iTeach 2026 Program

Paper Session: Creative Assignments to Support Student Learning (Room 110)

Teaching Through Tales: The Power of Storytelling with Multimedia

Kate Bowersox, Director, Center for Digital Education

Darrick Hays, Multimedia Development & Production Specialist II, Center for Digital Education

Faculty can help bring learning to life by creating digital stories that make concepts more engaging and memorable. In this session, we’ll walk through how to plan, design, and integrate multimedia stories into any course. We’ll discuss a logical workflow to maximize your storytelling impact. We’ll also talk through common challenges, like time constraints, technical skills and keeping your stories aligned with learning objectives. Attendees will leave with new ideas for using digital storytelling in their teaching and a simple framework for creating stories that can be reused and adapted for future courses.

From Podcasts to Papers: Building Science Literacy Through Open Educational Resources

Maggie Schlarman, Senior Lecturer, Biology

This session presents an approach to integrate open-access scientific podcasts with primary research articles to help increase science literacy in students. Faculty implement a model in which students annotate podcast content, analyze data figures, and develop instructional resources for peer use. This collaborative framework enhances students’ comprehension of scientific concepts and experimental methodologies. It also supplies faculty with adaptable instructional materials. The project aligns with established biology education competencies, supports equitable access to scientific information, and improves students’ abilities to interpret and evaluate primary research literature. The model could also be adapted for use in additional academic disciplines.

3D Visualization in Ceramic Education

Matt Branham, Lecturer, Art (Visual Art)

I am developing a digital platform that reimagines how students and educators engage with ceramics. The project, viewable at www.clayarchive.com , offers interactive 3D views of ceramic objects, allowing users to rotate pieces, explore cross sections, and analyze critical formal qualities such as wall thickness, rim, and foot shapes. Beyond visualization, the platform provides downloadable files that can be printed or handled at scale, enabling a tactile connection that is often missing from remote learning. This sense of touch is fundamental to understanding ceramic form and function. By making objects accessible outside their immediate physical context, the project expands opportunities for learning, critique, and appreciation.

Workshop: Reconceptualizing Teaching Observations for Mutual Growth (Room 120)

Lisa Gilbert, Senior Lecturer, Education

Meg Gregory, Senior Lecturer, College Writing Program

Teaching observations can be a powerful practice for professional development, but that power can be a double-edged sword. Where do they go wrong, and why do we so often avoid them? What innovative approaches can resolve these longstanding difficulties? In this workshop, we will provide opportunities to discuss challenges and opportunities that come along with peer observation. We will share current best practices from scholarship in Education and Composition Studies aimed at reshaping observations into collaborative conversation between colleagues aimed at reciprocal growth. Participants will reflect on current observational approaches in their own departments and leave with new ideas for how to conduct and participate in a generative teaching observation process.

Panel Discussion: Postdoc Perspectives: How Innovative Curriculum Strategies Shape Career Trajectories (Room 130)

Moderator: Peter Myers, Associate Director, Postdoctoral Education and Partnerships, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Moderator: Paola Cepeda, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Postdoctoral Affairs, Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Postdocs often face limited teaching opportunities. This panel presents four innovative professional development programs designed by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs that address this challenge by embedding teaching skill development into broader career preparation. Through strategies such as case study creation, research communication, grant writing mentorship, and discussion facilitation, postdocs gain hands-on experience in designing and delivering content, skills traditionally cultivated through classroom teaching. Centered on the voices of four postdocs who completed these programs, the panel highlights how these approaches supplement disciplinary expertise and enhance competitiveness in the job market. Participants will share how these experiences helped them lead collaborative initiatives and gain confidence in their teaching abilities. These programs demonstrate that teaching competencies can be cultivated outside the classroom, an approach that has transformed WashU postdoctoral training. Attendees will gain practical strategies to embed teaching skill development into their programming through meaningful experiences.

Panel Discussion: Building Congruence in Learner-Educator Mindsets: How A Coaching Approach Can Enhance Psychological Safety and Mattering in the Learning Environment (Room 60)

Moderator: Rachel Moquin, Associate Professor, Anesthesiology

Panelists:

Steve Taff, Occupational Therapy and Medicine, Assistant Dean for Faculty Leadership Development

John Schneider, Associate Professor, Otolaryngology and Assistant Dean for Faculty Coaching

Intentional design of learning environments is as critical a factor in facilitating learning as instructional design, teaching strategies, and authentic assessment. In this panel presentation, we discuss how a coaching approach can build and sustain learning environments where students feel psychologically safe and that their contributions to the community of learners are valued. A coaching approach enhances effective teaching and learning by creating a culture of clear communication, adaptive listening, growth-focused feedback, and learner empowerment. A coaching mindset not only supports learners through establishing a culture of trust and psychological safety but challenges them to grow in a learning environment where their ideas truly matter.

Paper Session: Building Connections and Community (Room 70)

Instructor Trivia: Easy, Quick, and Fun Community Building

Janie Brennan, Teaching Professor, Energy Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE)

A wealth of research has shown that the student-instructor relationship is critical for student learning and sense of belonging, and that the strength of the student-instructor relationship can be influenced by the instructor’s “approachability”. This presentation will introduce and examine the multifaceted benefits of a novel and simple method of student engagement: Instructor Trivia. The method will be introduced and demonstrated, followed by a discussion of qualitative research results from its use by multiple instructors.

Oral Exams: Scaling to Large Classes

Ilan Goodman, Lecturer, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

With AI on the rise, maintaining rigorous assessment standards that accurately evaluate a student’s own understanding poses a significant challenge. In this presentation, I will share my experience of implementing oral exams in a data engineering class and expanding this approach from a 30-person class to a 60-person class, with strategies that could scale to even larger classes. Attendees will gain insights into the pedagogical benefits of oral exams, such as interview practice and personalized feedback. I will discuss practical techniques for managing increased logistical demands, including scheduling, grading consistency, and time management. This session aims to equip instructors with actionable methods to integrate oral assessments into large classes, fostering deeper learning and engagement.

Twelve Tips for Increasing Student/Teacher Contact

Martha Hasting, Senior Lecturer, Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE)

Increasing the frequency of student/teacher contact points increases student/course engagement and thus increases learning. This session will offer 12 practical tips for cultivating opportunities for contact with your students.

Panel Discussion: Classrooms as Bridges: Connecting Students to the Changing Business World (Room 110)

Nayong Quan, Lecturer, Business

Hyun J. Yoon, Ph.D. Candidate, Business

Miranda Wang, Ph.D. Candidate, Business

The key challenge in business education is bridging the gap between theory and the rapidly evolving realities of the business world, such as markets and technology. These complex yet tangible dynamics call on us, as lecturers, to help students connect their existing knowledge and experiences with real-world business contexts through meaningful classroom engagement. This panel will feature three presenters who will share their strategies for achieving this goal by integrating research, advanced technologies, and real-world applications:

Hyun J. Yoon will share strategies to connect learning to students’ goals, ground theory in real-life negotiation, and design enduring learning experiences. Miranda Wang will discuss how bridging managerial accounting concepts to social media helps students grasp abstract ideas and how common misconceptions about measurement shape real-world decisions. Nayong Quan will discuss strategies to guide students to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools ethically and effectively to prepare for future business negotiations.”

Workshop: ePortfolios 101: From Creation to Classrooms (Room 120)

Kate Bloomquist, Senior Lecturer, College Writing

Workshop participants will learn about one of the most exciting educational innovations in recent years—ePortfolios. As a Canvas platform for showcasing project-based learning, ePortfolios provide us a tool to share our metacognitive growth—for students, faculty & staff, alike. In the first half of our workshop, participants will learn about the “folio thinking” pedagogy via sample ePortfolios and will create an ePortfolio of their own, showcasing their professional development at WashU (with carefully curated musical selections to further our learning goals!). In the second half of our workshop, participants will share their ePortfolios in small groups and create a plan for incorporating ePortfolios into their classrooms and/or wider campus engagement. By the end of this workshop, participants will be practitioners of ePortfolios: with their first ePortfolio created and with the inspiration to create ePortfolios with their students to further their project-based learning.

Please bring a laptop with you!

Workshop: Integrating GenAI to Reduce Ancillary Load in Complex Assignments (Room 130)

Kate Holdener, Senior Lecturer, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

“McClusky’s Power-Load-Margin theory suggests that students’ margin for learning is defined by power divided by load. Power is access to resources: physical, social, mental, and economic. Load is the demand placed on students. By increasing students’ power and reducing their load, we increase their margin for learning.

In upper-level courses, meaningful assignments require students to combine multiple skills to reach learning objectives. However, several involved skills may be ancillary to the main course objectives. Generative AI is a tool that can greatly increase students’ power or decrease their load. In our Software Engineering for External Clients course, we design assignments allowing and encouraging students to use GenAI on tasks ancillary to learning objectives, lessening load and increasing learning margin. Workshop participants will reflect on the learning objectives and load generated by their assignments and will sketch a strategy to reduce load by using GenAI.”

Panel Session: Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education, at WashU and Nationwide (Room 60)

Moderator: Kurt Thoroughman, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering (BME)

Panelists:

Meghann Pytka, Instructional Specialist, Division of Engineering Education

Eric Fournier, Director of Educational Development, Center for Teaching & Learning

Jen Smith, Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives, Professor, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences

A landmark report from the National Academies calls for transformation of undergraduate STEM education. It establishes principles and practices for equitable and effective teaching, drawing upon decades of scholarship and recent innovations. This panel will showcase WashU successes in student connection, faculty training, and data-driven improvements. We will introduce resources available through a new national network, arising from the Academies report. We will discuss a new WashU program to build shared STEM community and support.

Paper Session: Active Learning and Student Engagement (Room 70)

Lead Teams: Participatory Design & Scaling for Active Learning

Bill Siever, Teaching Professor, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

CSE 2600 is a midsize (~85 students) course that includes an 80-minute active learning session each week. There are multiple challenges to this format, including: design and refinement of the activities; providing consistent support and enforcing accountability during the sessions; and providing sufficient interaction between course staff and students.

In the fall of 2026, CSE 2600 utilized “Lead Teams”, a component of course participation, which helped address these challenges. A Lead Team is composed of ~8-15 students that:
1) Meet with instructors to work through the active learning activity 2-5 days before the class; 2) Collaborate to provide immediate feedback on the activity and how it could be improved; 3) Help oversee and guide the in-class activity; 4) Collaborate after the activity to provide additional feedback based on their observations.

This session will provide a report of the instructors’ experience with this approach, including the challenges implementing it, problems, and successes.

“You’ve Got This!”: The Role of Self-Compassion during Active-Learning

Elise Walck-Shannon, Senior Lecturer, Biology

Failure is a necessary part of the learning process. When students participate in active learning, they experience failure often. Though active learning can produce larger learning gains than traditional lecture, it can be uncomfortable–and even anxiety-producing–for some students. Self-compassion, or empathy towards oneself amidst challenges, can help relieve anxiety in diverse contexts. Using previously validated scales, we found that self-compassion related negatively to active learning discomfort, even when controlling for self-efficacy, fear of negative evaluation, mastery goal orientation, and social belonging. Additionally, we found that changes in self-compassion during the semester were dependent on course format. In large-enrollment, predominantly lecture sections, self-compassion decreased slightly; but, in small-enrollment, flipped sections, self-compassion increased slightly. In conclusion, self-compassion may provide a framework to make active learning more comfortable for students, and self-compassion appears to be modifiable over the semester based on educational experiences.

Student Presentations to Alumni of Statistical Analyses

Eli Snir, Teaching Professor, Business

In the undergraduate statistics course at Olin, we continuously emphasize the importance of interpreting statistical results to a managerial audience. While the course focuses on learning statistical skills, we developed a novel way to emphasize the importance of communicating the results of a statistical analysis.

One of the group projects in the course requires students to develop Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts. This semester, students evaluated a large dataset from the Divvy bike-sharing system to generate insights on riding patterns across Chicago. To strengthen students’ ability to present the results of their analysis, we partnered with WashU alumni. In a 30-minute Zoom call, each group presented the analysis and had the opportunity to discuss career objectives with the alum. We’ve used various data science projects in this format. Overall, the students and the alumni gained a lot from this opportunity.

Poster Session

Exploration of Adaptive Learning in Large Enrollment Organic Chemistry Course 

Rong Chen, Senior Lecturer, Chemistry

Ali York, Evaluation Specialist, Institutional Effectiveness

ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces), an AI-powered, web-based system employing adaptive learning, was used in Organic Chemistry as a formative assessment platform. Through adaptive questioning and machine learning, ALEKS provides personalized assignments and continuously adapts to each student’s current level of content mastery. Platform analytics (e.g., Knowledge Checks, time-on-task, objective mastery) were used to trigger targeted supports, including tailored practice, targeted content-review sessions, and timely outreach. The impact of ALEKS-based adaptive homework on students’ learning outcomes and learning experiences was examined. Preliminary findings indicate that adaptive pathways increased content engagement and cultivated a growth mindset. Implementation logistics (syllabus alignment, workload, grading) were also discussed.

A Non-conventional Way of Teaching Organic Lab

Maria de la Cruz, Senior Lecturer, Chemistry

For the past 3 years, I have been developing a non-traditional organic lab experiment. I gave students an individual work project that requires the separation and identification of two organic compounds. With guided sets of questions and tips, each student has to come up with their own experimental procedure, use the NMR spectroscopic method and melting point determination to identify the two unknown compounds. The following week (part 2 of the project), each student was required to do an oral presentation of the NMR spectra for the identification of one of the organic compounds. In order to provide a real life experience, my staff and I listened to each one during their NMR analysis oral presentation, given the number of students we had (300 to 400 students) more thought needs to be given if this portion is worth the time invested. I have communicated to students that this oral presentation will help them in their future career as it is very common for members of a research or medical group to present their weekly reports to their group.  I received a very positive and encouraging feedback from students via students’ evaluation.

Persistent Challenges and Enduring Wisdom: Exploring the Oldest College Teaching Book in our Library

Eric Fournier, Director of Educational Development, Center for Teaching and Learning

College Teaching (1920) offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of higher education from over a century ago. It provides an overview of college teaching, recommendations for improvement, and discipline-focused chapters. Many challenges they describe remain relevant today: poorly trained faculty, lack of interest in pedagogy, misalignment between faculty duties and the tenure system, and an over-reliance on lectures. While parts of the book are dated, the general tone feels remarkably current, and it raises many questions about the place of teaching in higher education and the role of educational development in the promotion and diffusion of effective educational practices.

Self-Study: A Rigorous Tool for Pedagogical Reflection and Growth

Lisa Gilbert, Senior Lecturer, Education

Reflection is a key component in the pedagogical praxis cycle linking theory and practice. Here, I report on “self-study” (S-STEP), an innovative form of professional development in education scholarship. Originally created by teacher educators (professors who teach teachers), S-STEP leverages research techniques to formalize the process of reflection and change. For example, a common format involves journaling after each class meeting and participating in regular interviews with a trusted colleague who has read the journal entries; at the end of the study period, both journals and interview transcripts are analyzed. This rigorous process often surfaces insights that otherwise might have stayed in an instructor’s blind spot and thereby improves their teaching. By sharing my own process of collecting data on my teaching practice in AY24-25, particularly as regards supporting student mental health, this poster aims to bring the tools of self-study to fellow colleagues dedicated to pedagogical reflection and growth.

Creating a Feedback Loop via “Comments”: Helping Students Read and Respond Productively to Written Feedback in the CW Classroom

Meg Gregory, Senior Lecturer, College Writing Program

One key aspect of my role as a writing instructor is in providing written feedback to my students on their writing. Yet, studies tell us that many students do not spend much time considering faculty feedback and, when they do read the feedback, that they often struggle to understand it or end up overwhelmed and demoralized by it (see for example Higgins et al., 2002; Ornella Treglia, 2008; Bailey and Garner, 2010, Underwood and Tregidgo, 2006). These challenges hamper the learning process in the writing classroom.

This poster describes how I respond to these challenges by using the Canvas “comments” tool, where students upload their work, to create a space for a feedback loop on student writing in my courses. Students comment on their own writing first, then I respond to their comments with my own. Finally, students use the comments tool again to reflect on their work and my feedback in preparation for future writing assignments.

Evaluation of the Impact of a Student and Resident Interprofessional Teaching Certificate Program

Heather Hageman, Director of the Collaboration for Interprofessional Education, WashU Medicine

Haley N. Johnson, Associate Professor, St. Louis College of Pharmacy

Alberto Sobrero, Wash U MD 2025 Graduate

Jiamu Sun, Wash U MPH 2025 Graduate

Dennis Chang, Associate Professor of Medicine, Wash U Medicine

Denise Leonard, Associate Director for Educational Development, Center for Teaching and Learning

We conducted a mixed-methods analysis to evaluate if participation in a trainee interprofessional teaching certificate program results in a change in participants’ teaching, clinical practice, and/or research. A quantitative post-survey was administered to all cohorts immediately following completion that is adapted from validated teaching readiness and interprofessional attitude tools. An anonymous qualitative survey was emailed to all previous cohorts (2021-2024). Secondary objectives included assessing participants’ perceptions of IPE and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and their readiness for interprofessional teaching immediately following the program. Themes identified from qualitative analysis included increased confidence in interprofessional teamwork, enhanced IPC and interprofessional communication, and improved interprofessional teaching and curriculum design development. The quantitative survey confirmed findings of the qualitative analysis. Participants reported believing that patient outcomes are improved with IPC (median 5 [IQR 1]) and had high confidence (5 [1]) in their readiness, navigation of difficult interprofessional scenarios (5 [0]) and teaching in interprofessional settings.

Workshop: A Hands-On Guide to the Learning Mastery Gradebook in Canvas (Room 110)

Kevin Brennan, Lecturer, Division of Engineering Education

Curious about implementations of alternative grading practices? This interactive workshop covers the learning mastery gradebook in Canvas, starting from the basics (what is it, and how is course setup different when using it?) then demonstrating many of its key features from both the student and instructor perspectives. Led by an experienced user, this workshop provides pragmatic tips and tricks to help participants avoid common frustrations and make the most of this Canvas feature.

Workshop: Teaching with Transparency and Reflection: Your Class is Building Valuable Skills – Help Your Students Notice Them (Room 120)

Michelle DeLair, Director of Curricular Innovation, Arts & Sciences

Elina Salminen, Assistant Director for Educational Development, Center for Teaching & Learning

“Why am I learning this?” Students often have difficulty noticing and articulating the value of the learning they acquire through coursework, especially the enduring transferable skills that go beyond disciplinary content. In this interactive workshop, we will present strategies instructors can use to help students notice and take stock of the learning (competencies, skills, literacies, etc.) they are gaining and practicing through course lectures, activities, and assignments. Drawing on evidence-based practices and lessons learned from the Arts & Sciences Literacies for Life and Career pedagogical pilot, we will introduce faculty to two easily incorporated approaches – transparency and metacognitive reflection.  After we provide examples of implementation and student feedback from the pilot study, participants will have the opportunity to do some planning of their own by designing or reworking a metacognitive moment for their course. The session will wrap up with sharing ideas about teaching with transparency and metacognition across the disciplines.

Workshop: Unveiling the AI Literacy Canvas Module (Room 130)

Anna Cunningham, Assistant Director for Teaching Innovation, Center for Teaching & Learning

Details coming soon!

Paper Session: Creative Approaches to Course Design (Room 60)

Course Maps: Creating a Roadmap for In-Person and Online Courses

Marianne Peacock, Instructional Design Manager, Center for Digital Education

This session introduces course maps as a practical tool for designing with purpose, whether teaching in-person or online. Using a “what, why, and how” framework, the presentation will define course maps, highlight their benefits for both faculty and students, and demonstrate how they can be used to strengthen alignment between objectives, activities, and assessments. Participants will also see how course maps connect to Quality Matters standards on measurable objectives and alignment. Participants will leave with an adaptable course map template to support their own instructional planning.

Student-led Rubric Design for Belonging and Grade-representation

Ben Wormleighton, Lecturer, Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE)

In recent years, interest has grown in integrating course features where students are granted high levels of agency in shaping how they interact with a course. There are many examples in our community and beyond of student collaboration in constructing course syllabi, formation of discussion norms, assessment and rubric design, and more. In this talk I seek to offer some frameworks and starting points for practice, mostly in the context of STEM education, as well as motivate the use of these practices. This talk preludes a study to take place in Spring 2026 assessing the impact of student-led rubric design on two key features of student experience – comments on this are very welcome!

Innovating Final Grades: The Multiplicative Approach for Balancing Mastery and Participation in the AI Era

Ilan Goodman, Lecturer, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

In response to the challenges posed by AI tools in academic assessments, I have developed an innovative multiplicative grading system that calculates final grades by combining a “skill” grade with a “participation” grade. This approach ensures that grades accurately reflect a student’s mastery of the material while also valuing engagement through homework and class activities. Implemented in an upper-division data engineering course, this system resulted in a near-zero rate of missed homework assignments and a wider grade distribution, showcasing differentiation in student performance based on both mastery and participation. Attendees will learn about the practical application of this grading method, its impact on student performance, and its potential to enhance fairness and accuracy in assessments. Join me to explore how this multiplicative approach can be a valuable tool for educators in the evolving landscape of AI-driven education.

Paper Session: Innovative Assessment Practices (Room 70)

Near Peer Group Sessions for Knowledge for Practice

Stacy Tylka, Professor, Physical Therapy

Megan Burgess, Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy and Orthopaedic Surgery

Peer-to-peer (P2P) learning – similarly referred to as peer-assisted learning (PAL) and Near Peer (NP) learning1 – has advantages and has been utilized in a variety of academic settings.  This instructional method has been shown to reduce learner academic burnout 2 and feelings of learner cynicism and inadequacy,3 and encourage academic support for struggling learners4 while serving as a similar and sensible alternative for other supportive instructional methods.5 This submission details a unique, voluntary participation, supplemental weekly Near Peer small group program with a ratio of 1 leader to 10-15 learners.  Leaders are selected by the prior cohort and are mentored by faculty to create a safe space where knowledge gaps are identified and remediated.  Content topics are not only reviewed but are also presented in a problem-based learning format to allow for group discussion, case-based application, and exploration.  Qualitative course feedback supports learners’ positive experience with this Near Peer offering.

Smarter Teaching and Learning (STL): Advancing Clinical Competency Assessment and Education Through Modern Psychometrics

Chih-Hung Chang, Professor, Occupational Therapy

The Smarter Teaching and Learning (STL) framework integrates modern psychometric methodologies and educational technologies to enhance the precision and efficiency of occupational therapy (OT) education. Anchored in Item Response Theory (IRT) and Cognitive Diagnostic Models (CDMs), STL enables fine-grained, individualized assessment of essential clinical competencies—such as clinical reasoning, therapeutic communication, and intervention planning—through Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT). This analytic approach identifies specific strengths and learning needs across cognitive and performance attributes, facilitating targeted instructional design and data-informed feedback. Coupled with interactive multimedia learning environments, STL promotes self-regulated, equitable, and competency-based professional development. By uniting diagnostic assessment, adaptive learning, and psychometric rigor, STL provides a scalable model for advancing clinical education and assessment that aligns with contemporary standards in health professions training and supports evidence-based, lifelong learning in an increasingly data-driven healthcare landscape.

Assessing the Assessor: Formative Assessment as Faculty Development to Enhance Assessor Feedback During Practical Examinations 

Jeff Konrad, Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy

Meg Burgess, Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy and Orthopaedic Surgery

Jess Randolph, Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy

Carey Holleran, Associate Professor, Physical Therapy

The purpose of this presentation is to share an applied approach to faculty development in formative assessment of skill learning using educator competencies. Our goals were to improve and standardize assessor behavior across a curriculum and enhance the faculty perceptions of formative assessment. We developed a rubric of assessment competencies to provide clear expectations for desired assessment behaviors and used the rubric to provide feedback to assessors who perform formative assessments with learners. Two assessments were performed, one by a peer faculty rater and one by self-assessment.  More than 50 assessors were evaluated twice in an academic year. Results include the differences between peer and self-assessment, and changes in performance from the first to the second assessment. We also surveyed the assessors’ perceptions of formative assessment before and after their participation. This presentation describes an approach that moves the concept of educator competencies from theoretical to actionable. The purpose of this presentation is to share an applied approach to faculty development in formative assessment of skill learning using educator competencies. Our goals were to improve and standardize assessor behavior across a curriculum and enhance the faculty perceptions of formative assessment. We developed a rubric of assessment competencies to provide clear expectations for desired assessment behaviors and used the rubric to provide feedback to assessors who perform formative assessments with learners. Two assessments were performed, one by a peer faculty rater and one by self-assessment.  More than 50 assessors were evaluated twice in an academic year. Results include the differences between peer and self-assessment, and changes in performance from the first to the second assessment. We also surveyed the assessors’ perceptions of formative assessment before and after their participation. This presentation describes an approach that moves the concept of educator competencies from theoretical to actionable.

Workshop: Canvas in Action: Strategies to Maximize Teaching and Learning (Room 110)

Tiffany Lang, Instructional Designer, Arts & Sciences

Meghann Pytka, Instructional Specialist, Engineering Education Division

Ebony Teter, Learning Management Systems Manager, Center for Digital Education

Kella Thornton, Instructional Specialist, CAPS

Cole Palmer, Instructional Specialist, CAPS

This workshop offers practical, hands-on strategies for using Canvas effectively in courses of any size or discipline. Participants will explore features and approaches to design an effective course framework, enhance communication, integrate media, and provide meaningful grading feedback, creating dynamic learning experiences that boost student engagement and community. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with actionable methods they can apply immediately to maximize Canvas’s potential in their own courses.

Workshop: LABxDESIGN: Best Practices for Teaching Lab, Design, and Practical Courses (Room 120)

Chiamaka Asinugo, Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS)

This interactive workshop is designed for instructors teaching lab, design, and other hands-on practical courses at WashU. Participants will explore effective strategies for organizing and managing these experience-based classes. The session will begin with a brief overview of common challenges and successful practices, followed by small-group breakout activities where instructors will share their own approaches to course design, assessment, and student engagement. Groups will then collaborate to identify common themes and unique solutions, which will be shared in a guided discussion. The workshop aims to foster cross-departmental connections, highlight existing innovations, and support a community of practice around experiential teaching. Participants will leave with a collection of peer-tested ideas and practical tips they can apply in their own courses.

Panel Session: AI Bots to Support Student Learning (Room 130)

Anna Cunningham, Assistant Director for Teaching Innovation, Center for Teaching & Learning

Details coming soon!

Panel Session: CEILE: Community for Exploration and Innovation in Learning Environments (Room 60)

Lorien Carter, Professor of Practice, Brown School; Faculty Fellow in Inclusive Pedagogy and Equitable Outcomes, Office of the Provost

Elina Salminen, Assistant Director for Educational Development, Center for Teaching and Learning

This panel will include faculty participants from the current and previous two cohorts of the CEILE: Community for Exploration and Innovation in Learning Environments faculty learning community. CEILE offers an avenue for faculty to center inclusive and equitable teaching practices that will lead to more equitable academic outcomes for undergraduate students.

Participants will share their learning experiences, including key takeaways from the 8 knowledge-building sessions focused on inclusive and equitable course design, reimagining academic curricula, designing transparent and equitable assessments and fostering a sense of belonging and an inclusive classroom climate.

Current participants will describe their concrete implementation plans that include specific and substantive changes to their course design, content, assessment or teaching methods. CEILE alumni (past participants) will share how they’ve continued to implement components of their plans while emphasizing the tangible classroom and student outcomes they’ve observed and measured.

Workshop: Reacting to the Past: A Workshop on Pedagogical Roleplaying Games for the Classroom (Room 70)

Kelly Schmidt, Lecturer, African and African American Studies

This presentation introduces participants to “Reacting to the Past,” an award-winning pedagogy for engaged learning based on role-playing games (https://reactingconsortium.org/). Through sample-roleplaying based on the game Harlem 1919, participants will experience the contours and best practices of the pedagogy, and learn from past classroom Reacting sessions to navigate around potential pitfalls. Participants will then brainstorm how they can create or adapt similar roleplaying scenarios for their humanities classrooms.

Workshop: Canvas Drop-In/Open Lab: Personalized Support for Teaching with Canvas (Room 110)

Tiffany Lang, Instructional Designer, Arts & Sciences

This drop-in session provides the opportunity to stop by and ask specific Canvas questions, troubleshoot challenges, and explore features most relevant to their courses. This open lab allows participants to bring their own course scenarios and receive individualized support from Canvas Instructional Support staff.

Workshop: Leveling Out the Learning Curve: Supporting the Transition from Student to Clinician in Health Care Education (Room 120)

Jessie Bricker, Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy

New health care professionals frequently report stress and perceived inadequacy as they make the transition from student to clinician. While many health care professions have recently placed emphasis on incorporating professional behavior standards into clinical education, it is also critical to teach students strategies for how to engage in the professional development process. This interactive workshop combines best practices in metacognitive strategies for self-reflection with an occupational therapy lens on supporting students in discovering their “best fit” within clinical practice. Participants will have the opportunity to try out a series of targeted learning activities designed to promote professional exploration, values and priorities alignment, and development of habits and routines that will move students from professional development goals to a concrete action plan for becoming a competent clinician. Strategies for addressing the needs of struggling students will also be discussed.

Workshop: Hands-On Session to Build Your Own Bot (Room 130)

Anna Cunningham, Assistant Director for Teaching Innovation, Center for Teaching & Learning

Details coming soon!

Panel Session: Integration of Competency-based Program Assessment Models in Graduate Educational Programs (Room 60)

Panelists:

Angela Hobson, Associate Dean of Education, School of Public Health

Lorien Carter, Director, Instructional Coaching and Faculty Training, Brown School; Faculty Fellow in Inclusive Pedagogy and Equitable Outcomes, Office of the Provost

Kate Barbier, Director, Office of Student Applied Practice

Jewel Stafford, Assistant Dean of Practicum Engaged Scholarship, Brown School

Moderator:

Ragini Maddipati, Director, Dual Degree Programs, School of Public Health

This panel discussion will highlight the challenges and benefits of using a rigorous, holistic and multidimensional competency based graduate program assessment. It will begin with an overview of the pedagogical rationale for competency based assessment, why this approach is expected in many disciplines, and how two WashU graduate programs developed, implemented and evaluated holistic program assessment models.

Panelists will critically examine the barriers to adoption of these models, such as faculty workload, the need for robust assessment tools, educational accreditation requirements, and institutional readiness for cultural and structural change. Drawing on case studies and lessons learned from both fields, the discussion will surface strategies for integrating competencies while maintaining academic rigor and equity. The session aims to provide insights for educators, administrators, and practitioners committed to harnessing actionable data for informing effective, future-oriented training models.

Panel Session: Alternative Grading Implementations in STEM Courses (Room 70)

Panel:

Steve Cole, Senior Lecturer, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

Cynthia Ma, Lecturer, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

Ilan Goodman, Lecturer, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

Kevin Brennan, Lecturer,  Division of Engineering Education

Alternative grading strategies such as “mastery grading” and “standards-based grading” have gained popularity in higher education in recent years, and many WashU courses now use some form of alternative grading in lieu of a traditional points- or percentage-based assessment strategy.  In this panel session we will present and discuss the implementation of alternative grading schemes in STEM classes taught by the panelists, including Engineering Math courses and a Computer Science course.  Our focus will be on practical details and logistics of implementing an alternative grading scheme, including designing appropriate learning goals and aligned assessments, giving actionable feedback with assignment resubmission opportunities at large-class scale, and mapping coarse-grained proficiency ratings to letter grades when assigning end-of-semester grades to students.  We will welcome discussion and questions from instructors at all stages of alternative grading adoption, from curious to experienced.