2024-25 TLC Events

2025-26

The program of events for Summer & Fall 2025 is currently in development. Suggestions for topics or formats are always welcome. 

2024-25

Events this year highlighted the following themes: 

  • Effective pedagogical approaches & classroom management in our "new normal"
  • Generative AI
  • Student success
  • Inclusive teaching practices & establishing a community of belonging

If you require accommodations for equal access to any of the events below, please contact the Office of Accessibility Services via email at access@geneseo.edu, or call 585-245-5112 at least one week prior to this event.

 

Have a topic you'd really like to work more with that isn't listed here, or a speaker you'd like to hear from? Let the TLC know: tlc@geneseo.edu. We value your input! 

filmstrip collage of cat photos.

Completed Programs & Materials

Spring 2025

Thurs. 5/8, 2:30pm. TLC Conversation about Microcredentials

Do you manage or collaborate on an existing Geneseo Microcredential? Are you planning on developing one in the near future?

Join the TLC and SUNY's Cynthia Proctor as we explore growth opportunities for microcredentials on our campus. As the Director of Communications and Academic Policy Development in the Office of the Provost at SUNY, Cynthia is an expert and champion for the opportunities that microcredentials can bring to our learners and our curriculum. This includes several new state-wide opportunities to increase access to Geneseo microcredentials. Learn a bit more about Cynthia here.

SUNY has just re-launched https://www.suny.edu/microcredentials/ to profile programs across our system. Learn how Geneseo microcredentials can be added to that page, and advertised more broadly as a result.

Resources: 

Tues. 5/6, 1:00pm. Sabbatical Information Session with Professional Leave Review Committee

Join members of the Professional Leave Review Committee for an informal Q&A about sabbatical proposals to be submitted in the coming academic year.

This meeting will be held virtually on Teams, to allow for greater access. If you're unable to attend this session but would like additional information, please contact 

Fri. 4/25, 1:00pm. Information Session: ACUE Effective Online Teaching Practices Course

This event was recorded. Email Alexis Clifton (clifton@geneseo.edu) to request access to the recording. 

SUNY Geneseo is excited to offer faculty the opportunity to participate in ACUE’s Effective Online Teaching Practices (EOTP) certification course starting in Fall 2025.

This information session was led by Dr. Martha Bless, ACUE’s Director of Academic Programs. 

This 25-module course prepares faculty in evidence-based teaching practices proven through independently-validated research to improve student achievement and close equity gaps. The program is delivered fully online in a collaborative cohort model and is professionally facilitated. The program addresses the core competencies defined in ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework© and is organized into five major areas of practice:

  1. Designing an Effective Course
  2. Establishing a Productive Learning Environment
  3. Using Active Learning Strategies
  4. Promoting Higher Order Thinking
  5. Assessing to Inform Instruction and Promote Learning

Of the thousands of faculty members who have enrolled in ACUE’s courses:

  • 95% found the course content relevant to their work
  • 96% found the course helpful in refining their teaching practice
  • 91% would recommend the course to a colleague

ACUE Course Taker FAQs

  • What is the weekly workload?
    • Course takers typically complete one module a week over 25 weeks.
  • How much time each week does the course take?
    • ACUE’s faculty surveys tell us between 2 to 3 hours a week.
  • Does the course require times for course takers to meet in person or virtually?
    • No, the course is available in Canvas 24/7. Synchronous sessions or discussions may be hosted by your college.
  • Will I have time to make up work I’ve missed?
    • Yes, breaks and a make-up week are included in every course schedule.
  • Will I earn a credential or certification?
    • Faculty who complete the Effective Online Teaching Practices course earn a nationally-recognized certificate in The Effective Teaching Practice Framework, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).

For more information regarding this exciting opportunity to invigorate your teaching with ACUE, please watch these short videos:

3/13 & 3/14; 4/3 & 4/4. TLC Reading Group: Visual Thinking

Join colleagues for a discussion centered around Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions (2022), by Temple Grandin. Our book group will meet virtually, in order to expand access.

There will be 2 sessions, each with two options to attend:

  • Session 1: Either Thursday, March 13th @ 11am or Friday, March 14th @ 1:30pm
  • Session 2: Either Thursday, April 3rd @ 11am or Friday, April 4th @ 1:30pm


Grandin will be speaking on campus on Friday, March 28th, in a visit sponsored by the Office of Accessibility Services. This reading group is designed to meet once before her talk, and once after. 
Like all TLC Reading Groups, this is a "no guilt group." You do not need to have read the relevant portion of the book in order to join us in either meeting.

About the book:

"A quarter of a century after her memoir, Thinking in Pictures, forever changed how the world understood autism, Temple Grandin— 'an anthropologist on Mars,' as Oliver Sacks dubbed her—transforms our awareness of the different ways our brains are wired. Do you have a keen sense of direction, a love of puzzles, the ability to assemble furniture without crying? You are likely a visual thinker.

With her genius for demystifying science, Grandin draws on cutting-edge research to take us inside visual thinking. Visual thinkers constitute a far greater proportion of the population than previously believed, she reveals, and a more varied one, from the photo-realistic 'object visualizers' like Grandin herself, with their intuitive knack for design and problem solving, to the abstract, mathematically inclined 'visual spatial' thinkers who excel in pattern recognition and systemic thinking. She also makes us understand how a world increasingly geared to the verbal tends to sideline visual thinkers, screening them out at school and passing over them in the workplace. Rather than continuing to waste their singular gifts, driving a collective loss in productivity and innovation, Grandin proposes new approaches to educating, parenting, employing, and collaborating with visual thinkers. In a highly competitive world, this important book helps us see, we need every mind on board."

Thurs. 3/13, 12:30pm. TLC Workshop: Incorporating Reflection Into IAL Courses & Experiences

Join the Teaching and Learning Center and the Center for Integrative Learning for a brown bag (lunch provided) workshop on incorporating reflection into integrative and applied learning (IAL) courses and experiences. This workshop will explore the benefits of reflection and the variety of forms the reflective process can take, including but not limited to reflective assignments.

Facilitated by Dr. Melanie Medeiros, Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for Integrative and Applied Learning.

Slides from the Reflection workshop are available here. 

Wed. 3/12, 2:30pm. TLC & Writing Program: Creating Effective Writing Assignments

In this workshop we will think about how to design writing assignments that set your students up for success. This is not just for WRTG 105 instructors, but will be useful for anyone who assigns (or wants to assign) writing in their classes. Participants will receive a free copy of the 3rd edition of "Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom" by John Bean and Dan Melzer. Please bring a draft assignment prompt to the workshop.

Tues. 2/11, 2:00pm. TLC & CIT Workshop: AI for Everyday Use

Let's be honest--we all need more time and shorter to-do lists. Generative AI won't solve all of our problems, but it can lighten our load on the routine tasks we all sort of dread.

This session, held virtually via Teams, will demonstrate how Microsoft Copilot is a safe, efficient tool to help with daily administrative work and our mountains of email.  

Workshop Highlights: 

  • Introduction to AI: Understand the basics of artificial intelligence and its relevance in today's world.
  • AI in Education: Discover how AI can enhance data collection, streamline administrative processes, and support campus engagement.
  • Hands-On with Copilot: Learn how to leverage Microsoft Copilot to boost productivity, manage tasks, and facilitate collaboration.
  • Real-World Examples: See demonstrations of AI tools in action, tailored to the needs of our college community. Possibilities include
    • generating meeting agendas
    • sketching a semester plan to meet your goals
    • drafting calls for proposals, research statements, job descriptions, etc.
    • processing survey data
    • suggesting communication plans for large initiatives
    • ensuring inclusive language and appropriate tone for a given audience
  • Interactive Q&A: Engage in a lively Q&A session to address your specific questions and concerns about integrating AI into your work.

Note: this workshop will not address potential classroom uses or pitfalls regarding generative AI. Other TLC and Ideas That Matter sessions this semester will cover these aspects in greater detail.

This workshop aims to empower you with the knowledge and skills to make the most of AI technologies, enhancing both your professional and personal life. Whether you're tech-savvy or just starting to explore AI, this session will provide valuable insights and practical tips.

Mon. 2/3, 3:30pm. TLC Teaching Squares Information Session

The slides for this presentation can be viewed here. 

This session was recorded; request access to the video by emailing clifton@geneseo.edu. 

This session will provide an overview of the Teaching Squares program. Join us to learn more about how this peer observation group format works, and how you'll have the opportunity to reflect on and grow your own teaching practices.

Who Should Attend? 

Who Is Eligible to Participate in a Teaching Square? 

  • Anyone teaching a Geneseo class this semester, inclusive of all ranks and/or titles on campus

Agenda

  • Welcome and overview of the Teaching Squares program
  • Review of goals: what Teaching Squares are best used for (self-reflection, not evaluating others)
  • Process discussion: a breakdown of the different steps involved
  • Outcomes discussion: what you can expect to gain from participating
  • Q&A

There will be time at the end to coordinate with your Square colleagues, if you have already signed up.

You are under no obligation to join a Square, however. Come and find out if this is the right opportunity for you right now, or if it might be better fit into a later semester. 
 

Fri. 1/3 & 1/17, 10am. TLC Common Read Book Group for Faculty & Staff

Join colleagues for a discussion centered around the 2024-25 Geneseo Common Read selection, You Look Like a Thing and I Love You: How Artificial Intelligence Works and Why It's Making the World a Weirder Place, by Janelle Shane (2019). This funny and accessible read supports the Geneseo Ideas That Matter focus on artificial intelligence this year.

This invitation is open to all. You do not need to have read the relevant portion of the book in order to join us in either meeting.

Discussions will include perspectives shared from students who took the Common Read course in Fall 2024. We encourage you to share your own experiences and perspectives on AI as part of our conversations.

About the book: 
"You look like a thing and I love you" is one of the best pickup lines ever . . . according to an artificial intelligence trained by scientist Janelle Shane, creator of the popular blog AI Weirdness. She creates silly AIs that learn how to name paint colors, create the best recipes, and even flirt (badly) with humans—all to understand the technology that governs so much of our daily lives.

We rely on AI every day for recommendations, for translations, and to put cat ears on our selfie videos. We also trust AI with matters of life and death, on the road and in our hospitals. But how smart is AI really... and how does it solve problems, understand humans, and even drive self-driving cars?

Shane delivers the answers to every AI question you've ever asked, and some you definitely haven't. Like, how can a computer design the perfect sandwich? What does robot-generated Harry Potter fan-fiction look like? And is the world's best Halloween costume really "Vampire Hog Bride"?

In this smart, often hilarious introduction to the most interesting science of our time, Shane shows how these programs learn, fail, and adapt—and how they reflect the best and worst of humanity.

You Look Like a Thing and I Love You is the perfect book for anyone curious about what the robots in our lives are thinking.

Wed. 1/15, 2pm. Spring Gen Ed Assessment Overview

This is an overview session for the Spring 2025 General Education assessment process.

This hour will include

  • an introduction to this semester's assessment project
  • an overview of the GLOBE learning outcomes
  • a review of the assessment rubric and how it will be used
  • a discussion of how this assessment can be accomplished
  • within the scope of your individual courses
  • a review of how to submit your assessment results

Everyone teaching a course with a gen ed attribute being assessed this semester is invited to attend. This includes

  • CAI
  • CGC
  • Humanities
  • Math/Quant Reasoning

This session was recorded. For access to the recording, please contact Alexis Clifton (clifton@geneseo.edu). 

Wed. 1/15, 10am. TLC Workshop: Introduction to Integrative and Applied Learning

Join the Center for Integrative Learning, the Career Design Center, and the Teaching & Learning Center for an introduction to the Integrative and Applied Learning (IAL) graduation requirement (January 15th from 10:00 – 11:30 AM in the Hunt Room). We will discuss the key components of IAL and the ways in which co-curricular experiences meet many of the standards of IAL. In this session, we will also focus on the steps students (supported by their supervisors) can take to register co-curricular experiences that fulfill the IAL graduation requirement.

Slides from this presentation can be viewed here. 

Fall 2024

Fri. 12/13, 1pm. TLC Conversation: Reflecting on AI's Impact in Fall Semester

To what extent did generative artificial intelligence shape your academic experience this semester? This informal TLC virtual event is an opportunity for faculty and staff to gather and reflect on emerging technology's impact on your teaching and/or professional practices.  

Questions for discussion will include: 

  • What student attitudes and practices about AI did you observe in your courses?
  • What steps did you take at the beginning, middle, or end of your semesters, to respond to AI usage?
  • What changes did you make to your final exam or project strategies, related to AI?
  • What did you struggle with most, in terms of AI, this semester?
  • What changes, if any, do you plan for Spring?

We will commiserate, swap strategies, and share ideas throughout the session. Input from this conversation will help inform TLC and Ideas That Matter events in Spring 2025.

Tues. 12/10, 10am. CIT Open Gym

Study Day, December 10  – Open Gym in South 225
 

Drop by South Hall 225 between 10:00am - 2:00pm for a session with one of our coaches (i.e., work with an instructional designer or Educational Technology staff member for assistance with any end-of-semester class support needs). 

Tues. 12/3, 1pm. End of Semester Check-In: How are our student doing?

Please join Jaime Castillo, PhD and Laura Swanson, LCSW from Counseling Services for a TLC session to learn about mental health trends among Geneseo students. Learn about what student mental health trends we see on campus, as well as emerging trends nationwide. We will then invite you to share your experiences in and out of the classroom and offer a chance to connect, reflect, and problem-solve.

Wed. 11/19, 10am. TLC End of Semester Check-In for Faculty and Staff

How are you, our faculty and staff colleagues, doin? In reflecting on your role engaging students, how has the semester gone so far? What has gone well? What has been challenging? This discussion-based TLC session was organized with the simple goal of making time to connect with one another as we enter the final stretch of the semester. Facilitated by Laura Swanson from Counseling Services.

11/19-21. CIT & TLC: Making Brightspace a Better Space (3 Sessions)

CIT’s Educational Technology team & the TLC would like to invite you to participate in focus group conversations centered on the Geneseo Brightspace experience. These crucial conversations will focus on what Brightspace currently does well for your courses, and where you encounter problems or barriers. Together we’ll explore how can we make it easier for our students to succeed in this online environment.

Fri. 10/11 & 11/8, 9:30am. TLC Reading Group: Distracted, by James Lang

Join colleagues for a discussion centered around Distracted: Why Students Can't Focus and What You Can Do About It (2020), by James M. Lang. Our book group this fall will meet virtually, in order to expand access. There will be 2 sessions:

  • Friday, 10/11 @ 9:30am: conversation focused on Part I
  • Friday, 11/8 @ 9:30am: conversation focused on Part II
     

This invitation is open to all. You do not need to have read the relevant portion of the book in order to join us in either meeting.

A limited number of copies of this book are available for participants through the TLC. 

About the book: 
"Distracted argues that the debates we are having about the distracting power of our devices point us in the wrong direction. Rather than thinking about how to ban distractions from our easily distractible minds—since our minds have always been easily distractible—we should focus our work on creating learning environments that support and sustain attention.

The book draws deeply from research in education and the science of attention to support its arguments, as well as from classroom observations and the works of poets and philosophers alike. The book’s accessible writing style and diverse and unexpected array of sources will help teachers think about the challenge of attention in creative ways, and spark entirely new directions for research and conversation about the role of attention and distraction in the education of our students."

Wed. 10/30, 9:30am. Data Dashboard Discovery Series: Secrets of Scheduling

Planning an event for students? Trying to find a time for faculty and staff to meet? Bring a laptop to the first in our TLC series of Data Dashboard Workshops (presented by our Office for Institutional Research & Effectiveness) to discover the power of our schedule dashboards!

Thurs. 10/24, 1:00pm. Election Preparedness Conversation

With the General Election approaching, this dialogical TLC event will cover topics such as important application/registration deadlines, ways for students to vote, knowing your rights as a voter, opportunities for civic engagement in our college community, and on-campus resources before and after the election. Faculty and staff will have the chance to ask questions to ensure they feel confident and prepared to support and empower our students this election season.

We will meet via Teams to allow greater flexibility for participation.

This session will be facilitated by members of the Election Preparedness Taskforce: 

  • Hanna Brant, Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations
  • Nicholas Palumbo, Assistant Dean of Students for Leadership & Service
  • Laura Swanson, Staff Counselor
Wed. 10/23, 3:00pm. More Advice on Advising from the Institutional Advising Council

Since there are always surprises during advising, the TLC and IAC (Institutional Advising Council) are offering a second session for any advising issues or topics that we didn't address in the first session!  Drop in for as short or long as you like to discuss tricky advising cases, troubleshoot hiccups, and connect with colleagues during this busy time. This is a hybrid event, so you may opt to join in person or via Teams.

Wed. 10/16, 3:00pm. Advice on Advising from the Institutional Advising Council
Advisement Holds are posted to students' accounts on October 21 - join the TLC and Institutional Advising Council in a conversation about best practices, common student challenges, FAQs from advisors, and resources to support you and your students during course registration. This is a hybrid event, so you may opt to join in person or via Teams.
 
Wed. 10/9, 2:30pm. AI Flight School: Getting off the Ground with Copilot

This hands-on workshop is an opportunity to explore Microsoft Copilot, along with other common generative AI tools in popular use today. Come test how well this tool actually does in real-world, daily applications. Learn to recognize what AI results might look like, and how they might change based on the prompt you provide. Get ideas for how generative AI might even make some of your routine tasks a lot easier. 

This workshop is cofacilitated by Laurie Fox (CIT), Matt Pastizzo (Institutional Research), Paul Schacht (Center for Digital Learning), and Alexis Clifton (TLC). 

Feel free to bring your laptop, or plan to use the machines in the computer lab. 

Wed. 10/2, 2:30pm. CircleIn Information Session

In this meeting, Dana Thomas, Chief Operating Officer at CircleIn, provided a demo of CircleIn's Student Engagement Platform. He provided examples of how CircleIn can be adopted into your classroom and highlighted measurable outcomes.

Tue. 9/10, 2:30pm. TLC Faculty Mentoring Information Session

This virtual session, co-hosted by Karleen West and Alexis Clifton, will provide information for those planning to serve as a faculty mentor this year. We will specifically describe the experiences and expectations for TLC Faculty Mentors, who are outside the home department and the evaluation process for their mentees.

This session will also be useful if you are serving as a faculty mentor in any other capacity on campus, such as within your own department, or are interested in becoming a mentor sometime in the future.

Resource shared: Geneseo Faculty Mentoring Resource Guide

Mon. 9/9, 3:30pm. TLC Teaching Squares Information Session

This session will provide an overview of the Teaching Squares program. Join us to learn more about how this peer observation group format works, and how you'll have the opportunity to reflect on and grow your own teaching practices.

Who Should Attend? 

  • Anyone who has completed the F24 Teaching Squares Interest Form
  • Anyone who is teaching a Geneseo class this semester and interested in learning more

Who Is Eligible to Participate in a Teaching Square? 
Anyone teaching a Geneseo class this semester, inclusive of all ranks and/or titles on campus

There will be time at the end to coordinate with your Square colleagues, if you have already signed up.

Fri. 9/6, 12:30pm. TLC Speaker: Avan Jassawalla, "Organizing and Managing Team Projects"

Prof. Jassawalla, Management professor in the School of Business, will share her experience, research, and teaching strategies for organizing and managing classroom team projects. This will include discussion on how instructors can help prevent issues such as social loafing (team member slacking off) and groupthink (avoiding constructive conflict) and improve team effectiveness through use of early team building and a peer evaluation system. Prof. Jassawalla's research is aimed at helping students develop their collaboration and teamwork competencies.

Join us for this virtual presentation and conversation about how team projects can be more productive and engaging in your own classroom applications.

Slides from this presentation can be accessed here. Additional supporting materials, including prompts for building a Team Charter and a Peer Evaluation form, can be requested from Dr. Jassawalla. Please reach out to her with any questions: jassawal@geneseo.edu

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