Led by Susan Adams from Achieving the Dream this PM session was designed to empower participants with practical skills for integrating active learning techniques into their teaching, adaptable to various classroom modalities, including seated, hybrid, online, hy-flex, and flipped formats.
Mindfulness and contemplative pedagogy can assist an individual in raising their own self-awareness, and this holistic method can help curb the stressors that an individual may face in an overstimulated society. The session mapped respective theoretical foundations, potential activities for both students and faculty members, and provide a brainstorm session for faculty to develop their…
This interactive workshop is designed to delve into the transformative power of belonging in the academic environment. Belonging plays a pivotal role in shaping students' motivation, academic achievement, wellness, self-perception, and social influence. Participants will explore the "Opportunities to Belong" framework, a pivotal concept in fostering acceptance, respect, inclusion, and support within college settings. By…
This event will explore the multifaceted dimensions of AI in education, delving into ethical considerations, practical applications, and the evolving role of educators.
Led by Achieving the Dream in this workshop participants embarked on a journey to become adept curators and creators of Open Education Resources (OER), by exploring the vast landscape of freely licensed educational materials.
In this workshop, we challenge conventional assessment norms and empower you to create assessment practices that prioritize student growth, engagement, and reflection over traditional grades.
This session addressed the merits of adopting a growth mindset in teaching and learning practices. The core idea is to shift from a fixed to a growth mindset, acknowledging intelligence as a malleable and evolving trait.
Led by Dr. Carrol Warren, this workshop aimed to empower educators with the knowledge and tools to create inclusive online courses by incorporating re-usable assignments. A reusable assignment is considered an instructional task or activity that is designed to be used multiple times across different contexts, courses, or semesters without significant modification. By their nature,…
Building upon the foundational knowledge acquired in Part 1, this session provided hands-on experience in prompt writing, vital for creating personalized educational materials. This workshop not only aimed to advance instructional strategies but also to cultivate a forward-thinking approach to education through AI.
Join two community college faculty as they illustrate how they incorporate AI and Chat GPT in their current course(s) prepartion and facilitation.
Join Dr. Jack Bagwell, President of College of The Albemarle and NCCCS 2024 President of the Year, as he shares his wisdom in leadership skills and the principle of "Leading From Where You Are".
Who is Gen Z? What defines them? What can we do to effectively reach, teach, and communicate with these students online? Join us as we take a look at the student population that represents the majority of curriculum FTE for some community colleges. We will review relevant data, discuss Gen Z realities, and explore.
This interactive professional development workshop will explore best practices for providing constructive feedback on student writing. Whether you teach writing courses or integrate writing assignments into your subject area, this session offers valuable insights and techniques to help your students improve their writing skills.
Specification grading integrates several assessment and feedback methods to ensure that students demonstrate what they have learned in a course. Join Julie Dillon for a conversation about what specification grading is, what the benefits and challenges are, and how you can implement it in your course.
This engaging presentation delved into a fascinating world where AI takes on the role of a trusted ally for professors, simplifying and enhancing the teaching experience. We explored an array of AI-powered tools and platforms designed to assist educators in their daily tasks, including crafting lesson plans, syllabi, and rubrics, managing emails, providing thoughtful responses,…
This session is for online instructors seeking strategies to create an online classroom that centers on what you bring to the table, regardless of the disciplines or courses you teach. This is a session where technology will be discussed only in the ways it can enhance or facilitate human-to-human interaction in a course.
This session is for online instructors seeking strategies to create an online classroom that centers on what you bring to the table, regardless of the disciplines or courses you teach. This is a session where technology will be discussed only in the ways it can enhance or facilitate human-to-human interaction in a course.
Instructors have access to a wealth of data in their courses every semester. Join Dr. Sheena Serslev, Director of Institutional Assessment at George Mason University, for this webinar that explores how instructors can use data from the formative and summative assessments in their courses to make data-informed decisions.
Craven Community College’s Kristi Reed and Jenifer Marquis proudly present two dynamic professional learning courses. Tailored to empower educators, these courses are meticulously crafted to not only onboard faculty but also to illuminate the path towards excellence in both online and hybrid course delivery.
In the session, Dr. Sarah Wright led attendees in examination of some obstacles that often impact Latinx students and how those challenges can be overcome with support from educators. Leave the session with greater understanding and some actual techniques to build trust and relationships with Latinx students.
Universal Design for Learning is a set of guidelines that help instructors develop courses to include all learners, ensuring no one is left behind. UDL empowers both instructors and students to achieve more than they thought possible. Come to this interactive session on UDL to learn simple but impactful ways to make learning accessible to…
Led by Tanya Lance, this enlightening session delved into the critical topic of mental wellness, exploring its significance, breadth, and definition. In this session we examined the latest statistics and facts, shedding light on the prevalence of mental health issues among students and educators, while discussing the repercussions of overlooking mental wellness.
Dr. Kelley Evans interactive presentation explored the unique challenges faced by first-generation college students and the transformative power of a growth mindset. Participants learned practical strategies for fostering a growth mindset in their students, creating a supportive learning environment, and providing the necessary resources to help first-generation students succeed.
This session is the second installment from the Central Hub's series Insight to Impact. Dr. Joseph Levy, consultant and Associate Vice Provost of Accreditation and Quality Improvement at Excelsior University, leads this webinar that explores how instructors can use course evaluations to make data-informed decisions.
This session is the third installment of the Central Hub's series Insight to Impact. This session, facilitated by Dr. Commie Richardson, explored how instructors can enhance their teaching skills through the data produced from observations.
Andrea Dance & Derek Meredith of College of the Albemarle, led this session on Differentiated Advising Model for Adult Learners. The differentiated advising model was designed to ensure new students receive comprehensive support and to build meaningful relationships between advisors and students. Working with their advisor, adult learners are able to identify potential barriers whether…
This session will provide a review of current research on AI's impact on education, highlighting key findings and emerging trends. Then, participants will explore various AI tools and technologies that can enhance teaching and learning experiences.
Facilitated by Dr. Trent Mohrbutter, this workshop helps CTE faculty develop a positive and supportive educational environment that boosts student engagement, increases retention, improves success, and fosters a sense of community and belonging. During this workshop you'll have access to techniques like reading strategies, developing critical thinking, encouraging collaboration and communication that you can immediately…
Sociological research tells us that our generational identity can have a significant impact on our perspectives, preferences, and behaviors, and new post-pandemic research provides insights about the students in our courses this semester. Learn some key characteristics about our students and engage in discussion focused on sustainable and effective teaching practices that meet students where…
Dr. Will Miller, led the fourth installment of the Central Hub's series Insight to Impact. Participants learned how to analyze student course performance, evaluate instructional changes, and develop data-informed instructional strategies.
In the first of two sessions on the NCCCS System Office Data Dashboards, participants learned how to navigate the NCCCS dashboards to comprehensively analyze college-level enrollment and performance measure data to uncover significant trends and patterns across various measures.
Drawing from the Adult Learner Guidebook Second Edition by the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at NC State University, this session highlights common characteristics and challenges faced by adult learners in the North Carolina Community College System.
Discover how to transform freshman seminar into the most sought-after course on campus. We integrate the principles of positive psychology and CliftonStrengths to empower students from day one. Learn practical strategies to enhance engagement, foster resilience, and cultivate a supportive learning environment. This session will emphasize strengths-based approaches to student development, equipping instructors with tools…
In this session, we will explore practical strategies to support students with limited technology skills. Topics covered include a range of approaches to create a more inclusive learning environment, from simplifying digital tools to providing step-by-step guidance and resources. Participants will leave equipped with actionable techniques to bridge the tech divide, ensuring all students have…
This session will offer practical steps to help you thrive in your new role, such as ways to use your experience to your benefit, develop your teaching philosophy, networking, and building those teaching and classroom management skills. This session is geared for instructors in their first three to five years of teaching.
Join colleagues to investigate course policies on AI. After this session, you'll be able to identify the key components of such policies, evaluate the best combination for your course, and revise a framework for a personalized policy.
This session will introduce and demonstrate instructional technology tools that pair well with research-based strategies to increase engagement, foster collaboration, and build relational capacity between students, the instructor, and the content through any mode of instruction.
This presentation examines Surry Community College's innovative split advising model that combines faculty and professional advisors to enhance student engagement. Attendees will explore formal advisor responsibilities, resource allocation, and seamless handoff strategies.
This workshop will focus on aligning assignments with your course and module outcomes, ensuring that you create as few assignments as are necessary to assess what you need to assess while not burdening students with what they see as 'busy work.' We’ll explore practical strategies for designing meaningful assessments.
Participants will learn best practices for creating effective welcome videos, weekly check-ins, feedback responses, and other personalized video messages. The session will include practical tips on video length, tone, accessibility, and tools to use—whether you're a seasoned video creator or just getting started. By the end of this 60-minute session, instructors will have a clear…
This session, the first in a four-part professional development series, explores how community college instructors can use instructor-created videos to foster a sense of presence, connection, and engagement. Beyond just delivering content, videos can help build instructor-student relationships, increase student motivation, and create a welcoming learning environment.
This program explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to create more inclusive, accessible, and personalized educational experiences. Participants will gain insights into how AI technologies can enhance the flexibility of learning environments by addressing the diverse needs of all learners.
Participants will learn how to explore the dashboards to identify program and course outcomes, trends, patterns, and differences across student characteristics.
This aspirational and inspirational professional development session will focus on leveraging Strengths-Based and Appreciative Inquiry frameworks to enhance the effectiveness of feedback in the classroom and workplace. Participants will learn how to approach feedback conversations with a focus on positive reinforcement, recognizing individual strengths, and fostering a growth-oriented environment.
In this session we explore effective strategies to develop meaningful peer-to-peer connections in online courses. Using the Community of Inquiry as a framework, we will explore a variety of engagement techniques designed to promote active participation and building a sense of community among students. Participants will learn how to utilize discussion boards, group projects, virtual…
This is a dynamic and insightful event designed to equip educators with the knowledge and strategies needed to thrive in an ever-changing academic landscape. Join us for an engaging discussion on the latest trends shaping higher education, including advancements in AI and digital learning, student engagement strategies, the future of assessment and credentialing, equity and…
For this session, Dr. Lisa Smelser, the 2024 Central Carolina Community award winner and Stephanie Winstead, the 2024 Wilson Community College award winner discuss how forming relationships outside of their colleges helps them bring success to their Biotechnology students.
Discover how simple actions like personalized emails, thoughtful grading comments, regular announcements and other tools can make a world of difference in how your students perceive you. Learn practical strategies to show your students that you’re not just a name on a screen, but a real person who cares about their success. By the end…
In this training session, we will help community college faculty and staff better understand labor market information (LMI) and provide examples as to how it can be integrated into classroom instruction and student advising as well as how it can drive program curriculum.
Cathleen DiDonato, the 2024 Wake Tech winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award, shares how to increase student engagement in your classroom to promote student success.
Drawing on research and practice, including some of his own work, Dr. Nachman will enable attendees to glean actionable recommendations on how they can create better classroom experiences for both their autistic learners and all students. Throughout, attendees will engage in reflections and discussions about the ways they envision making positive changes to their courses…
Dr. Jason Moldoff, the 2024 Durham Tech winner, shares examples of how he creates a stimulating first five minutes of class to increase student engagement. Christopher Wayne Hardin, the 2024 Johnston Community College winner, provides insights on building trust, open communication, and humility in his teaching practice.
Whether you're just dipping your toes into online teaching or you've been swimming these waters for a decade or more, this session provides refreshing strategies for keeping your head above water in the asynchronous teaching environment. Learn clever techniques for riding the waves of student engagement, staying on top of your workload, and finding smooth…
This session will offer humorous perspectives and strategies for improving our digital presence and virtual immediacy. It offers strategies for how to connect meaningfully with students through computer-mediated communication, helping them develop professional communication skills in the process. Claudia Gresham, Elizabeth Braun, Natasha Harris.
Drawing from the experiences of faculty at NC Reconnect community colleges, this session will highlight active and adaptive teaching techniques that empower adult learners in the classroom.
Humanities disciplines can provide crucial perspectives for AI literacy, helping students understand when, why, and in what situations AI might be utilized or avoided. Upon completion of the session, participants will be able to discuss the skills that the humanities help cultivate—critical thinking, awareness of contexts, facility with language—as well as strategies to pursue them…
This interactive session introduces faculty to high-impact, research-based instructional strategies that boost student engagement and deepen learning—regardless of discipline or delivery mode. Participants will explore practical ways to incorporate active learning, simplify formative assessment, and structure lessons for clarity and cognitive engagement. Walk away with easy-to-implement tools that elevate instruction without adding to your workload.
Undergraduate research boosts student engagement, persistence, and success, yet remains underused in community college courses. The Undergraduate Research Curriculum Development Project (URCDP) offers five flexible, discipline-neutral modules that can be embedded in any class or taught as a stand-alone course. In this session, faculty will explore the modules, learn integration strategies, and discover how to…
This workshop is designed for all employees who want to get the most out of every professional development opportunity by exploring practical strategies to boost retention, discover actionable methods for translating new knowledge into immediate and lasting changes, and develop a personal system for ongoing application and reinforcement, ensuring your professional growth continues long after…
Through targeted assignment redesign questions and other curated resources, you'll identify actionable guidelines, real-world examples, and additional strategies to effectively integrate AI without constant monitoring.
Support faculty in delivering engaging, organized, and student-friendly online learning experiences, whether teaching fully online or in hybrid/asynchronous formats. Trent Mohrbutter
Join us for a practical and engaging professional development session designed specifically for community college instructors interested in integrating artificial intelligence into their teaching practice. This session will introduce the fundamentals of AI prompt-building, demonstrate how effective prompts can support student learning and instructional efficiency, and provide hands-on opportunities to craft prompts tailored to your…
Through observing authentic learning examples, you will identify practical examples and ideas to help you design AI-powered learning assessments that challenge, engage, and elevate your students.
Learn the core principles of creating accessible digital content across documents, media, and web pages. This session provides practical steps and examples to help you meet legal requirements and make your materials more usable for everyone. John Ghazzagh
Master the art of tuning into what people really need within minutes of meeting them. This interactive session teaches you how to decode verbal and non-verbal cues, identify the gap between what someone says they want and what they actually need, and pivot conversations accordingly. Whether you're in a consultation, mentoring session, or impromptu hallway…
This session demonstrates how building relational capacity can transform your classroom into a more connected, supportive, and engaging learning environment. In this session, attendees explore practical strategies to create a sense of belonging and trust among students (both in person and online)—key drivers of motivation, participation, and persistence. Tammy Griffin-Garcia, Natasha Harris, Elizabeth Braun.
Join Melissa Smith, Senior State Director of Health Science Programs, and Mr. Bill McBrayer, member of the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges, as they discuss how individuals demonstrate excellence in practice within the context of teaching and staff contributions. Upon attending the session, participants will be able to summarize characteristics that make an…
This session will explore how artificial intelligence can be meaningfully and ethically integrated into community college English courses. Highlighting one writing assignment from ENG 111 and one literature-based project, participants will see how AI can support student learning without replacing critical thinking or original voice. Attendees will walk away with ready-to-use strategies, assignment samples, and…
Join Ed Spitler (Dean of Workforce & Applied Programs), Dr. Chris Herring (Dean of Transfer & Comprehensive Education Programs), and Dr. Celethia McMillian (Professor of Mathematics and Director of the Teaching and Learning Center) for an insightful session on how community college instructors can promote engagement and increase the quality of instruction in their college…
Are you feeling drained, overwhelmed, or disengaged at work? You're not alone. Burnout is a pervasive issue with a significant negative impact on individual well-being and the overall work environment. This workshop is designed for faculty and staff at all levels who want to understand, prevent, and overcome burnout. In this interactive session, we'll delve…
Join fellow educators for a collaborative roundtable discussion focused on insights, challenges, and takeaways from our week-long Summer Institute on AI in teaching. Roundtable participants will share what they’ve learned, explore how AI might reshape instructional practices, and consider next steps for responsible, effective integration into the community college classroom. Whether you're energized, uncertain, or…
Whether your goal is to improve course outcomes or enhance your student support services, participants will examine how to frame questions, access relevant metrics, and interpret findings through tools like the NC Community College System Data Dashboards and internal data requests. Examples will highlight how collaboration across teaching and service areas can turn data into…
In this interactive session, attendees explore strategies to reframe the shortened semester as an opportunity for intentional course design without necessarily doubling the pace or halving the quality. Through a lens of growth mindset and backward design, faculty leave with practical tools to maintain rigor, support students, and thrive in the 8-week environment.
This session shares next-level strategies for using ChatGPT and similar tools directly with students to support critical thinking, writing, and inquiry. This session will explore how to scaffold AI-integrated assignments, guide students in ethical and effective use, and assess student learning when generative tools are part of the process. Courtney Forte, Micki Kaleta, Elizabeth Braun,…
Ever feel like your to-do list is multiplying faster than rabbits, and your coffee intake is reaching heroic levels? You're not alone! This dynamic session is your secret weapon against the chaos, equipping all faculty and staff with practical strategies to conquer overwhelm and proactively prevent burnout. We'll dive into powerful tools that will help…
Upon completion of this session, attendees will identify actionable strategies to develop and integrate active learning activities in their classrooms. Kara Clary.
This professional development session is designed to strengthen collaboration between high school and college faculty by focusing on effective communication, relationship-building, and alignment in support of College & Career Promise (CCP) student success. Good Practice Principles: Respect Educators Knowledge, Bridge Boundaries. Tammie Aldana.
New CTE faculty coming straight from industry bring great real-world experience to the classroom, but teaching at a community college requires nuances to how skills are presented and transferred to learners. This session explored effective teaching strategies that convert industry experience into real-world learning opportunities as well as ways to build community in the classroom.…
Upon completion of this session, attendees will identify practical applications for improving their classroom time management skills and discover how to critique their classroom policies for potential areas of poor communication. Deana St. Peter, Jessica Brown.
The workshop focuses on taking a 16-week course and redesigning it for 8-weeks. The workshop will focus on course design, accessibility, and engagement using Quality Matters (QM) principles and technology tools. Good Practice Principles: Connect Professional Development with Strategic Priorities. Nikki Gardner, Kristi Reed.
It's possible to transform your classroom into a space where students thrive academically while actually enjoying the learning process. Discover how to weave stress-busting techniques, engaging activities, and mental health moments seamlessly into rigorous coursework.
The workshop focuses on taking a 16-week course and redesigning it. The workshop will focus on course design, accessibility, and engagement using Quality Matters (QM) principles and technology tools. Good Practice Principles: Connect Professional Development with Strategic Priorities, Capitalize on Strategic Messaging. Nikki Gardner, Kristi Reed.
This session helps attendees discover how to more fully harness the UDL framework’s potential to provide dynamic opportunities for all students with different learning styles to achieve intended course outcomes. Dana Bryant.
The workshop focuses on taking a 16-week course and redesigning it for 8-weeks. The workshop will focus on course design, accessibility, and engagement using Quality Matters (QM) principles and technology tools. Bring your syllabus, and open mind and collaborative spirit! Good Practice Principles: Connect Professional Development with Strategic Priorities, Capitalize on Strategic Messaging. Nikki Gardner,…
Invitation to the Teaching with Joy Network - Denise Ousley and Robert Smith (UNCW Watson College of Ed) will introduce and share current outreach, connections, and research from TWJ Network, The initiative is a PK-20 ongoing project to shift the current narrative around education and promote joy both professionally and personally. Good Practice Principles: Create…
This hands-on workshop for faculty, instructional designers, and coordinators introduces the RAMP Method, a four-part framework that transforms vague directions into clear, transparent, and purposeful guidelines. Whether you're new to transparent assignment design or looking for a new way to strengthen your current practices, this workshop offers actionable strategies to create instructions that work for…
Upon completion of this session, attendees will identify actionable strategies to support student's autonomy, effective classroom communication, and enhance evidence‑based critical thinking in college classrooms.
Emerging pedagogues and classroom practices are available to faculty to ensure students learn in ways that also cultivate students’ resilience, healing, and empowerment. Join us for this session to learn more about today’s unique learners across different generations and how you can carry them as far as they can go in today’s changed world.
This presentation explores the Let Them theory and how it can be applied in the classroom to support both student responsibility and teacher well-being. By allowing students to experience the natural consequences of their choices, instructors can shift ownership of learning back to students while reducing micromanagement.
Tips for engaging students in online, asynchronous courses. For this session, Sharleen Traynor, Director/Instructor Clinical Research and Medical Product Safety Program, the 2026 Durham Technical Community College award winner, discusses how instructors can create an online classroom where students feel supported and connected through engagement. Upon completion of this session, attendees will identify actionable strategies…
For this session, Jerry Hackney, Department Head (Agricultural Sciences), the Alamance Community College award winner, explains how instructors can contextualize their content to make it more relatable to students. Rebecca Smith, AFA Program Director/Assistant Professor, the Wake Technical Community College winner shares how instructor’s need to promote hands-on learning to increase student success.
In this interactive session, you'll walk through simple, immediately-applicable AI tools that can slash your workload significantly—from automating email responses and generating meeting summaries to creating lesson plans and grading rubrics in minutes instead of hours.
This session demystifies the essential components of successful submissions, highlighting strategies for crafting clear, compelling narratives that resonate with reviewers.
Join Learning Management System Administrator Dr. James Cook from Vance-Granville Community College and Instructional Designer Dr. Jaime McLeod from Central Carolina Community College as they discuss the importance of design, presence, and pedagogy in the classroom. Upon completion, attendees will be able to critique their own courses for adherence to sound educational principles of teaching…
This session focuses on how to build a sustainable teaching life through intentional planning, smart use of technology, and boundary-setting. It explores ways to reduce burnout/overload, manage communication across multiple institutions, and create a balance for adjuncts to not only have a personal life alongside professional responsibilities, but create a peace of mind. Katy Landres.
Join us for this session to learn about how you can foster deep learning for your students, helping them focus, engage, and build their attention and concentration. During this session, you will learn ways to adapt to your learners, helping them leverage technology (including AI) when appropriate and complete “unconnected” independent work at other times.…
This panel discussion covers essential requirements for designing, transitioning, and teaching a class in an 8-week format.
Craven Community College’s Generative AI Momentum (GAIM) initiative is an innovative campus-wide effort designed to build AI fluency and support responsible, effective use of generative AI in teaching and learning. In this session, we will share our GAIM plan and key steps taken to move from vision to implementation, including our COACH program that supports…
This session explores the collaborative process used to develop clear, flexible AI syllabus statements aligned with institutional AI policy. Participants will learn how faculty concerns, disciplinary needs, and ethical considerations were balanced to create practical language that supports transparency, academic integrity, and instructional autonomy.