Penn State University

Events

Universal Design for Learning Course
Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, Associate Research Professor
Thursday, 5/1/2025 to Friday, 12/19/2025
World Campus Faculty Development Canvas Course

Mary Ann (portrait)

This Universal Design for Learning (UDL) course is self-directed and asynchronous. The course provides an introduction to the rationale for UDL, supporting research, applications of UDL. We welcome instructors and designers who embrace student variability, strive for equity, and seek to empower students. Participants will explore UDL terms, principles, structures, and applications, and ways to adapt teaching practices.

Apply anytime at the following link: https://psu.catalog.instructure.com/browse/wcfd/courses/ol-3600-universal-design-for-learning-2025. You will have 60 days to complete the course. 

Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, this course is a collaboration between the Schreyer Institute and World Campus Online Faculty Development.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Universal Design for Learning
Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, Associate Research Professor and John Elia, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Tuesday, 5/6/2025, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
615 Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building

Portrait Mary Ann TobinPortrait John Elia

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework of brain-based, research-backed teaching and learning strategies that proactively address learner variability to reduce learning barriers and create inclusive learning experiences. In this interactive, UDL-inspired workshop, participants will be introduced to the UDL framework and explore ways to apply it.

This is a closed event customized for the requesting department. If you are interested in a Custom Workshop for your area, contact us at site@psu.edu.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Decoding Your Discipline for Student Learning
Friday, 5/9/2025, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Berks Campus Multipurpose Room

Each curriculum has spots where students struggle. In this workshop, you will focus on an area of struggle in your own curriculum using the Decoding the Disciplines, an internationally recognized method developed for college instructors. You will be coached by Dr. Joan Middendorf, the co-founder of the Decoding method as you unpack your implicit expert knowledge and turn it into explicit mental moves you can share with your students. You will also have an opportunity to design activities to encourage students to practice these explicit mental moves.

This workshop is hosted by the Berks Annual Teaching Colloquium. Penn State instructors from other campuses are welcome to attend. There is no charge for this workshop, but registration is required: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_06c3QR7xjE5r9DE

For more information on this event, please contact Ike Shibley at: ias1@psu.edu

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Empowering First-Gen Students and Cultivating Inclusive Teaching in Grad Students, Post Docs and Early Career Faculty
Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, Associate Research Professor and John Elia, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Wednesday, 5/14/2025, 3:30 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Millenium Science Center W203

portrait of Mary Ann Tobin portrait of John EliaA conversation on inclusive teaching practices and Universal Design for Learning. 

This is a closed event customized for the requesting department. If you are interested in a Custom Workshop for your area, contact us at site@psu.edu.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Designing AI-Conscious Assignments: Navigating AI Integration and Exclusion 
Facilitated by Chas Brua, Associate Research Professor, Larkin Hood, Associate Director, Associate Research Professor, Cindy Raynak, Sr. Instructional Consultant & Designer, Angela Dick, Teaching and Learning with Technology, and Jessie Driver, Teaching and Learning with Technology
Tuesday, 5/20/2025 to Thursday, 5/22/2025, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Chas (portrait)Larkin (Portrait)Cindy (Portrait) Jessie Driver (Portrait)

Penn State faculty are invited to participate in a three-day intensive workshop to consider the impacts of generalized AI on assignment design. You will explore how you can incorporate AI use into an assignment or design an assignment to constrain AI use.

Participants will:

- Design or redesign an assignment they have selected and will use in a course in the 2025-26?academic year.
   
- Explore AI-related teaching issues as a community of faculty colleagues and consider the implications for their assignments.
   
- Approach general AI tool use and selection with increased confidence after exploring three Penn State-approved generalized AI tools.
   
- Connect with existing Penn State educator communities focusing on impacts and roles of generalized AI tools in teaching and learning.
   
This in-person program is for Penn State faculty of any rank or title, at any Penn State location. It will be facilitated by the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and by Teaching and Learning with Technology, part of University Libraries. The cohort will meet at University Park on May 20, 21, and 22.
   
Travel funding will be available for those from campuses other than University Park.
   
Space is limited. Apply by April 18. In your application, you will be asked to describe your experience with AI and to briefly outline what you would like to accomplish during the intensive experience: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0UJxKyvbL4IVaDA
   
Questions? Contact Larkin Hood at lnh2@psu.edu.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Universal Design for Learning
Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, Associate Research Professor
Thursday, 6/26/2025, 10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Penn State College of Medicine, Room C3621

Mary Ann (portrait)

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework of brain-based, research-backed teaching and learning strategies that proactively address learner variability to reduce learning barriers and create inclusive learning experiences. In this UDL-inspired workshop, participants will be introduced to the UDL framework and explore ways to apply it to their teaching.

This is a closed event customized for the requesting department. If you are interested in a Custom Workshop for your area, contact us at site@psu.edu.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Penn State University