Workshops Events | Center for Integrated Professional Development

Upcoming Workshops

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

As part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week (March 16-20, 2026), we are hosting two in-person events and one online activity to increase your understanding of neurodivergent students, staff, and faculty.

In addition to the in-person events listed below, there will be an online activity that will allow you to engage in the Celebration Week at your own pace. Participants are asked to read a short article, watch a video, or listen to a podcast and jot down a reflection to submit by the end of the following week. To participate in this activity, please contact Mayuko Nakamura by March 15th or register for one of the sessions below, so she can send instructions on how to participate. Participants who submitted their reflections will be entered for a drawing for a prize.

Eligible Participants: Tenure-Track Faculty,  Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Course Instructors, Staff (AP and Civil Service)

Session 1

Film Viewing- From Stigma to Strength: The Neurodiversity Project

Register for this session by Sunday, March 15

Join us for an inspiring documentary video that delves into the lives of neurodivergent students. This powerful video highlights their unique challenges and triumphs, offering a glimpse into their journeys towards academic and personal success. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and appreciation of the diverse experiences of neurodivergent students. Following the screening, we will participate in a roundtable discussion to explore our roles in creating a supportive campus environment for neurodivergent students, staff, and faculty. Registration is required.

Session 2

Embracing Neurodiversity in the Classroom

Register for this session by Sunday, March 15

Neurodiversity recognizes the natural variation in human brains and neurological traits. Neurodiversity emphasizes the strengths of individuals and the support they may require to thrive. Neurodivergent students may include those diagnosed with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions, as well as those who may not have formal diagnoses.

Join us for an engaging workshop designed to foster a culture of inclusion and deepen students' understanding of neurodiversity. Discover the benefits of diverse perspectives and learn how to foster supportive and inclusive classroom environments for all students. Registration is required.

Event Information

Session 1

Synchronous Meeting:
Wednesday, March 18, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location:
Williams Hall 307

Session 2

Synchronous Meeting:
Thursday, March 19, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location:
Williams Hall 308

Facilitators:
Lori Henahan, Student Access and Accommodation Services
Mayuko Nakamura, Center for Integrated Professional Development

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Helping Students Learn How to Learn Online

Register for this session by Wednesday, March 18

Students often assume that online college classes are “easier”, but research shows that it isn’t inherently easier or harder – that depends on the quality of the design and learner support. Online students often struggle to monitor and direct their own learning effectively. This workshop explores how instructors can promote metacognition to support self-regulated learning in virtual environments. Participants will learn about the relevance of metacognition to online learning, identify common learner challenges, and discover strategies for integrating reflective and self-assessment activities into course design. Practical examples using LMS tools will demonstrate how to prompt student reflection, goal setting, and strategic learning behaviors. Registration is required.

Eligible Participants: Tenure-Track Faculty, Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Course Instructors, Graduate Students, Staff (AP and Civil Service)

Event Information

Synchronous Meeting:
Thursday, March 19, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Location:
Online - Zoom

Facilitator:
Stephanie Wilson, Center for Integrated Professional Development

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Teaching Large Isn’t Small Work

A space for truth-telling, resource-sharing, and advocating for what large-class instructors need

Register for this session by Wednesday, April 1

Are you teaching a large class this semester? Feeling the weight of high enrollment, evolving student needs, and the challenges of navigating new digital technologies like AI—alongside the often-unseen work that comes with teaching at scale?

Join us for “Teaching Large Isn’t Small Work”—a 75-minute session designed to bring together instructors of large classes to share experiences, build community, and advocate for meaningful support. The session will feature a panel of faculty who teach large sections and will offer insights, strategies, and candid reflections on what works, what’s hard, and what’s needed. Together, we’ll explore practical approaches to managing classroom dynamics, leveraging technology, and sustaining engagement in high-enrollment settings. Registration is required.

Eligible Participants: Tenure-Track Faculty, Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Course Instructors, Graduate Students, Staff (AP and Civil Service)

Event Information

Synchronous Meeting:
Thursday, April 2, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location:
Online - Zoom

Facilitator:
Mayuko Nakamura, Center for Integrated Professional Development

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Fostering a Growth Mindset for Online Students

Register for this session by Wednesday, April 8

This workshop introduces strategies for helping online students build confidence, persistence, and motivation. We’ll look at how course design, instructor feedback, and communication can support a growth mindset and encourage students to see challenges as opportunities to learn. Registration is required.

Eligible Participants: Tenure-Track Faculty, Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Course Instructors, Graduate Students, Staff (AP and Civil Service)

Event Information

Synchronous Meeting:
Thursday, April 9, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Location:
Online - Zoom

Facilitator:
Steve Travers, Center for Integrated Professional Development

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Completed Workshops

Open Up Your Course: Supporting Student Success with Open and Affordable Course Materials

Textbook and course material costs have increased wildly in the last few decades, outpacing college tuition, housing, and healthcare costs in the United States. As a result, many students postpone or do not purchase required course materials, which hampers their learning processes and impacts their grades. This workshop will introduce participants to Open Educational Resources (OER) and illuminate strategies for integrating low- or no-cost materials into their courses. During the session, the facilitators will share how adopting affordable course materials supports student success, the resources available from Milner Library, and how to locate and use OER in your courses. Registration is required.

Eligible Participants: Tenure-Track Faculty, Non-Tenure Track Faculty, and Course Instructors

Event Information

Synchronous Meeting:
Thursday, February 5, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Location:
Online - Zoom

Facilitator:
Julie Murphy, Milner Library
Lindsey Skaggs, Milner Library

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Creating a Culture of Academic Integrity Online

This workshop provides online course facilitators with a few practical approaches to promoting academic honesty in online courses. These approaches include strategies for designing assessments, fostering trust and transparency, and addressing challenges such as the use of artificial intelligence tools.

Eligible Participants: Tenure-Track Faculty, Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Course Instructors, Graduate Students, Staff (AP and Civil Service)

Event Information

Synchronous Meeting:
Friday, February 6, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Location:
Online - Zoom

Facilitator:
Steve Travers, Center for Integrated Professional Development

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Building Regular and Substantive Interaction into Your Online Courses

Explore ways to increase interactivity and engagement within your online courses, while also meeting federal regulations for distance education. Regular and substantive interaction (RSI) is a federal requirement for all online courses that distinguishes “distance education” from “correspondence education”—the latter is ineligible to be paid for by federal financial funding (i.e., the University must return all financial aid tuition used for the course). Come and learn what constitutes RSI and how you can build RSI into your courses. (Hint: You are likely already doing some of this.) Registration is required.

Eligible Participants: Tenure-Track Faculty, Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Course Instructors, Graduate Students

Event Information

Synchronous Meeting:
Wednesday, February 11, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Location:
Online - Zoom

Facilitator:
Tony Piña, Center for Integrated Professional Development

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Building your Network of Support to Prepare you for Tenure and Promotion

This event is designed for early-career faculty who are in their first three years at ISU. Join us for a panel discussion with senior faculty to learn more about strategies and recommendations they have for navigating tenure and promotion and building a strong network of support. During this informal discussion, you will learn from those who have gone before about the routines and partnerships they established in their early career years. There will also be plenty of time for Q & A. Registration is required.

Eligible Participants: Early Career Faculty and Course Instructors in their first 3 years at ISU

Event Information

Synchronous Meeting:
Friday, February 13, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location:
WIH 314

Facilitators:
Dana Karraker, Center for Integrated Professional Development
Emily Jones, Center for Integrated Professional Development

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Framework for Inclusive Teaching Excellence (FITE)

The Framework for Inclusive Teaching Excellence (FITE) guides CIPD’s approach to advancing inclusive teaching at Illinois State University. Designed to support instructors at all career stages, the FITE promotes growth in six dimensions: Science of Learning, Impact of Course Design, Evidence-based Pedagogy, Classroom Climate and Culture, Feedback and Assessment Loop, and Data-Informed Reflection. CIPD has built a robust suite of programming and services around this framework, offering a dynamic lineup of events and learning opportunities to meet the evolving needs of educators across the university.

Explore FITE