shaping students' academic and personal growth.
The advancement of Generative AI technology has significantly changed the academic landscape, particularly in English Composition classes. The traditional writing process scenario has been primitively challenged by the rapid impact of AI-generated tools, such as Grammarly, ChatGPT, and Quill Bolts, due to their accessible assistance in writing. As students transition from high school to college, they face challenges in adapting to the diverse academic environment where writing classes feel more complex and challenging, especially for English as a Second Language Learners (ESL).The paper will present an argument that to preserve diversity and inclusivity in the composition classroom, universities should avoid completely banning AI tools. Instead, to reduce misuse, universities should teach college students, particularly ESL learners, how to use AI tools, which may, in turn, help reduce dropout rates since many students, especially English as a Second Language Learners, often avoid takin
The technical literature of academic disciplines can be intimidating. Students do not know where to start and, in recent years, have turned to AI for help. This research talk proposes the use of the infusion method of critical thinking (IMCT) to break down complicated scientific writing coupled with a discussion on how to use AI with critical thinking skills. Presented as a case study, participants will explore how IMCT and open conversations about AI help all students in any discipline better wrestle with empirical studies. Using the IMCT, participants can expect to take away new ideas for leading students to examine data analysis and evaluation within journal articles. Participants will also discuss ways in which AI can act as a peer helper that guides a student’s thinking rather than replaces it.
As higher education evolves and becomes more inclusive of a wide range of learners, an increasing number of non-traditionally aged students have enrolled in undergraduate programs. This student demographic aged 25 and above faces unique challenges that can impact their educational experience. Adult learners often struggle with balancing work and family responsibilities and endure significant financial restrictions (Dill & Henley, 2010). Despite these stressors, nontraditional students exhibit higher levels of intrinsic motivation than their traditional classmates (Bye et.al, 2007; Johnson et.al, 2016). It is vital to understand the nontraditional experience to inform better teaching practices that can accommodate this student demographic’s needs. The purpose of this study is to assess the specific factors that influence non-traditional students’ return to education, their level of engagement and motivation in their studies, and how their unique life responsibilities impact
As higher education continues to adapt to the evolving needs of diverse learners, the HyFlex model has emerged as a powerful approach to enhance student engagement and accessibility. This presentation will showcase the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice's journey in implementing HyFlex course sections across our MPA and Criminal Justice programs. We will highlight our strategies, challenges, and successes in delivering flexible, student-centered learning experiences.
