Welcome to the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center! Our primary mission is to support the university’s commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. Whether you’re an advisor looking for professional development workshops, a faculty member interested in talking about your teaching or considering how to implement service learning in your course, or a graduate student looking for resources and ways to improve your teaching, we can help!
Please note that there are a variety of session formats on this listing. In-person sessions have the room number listed and often include a Zoom link for those that need a virtual option (with a few exceptions). Virtual sessions will have the Zoom link provided in the location and description.
Please click on the session title to for the description and option to register.
- Oct20Mon
Internationalizing your Research and Teaching Portfolio – (October 20, 2025 02:00 PM – 02:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 1
Join the Office of International Affairs for an informational workshop that will highlight:
- International research opportunities
- Global collaborations and partnerships
- Study Abroad opportunities
- Curriculum internationalization
- Outreach and engagement resources
Meeting ID: 269 905 690 166 7Passcode: 63kN2Gy2 - Oct21Tue
Chapter 2: The Faculty Reset – Vision, Purpose, Action – (October 21, 2025 12:30 PM – 01:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 28
Facilitator: Dr. Angela Walla In this session, you’ll reflect on your academic journey and re-envision your future with renewed clarity and purpose. Guided by the moderator, participants will engage in a series of reflective activities designed to help assess their career path, explore current goals, and consider new possibilities. This session aims to reignite enthusiasm and offer fresh perspective as you plan the next chapter of your academic career. You’ll leave with concrete action steps and the foundation of a personalized plan to guide your way forward. The session will be broken down into four sections. Each session has a mini-lecture followed by an activity Reflection on past career Exploring the possibility: Identification of passion projects and new areas Identification of Barriers Action Plan IFE Path II
- Oct22Wed
Using Pressbooks to Create and Customize OER – (October 22, 2025 02:00 PM – 02:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC Room 153
Available Seats: 19
Pressbooks is a service offered by Raider Digital Publishing that is extremely useful for creating and using open textbooks, but getting into it for the first time can seem challenging! Join this workshop led by our Texas Tech Libraries’ Open Educational Resources Office to learn how to create an open textbook, clone an existing one, and some tips for how to customize open materials to become more engaging for your students! 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:
Meeting ID: 212 356 728 592 7
Passcode: 6XS2qz6p
- Oct23Thu
Spotting the Trap: Strategies to Identify Predatory Publishers – (October 23, 2025 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 30
This workshop equips university faculty with the knowledge to identify and avoid predatory publishing practices. Participants will learn to recognize warning signs of predatory journals, such as misleading metrics and aggressive solicitation. Through case studies and practical tools, the session provides strategies to evaluate legitimate publishing venues. Faculty will leave empowered to make informed decisions, safeguarding their research and academic reputation. 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: 265 851 915 724 0 Passcode: oh6wu73Y
- Oct27Mon
Mentorship Series: Facilitating Group & Individual Dynamics – (October 27, 2025 03:00 PM – 04:00 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 36
Effective mentorship begins with establishing a relationship and trust between individuals and within groups. Mentors who facilitate these dynamics must be intentional, clear, and flexible while fostering open dialogue. This workshop will explore how mentors can encourage individual ownership, self-reflection, and shared discoveries with their mentees.
- Oct28Tue
The Hidden Motivators: What Drives Us (and Drains Us) – (October 28, 2025 12:30 PM – 01:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 21
Facilitator: Dr. Lisa Garner Santa The rhythms of academic life are relentless. Over time, we begin to move through the motions—responding to requests, meeting expectations, saying yes before we even pause to ask why. In this session, we’ll explore the six life-alienating motivators named in Nonviolent Communication: reward, punishment, guilt, shame, duty, and approval. What happens when these motivators go unchecked? And what becomes possible when we bring awareness and choice into the picture? Using Rosenberg’s framework, we’ll identify internalized pressures that may be shaping our academic decisions—and begin to shift from obligation to alignment. “The most dangerous of all behaviors may consist of doing things 'because we're supposed to.’” – Marshall Rosenberg IFE Path I and II
- Oct29Wed
Are You Interested in Integrating Community Outreach and Engagement into Your Teaching, Research, or Creative Activities? – (October 29, 2025 02:00 PM – 02:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 0
Join us at this session to learn more about Outreach and Engagement, the difference between these two forms of high-impact practice, and their value to scholarship, student achievement, grant success, and more. You will also discover ways of incorporating outreach and engagement into your curriculum, research/creative activities, and scholarship; as well as learn about our faculty support services and resources to assist you in this process. 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:
Meeting ID: 251 618 550 923 8Passcode: Uk2iY2Xs - Oct30Thu
Accessibility Without the Ask: Designing Courses That Don’t Wait for Accommodations – (October 30, 2025 01:00 PM – 02:00 PM)
Location:Virtual Session
Room: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_Y2JlZDZhZWQtZmMwOC00ZTgwLTllYmQtMWEyMzU5YjU2MDFh%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: 39
Imagine receiving an accommodation letter and being able to say, “This course already includes that—for everyone.” This session introduces practical accessibility strategies and tools that reduce instructor workload, enhance usability, and improve learning for all students. Attendees will explore concepts and practices such as:
- WYSI*N*WYG: Understand how visual formatting differs from encoded structure, and why it matters.
- Of Mice and Mobility: Learn how to make content navigable without a mouse, supporting users with mobility or dexterity challenges.
- Sound Off: Use captioning and transcripts to ensure audio content is accessible to all learners.
- Mind the Gap: Discover ways to reduce cognitive overload and distractions in course materials.
- Time & Text: Design content that supports readability, comprehension, and flexible pacing for learners with processing or attention-related needs.
- Nov4Tue
Reignite the Spark: Teaching with Learning in Mind – (November 4, 2025 12:30 PM – 01:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 25
Facilitator: Dr. Angela Lumpkin Join us for an inspiring session designed to reignite your passion for scholarship and pedagogy. This interactive workshop provides faculty with an opportunity to reflect on what makes teaching meaningful and effective. Through guided dialogue and reflective exercises, participants will explore how to align their instructional choices and actions with how students learn best, reigniting purpose and presence in the classroom. Find new inspiration and time to reconnect with your teaching values. IFE Path II
- Nov5Wed
STEP Partnership Power Hour – (November 5, 2025 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 26
The STEP Program Faculty Power Hour, held in the Teaching, Learning & Professional Development Center (TLPDC), is an open-format, bi-weekly conversation designed by faculty, for faculty. Twice per month, a STEP Program Scholar will share a specific, actionable tip to enhance the classroom experience for both instructors and students. You'll hear directly how the implementation of these tips has transformed classroom dynamics. Half of our time will be dedicated to collaborative discussion on adapting these suggestions to fit your unique classroom environment. You will leave with a clear implementation strategy, ready for use in your very next class period. All Instructors of all ranks are invited and lunch is provided.
- Nov5Wed
Know Thyself, Know Thy Colleagues: Unlocking Career Success Through Personality Intelligence – (November 5, 2025 03:00 PM – 05:00 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 32
Discover how understanding personality differences can accelerate your academic career in this interactive workshop designed for university employees. Using the Myers-Briggs® framework, you'll gain deep insights into your own personality type while learning to recognize and appreciate how colleagues operate differently. Through practical strategies and real-world academic scenarios, you'll discover how to leverage personality differences constructively—whether collaborating on research, navigating department dynamics, or leading teams. You'll leave with a powerful toolkit for building stronger professional relationships and positioning yourself for greater career success in academia. After registering, participants will receive information on completing the free MBTI assessment before the workshop.
- Nov6Thu
Bridging the Gaps for Today’s Students – (November 6, 2025 11:00 AM – 12:20 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 11
COVID and other factors have impacted the ways students learn and manage their mental wellbeing, and one of the biggest ripple effects of the pandemic was learning loss and its ongoing effects. Some studies have predicted that student learning in subject areas, including math, science, reading, and writing will be impacted for years, if not decades. This session will discuss strategies for bridging those gaps, ongoing challenges for both academic achievement and mental health and what it means to be effective university educators teaching a generation of students who entered colleges with COVID learning loss and an increased mental load. Lunch will be provided. 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:
Meeting ID: 223 613 900 736 8Passcode: nH7hz9aP - Nov7Fri
Mind Behind the Machine: Thinking Beyond the Prompt – (November 7, 2025 01:00 PM – 01:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 23
This workshop introduces faculty to a curriculum module designed to build students’ critical AI literacy through interactive, reflective learning. In this workshop, faculty will learn about and reflect on how they currently use AI tools in their own teaching, research, and daily lives. Participants will explore a series of scaffolded modules that help students:
- Understand what AI is (and isn’t) and how generative models work.
- Use AI thoughtfully by experimenting with different prompts and iterating on outputs.
- Evaluate AI-generated content critically to identify accuracy, bias, and missing context.
- Nov10Mon
Effects of AI-feedback on advanced L2 German learners’ writing – (November 10, 2025 02:00 PM – 02:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 36
Many scholars express concern over students' use of AI in academic work, but whether we embrace it or not, AI is here to stay. This presentation will offer a practical example of how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into the foreign language classroom, specifically in a way that still challenges students to think critically and engage actively with their own work. Over the course of two semesters, advanced learners of German used AI tools to improve their writing. In the first step, students wrote various texts in class without any AI assistance. After completing their drafts, they submitted them to an AI program using a prompt that instructed the AI to “highlight and explain but not correct” any errors. The AI provided detailed explanations of the mistakes, which students then used to revise their work independently. These "first revised drafts" (including first drafts and AI feedback) were submitted to the instructor for feedback and grading. Based on the instructor’s feedback, students made further revisions and submitted a final version of their texts. In this presentation, we will walk through the procedure in detail, share sample texts and AI feedback, and discuss the instructor’s and students' and reflections, as collected through a survey. The goal is to encourage fellow (foreign) language instructors—and anyone else who asks students to write essays, reports, or other assignments— to implement AI in their teaching in meaningful ways. 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: 221 378 248 379 7 Passcode: 2DR2Xy6C
- Nov11Tue
TAI: AI as Virtual Teaching Assistant – (November 11, 2025 02:00 PM – 02:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 0
Generative AI (AI) presents many challenges for educators, but this emerging technology also presents opportunities to improve student learning and lessen the burden on faculty. In a sense, AI can be use as a virtual “TA” to assist with reviewing, creating, and even assessing class materials. The workshop will also address the potential pitfalls of using AI, including inaccurate information and balancing faculties’ own use of AI with restrictions placed on student use. 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:
Meeting ID: 215 555 920 182 3
Passcode: HN9Y97Xv
- Nov12Wed
Dialing It In: The Art of the Public Interview – (November 12, 2025 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 40
As scholars and teachers, faculty are often invited to comment upon areas of their expertise and its relation to matters of public policy: linking history, sociology, sciences, economics, and related scholarly disciplines to topics of the day. As academics, we are adept with our knowledge, and with calibrating our presentation of that knowledge to the audiences we are addressing. But either conducting or responding to an interview can provide its own challenges and opportunities: how to ask, and how to answer, and how to tailor our questions and responses in a fashion that maximizes clarity and minimizes potential distortions. In this 50-minute presentation, Christopher Smith, professor of musicology and founding director of the Vernacular Music Center, a veteran of three decades in public radio, co-director of Reciprocal Studios podcasting consultancy, and showrunner of three ongoing podcasts (SOUNDING HISTORY, VOICES FROM THE VERNACULAR MUSIC CENTER, and THE BASSANDA PODCAST), will provide guidelines, visualizations, participatory exercises, best practices, and technical advice that help academics “dial in” their capacity for effective, accessible, engaging, and rewarding interview experiences, on both sides of the microphone. Teams Link Meeting ID: 210 288 269 353 1 Passcode: qh73nh9E
- Nov13Thu
Auto-Grading with AI and Large Language Models – (November 13, 2025 09:30 AM – 10:20 AM)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 35
With the rise and widespread adoption of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) in recent years, extensive research has been conducted on their applications across various domains. One such domain is education, where a key area of interest for researchers is investigating the implementation and reliability of LLMs in grading student responses. In this talk, I will discuss how LLMs have been used in grading across six academic sub-fields: educational assessment, essay grading, natural sciences and technology, social sciences and humanities, computer science and engineering, and mathematics. I will also discuss what prompting techniques have been used employed in building those systems and the effectiveness of LLM based grading for both structured and open-ended responses. 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:
Meeting ID: 226 618 674 300 5Passcode: WR3nd6jd - Nov13Thu
Building Bridges, Not Walls: A Fresh Approach to Academic Integrity – (November 13, 2025 03:00 PM – 04:20 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 21
Why do some students see academic integrity as an outdated formality while faculty view it as fundamental to education? This interactive workshop facilitated by Barbie Chambers and Mitzi Ziegner from the TLPDC explores the gaps that shape how we and our students approach academic honesty. You'll discover practical strategies for moving beyond rule enforcement to meaningful conversations about character and professional preparation. Through real scenarios and discussion, we'll explore innovative ways to help students embrace integrity as a cornerstone of their Red Raider identity. Join us to transform how you think about and teach academic honor! 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:
Meeting ID: 218 322 364 287 6Passcode: Pz3xT3uU - Nov14Fri
Mind Your Mind – Nurturing Mental Wellness – (November 14, 2025 12:00 PM – 03:00 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 25
An introduction to evidence-based strategies for maintaining mental well-being in academia. Learn practical tools for managing stress, promoting resilience, and fostering a healthy work-life balance as you begin your faculty journey. 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:
Meeting ID: 242 984 966 110 8Passcode: ob2pY6rh - Nov14Fri
Raider Success Hub Fundamentals for Faculty – (November 14, 2025 01:00 PM – 01:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 151
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 151
Available Seats: 73
Raider Success Hub (RSH) is Texas Tech’s centralized platform for supporting student success. In this training, faculty will learn basic navigation of the system, how to view student information, submit alerts, complete progress surveys, and more. Faculty play a critical role in student success, and this session will demonstrate how RSH makes it easier to offer timely support and connect students to the right resources at the right time. 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:
Meeting ID: 276 964 546 675 0Passcode: f2Dr6Tc7 - Nov17Mon
Mentorship Series: Maintaining Effective Communication – (November 17, 2025 03:00 PM – 04:00 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 30
Effective communication is foundational to successful mentoring relationships. While many recognize good communication when they experience it, mentors must deliberately cultivate and practice these skills. In this interactive session, participants will identify key characteristics of effective communication and engage in practical exercises to strengthen their mentoring dialogue.
- Nov18Tue
Collaborative Feedback in Academia – (November 18, 2025 12:30 PM – 01:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 27
Facilitator: Dr. Lisa Garner Santa What if giving feedback could be energizing, even enjoyable? In this session, we’ll explore how feedback, when grounded in connection and mutual respect, can become a two-way exchange that strengthens both mentoring relationships and institutional culture. Through the lens of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), we’ll examine how to move from “power over” or “power under” toward “power with,” where everyone’s needs matter. Participants will practice using observations, feelings, needs, and requests to engage in feedback conversations that are clear, kind, and co-created. When mentoring becomes a collaborative process, feedback becomes not only possible but meaningful and rewarding. IFE Path I and II
- Nov20Thu
STEP Partnership Power Hour – (November 20, 2025 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 31
The STEP Program Faculty Power Hour, held in the Teaching, Learning & Professional Development Center (TLPDC), is an open-format, bi-weekly conversation designed by faculty, for faculty. Twice per month, a STEP Program Scholar will share a specific, actionable tip to enhance the classroom experience for both instructors and students. You'll hear directly how the implementation of these tips has transformed classroom dynamics. Half of our time will be dedicated to collaborative discussion on adapting these suggestions to fit your unique classroom environment. You will leave with a clear implementation strategy, ready for use in your very next class period. All Instructors of all ranks are invited and lunch is provided.