USM Center for Academic Innovation

Call for Proposals: 2026-27 Elkins SoTL Fellows Program

admin-nancy — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:19:35 +0000

The Call for Proposals for the 2026-2027 Elkins SoTL Fellows Program is now open!

Up to 10 Elkins SoTL Fellowships of $1,000 each will be awarded for 2026-2027 (May 22, 2026-June 30, 2027). The Elkins SoTL Fellowships are open to USM faculty of any rank or appointment interested in undertaking a research project focused on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. A faculty member should serve as principal investigator (PI) on the project; a staff person may serve as co-PI provided the project originates with the faculty member. At present, we are not considering graduate students for this fellowship but may do so in future cycles.

Join Kirwan Center staff on Monday, April 13, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET for a virtual Information Session to learn more about the Fellowship requirements and expectations. We will also answer questions about the program at that time. Register for the Information Session. Registering will ensure you receive a link to the session recording, even if you can’t attend live.

Proposals are due by 11:59 pm on Friday, May 8, 2026, for work to take place over the subsequent academic year. More details can be found in the Call for Proposals.

Areas of Focus:

Leading Academic Change

Cross Post:

News

17 Faculty Selected for Boosting Course Accessibility Mini Grant Program

admin-jennifer — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 18:39:59 +0000

The William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce that 17 faculty members have been selected to participate in the Boosting Course Accessibility mini grant program. This initiative aims to enhance the digital accessibility of courses across USM institutions and help ensure that all students have equitable access to course materials.

The selected faculty will receive funding and support to redesign their courses with accessibility in mind, including implementing universal design principles that benefit all learners. Participants will work closely with Kirwan Center staff to identify and address barriers in their course materials, learning activities, and assessments.

Through this initiative, we expect to see immediate improvements in course accessibility while building long-term capacity for inclusive design across departments. The selected faculty span the System and represent diverse disciplines, resulting in accessibility course models across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; social sciences; humanities; business; education; and health professions.

The mini grant program aligns with USM’s commitment to creating inclusive learning environments where all students can succeed regardless of disability status. We look forward to sharing the outcomes and best practices developed through this program across the System and beyond.

Please join us in congratulating the faculty members who have been selected for this mini grant program:

Dr. Haitham Alkhateeb, Professor of Mathematics, Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, University of Baltimore

Prof. Ellen Anderson, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Salisbury University

Dr. Katryna Andrusik, Assistant Clinical Professor, Counseling, Higher Education, Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Maria Joao Lobo Antunes, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice, Towson University

Dr. Amina Ayodeji-Ogundiran, Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator, Management, Marketing and Public Administration, Bowie State University

Dr. Thomas Cadenazzi, Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator, Engineering and Sustainable Technologies, Frostburg State University

Dr. Sarah Gunning, Associate Professor & Director, M.S. Professional Writing, English, Towson University

Dr. Ahalya Hejmadi, Collegiate Professor, Social & Behavioral Sciences & Gerontology, University of Maryland Global Campus

Dr. Nicole Hollywood, Interim Director of Assessment and Professor of Management, Office of Accreditation and Assessment, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Dr. Yewon Lee, Associate Clinical Professor, Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Isabell May, Associate Professor, Health Sciences/Science Communication, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Dr. Laura Rose, Associate Teaching Professor and Psychology Program Director at UMBC Shady Grove, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Prof. Sherida Morrison Santiago, Instructor, Management and Marketing, College of Business, Coppin State University

Dr. Ellen Schaefer-Salins, Associate Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work, Salisbury University

Dr. Hany F. Sobhi, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Natural Sciences, Coppin State University

Dr. Wendy Whitner, Clinical Associate Professor & Allied Health Program Coordinator, Department of Health Sciences, Towson University

Dr. Ming Xie, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Cross Post:

News

AI, Unscripted Podcast Limited Series

admin-jennifer — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 19:43:02 +0000

AI, Unscripted: From AI-Curious to AI-Confident

Your Journey to Practical AI Implementation in Teaching

The "AI, Unscripted" podcast limited series guides faculty from curiosity to confidence in using artificial intelligence for teaching and learning. Co-sponsored by the USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, the USM Council of University System Faculty, and MarylandOnline, this University of Maryland, Baltimore's Moving the Needle podcast features conversations with Maryland educators who started exactly where you might be now--interested but uncertain about AI's place in higher education.

Each 30-minute episode offers concrete examples, manageable first steps, and practical advice for faculty at all comfort levels with AI technology.

Encore Series

Building on the success of our limited series, the Encore Series goes deeper on critical questions around ethics and environmental responsibility while showcasing innovative ways educators are using AI to support both students and faculty.

Meet Your Hosts

Mary Crowley-Farrell, Collegiate Associate Professor in Communication, Journalism, & Speech at UMGC and CUSF member and chair of the CUSF Education Policy committee
Jennifer Potter, Associate Director, Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation at the Ģ��Ƶ
Ron Hansen, Director of Instructional Systems in Innovation, Learning, and Effectiveness, Chesapeake College and member of the board, MarylandOnline
Sam Collins, Professor, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice, Towson University

Episode Lineup

From Policy to Participation: Co-Creating AI Guidelines with Students with Yasmine Kotturi (Assistant Professor of Information Systems, UMBC)
Beyond the Podium: AI-Powered Speech Coaching at the Community College with Zach Runge (Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, Harford Community College)
How We Say It Matters: AI for Thoughtful Faculty Communication with David Leasure (Director of Faculty and Professor, First-Year Experience, UMGC)
Sustainable AI: Balancing Innovation with Environmental Responsibility with Burch Fisher (Associate Research Scientist, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)
Teaching the Teachers: Preparing Pre-Service Educators for an AI Future with Kris McGee (Professor, Department of Educational Professions, Frostburg State University)
Data Privacy, Student Rights, and the Real Cost of "Free" AI Tools with Virgina Byrne, Associate Professor, Higher Education & Student Affairs, Morgan State University)
Encore Series Wrap Up with cohosts Mary Crowley Farrell, Jennifer Potter, and Moving the Needle host Scott Riley.

Limited Series

Our original seven-episode limited series features faculty from diverse disciplines and institutions who understand the caution many faculty (and students) feel about AI.

Hosts

Mary Crowley-Farrell, Collegiate Associate Professor in Communication, Journalism, & Speech at UMGC and CUSF member and chair of the CUSF Education Policy committee
Michael Mills, Associate Senior Vice President of Equitable Access and Student Success at Montgomery College and chair of the board, MarylandOnline
Jennifer Potter, Associate Director, Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation at the Ģ��Ƶ

Episode Lineup

Our carefully curated lineup features faculty from diverse disciplines and institutions who understand the caution many faculty (and students) feel about AI:

Host Handover with Moving the Needle Host Scott Riley and Ai, Unscripted co-hosts, Mary Crowley-Farrell, Michael Mills, and Jennifer Potter
AI & Information Literacy: Teaching Students to Think Critically with Ben Shaw (Teaching and Learning Librarian, University of Maryland, College Park)
Ask the AI: Business Assignments That Boost Engagement with Bill Carter (Associate Professor, University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business)
Therapy Bots & Ethical Practice: AI in Mental Health Education with Amanda Draheim (Assistant Professor of Psychology, Goucher College)
Truth, Data, and AI: Journalism's Role in Uncertain Times with Derek Willis (Lecturer in Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park)
Writing with Machines: AI in the English Classroom with Eleanor Welsh (Professor of English, Chesapeake College)
Clinical Judgment Meets AI: Teaching for Nursing Practice with Denyce Watties-Daniels (Associate Professor in Nursing, Coppin State University)
AI as a Critical Friend: Supporting Reflection in Graduate Learning with Liyan Song (Professor, Learning Technologies, Design & School Library Media, Towson University)
Ask Us Anything Series Wrap-Up with co-hosts Mary Crowley-Farrell, Michael Mills, and Jennifer Potter and Moving the Needle host Scott Riley

Common Concerns Addressed

Throughout both series, our guests address questions like:

"Will AI make academic dishonesty easier?"
"How do I maintain rigor when using AI tools?"
"What if I don't have technical expertise?"
"How do I help students use AI ethically?"
"Will AI replace critical thinking skills?"

Your Next Step

Each episode concludes with our guests answering the question: "What do you recommend to faculty who are just getting started and want to try using AI in their teaching and learning?" Their answers provide concrete, manageable first steps for your own AI journey.

How to Listen

Subscribe to Moving the Needle on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or listen directly on the Moving the Needle website.

Share Your Journey

We'll be posting on LinkedIn through the William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation page and the MarylandOnline page, so follow us now! We invite you to share your own path from AI-curious to AI-confident using #AIUnscripted on LinkedIn or email us at aiunscripted@usmd.edu.

Cross Post:

Story

USM and Google Announce Partnership

admin-jennifer — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 01:00:11 +0000

The Ģ��Ƶ (USM) and Google announced a new partnership today that will help thousands of USM students and other Maryland learners earn Google Career Certificates in high-growth fields including cybersecurity, data analytics, and project management at no cost. USM will also offer learners Google’s new AI courses, designed and taught by AI experts at Google to teach foundational skills in artificial intelligence technology. All 12 of USM’s public universities and two of its regional higher education centers will offer this training.

The partnership comes at an opportune time for USM in amplifying its role in preparing learners for an AI-focused economy. By offering the Google Career Certificates program, USM is also providing learners access to industry-recognized credentials in high-demand fields, which can help boost learners’ career readiness across many different sectors.

Keeping pace with in-demand skills has become a defining factor in workforce readiness. A recent industry report found that 96% of a global sample of employers reported that micro-credentials strengthened a candidate’s job application, and 9 in 10 said they were willing to offer micro-credential holders a higher starting salary. In the realm of AI, 75% of these employers said they would hire a less experienced candidate with a GenAI credential over someone more experienced without one, illustrating GenAI’s impact on hiring decisions (Micro-Credentials Impact Report, Coursera, 2025).

“We’re excited to partner with Google, one of the most trusted leaders in industry certificates. This collaboration will boost the career readiness of our learners across the System and give them an undeniable competitive edge,” said USM Chancellor Jay A. Perman. “It supports our vision for the future of higher education and the critical role the USM plays in upskilling and reskilling Maryland’s workforce—never more important than right now.”

The USM-Google partnership will have a special emphasis on bringing Google Career Certificates and AI courses to active military, veteran, and military family learners. This unique emphasis recognizes USM’s long-standing commitment to these learner populations, which recently culminated in six USM universities being cited as “Best for Vets” by the Military Times, which looked at student success metrics, availability of military-specific resources, and financial assistance, among other factors, in developing its rankings. Only 300 institutions were recognized nationally.

"Google is thrilled to partner with the Ģ��Ƶ to bring Google Career Certificates and AI Essentials courses to thousands of learners, active military, and veterans across the state," said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. “This collaboration is a significant step in equipping Maryland’s current and future workforce with skills needed for an increasingly digital economy.”

Google Career Certificates can be completed within three to six months of part-time study, with no experience required. Designed and taught by Google employees, each certificate includes 100+ practice and graded assessments, quizzes, or writing assignments to ensure rigor and mastery. Students who complete the program gain access to our employer consortium of more than 150 companies – including Booz Allen Hamilton, Siemens, and of course, Google – committed to considering certificate graduates for relevant roles. More than 1 million people globally have graduated from the Google Career Certificate program, and over 70% report positive career outcomes within six months of completion, such as a new job, promotion, or raise.

“This partnership signals the value of blending robust degree programs with recognized industry training and extending opportunities for lifelong learning,” said Delegate Stephanie M. Smith, Chair of the Education & Economic Development Subcommittee within the Maryland House of Delegates. “Partnering with the System to coordinate this effort will ensure that Google’s Career Certificates and AI courses reach Marylanders far and wide.”

Several schools in the system, including the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, also have provided access to Gemini App—Google's generative AI with enhanced security and privacy, included with Workspace for Education at no cost. Students and educators can use Gemini to assist in learning across various subjects.

"What an exciting day for Maryland,” said U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.). “This partnership between the Ģ��Ƶ and Google is designed to support thousands of Maryland students, create opportunities to learn artificial intelligence technology, and spur innovation. As our state continues to lead the nation in technology and higher education, this partnership advances Maryland's leadership in AI and cybersecurity.”

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Alternative Credentials

News Link:

/newsroom/news/2495

Cross Post:

News

Kirwan Center Names Two Senior Fellows for Generative AI Pedagogy

admin-jennifer — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 19:18:07 +0000

The William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation at the Ģ��Ƶ (USM) welcomes 2025-2026 Senior Fellows focusing on Generative AI pedagogy, Dr. Diane Alonso of University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Dr. Tracy Tomlinson of University of Maryland, College Park.

In their role as Senior Fellows for Generative AI Pedagogy, Dr. Alonso and Dr. Tomlinson will help lead the development of Generative AI programming coming out of the Kirwan Center in academic year 2025-2026. This includes working closely with Kirwan Center Associate Director, Dr. Jennifer Potter, in the development of a “train the trainers” curriculum to engage a selected group of Gen AI Pedagogy Faculty Fellows from across the System. With mentorship and support from the two Senior Fellows, the Gen AI Pedagogy Faculty Fellows will move through the curriculum in Fall 2025 and then engage their respective campus colleagues in professional development in Spring 2026.

To learn more about Dr. Alonso and Dr. Tomlinson, visit the Kirwan Center staff page.

In an effort to help support faculty in incorporating Generative AI into teaching and learning practices, the Kirwan Center is developing a slate of programming for the coming academic year, thanks in part to support from the USM Maryland Center for Computing Education (MCCE) and Google. For updates, follow the Kirwan Center on LinkedIn.

News Type:

USM News

Preview Quote:

Efforts Will Help Faculty Use Generative AI to Advance Teaching and Learning

Cross Post:

Teach Access Announces Academic Hub at Kirwan Center

admin-joel — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 20:14:10 +0000

Teach Access, a nonprofit dedicated to making digital accessibility fundamental to higher education curricula, proudly announces its newest academic hub, the Ģ��Ƶ’s (USM) William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. This collaboration aims to advance accessibility education, research, and practice by integrating accessibility-focused initiatives into faculty development, curriculum design, and institutional strategy across USM.

The Kirwan Center + Teach Access partnership will focus on several key initiatives, including:

Establishing a Kirwan Center + Teach Access Faculty Fellowship to support faculty embedding accessibility into their pedagogy and research.
Conducting joint research on effective strategies for integrating accessibility into academic disciplines.
Collaborating on credentialing initiatives to ensure students gain recognized expertise in accessibility.
Developing Open Educational Resources (OER) and contributing to OER Commons to make accessibility-related materials more widely available.

Through these efforts, Teach Access will provide the Ģ��Ƶ with free resources to enhance accessibility instruction across various courses and disciplines. The collaboration will amplify best practices in pedagogy, research, and institutional implementation of accessibility, ultimately preparing students to create more inclusive digital environments. In turn, the Kirwan Center will coordinate accessibility-focused initiatives across the system and leverage its existing statewide partnerships for even greater impact.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Kirwan Center and the Ģ��Ƶ to further our mission of integrating accessibility into education,” said Rolando Méndez, Teach Access Director of Education. “This initiative will empower faculty and students with the tools they need to champion accessibility in their fields.”

“Designing with accessibility in mind - whether software applications, lesson plans, or museum exhibitions - is a vital 21st century skill,” said Nancy O’Neill, Executive Director of the USM Kirwan Center. “We are proud to be the first state system-level academic hub for Teach Access in the country, and together we have the potential to develop accessibility focused initiatives at an unprecedented scale.”

This partnership marks a significant step toward embedding accessibility in higher education and fostering a new generation of professionals dedicated to inclusive design and innovation.

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Preview Quote:

Collaboration to Advance Accessibility in Higher Education Through Research, Faculty Fellowships, and Innovative Pedagogy

News Link:

/newsroom/news/2472

Cross Post:

Announcing 2024 OER Grants

admin-annika — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 15:31:04 +0000

The Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) initiative is pleased to announce the awardees of the 2024 OER Grant Programs: 2024 Faculty OER Mini-Grants and 2024 Institutional OER Grants.

The M.O.S.T. Faculty OER Mini-Grant Program is designed to strategically support faculty efforts to increase access, affordability, and achievement for students at Maryland’s 2-year and 4-year higher education institutions through the incorporation of open educational resources (OER) into teaching practice. The 2024 M.O.S.T. faculty mini-grants will provide recipients with unique opportunities to engage in communities of practice related to teaching with OER and the creation of OER in high-need areas. This year, 8 faculty grantees were selected from five 2- and 4-year Maryland public higher education institutions, with a potential impact on over 1,600 students in AY 2024-2025, and potential savings of over $37,500.

M.O.S.T. also awarded an Institutional OER Grant to Wor-Wic Community College to support strategic institutional efforts to increase access, affordability, and achievement for students through more systemic incorporation of open educational resources (OER) into teaching practice. This grant will support significant advances in OER adoption, scaling, and sustainability in support of student success institution-wide.

In addition to the fiscal awards, grantees will be provided with extensive professional development, technical support, and coaching to ensure that their projects successfully incorporate learning-centered pedagogies and continuous quality improvement.

Since launching in 2014, M.O.S.T. has supported 210 courses at 29 institutions across Maryland switched to OER, saving students $137 per course on average or approximately $22.9 million cumulatively, and serving nearly 160,000 students across Maryland.

Learn more about our past grantees.

2024 Institutional OER Grant Recipient

Wor-Wic Community College

2023 Faculty OER Mini-Grant Recipients

Haitham Alkhateeb	University of Baltimore	MATH 111: College Algebra	Adopt/Adapt
Shauna Chapple	Stevenson University	NURS 434: Professional Seminar III	Adopt/Adapt
Derya Kulavuz-Onal	Salisbury University	ENGL 240: Introduction to the Study of Language	Adopt/Adapt
Negin Fouladi	University of Maryland, College Park	HLSA 740: Healthcare Strategic Planning and Marketing	Create/Revise/Publish
Mary Méndez Bonnell	Prince George's Community College	TED 2090: Communication for Educators	Create/Revise/Publish
Christine Schull	University of Maryland, College Park	FMSC 460: Violence in Families	Create/Revise/Publish
Amber Surmiller	University of Maryland Global Campus	United States History: 1865 to the Present	Create/Revise/Publish
Kolawole Ogunlana	Prince George's Community College	Programming Logic and Design	OLI STEM Courseware Grant

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Open Educational Resources

Cross Post:

Incorporating Generative AI into Learning Experiences Virtual Showcase

admin-um — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 18:52:46 +0000

Sponsored by MarylandOnline, Montgomery College, the Ģ��Ƶ William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, and the USM Council of University System Faculty

The Incorporating Generative AI into Learning Experiences virtual showcase took place on Friday, April 26, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. online via Zoom.

Recordings and Materials from the Showcase are available under the Program tab.

If you have any questions, please reach out to cai@usmd.edu

Event Location:

Online

Event Cost:

No cost

Start Date:

Friday, April 26, 2024

Event Date (expanded):

April 26, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET

Event Type:

Online

Event Year:

2024

Event Schedule:

Schedule Items:

Schedule Item Time:

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Welcome and Keynote Address

Schedule Item Time:

11:00 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Transition

Schedule Item Time:

11:10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Showcase 1

Schedule Item Time:

11:30 a.m. - 11:40 a.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Transition

Schedule Item Time:

11:40 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Showcase 2

Schedule Item Time:

12:00 p.m. - 12:10 p.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Transition

Schedule Item Time:

12:10 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Showcase 3

Schedule Item Time:

12:30 p.m. - 12:40 p.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Transition

Schedule Item Time:

12:40 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Schedule Item Title:

Showcase 4

Event Program:

Agenda

10:00 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. Welcome and Overview

10:10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Keynote Address - From Academic Integrity to Assessments: Principles for Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

Watch Recording

Presenter: James Lang, Professor of Practice, Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Notre Dame & Emeritus Professor of English, Assumption University

11:00 a.m. - 11:10 a.m. Transition

11:10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Showcase 1

Room A: How to Teach Students to Use Generative Artificial Intelligence Responsibly: Lessons from Clinical Psychology - Amanda Draheim, Goucher College Watch Recording
Room B: Beat the Bot: Showing Students they can Outperform LLMs - Naomi Gades, Frostburg State University Watch Recording
Room C: Navigating the AI Wave: Empowering Higher Education Through Generative AI - Amr Kadry, Jessica A. Stansbury, and Julia Goffredi, University of Baltimore; and Sarah Lausch, Boise State University Watch Recording
Room D: Impact of GenAI on Machine Learning Education: Empowering New Programmers - Prahlad Menon Gopalakrishna, University of Maryland Global Campus Watch Recording

11:30 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. Transition

11:40 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Showcase 2

Room A: Generative AI: A New Frontier for Community College Pedagogy - Shawn Crosby, Community College of Baltimore County; Christina Gentile, Montgomery College; and Dana Gullo, Cecil College Watch Recording
Room B: “Someone’s Got to Do Something”: Negotiating Institutional Responses to ChatGPT by Engaging Generative AI - Samuel Collins and Patricia Westerman, Towson University Watch Recording
Room C: Defining Feedback within an AI Context - David Buck, Howard Community College Watch Recording
Room D: AI As Ally: Using Design and AI to Craft Original Content - Megan Rhee, University of Baltimore Watch Recording

12:00 p.m. - 12:10 p.m. Transition

12:10 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Showcase 3

Room A: AI from Theory to Practice - Paul Miller, Montgomery College Watch Recording
Room B: Harnessing AI for Student Success: Creating AI-Infused Course Assignments in the Arts and Sciences - Cody Sandifer, Luis Engelke, and Kelly Elkins, Towson University Watch Recording
Room C: Preparing Instructors to Teach Responsible Use of AI Tools: A Cross-Campus Approach - Mona Thompson, Benjamin Shaw, and Daria Yocco, University of Maryland, College Park Watch Recording
Room D: Incorporating and Reflecting on Generative AI in a Writing-Intensive Seminar - Diane Alonso, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Watch Recording

12:30 p.m. - 12:40 p.m. Transition

12:40 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Showcase 4

Room A: Streamlining Assessment Creation for Videos with ChatGPT - David M. Sheads and Hannah Katzen-Cramer, Mount Saint Mary’s University Watch Recording
Room B: Crafting a Cohesive Generative AI Learning Strategy for a Graduate Program - Ron Wilson, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Watch Recording
Room C: Evaluating AI’s Ability to Perform Journalism Tasks - Derek Willis, University of Maryland, College Park Watch Recording
Room D: Garbage In, Garbage Out: Generative AI and Race and Gender Stereotypes - Lari Warren-Jeanpiere and Marni Finkelstein, University of Maryland Global Campus Watch Recording

Event Program File:

Program Generative AI Showcase Apr 26 2024.pdf

Event Presenter:

James M. Lang

Professor of Practice, Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Notre Dame & Emeritus Professor of English, Assumption University

James M. Lang is Professor of Practice at the Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Notre Dame, and an Emeritus Professor of English at Assumption University in Worcester, MA. He is the author of six books, the most recent of which are Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It, Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning, and Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty. A sought-after speaker, he has given talks and workshops on teaching for faculty at more than three hundred colleges, universities, and schools in the U.S. and abroad, focused on topics such as the science of learning, distraction in the classroom, academic integrity, and navigating AI/ChatGPT.

Lang has consulted for the United Nations on the development of teaching materials in ethics and integrity for college faculty and is the recipient of a 2016 Fulbright Specialist Grant (Colombia). He has a BA in English and Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, an MA in English from St. Louis University, and a Ph.D. in English from Northwestern University.

Special Discount on Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty

Our keynote speaker is Dr. James Lang, Professor of Practice, Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Notre Dame & Emeritus Professor of English, Assumption University. In his keynote presentation, Dr. Lang will be building from insights found in his 2013 book, Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty, to discuss academic integrity in the era of generative AI. Harvard University Press is offering a special discount of 25% off the purchase of Cheating Lessons. Use code AIC25 on their website (https://www.hup.harvard.edu) between 4/19 to 5/3 to access the discount.

Arrangements for the appearance of James M. Lang made through RedBrick Agency, New York, NY.

Registration Text:

Thank you for your interest in the April 26^th Generative AI showcase. Registration is now closed.

Front Page Event:

Cross Post:

Event

Dr. Nancy O'Neill Named Executive Director

admin-annika — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 19:54:29 +0000

The Kirwan Center is pleased to announce that, following a nationwide search, Dr. Nancy O’Neill has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. Dr. O'Neill joined the Kirwan Center in February 2016 and has served as the Acting Director since May 2022, shaping the Kirwan Center’s strategic direction and leading its work. At the Kirwan Center, she leads Systemwide projects related to student success as well as capacity-building initiatives with and for faculty development leaders across the System. She also supports Kirwan Center initiatives that directly engage faculty, including efforts to scale and sustain the use of open educational resources and to promote the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).

Prior to being at USM, she served as the Director of the Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, and Technology at the University of Baltimore from 2012 to 2016. While at UBalt, her work focused on supporting faculty innovation in teaching as well as curriculum development and alignment, student learning assessment, and institutional effectiveness. Before moving to Baltimore in 2012, Nancy spent a decade at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), contributing to national projects related to high-impact practices, undergraduate curriculum and quality, assessment, institutional renewal, and diversity and equity initiatives.

Nancy earned a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania where her dissertation examined faculty use of open educational resources (OER) in relation to the content and teaching affordances made possible by open licensing. Additionally, she has a master’s degree in American Studies, a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Social Criticism from the University of Buffalo.

Please join us in welcoming Nancy to this new role!

News Type:

USM News

Cross Post:

News

USM Digital Accessibility Transformational Seminar

admin-annika — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 18:10:52 +0000

Hosted by the National Federation of the Blind and the USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation

Background

Digital accessibility refers to the intentional design of electronic technologies and materials so that they are usable by all people, including people with disabilities. In the case of our increasingly technology-enhanced courses, digital accessibility means equitable access to educational opportunity.

In Fall 2022, the Kirwan Center and NFB hosted a USM digital accessibility convening with campus teams consisting of individuals who support faculty in digital accessibility -- instructional designers and technologists, teaching and learning center directors and staff, librarians, and accessibility and disability support services specialists. Sessions addressed supports for faculty to evaluate and create curricular materials, facilitating culture change, and laws/legal obligations and standards. Teams had time to reflect on the day’s learnings and to plan their next steps.

The Fall 2023 event was designed to be highly experiential, where participants had the opportunity to move through a series of immersive activities – cane travel, the use of Braille, and the use of access technology – designed to recalibrate participant expectations related to the abilities of individuals who are blind or low vision and expose them to tools that promote independence and inclusion. The second half of the seminar focused on answering the question, “now what?” by engaging teams in sessions featuring tools and strategies to build toward greater digital accessibility in courses and programs.

Resources from the event can be found under the Program tab.

Event Location:

National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Headquarters, Baltimore

200 E Wells St, Baltimore, MD 21230

Event Cost:

Free

Start Date:

Friday, October 6, 2023

Event Date (expanded):

Friday, October 6, 2023

9:00 am-3:00 pm ET (registration table open at 8:30 am)