Our traditional sessions are 50 minutes and offered mainly face-to-face with the option to join virtually. We cover a wide range of topics like using AI, mentorship and career development, how to handle classroom conflict, and more. Many sessions are facilitated by TLPDC staff, and we also partner with other faculty and departments to present innovative ideas and campus resources. Please note that while we do offer a virtual option, these are designed to be delivered face-to-face and do not follow best practices for a true synchronous format.
Please click on the session title to see the description and option to register.
- Mar10Tue
Creative Commons 101: Navigating copyright language when selecting open access course materials – (March 10, 2026 09:30 AM – 10:30 AM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 29
This introduction to Creative Commons Licensing demystifies the use of copyright and other licenses. We will discuss the 6 different Creative Commons licenses & how they relate to copyright, as well as how to find and use them. They will also learn how to license their own materials. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely: Teams Link Meeting ID: 267 873 332 380 18 Passcode: rD62tt76
- Mar12Thu
Reclaiming Attention: Digital Detox Strategies for Higher Ed Faculty – (March 12, 2026 03:00 PM – 03:50 PM)
Location:Virtual Session
Room: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzA0YzM4NmEtZjRlMi00YTIwLWFjNjctMTU3NDg0NzU4YWMz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22178a51bf-8b20-49ff-b655-56245d5c173c%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22ba9b8010-8915-4519-9909-b02ad2d5002c%22%7d
Available Seats: 72
Presenter: Lisa Low This session introduces a "Digital Detox" approach, helping faculty reclaim focus and joy by limiting digital distractions and fostering deeper, uninterrupted work. Participants will explore the cognitive impact of multitasking, dopamine-driven tech habits, and strategies for implementing focus-oriented routines. Key takeaways include understanding the brain's limits on multitasking, applying the Ivy Lee method for priority management, adopting the Pomodoro Technique to tackle procrastination and sustain deep work, and incorporating movement “snacks” into daily routines. This session empowers attendees to guide students and themselves toward healthier digital habits and improved academic engagement. Teams Link Meeting ID: 272 264 333 387 88 Passcode: Qi7Kv9SE
- Mar25Wed
Teaching (Media) in Times of Crisis: Lessons from the 2025 Society for Cinema and Media Conference – (March 25, 2026 12:00 PM – 01:00 PM)
Location:Virtual Session
Room: https://texastech.zoom.us/j/92215697244
Available Seats: 291
Dr. Fareed Ben-Youssef comes to the TLPDC in a Zoom workshop to detail the key lessons of The Society for Cinema and Media (SCMS) Conference. Ben-Youssef will share how the conference presentations have informed his teaching practice, and he will ask attendees to reflect on how they work to become more nimble and empathetic educators ready to effectively teach (media) literacy and curiosity in times of ever-evolving crisis.
SCMS Conference is the major academic meeting in Film & Media Studies. It features panels sponsored by the Critical Media Pedagogies Scholarly Interest Group where media scholars from across the world probe the challenges and histories of teaching media. At the 2025 edition, the pallor of crisis colored the proceedings. These crises were not only related to the cultural climate but also to the rise of A.I. and the potentially atrophying attention of students raised in a social media dominated landscape. How can we get students to engage with movies of substantial duration when they have grown used to micro-length TikToks? At the SCMS Conference, the challenges facing media pedagogy today were a potent prism to explore the problem of teaching at the university today as well as the possibility, in the words of one presentation, to imagine the creation of a "pedagogy of care."
Bio: Fareed Ben-Youssef is Associate Professor in Film & Media Studies in the Department of English at Texas Tech University. His first book is No Jurisdiction: Legal, Political, and Aesthetic Disorder in Post-9/11 Genre Cinema (SUNY Press, 2022). He is also the Film Review Editor of Surveillance & Society. His classes at TTU have centered on topics like Border Western, UFOs, animation, Tarantino, the post-human, adaptation, trauma, censorship, (neo-)imperialism, and surveillance, as well as film and media pedagogy.
Zoom link: https://texastech.zoom.us/j/92215697244 - Mar30Mon
Reclaiming Connection: Engaging Distracted Learners in the Age of AI – (March 30, 2026 11:00 am – 12:00 pm)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 40
In an age of constant distraction, attention is a precious and limited resource. Designing for learning is also designing for attention—an opportunity to nurture, protect, and sustain it. This workshop will explore strategies for engaging students across the entire learning journey: from piquing curiosity by framing a course around a big question, to modeling engagement and creating a classroom climate that invites participation. We’ll examine practical methods for “warming the course,” and sustaining focus through interactive content. Drawing on insights from theatre and learning science— with examples of how tools like Top Hat can bring these strategies to life—participants will walk away with practices to foster connection and design learning experiences that resonate in an attention-scarce world. This session is in collaboration with Texas Tech’s Top Hat Representatives. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely: Teams link Meeting ID: 282 809 137 940 32 Passcode: nx6Fd2i3
- Mar31Tue
Extending Engagement with Top Hat Pages – (March 31, 2026 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 36
Learning doesn't end when the lecture concludes; it evolves. This workshop will explore how to bridge the gap between face to face instruction and independent study using Top Hat’s dynamic content creation tool. By leveraging AI-powered personalization and real-time engagement data, participants will learn to identify learning gaps and meet students where they are. In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how you can tailor your own materials, Open Educational Resources or interactive eTexts, to achieve your course objectives. This session is in collaboration with Texas Tech’s Top Hat Representatives. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely: Teams link Meeting ID: 277 343 886 398 20 Passcode: 6qG7m7bi
- Apr1Wed
Reclaiming Reading: Motivating and Supporting Today’s College Readers – (April 1, 2026 10:00 am – 11:00 am)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 40
More students are arriving in higher ed without the focus—or the habit—to engage with longer, challenging texts. With AI shortcuts and shrinking attention spans, the reading crisis is hard to ignore. In this interactive session, we’ll unpack what’s driving the decline and consider questions like: What role should reading play in a world of abundant digital content? Together, we’ll surface strategies to reignite comprehension and engagement, including approaches to designing immersive, multimodal reading experiences. You’ll also get a first look at new Top Hat innovations designed to support more intentional, connected reading. Come ready to be part of a collaborative conversation about reimagining reading for today’s students. This session is in collaboration with Texas Tech’s Top Hat Representatives. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely: Teams link Meeting ID: 249 389 246 622 61 Passcode: Y98xY6Rt
- Apr7Tue
Beyond Text Generation: Using ChatGPT to Design Canvas Pages (No Coding Required) – (April 7, 2026 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 37
Faculty often spend significant time formatting Canvas pages, troubleshooting HTML, and striving for visual and structural consistency across course modules. While generative AI tools are frequently associated with text generation, their potential as instructional design partners remains underutilized. This workshop introduces faculty to practical strategies for using ChatGPT to support Canvas page design, HTML generation, and course organization without requiring prior coding knowledge. Drawing from authentic course development experiences, participants will explore how AI can assist with creating visually structured module pages, reusable design elements, callout boxes, accessible layouts, and consistent formatting patterns across courses. Through demonstration and guided examples, the session will highlight how AI can reduce cognitive load associated with technical formatting tasks while preserving educator agency in pedagogical decision-making. Participants will leave with transferable prompting strategies, reusable design approaches, and a workflow model for integrating AI into course development processes. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely: Teams link Meeting ID: 276 430 204 066 9 Passcode: yk99Rg9T
- Apr10Fri
Finding Accessible Materials: How to leverage Open Educational Resources for your courses – (April 10, 2026 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 33
Using Open Educational Resources opens up a collection of resources to fill gaps in instructional materials. This session would allow instructors time to discuss the gaps that exist in their current materials, and they will be guided through finding resources in the library and locating Open Resources. With time to learn and explore, instructors will leave with an actionable item to use immediately. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely: Teams link Meeting ID: 273 825 931 978 14 Passcode: nX9Wx6MS
- Apr15Wed
Matters of Importance: Employing the concept of “Mattering” to better serve students – (April 15, 2026 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 25
Student success is often framed through the lens of “sense of belonging,” yet emerging research shows that the deeper driver of engagement and persistence is the feeling that one matters. Or in other words: that one’s presence, contributions, and experiences are noticed and valued. This workshop introduces the concept of mattering as a transformative framework for supporting students. Through discussion and applied strategies, participants will learn how to identify gaps in mattering, redesign touchpoints in advising and teaching, and implement communication practices that affirm students’ significance. Attendees will leave with actionable tools to foster environments where students not only fit in or belong for a certain period of time, but genuinely feel that they matter.