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.
- Mar31Tue
Bridging the Gap: Building Accessible and Interactive Learning Experiences – (March 31, 2026 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 22
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 to meet students exactly where they are. As Title II ADA deadlines approach, ensuring digital course materials meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards is more than a compliance requirement, it is an opportunity to create inclusive, high-impact learning experiences. In this hands-on session, you will discover how to transform static content into accessible, dynamic materials by harnessing the power of AI-driven personalization and real-time engagement data. Learn how you can remediate and tailor your own materials, Open Educational Resources (OER), or interactive eTexts to achieve specific 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: 27
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
- Apr6Mon
Generative AI for Smarter Alignment of Course Learning Objectives and Assessments – (April 6, 2026 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm)
Location:Virtual Session
Room: https://texastech.zoom.us/j/93430839821
Available Seats: 87
This interactive session introduces practical strategies for using Generative AI (GenAI) to design, refine, and evaluate course learning objectives (LOs) and ensure their alignment with assessments and instructional activities. Participants will explore how GenAI can assist in writing clear, measurable learning objectives using the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) and in mapping these objectives to appropriate cognitive levels using Bloom’s Taxonomy. Through guided activities and discussion, participants will use GenAI tools to analyze existing learning objectives, revise them for clarity and measurability, and design formative and summative assessments aligned with those objectives. The session will emphasize how GenAI can support educators by reducing the cognitive load involved in course design while maintaining pedagogical rigor. Key takeaways:
- Design course learning objectives using the SMART framework.
- Use Generative AI tools to analyze, refine, and improve learning objectives.
- Map learning objectives to appropriate levels of cognitive complexity using Bloom’s Taxonomy.
- Design formative and summative assessments aligned with course objectives.
- Evaluate the alignment between learning objectives, course content, and assessments using GenAI support.
- Apply practical GenAI prompts and strategies to streamline course design and assessment development.
- 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: 31
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 Instructional Resources: Complying with WCAG 2.1. – (April 10, 2026 10:00 am – 11:30 am)
Location:Virtual Session
Room: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/27382593197814?p=QIA7157COFkXbNi1Th
Available Seats: 89
This virtual session will help you discover accessible instructional materials through the TTU Library and other online resources that meet federal accessibility requirements. You'll learn how to embed these resources into Canvas for easy student access. You'll also get valuable tips for creating your own accessible documents. Participants will leave with practical strategies and actionable steps to apply immediately. Teams link Meeting ID: 273 825 931 978 14 Passcode: nX9Wx6MS
- Apr14Tue
Generative AI and Second Language Writing: Mapping the Emerging Research Landscape – (April 14, 2026 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm)
Location:Virtual Session
Room: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/28253935062116?p=A7E9WrzesV5YvT9tXr
Available Seats: 95
Over the past three years, generative AI tools have quickly entered second language writing classrooms. Researchers have begun exploring how generative AI tools shape students’ writing, learning processes, and classroom practices. In this talk, I provide an overview of the current empirical research on this topic. Drawing on a review of 88 empirical studies published between 2023 and mid-2025, I map where research efforts have focused and what patterns are emerging. The talk concludes by highlighting key gaps in the literature and suggesting directions for future research as generative AI continues to reshape language learning and writing instruction. Teams link Meeting ID: 282 539 350 621 16 Passcode: GA73YV3g
- 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: 23
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.