FACULTY Back to School Workshop Series: January 12-16, 2026

The Center for Academic Excellence is pleased to announce our line-up of Back-to-School workshops for the Spring semester. The workshops highlight CAE partnerships with CAE Liaisons, Academic Computing, Center for Social Impact, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, Diversity Inclusion and Belonging, and Office of Research and Grants. The workshops will take place from Monday, January 12 through Friday, January 16, 2026. We hope you will consider joining us for one or more of the sessions listed below. Registration and Zoom links are included for each workshop, with a few sessions held in person as noted.

General RSVP: https://events.fairfield.edu/cae 

Monday, January 12, 2026 (hybrid)

Blackboard: Foundations (9:30-10:45) (Hybrid: NHS 203; https://Fairfield.zoom.us/j/92338668439)
An introductory session designed to familiarize instructors with the core features of Blackboard Ultra for effective course setup and the updated navigation. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/academic-computing-workshop-blackboard-foundations1-12-26

Blackboard: What’s New and What’s Next? (11:00-12:15) (Hybrid: NHS 203; https://Fairfield.zoom.us/j/98251768689)
In this workshop, we’ll explore the latest Blackboard Ultra features designed to simplify course management and enhance student engagement. We’ll highlight new tools for content creation, grading, and communication, and share what’s on the horizon in upcoming releases so you can plan ahead and take full advantage of Blackboard’s evolving platform. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/academic-computing-workshop-blackboard-whats-new-and-whats-next1-12-26

Collaboration Reimagined - Quip Alternatives (1:00-2:15) (Hybrid: NHS 203; https://Fairfield.zoom.us/j/99136869578)
In this short session, we’ll introduce campus-supported tools that offer the collaborative features you may currently rely on in Quip. We’ll highlight recommended alternatives, share the University’s transition timeline, and offer practical tips to help you begin planning for a smooth shift before Quip is retired. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/academic-computing-workshop-collaboration-reimagined-quip-alternatives1-12-26

iPad Toolkit: From Gestures to Grading on the Go (2:30-3:45) (In-person: NHS 203)
In this workshop, we’ll cover tips and tricks to get the most out of your iPad. Learn multitasking gestures, how to navigate between apps, use preloaded bookmarks, and download apps through Self Service. We’ll also explore using Blackboard on the iPad and wrap up with an open Q&A to address your specific teaching needs. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/academic-computing-workshop-ipad-toolkit-from-gestures-to-grading-on-the-go1-12-26
Writing Retreat (10:00-3:00) (In-person: NHS 210)
Kick off the Spring semester with a day dedicated to your writing. Join the CAE and a community of colleagues for a day-long retreat on Monday, January 12, 10 am - 3 pm, to plan, begin, revise, or complete writing projects (e.g., manuscripts, books, reports, portfolios/dossiers). Consult with peers or CAE staff about any stage of your writing process or use the time for some solo writing. Bring your writing materials and tools. Lunch included. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/writing-retreat-1-12-26

Syllabus Drop-In (10:30 am - 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm) (Hybrid Zoom & In-person: NHS 210) Drop in for a one-on-one consultation with the CAE about any aspect of your syllabus (learning outcomes, assessment strategies, active learning activities, inclusive course design, etc.). No registration required.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 (Zoom)

From Literature Review to AI Literacy: Teaching with Scite.ai and Similar Tools
This workshop invites faculty to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the research process for both students and instructors. With a spotlight on Scite.ai, a new AI-powered research tool currently being piloted by the university library, we will reflect on how literature reviews, source evaluation, and citation practices are evolving. After framing the changing research landscape, we will demonstrate the Scite.ai tool and consider how it may benefit our own workflows as well as help guide students through ethical and skillful use. The session will also invite reflective dialogue about how to preserve essential research habits and how to support students in navigating new tools with confidence and integrity. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/cae-workshop-from-literature-review-to-ai-literacy-teaching-with-sciteai-and-similar-tools1-13-26

Reflections on AI in Our Disciplines: Building Bridges for Student Success
This interactive online workshop invites faculty to reflect on how artificial intelligence is beginning to shape the real-world practices of their discipline and what that means for students preparing to enter those fields. Faculty are encouraged to consider the evolving professional context for their disciplinary expertise and how classroom experiences might help students build the skills, confidence, and ethical grounding they will need. Through guided dialogue with colleagues, participants will explore how AI is impacting their field, begin imagining future skillsets, and consider how to design meaningful and inclusive learning experiences that connect students to their professional futures. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/cae-workshop-reflections-on-ai-in-our-disciplines-building-bridges-for-student-success1-13-26

The New Critical Thinking: Teaching Judgment in the Age of AI
AI can draft, summarize, and “analyze,” but it can’t judge - and that’s where our students’ real advantage lies. This workshop reframes critical thinking for the AI era and gives faculty practical strategies to teach evaluation, credibility-checking, and reasoning. Through quick comparison exercises between human and AI responses, participants will learn how to guide students in questioning, refining, and integrating machine-generated ideas. Attendees will redesign one assignment and leave with concrete tools to help students engage in deeper, more intentional thinking. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/the-new-critical-thinking-teaching-judgment-in-the-age-of-ai-1-13-26

AI and Teaching in the Classroom: Using Conversations and Creative Practice with Purpose
This interactive workshop explores how faculty are using AI in the classroom with intention and purpose. From Blackboard AI Conversations to creative strategies that support writing, discussion, and disciplinary skill-building, we will showcase real classroom examples and invite reflective dialogue about when, why, and how AI can enhance student learning. Participants will hear from colleagues across disciplines who are using AI to support communication, confidence, and formative practice, and will leave with ideas and simple frameworks to thoughtfully design their own AI-supported activities. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/ai-and-teaching-in-the-classroom-using-conversations-and-creative-practice-with-purpose1-13-16

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 (Zoom)

Student Engagement with Ignatian Pedagogy
In this hands-on workshop, faculty to “start small” by enabling student engagement through the integration of Ignatian Pedagogy into just one module of a current course. Participants will receive a concise, practical overview of the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm—Context, Experience, Reflection, Action, and Evaluation—and see how it supports transformational learning rather than simple information transfer. Through guided think–pair–share activities, each faculty member will redesign a specific teaching unit, building in concrete strategies for student engagement, meaning-making, and action. Attendees will leave with a realistic, ready-to-implement plan for one module, along with ideas for gradually extending Ignatian Pedagogy across an entire course. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/student-engagement-with-ignatian-pedagogy1-14-26

Student Engagement for Student Success
Grounded in insights from belonging and self-efficacy, this session explores what drives or deters student participation. We begin by acknowledging the growing experience of silence in the classroom and how students’ willingness to participate is linked to feeling connected, respected, and safe. Drawing on findings from the ASCEND belonging survey conducted by faculty at Fairfield, we will examine barriers to engagement and discuss small faculty actions that can support student participation. Participants will reflect on common challenges and share practical strategies that help every student find an accessible entry point into classroom engagement. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/student-engagement-for-student-success1-14-26

Student Engagement with Mentimeter
No matter how much we may believe in active learning, there are times when a professor just has to deliver content via slides, videos, etc. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a one-way process! By using Mentimeter, professors can involve their students in polls, word clouds, surveys, and other types of instant-feedback activities — right within their own PowerPoint slides. Join us for an enlightening — and interactive — session as we cover the basics of Mentimeter, its use of themes and slide types, and even collaborations between multiple professors. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/student-engagement-with-mentimeter1-14-26

Student Engagement with Asynchronous Teaching
Here at Fairfield, we pride ourselves on the way in which we bring a high level of student engagement to our courses and create connections with our students and foster an environment in which they can connect with each other. But how can we translate those principle to the asynchronous online teaching space in a way that feels authentic and does not simply become a poor technical approximation of the in-class experience? In this session we’ll examine the ways in which a professor needs to change their approach when creating an asynchronous course, adapting to the different teaching environment, and engaging students in alternate ways. We’ll look at specific features within Blackboard, other tech tools that can create connection, and strategies to draw out students and get them participating in conversations and activities. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/student-engagement-with-asynchronous-teaching1-14-26

Thursday, January 15, 2026 (In person)

Office of Research & Grants Workshop: IRB and Human Subjects Research: Where Do I Start?
This interactive session will provide a brief introduction to human subject research for faculty who plan to conduct their own research or who will be responsible for mentoring graduate students in human subject research. We will walk you through the process of preparing and submitting a research protocol and discuss your role and responsibilities from subject recruitment through close-out. You will have the opportunity to hear from faculty on their best practices for managing human subjects research protocols and learn the steps to take when issues arise. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/office-of-researh-grants-workshop-irb-and-human-subjects-research-where-do-i-start

Office of Research & Grants Workshop: Introduction to Foundation Relations
*recommended for tenured/tenure-track faculty and PoPs*
This interactive workshop will provide faculty with a clear, practical introduction to the full grant-seeking process. Participants will learn the fundamentals of crafting strong proposals, including how to develop an effective Letter of Intent (LOI) and how to navigate the basic steps of grant application submissions. The session will also highlight the value and impact of securing external funding for academic research, outline the key responsibilities of the Foundation Relations office, and demonstrate how strategic collaboration with Foundation Relations can strengthen proposals and improve funding success. By the end of the workshop, attendees will understand core grant-writing principles, know where to find support, and feel better equipped to pursue funding for their research projects. Katy Reed, Director of Foundation Relations at Fairfield, will lead this workshop. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/office-of-researh-grants-workshop-introduction-to-foundation-relations1-15-26

From Curiosity to Inquiry: Launching Your SoTL Journey
Many faculty have meaningful questions about their teaching but may not yet realize that these questions can become powerful, publishable Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects. The CAE partners with ORG for this introductory session and offers a welcoming entry point into SoTL for faculty at all levels and disciplines. Together, we will explore what SoTL is, why it matters, and how reflective questions from your own classroom can spark a deeper scholarly exploration. Participants will leave with the beginnings of a researchable inquiry grounded in their teaching context and discipline. This is Workshop 1 of our new three-part SoTL series. We encourage all faculty exploring SoTL to attend the full sequence, with Workshop 3 offered in a future session. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/from-curiosity-to-inquiry-launching-your-sotl-journey1-15-26

Designing Your SoTL Study: Methods, Ethics, and Project Planning
Once you have a question, how do you turn it into a meaningful study? The CAE partners with ORG for this session and clarifies the design phase of SoTL by exploring real examples from across disciplines, including Community Engaged Learning. Topics introduced will include design and analysis issues central to SoTL, potential data sources, and ethical considerations in SoTL research with human subjects. Whether you are new to SoTL research or looking to expand your scholarly teaching, you will learn practical strategies for building a feasible, rigorous, and ethically grounded project. Participants will leave with a clearer sense of SoTL study design, ideas for gathering data, and how SoTL can fit within their teaching responsibilities and professional goals. This is Workshop 2 of our three-part SoTL series. We encourage all faculty exploring SoTL to attend the full sequence, with Workshop 3 offered in a future session. https://events.fairfield.edu/event/designing-your-sotl-study-methods-ethics-and-project-planning1-15-26

Friday, January 16, 2026 (Hybrid)

Academic Computing Drop-In Hours (1:00-2:15) (Hybrid: NHS 203; https://Fairfield.zoom.us/j/92916585434)
Drop in for a one-on-one consultation with a member of Academic Computing for assistance with Blackboard and other related tools for teaching.