Teaching at ECU Series

Teaching at ECU

We’ve partnered with experienced Pirate Faculty, the Learning Technologies team, and others to present this series on best practices for teaching at ECU. We encourage you to join us for one or all of these sessions! Most sessions will be recorded and posted for later viewing.

*(DE) This session is aligned with the ECU Distance Education Continuing Education Requirement

Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact ECU’s ADA coordinator at least 48 hours prior to the event at 252-737-1018 or ada-coordinator@ecu.edu.

Link to archived Teaching Workshops

Date/Time	Session Title	Description	Links
January 7, 2026 12:00 - 1:30	Faculty Feedback Forum: Your Spring Syllabi	The Faculty Feedback Forum series provides an opportunity for faculty to share and receive peer feedback on instructional strategies, routines, or resources you use in your courses. Just in time for the start of the new semester, the topic for this Faculty Feedback Forum is Your Spring Syllabi. Bring a syllabus that you are working on and be ready to discuss a decision you are trying to make as you finalize plans for the spring. Participants will share their syllabi and questions with small groups, who will in turn provide feedback and brainstorm together. We hope you will leave with helpful feedback and maybe some new ideas. **Faculty members seeking peer assessment documentation may fulfill that requirement through this session. Pre-registration is required by January 5th; space is limited. Facilitated by Tori Jackson
January 13, 2026 1:00 - 1:15	Assignment Autopsies: Strengthening a Weak Assignment	Not every assignment lands as planned. In this fast, 15-minute “autopsy,” participants learn a quick framework—purpose, process, product, and feedback—to diagnose common issues and rethink one element to strengthen future assignments. Facilitated by John Smoot	Assignment Autopsies: Strengthening a Weak Assignment - Session Recording
January 14, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Cultivating Metacognition: Strengthening Writing with Transparent Teaching	Metacognition (thinking about thinking) serves as the cornerstone for meaningful, adaptable, and lasting learning. By fostering metacognitive writing practices, educators can empower student writers to activate prior knowledge, apply new strategies, reflect on their strengths and challenges, and transfer skills across various contexts. In this workshop, participants will explore the Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TILT) framework and see how other ECU instructors have used it to enhance student metacognitive awareness. By clearly communicating the purpose, task, and criteria of assignments, educators can help students understand the "why" behind their learning, fostering deeper reflection and self-regulation. Participants will leave with actionable techniques, adaptable templates, and a TILT-informed metacognitive checklist to support effective course planning and improve student writing outcomes. Facilitated by Kerri Flinchbaugh	Cultivating Metacognition: Strengthening Writing with Transparent Teaching - Session Recording
January 15, 2026 11:00 - 11:30	Blueprinting for Impact: Creating a Course Map that Works*	Design your course with purpose from the start! In this 30-minute session, you’ll learn how to build a clear and effective course map that aligns objectives, activities, and assessments, making teaching easier and more meaningful. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Blueprinting for Impact: Creating a Course Map that Works - Session Recording
January 16, 2026 1:00 - 1:15	Setting the Stage: Designing a Clear Start for Students for The Upcoming Semester*	Start your course off right with a clear, welcoming introduction that sets students up for success. This 15-minute session will explore practical ways to design a strong course welcome, organize your homepage, and communicate expectations from day one. Facilitated by Justin Littlefield	Setting the Stage: Designing a Clear Start for Students for The Upcoming Semester - Session Recording
January 20, 2026 10:00 - 10:30	Teach with Impact: Integrating Video for Dynamic Learning*	Engaging learners with video content is nothing new; however, engaging them with the right content can make an impact on how they learn. In this 30-minute session, we will cover balancing length to the appropriate number of videos to share at once, while introducing best practices for engaging learners with video. Facilitated by Justin Littlefield	Teach with Impact: Integrating Video for Dynamic Learning - Session Recording
January 20, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Belonging in Writing Across the Curriculum: Trauma-Informed Writing Pedagogies	How can we create writing classrooms that feel safe, supportive, and empowering for all students? This workshop invites you to engage with trauma-informed core values for teaching writing and offers practical strategies to address the challenges students bring with them to the classroom. Together, we’ll explore questions such as: What does a safe and supportive writing environment look like? and How can we adapt our teaching to meet the wide range of student experiences and needs? Through reflection, self-assessment, and concrete strategies, you’ll leave with tools to strengthen your approach to writing instruction and foster a greater sense of belonging among your students. Facilitated by Kerri Flinchbaugh
January 21, 2026 10:00 - 10:15	Tech with Intention: Choosing the Right Tools for Learning*	Tech should make learning easier, not harder. In this 15-minute session, we’ll explore how to choose the right digital tools that align with your goals, support student success, and keep your course running smoothly. Facilitated by Stacy Muse	Tech with Intention: Choosing the Right Tools for Learning - Session Recording
January 21, 2026 1:00 - 1:30	Accessibility Essential: 10 Quick Wins for Your Course*	Let’s face it, building an accessible course is a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Learn how you can start making your course materials accessible today in 30-minute short training. Facilitated by Justin Littlefield	Accessibility Essential: 10 Quick Wins for Your Course - Session Recording
January 21, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Considering Neurotypes: Rethinking Writing Instruction	Students bring valuable perspectives and unique cognitive strengths to the writing process, yet traditional writing instruction often fails to tap into such potential. This workshop invites instructors to rethink writing by exploring how students with particular neurotypes engage with language, organization, and expression. Participants will gain insight into potential challenges related to executive functioning, working memory, and sensory processing that can affect writing. Through interactive discussions and case studies, we will examine practical, research-based strategies to create more inclusive and supportive writing environments. Attendees will leave with concrete approaches for fostering students' strengths while addressing possible barriers to writing success. Facilitated by Kerri Flinchbaugh and Soph Myers-Kelley	Considering Neurotypes: Rethinking Writing Instruction - Session Recording
January 22, 2026 2:00 - 3:00	Mentoring Signature Honors Projects - Opportunities and Requirements for the Mentor	Are you mentoring a Signature Honors Project? Or want to find out more? Come to this session to find out about the opportunities and requirements. Facilitated by Katie Ford	Mentoring Signature Honors Projects - Opportunities and Requirements for the Mentor - Session Recording
January 22, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Implementing Transparency: A Simple Shift with a Big Impact	Effective assignment design plays a crucial role in student success, yet too often, students are left to decipher expectations with minimal guidance. This workshop explores how transparent assignment design can enhance student engagement, performance, and confidence by providing clear expectations and purposeful structure. Participants will learn about the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework, see how other ECU faculty have used it in their writing classrooms, and consider how it could be applied in their writing instruction. By articulating the purpose, task, and criteria for success, instructors can improve communication and foster deeper learning. Join us to explore strategies for designing assignments that clarify expectations while empowering all students to take ownership of their writing. Facilitated by Kerri Flinchbaugh	Implementing Transparency: A Simple Shift with a Big Impact - Session Recording
January 23, 2026 2:00 - 3:30 Hybrid: Teams and Joyner 2301	Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Info Session	Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is a high-impact practice that integrates global experiential learning into existing courses by connecting students with peers at partner universities abroad for dialogue and collaborative, project-based work. This session will introduce the COIL model, walk through practical pathways for getting started, and outline faculty development grants available to support the design and implementation of new COIL projects. Facilitated by Jami Leibowitz
January 26, 2026 2:00 - 2:30	Quality Matters 101: Laying the Foundation for Course Excellence*	Quality Matters (QM) is an organization focused on high-quality online course design. In this 30-minute intro session, you’ll learn some basics of the QM Rubric, insight into the QM Peer Review process, and gain some takeaways you can put to work in your online courses. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Register for Quality Matters 101: Laying the Foundation for Course Excellence Join Quality Matters 101: Laying the Foundation for Course Excellence
January 27, 2026 9:00 - 9:30	Designing for Every Learner with 4MAT	In this 30-minute session, move beyond “learning styles” and learn how the 4MAT framework supports learner preferences and stages of engagement. Participants explore the four quadrants and rethink an activity for broader reach. Facilitated by John Smoot	Register for Designing for Every Learner with 4MAT Join Designing for Every Learner with 4MAT
January 28, 2026 10:00 - 10:15	Learning with Intention: Writing Outcomes that Matter*	Make every lesson count with clear, purposeful learning outcomes. In this 15-minute session, we’ll break down how to write meaningful objectives that guide your content, focus your assessments, and help students understand exactly what they’re working toward. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Register for Learning with Intention: Writing Outcomes that Matter Join Learning with Intention: Writing Outcomes that Matter
February 4, 2026 10:00 - 10:15	Bridge to Success: Connecting Students to What They Need*	Students shouldn’t have to search high and low for support. This 15-minute session will show you how to seamlessly connect learners to the right campus resources; academic, tech, and beyond. Stick around ‘til the end… we’ve got a helpful surprise to send you off with that just might make your course even stronger. Facilitated by Stacy Muse	Register for Bridge to Success: Connecting Students to What They Need Join Bridge to Success: Connecting Students to What They Need
February 4, 2026 1:00 - 1:15	Checkpoints for Success: Measuring What Matters Most*	How do you know students are really learning? This 15-minute session explores how to create assessments that align with your outcomes, provide meaningful feedback, and give students clear checkpoints on their path to success. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Register for Checkpoints for Success: Measuring What Matters Most Join Checkpoints for Success: Measuring What Matters Most
February 5, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Teaching Writing Across the Curriculum with AI	Join us for a practical and thought-provoking workshop exploring how AI tools can be integrated ethically and effectively into writing instruction across disciplines. We’ll examine discipline-specific strategies for using AI to support student writing—from idea generation to revision and genre practice—while also reviewing sample assignments and policies that encourage critical thinking and transparency. The session will also include a discussion of the challenges and opportunities AI presents for teaching writing, including issues related to authorship, assessment, and skill development. Facilitated by Kerri Flinchbaugh and Will Banks	Register for Teaching Writing Across the Curriculum with AI Join Teaching Writing Across the Curriculum with AI
February 9, 2026 11:00 - 12:00	Proposing an Honors College Seminar - Information Session	The Honors College invites faculty to propose seminar topics for Spring 2026. Honors College seminars are a unique course experience that allow students to pursue a variety of interesting topics in a discussion-based setting. All Honors students are required to take at least one seminar. Seminars are writing intensive and often satisfy general education and global or domestic diversity credit. These seminars come from many different disciplines across the university. And we encourage faculty to consider proposing a seminar proposal. Come to this session to find out more about the Honors seminar and the process. Facilitated by Katie Ford	Register for Proposing an Honors College Seminar - Information Session Join Proposing an Honors College Seminar - Information Session
February 10, 2026 11:00 - 11:15	Small, Intentional Ways to Make Students Feel Seen	Discover how small, purposeful gestures, known as micro-affirmations, can have a powerful impact on student engagement and sense of belonging. In this session, you'll explore how acts of recognition, encouragement, and inclusion foster a more supportive learning environment. You'll leave with practical strategies you can start using right away to help students feel seen, valued, and connected. Facilitated by Stacy Muse	Register for Small, Intentional Ways to Make Students Feel Seen Join Small, Intentional Ways to Make Students Feel Seen
February 10, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Universal Design for Learning in Writing Across the Curriculum	Looking to make your writing assignments more effective for a wide range of learners? his workshop offers practical strategies for designing writing assignments that provide flexibility, clear structure, and multiple ways for students to engage and demonstrate their learning. Learn how to reduce common barriers and build writing tasks that help all students stay motivated, confident, and successful. Facilitated by Kerri Flinchbaugh and Elizabeth Gange’	Register for Universal Design for Learning in Writing Across the Curriculum Join Universal Design for Learning in Writing Across the Curriculum
February 11, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Principles of Effective Feedback for Writing Across the Curriculum	Tired of spending hours on comments students don’t use? In this workshop, we’ll explore seven key principles of effective writing feedback that make your responses more impactful and less time-consuming. Learn strategies to streamline your feedback process and help students engage with and apply your comments to improve their writing. Facilitated by Kerri Flinchbaugh and Nikki Caswell	Register for Principles of Effective Feedback for Writing Across the Curriculum Join Principles of Effective Feedback for Writing Across the Curriculum
February 12, 2026 10:00 - 11:30	Faculty Feedback Forum: AI for Brainstorming	The Faculty Feedback Forum series provides an opportunity for faculty to share and receive peer feedback on instructional strategies, resources, or routines used to support student learning. Each session focuses on a specific topic, for this session it is, “AI for Brainstorming.” Participants must come prepared with an example, resource, or activity they use (or are developing) to help students engage with AI for brainstorming. This might include an assignment prompt, syllabus section, or AI task concept. You'll leave with helpful feedback, new ideas, and a completed Peer Assessment form that can be uploaded into Faculty180 under Peer Assessment. Pre-registration is required by February 5th; space is limited. *Faculty members seeking peer assessment documentation may fulfill that requirement through this session. Facilitated by Tori Jackson	Register for Faculty Feedback Forum: AI for Brainstorming
February 13, 2026 11:00 - 11:15	Assignment Autopsies: Strengthening a Weak Assignment	Not every assignment lands as planned. In this fast, 15-minute “autopsy,” participants learn a quick framework—purpose, process, product, and feedback—to diagnose common issues and rethink one element to strengthen future assignments. Facilitated by John Smoot	Register for Assignment Autopsies: Strengthening a Weak Assignment Join Assignment Autopsies: Strengthening a Weak Assignment
February 17, 2026 11:00 - 11:30	Creative Course Design with Adobe Express	Bring your course content to life with Adobe Express! In this 30-minute session, you’ll learn how to create eye-catching graphics and more to enhance your Canvas pages and engage your students creatively. No design experience is needed. Facilitated by Stacy Muse	Register for Creative Course Design with Adobe Express Join Creative Course Design with Adobe Express
February 18, 2026 10:30 - 11:15	Breaking Bad Discussion Boards, Part 1: Cooking Up Prompts That Stick	Part 1 of a two-part series—but also fully effective on its own. In 45 minutes, learn how to clarify purpose, design engaging prompts, explore prompt structures, and build rubrics that guide meaningful, higher-quality discussion. Facilitated by John Smoot	Register for Breaking Bad Discussion Boards, Part 1: Cooking Up Prompts That Stick Join Breaking Bad Discussion Boards, Part 1: Cooking Up Prompts That Stick
February 18, 2026 11:30 - 12:30	Teaching Smarter, Not Harder: Integrating AI Literacy Through the Skills Students Already Struggle With	Students often rely on AI most heavily in the same places they struggle with. This includes course concepts, interpreting data, analyzing texts, applying frameworks, generating ideas, or evaluating evidence. This session shows faculty how to introduce meaningful AI literacy without adding new content, simply by using these existing points of difficulty. Faculty will explore simple in-class activities that reinforce key disciplinary thinking skills while guiding students toward ethical and accurate AI use. Facilitated by Tori Jackson	Register for Teaching Smarter, Not Harder: Integrating AI Literacy Through the Skills Students Already Struggle With Join Teaching Smarter, Not Harder: Integrating AI Literacy Through the Skills Students Already Struggle With
February 19, 2026 11:00 - 11:30	Creating Engaging Videos with Adobe Express	Learn how to quickly create professional, eye-catching videos using Adobe Express—no advanced editing skills required! This short session will walk you through the basics of adding text, images, and audio to craft videos that enhance your online courses and connect with students. Perfect for faculty looking to boost engagement with simple, creative tools. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Register for Creating Engaging Videos with Adobe Express Join Creating Engaging Videos with Adobe Express
February 20, 2026 11:00 - 11:30	Designing for Every Learner with 4MAT	In this 30-minute session, move beyond “learning styles” and learn how the 4MAT framework supports learner preferences and stages of engagement. Participants explore the four quadrants and rethink an activity for broader reach. Facilitated by John Smoot	Register for Designing for Every Learner with 4MAT Join Designing for Every Learner with 4MAT
February 25, 2026 3:00 - 4:00	Open Pedagogy: Helping Students Learn Through Creation	This session will be an introduction to open pedagogy which focuses on learner-centered practices where students are involved in creating content that can be used beyond the classroom. Students can share their open pedagogy projects during interviews or on their resumes. In this session, we will define open pedagogy and provide examples of assignments and tools that can be used. We will also provide some helpful resources on using open pedagogy in the classroom. Facilitated by Allison Kaefring, Rachel Priesman Marquez, & Jeanne Hoover	Register for Open Pedagogy: Helping Students Learn Through Creation Join Open Pedagogy: Helping Students Learn Through Creation
February 26, 2026 11:00 - 11:15	From Resources to Results: Choosing the Right Materials*	Great courses start with great content. This 15-minute session will show you how to select and structure materials that are easy to access, clearly connected to your objectives, and meaningful to your learners. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Register for From Resources to Results: Choosing the Right Materials Join From Resources to Results: Choosing the Right Materials
February 26, 2026 1:00 - 1:45	Breaking Bad Discussion Boards, Part 2: Keeping the Conversation Alive	Part 2 of the series—but works perfectly as a stand-alone session. This 45-minute session goes beyond grading posts to explore the role of the facilitator, how to keep momentum, and strategies for reviving a discussion that has stalled. Facilitated by John Smoot	Register for Breaking Bad Discussion Boards, Part 2: Keeping the Conversation Alive Join Breaking Bad Discussion Boards, Part 2: Keeping the Conversation Alive
February 26, 2026 1:00 – 4:00 February 27, 2026 9:00 – 12:00 In-Person: Joyner Library 1008 Must attend both sessions to complete the workshop.	Improving Your Online Course (IYOC)*	Focused on course enhancement, this workshop helps participants evaluate and improve an existing online course using the QM Rubric. Through hands-on activities and peer discussions, participants identify areas for improvement and develop a course improvement plan. IYOC is best suited for faculty who have already taught their course and are ready to refine it for better learner outcomes. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Register for Improving Your Online Course (IYOC)
March 16, 2026 2:00 - 2:30	Creating Engaging Videos with Adobe Express	Learn how to quickly create professional, eye-catching videos using Adobe Express—no advanced editing skills required! This short session will walk you through the basics of adding text, images, and audio to craft videos that enhance your online courses and connect with students. Perfect for faculty looking to boost engagement with simple, creative tools. Facilitated by Andrew Horne	Register for Creating Engaging Videos with Adobe Express Join Creating Engaging Videos with Adobe Express
March 18, 2026 9:00 - 9:30	Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Flexible Assessment Design	This practical 30-minute session shows how to offer students choice—through formats, topics, or mediums—while still keeping outcomes and expectations crystal clear. Facilitated by John Smoot	Register for Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Flexible Assessment Design Join Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Flexible Assessment Design
March 18, 2026 1:00 - 1:30	Teach with Impact: Integrating Video for Dynamic Learning*	Engaging learners with video content is nothing new; however, engaging them with the right content can make an impact on how they learn. In this 30-minute session, we will cover balancing length to the appropriate number of videos to share at once, while introducing best practices for engaging learners with video. Facilitated by Justin Littlefield	Register for Teach with Impact: Integrating Video for Dynamic Learning Join Teach with Impact: Integrating Video for Dynamic Learning
March 19, 2026 10:00 - 11:00	Evaluating AI Output: Teaching Students to Analyze, Question, and Improve AI-Generated Work	Move beyond asking “Did they use AI?” and focus on helping students think critically about what AI produces. This session introduces practical ways to teach students to spot inaccuracies, weak reasoning, and missing evidence in AI-generated text and then improve it. Faculty will explore strategies that turn AI from a shortcut into a tool for deeper learning. Facilitated by Tori Jackson	Register for Evaluating AI Output: Teaching Students to Analyze, Question, and Improve AI-Generated Work Join Evaluating AI Output: Teaching Students to Analyze, Question, and Improve AI-Generated Work
March 23, 2026 1:00 - 1:15	From Passive to Active: Learning that Sparks Participation to the Asynchronous Classroom*	Ready to turn “click-through” courses into meaningful learning experiences? This 15-minute session explores simple strategies to design engaging activities that get students thinking, participating, and connecting, even in asynchronous spaces. Facilitated by Justin Littlefield	Register for From Passive to Active: Learning that Sparks Participation to the Asynchronous Classroom Join From Passive to Active: Learning that Sparks Participation to the Asynchronous Classroom
March 24, 2026 10:00 - 10:30	Make it Stick: Teaching for Long-Term Learning	In this 30-minute session, learn how to help students move knowledge from short-term to long-term memory by combining learning science with Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience to shift from passive to active learning. Facilitated by John Smoot	Register for Make it Stick: Teaching for Long-Term Learning Join Make it Stick: Teaching for Long-Term Learning

Teaching at ECU Series

Fall 2025