From Essays to Algorithms: How AI is Reshaping College Writing

This panel session is applicable to instructors in all disciplines where writing is used as part of a student’s assessment:  When ChatGPT entered the wider public consciousness nearly three years ago, many wondered what the impact would be on college writing. Responses to AI range along a spectrum from attempting to ban AI use entirely and consider its use as a form of academic dishonesty to embracing the technology and thinking about how AI can enhance students’ writing and learning. In Spring 2025 members of this panel presentation met in a learning community to discuss the impact of AI on college writing. This presentation will detail their discussions.

Presenter(s)

Presented by FCTL Faculty Learning Community (FLC):  Rethinking College Writing an an AI Era

John Turner

FLC Leader
Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities

Cynthia Johnson

FLC Leader
Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities

Jonathan Newman

Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities

Michael Frizell

Student Learning Services

Facilitating Critical Thinking to Improve Clinical Reasoning Using the QARRD Tool

This interactive session explores strategies to enhance teaching by fostering critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy as a framework, we will examine how faculty can shift from asking low-level questions to high-level ones that promote deeper learning. Participants will engage in discussions, apply the Questioning Aid in Rich Realtime Discussion (QARRD) tool, and explore strategies to refine their instructional methods. A hands-on activity provides faculty with an opportunity to reframe assignments and develop questions aligned with Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

Presenter(s)

Naomi Corro

McQuearry College of Health & Human Services

Tara Boehne

McQuearry College of Health & Human Services

Click, Post, Engage:  Creative Spaces for Collaborative Learning

Simple can be powerful!  Padlet is a free, user-friendly collaboration tool that functions as a dynamic digital bulletin board.  Users can post and organize content in real-time.  It enables real-time content sharing and organization, supporting text, images, videos, links, and even voice recordings.  With its interactive features, Padlet fosters engaging discussions, brainstorming, and resource sharing.  Bring your device and get ready to engage, create, and discover different ways to enhance course discussions and teamwork. 

Presenter(s)

Ching-Wen Chang

College of Education

Annice Mclean

College of Education

Understanding the 2025 College Students: Insights from a Student Panel

Join us for an engaging workshop where a panel of MSU students shares their experiences and perspectives on what it’s like to be a student in 2025. This session is designed for faculty who want to better understand today’s students, covering topics such as:

• What teaching methods resonate with students and keep them engaged?
• How do students use AI tools for learning, assignments, and research?
• What factors influence their decision to show up in classes and participate?
• What do students wish faculty knew about their challenges and support needs?

This workshop offers a unique opportunity for faculty to hear directly from students, to ask questions, and to gain valuable insights to enhance teaching practices and improve student engagement.

Presenter(s)

Yating Liang

DARR College of Agriculture

Approaching a Decade of Interprofessional Education:  Lessons Learned and the Path Forward

The fully online interprofessional education (IPE) project has brought together students and faculty from multiple disciplines through a virtual case study, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration in a scalable and accessible format.  Aligned with Missouri State University’s Public Affairs Mission, this initiative prepares students to work effectively within diverse groups. 

Through interactions with a virtual healthcare team, students gain confidence and communication skills that enhance their readiness for graduate programs and professional practice.  For faculty, this project serves as a valuable research platform to explore the impact of virtual IPE on student learning and teamwork.  As the initiative has evolved, we have refined strategies to enhance engagement, assessment, and interdisciplinary collaboration.  In this session, we will share key lessons learned, best practices, and future directions for integrating IPE into higher education. 

Presenter(s)

Natalie Allen

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

Traci Garrison

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

Creating a Community of Learners through Classroom Rituals

A sense of belonging is integral to student success in the classroom. The use of classroom rituals will be considered for increasing students' feelings of belonging. We will explore the vital link between a sense of belonging and student success within the classroom environment. Focusing on the implementation of classroom rituals, the session will investigate the potential of classroom rituals to enhance students' feelings of belonging. Actionable strategies for fostering learning environments where every student feels valued and connected will be discussed.

Presenter(s)

Sarah Jean Baker

College of Education
FCTL Teaching Excellence Award Winner

Suzette Kelly-Williams

College of Education

Integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Trauma-Informed Practices (TIPs) to Foster Safe, Accessible, and Engaging Learning Environments

This session will explore the intersection of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Trauma-Informed Practices (TIPs), highlighting how both frameworks can work together to create inclusive, supportive, and safe learning environments. Participants will learn to recognize UDL as a trauma-informed approach to course design, focusing on a preventative rather than reactive approach to supporting student mental health. By proactively designing courses that enhance accessibility and engagement, instructors can reduce academic stress and create spaces that help students persist through challenges and thrive academically. Practical strategies for integrating both UDL and TIPs into teaching will be shared, providing educators with actionable insights to create supportive learning experiences that empower students and streamline teaching practices.

Presenter(s)

Kristen Thompson

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

Sara Wilson

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

Do you have questions about Brightspace? Come see us during the Showcase! In this drop-in session, instructional designers from the FCTL will be available to answer all your questions about Brightspace—how to navigate it, how to utilize it, how to better integrate your course materials with it, or anything else you may need assistance with.

This session is a drop-in lab; feel free to stop by and ask any questions you may have anytime between 10:00 AM and 11:50.

This drop-in is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) session. We look forward to seeing you there!

Facilitator(s)

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Faster, Fairer, Friendlier: Using AI to Enhance Student Feedback

Giving meaningful feedback takes time, and balancing encouragement with critique is hard. This session explores how instructors can use tools like ChatGPT to generate supportive, specific feedback that motivates students to revise and grow. But it doesn’t stop there: we’ll also consider how students can be taught to use AI feedback tools ethically and reflectively to improve their own work before submission. Come away with strategies for using AI to make feedback more efficient, empowering, and educational.

Presenter(s)

Maureen Templeman

Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities

Christy Conaway

International Programs

Deploying Virtual Reality, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and 3D Printed Assets in Earth Science Courses 

Virtual reality hardware, low-cost, light weight unmanned aerial vehicles, and 3D printing are rapidly developing technologies that offer us the ability to transport students all over the world instantly, provide previously unavailable vantage points, and scale down cities or mountains into the palm of our hands to use in our classrooms. I will present examples of these technologies that I use in my Earth Science courses and provide participants with the steps to start building their tech resources for use in the classroom. 

Presenter(s)

Matthew McKay

College of Natural & Applied Science

Please Note:  This session includes two separate 20 minute presentations.

Presentation 1Presentation 2

Presentation 1

Supporting Marginalized and First-Gen Students: Takeaways from the Experiences of MSU Bears Lead Students 

Educational research examining the experiences of marginalized and first-generation college students has consistently demonstrated multiple, intersecting barriers that impact their educational success, persistence, and psychosocial well-being (Flynn et al., 2011; Irvin et al., 2012; Thiem & Dasgupta, 2022). These students often enter college having experienced inequitable access to college preparatory resources, advanced placement opportunities, extracurricular activities, and other college readiness programs, which significantly affect their academic preparation and self-efficacy (Duffy et al., 2023). In this session, we will explore the experiences of MSU students in the Bears Lead program, a two-year college transition program for first time college students that focuses on promoting student retention, persistence, and graduation.

In particular, this session will discuss:

(1) the overall perceived climate for Bears Lead students,

(2) the impact of identity on academic and general psychological well-being,

(3) barriers to student success and retention based on marginalized status,

(4) factors that mitigate those barriers, and

(5) possible interventions for students and educators (academic advisors and professors) to facilitate academic success for Bears Lead students. 

Presenter(s)

Adena Jones

McQueary

Armani Eason

Bears Lead

Alaina Smith

McQueary

 

Not Pictured

• Ashley Houston, McQueary

 

Presentation 2

The Use of Case-Based Experiential Learning for Students in a Graduate-level Healthcare Program

Multiple opportunities for case-study based, hands-on learning activities are provided throughout the educational experience of occupational therapy (OT) students at Missouri State University. Utilizing concepts from experiential learning and reflective practice theory, first year OT students in a Clinical Biomechanics course participated in a multi-phase, case-based, hands-on learning activity. To increase understanding of the relationship between multiple foundational biomechanical concepts and the role of occupational therapy in intervention, student groups were provided with a case study and tasked with designing, constructing, and testing a simulated lower extremity (LE) prosthetic for an individual with a below-knee amputation (BKA).

Presenter(s)

Michelle Jackson

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

Building Community to Reduce Faculty Burnout:  Creating Supportive Environments in Academia

Faculty burnout is a growing issue in higher education, impacting well-being, productivity, and institutional culture.  This session will explore how building a supportive, collaborative community both within academic settings and in faculty’s personal lives can be a powerful tool in reducing burnout.  Participants will learn practical strategies for fostering strong, meaningful connections with colleagues, as well as ways to build personal support networks outside of work.   The session will cover strategies within academia to promote wellness, while also emphasizing the importance of personal community-building through family, friends, and social connections.  By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to reduce burnout and create resilient, supportive communities both in and outside of academia.

Presenter(s)

Salina Bollinger

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

Kelly Dudley

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

New Public Affairs and Civic Engagement Curriculum

This Faculty Showcase session will introduce two new curricular additions that establish a foundation for understanding and enacting the public affairs mission.  The first is a one-credit foundational course on public affairs (IDS 102 or IDS 302, Exploring Public Affairs), currently taught for the first time as a second block class.  The second is a proposed undergraduate certificate in Public Affairs, which has received Faculty Senat4e approval.  Together, these initiatives allow students to integrate Missouri State University’s Public Affairs Mission into their studies through a cohesive learning theme.  The certificate promotes continuity from the start of their education to its conclusion, with requirements that encourage intentional engagement with public issues and cultural competence.  The culminating public affairs experience is tailored to each students’ field of study, offering opportunities for applied experience and a capstone course.  This approach equips students to understand the importance of public issues in their personal and professional lives, fostering active civic engagement. 

Presenter(s)

Suzanne Walker-Pacheco

Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities
FCTL Faculty Learning Community Leader

The Art and Science of Teaching Movement-Based Skills in Lab Courses:  Helping Learning Stick

Students in lab-based courses often experience high anxiety leading up to practical exams, a pattern often accepted as a rite of passage.  This session introduces a motor learning approach that integrates both physical and cognitive components of skill development.  The goal?  Reduced anxiety and greater self-efficacy rooted in true skill competence.  Attendees will examine evidence-based strategies that make movement-based learning more effective, efficient, and enjoyable, for both students and instructors. 

Presenter(s)

Jason Shaw

McQueary College of Health & Human Services

Transforming Learning: StreamlinED Growth, Prioritizing Accessibility and Utilizing Open Educational Resources (OER)

Join us for an insightful session on enhancing student success through a collaborative approach involving the university Bookstore, Disability Resource Center, and OER initiatives. Learn how the bookstore's processes impact affordability and access, and how the Disability Resource Center ensures accessibility compliance and supports students with disabilities. Discover and adopt high-quality OER to enhance course materials and reduce costs.

Gain practical insights on enabling StreamlinED eBook links in Brightspace and providing format choices within the program. We'll share outcomes of the StreamlinED program, highlighting its impact on affordability and student success. Additionally, we'll address the challenges faced by students with disabilities and discuss resources to enhance publishers' understanding of accessibility compliance versus actual outcomes in digital learning platforms and eBooks.

Open Educational Resources (OER) offer another way to reduce student costs. Many faculty may already be using openly licensed content without realizing it, while others may be interested in incorporating it but are unsure where to start. This segment will introduce the fundamentals of OER, including what qualifies as "open," how to find and integrate these resources, and the impact on student success.

Presenter(s)

Sarah Gott

Bookstore

Tracy Stout

Meyer Library

Timothy McHenry

Access Technology Center

Do you have questions about Brightspace? Come see us during the Showcase! In this drop-in session, instructional designers from the FCTL will be available to answer all your questions about Brightspace—how to navigate it, how to utilize it, how to better integrate your course materials with it, or anything else you may need assistance with.

This session is a drop-in lab; feel free to stop by and ask any questions you may have anytime between 10:00 AM and 11:50.

This drop-in is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) session. We look forward to seeing you there!

Facilitator(s)

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ABOUT SHOWCASE

Each fall, the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning hosts the Showcase on Teaching and Learning to highlight effective teaching and learning practices implemented by faculty across Missouri State University.

The showcase presents a unique opportunity for faculty to gain insight and perspectives on classroom teaching and student learning through a variety of seminars and workshops focused on faculty members sharing their own experiences with implementing research/evidence based best practices in their own work.

The event features multiple concurrent presentations to showcase effective teaching practices leading to student learning. When attending Showcase sessions, participants will likely encounter:

• Faculty reflections on implementing research/evidence based teaching and learning strategies/practices
• Presentations of Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) projects and/or publications
• Sharing of innovative and/or emerging teaching & learning research and/or methodologies being developed by MSU faculty
• Discussions about high - interest/relevant educational topics, such as Artificial Intelligence, Hyflex modalities, student-centered learning, inclusive teaching, faculty burn-out, sustainability, etc...
• Institutional updates and/or information
• Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration
• Knowledge sharing among faculty of all ranks
• Recognition of faculty achievements in teaching
• Evidence of faculty engaging in a continuous improvmeent process
• Opportunities for networking and building relationships

Share Your Best Teaching Ideas!

Are you using AI, Brightspace, or active learning to engage students? Have you tried new teaching strategies, student-centered approaches, or innovative formative assessments? We want to hear how you're making learning more engaging, self-directed, and impactful!

Submit a proposal to share your best practices, fresh ideas, and classroom successes with fellow educators. Let’s learn from each other and shape the future of teaching together!