breakout sessions
Sessions
Sessions will be offered twice, once from 11:00am to 11:45am and again from 1:00pm to 1:45pm.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
11:00am - 11:45am & 1:00pm - 1:45pm
Activities for the First Day of Class (Room 23)
Boram Yi
Boyer College of Music and Dance, Dance
Temple University
About this Workshop
A great first day of class–whether you are teaching in person or online, can set the stage for the entire semester. Your first interactions with your students matter. The first day and first week of class can really set the tone and help build community in your classes, which can help with group work, motivation, and a sense of belonging. This session explores ways to make a lasting first impression that sparks student interest and encourages them to learn from day one.
Creating Engaging Discussions (Room 24)
Carrilee Bryan
College of Liberal Arts, History
Temple University
About this Workshop
This session will provide you with information regarding the intellectual and pedagogical value of classroom discussion, as well as useful strategies for integrating meaningful discussions into diverse instructional settings. We will consider discussion as a tool that promotes constructive learning, examine ways to balance and assess the voices contributing to class discussions and uncover strategies to promote engaging discussions in the face-to-face and online classroom.
Labs and Supplemental Sessions (Room 25)
Katie McManus
College of Science and Technology, Biology
Temple University
About this Workshop
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Active Learning Strategies (Room 26)
Vivian Lauver
College of Liberal Arts, English
Temple University
About this Workshop
Research on learning strongly indicates that when students actively engage content—by discussing, arguing, connecting, applying, evaluating, questioning, and integrating—they learn more, and, most importantly, it sticks! You will leave this session with strategies for designing learning activities to make your face-to-face and online classroom an active, engaged, and effective learning environment.
Challenging Discussions and Charged Moments: Planning for, and Strategies if, Things Get Hot (Room 27)
Anyun Chatterjee
Klein College of Media and Communication, English
Temple University
About this Workshop
Planning ahead can help you facilitate productive discussions about challenging issues. In this session, learn how to create a learning environment with guidelines for respectful engagement along with some helpful strategies for managing hot moments. We will consider both the in-person and online environments.
Feedback thats Motivating (Room 28)
Hans Shenk
College of Liberal Arts, Philosophy
Temple University
About this Workshop
When assessing learning, research shows that instructor feedback can significantly impact student learning outcomes so you need to be thoughtful and intentional about how, when, and how much feedback you provide your students. Feedback helps students feel motivated and confident about their learning experience. In this session, we will consider strategies and tools for providing effective feedback in both the face-to-face and online learning contexts.