The Symposium is open to NIU faculty, instructors, SPS and Civil Service staff, and doctoral students.
Online Teaching Symposium
May 30, 2023 - Online
May 31, 2023 - In-person at NIU Naperville Regional Center
an opportunity to connect and learn, featuring an inspiring keynote and amazing experiences of NIU faculty
Overview
The Online Teaching Symposium is designed for creating opportunities for you to grow as an online educator and to connect with your peers and colleagues. It is not another workshop or presentation. The Symposium is a two-day celebration of our outstanding faculty and instructors, an opportunity to connect with your colleagues in new ways, and a dynamic learning experience you build to meet your personal learning needs.
The 2023 Symposium will include both online and in-person components.
Schedule At-A-Glance
Keynote Address - Trauma-Aware Online Teaching
Karen Costa
Trauma is not new, but many of us teaching, working, and learning in higher education are seeing more intense and widespread impacts of trauma — in ourselves, our colleagues, and our students. How does this shift intersect with the growth of online teaching and learning? We'll explore and refine our understanding of mitigating trauma's impacts and supporting all learners (and educators) within virtual learning and teaching environments. How might we also view online classrooms as unique spaces of care and opportunity to navigate our volatile era? As we learn together in this session, remember that cameras are encouraged and optional. Children, pets, and action figures are welcome. Come as you are, and bring your feelings, ideas, and questions.
Presentation: Quality Essentials
- Rob Piercy, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Presentation: The Growth of Culturally Responsive Teaching in Teaching Methodologies
- Sarah Militz-Frielink, Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations
Presentation: "I'm in the Waiting Room...": Creating Student Engagement Opportunities to Combat Student (and teacher) Bandwidth Burnout
- Natalie Young, Special and Early Education
Presentation: Reshaping Academic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conversations
- Linh Nguyen, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Presentation: Strategies for Effective and Efficient Assessment in Online Courses
- Jason Underwood, Educational Technology, Research, and Assessment
Presentation: Ideas for Infusing Empathy in a Challenging Online Graduate Course
- Cathy Carlson, School of Nursing
Presentation: Diversity is a Fact. Inclusion is an Action: Who's at Your Table?
- Kiara Williams, Georgia State University Alum
Panel: Transitioning to Low or Zero Cost Materials
- Meredith Geller, College of Law
- Lydia Gerzel-Short, Special and Early Education
- Colin Kuehl, Political Science
- DeeAnna Phares, University Libraries
Presentation: Looking Ahead: The Blackboard Ultra Roadmap
- Stephanie Richter, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
- Michael Strunk, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
- Michael Taylor, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Check-in & Breakfast
Day 2 of the Online Teaching Symposium will take place in person at the NIU Naperville Regional Center. Participant check-in begins at 8:00 am. Join us for a light breakfast in Ballroom 101A prior to the start of the first session.
Welcome and Student Panel
Moderator
- Kiara Williams, Georgia State University Alum
NIU Student Panelists:
- Wendy Bednarz, Master of Public Administration
- Rachel Berkover, Master of Science - Data Analytics
- Jahnetta Jones, Master of Science - Digital Marketing
- Greg Scott, Doctor of Philosophy in Instructional Technology
- Lorenzo Velazquez-Carlos, Master of Business Administration
Birds of a Feather Conversation (Table 1): Video and Multimedia
- Moderator: Michael Strunk, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Birds of a Feather Conversation (Table 2): Community Building
- Moderator: Yvonne Johnson, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Birds of a Feather Conversation (Table 3): Ask an Instructional Designer
- Moderator: Diane Alberts, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
- Moderator: Cynthia Paralejas, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Birds of a Feather Conversation (Table 4): Student Engagement
- Moderator: Amanda Smothers, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Birds of a Feather Conversation (Table 5): Online Student Support
- Moderator: Anna Richardson, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Birds of a Feather Conversation (Table 6): Blackboard Ultra
- Moderator: Stephanie Richter, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Excellence in Online Teaching Award Recipients - Plenary Session
Moderator
- Tracy Miller, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Panelists:
- Lynn Dykstra, School of Nursing (Excellence in Online Teaching Award Winner)
- Donna Werderich, Curriculum and Instruction (Excellence in Online Teaching Award Winner)
Day 2 Symposium Wrap Up
The sessions will be facilitated via Zoom. We recommend downloading the Zoom client in advance, if you do not already have it. You can participate from your computer or a mobile device. You will need speakers to hear the sessions and a microphone to present or participate verbally.
Yes, all sessions will use the automated captioning available in Zoom. If you need a human transcriptionist to participate in the Symposium, please let us know via the Special Accommodations field when you register.