Monday, August 25, 2025

As we begin the fall term, I’m excited to share a rich set of opportunities and resources to support your teaching and learning from the launch of Adobe Express–Canvas modules and new accessibility tools, to upcoming workshops, classroom technology updates, and thought-provoking discussions around the impact of AI. I encourage you to explore what’s ahead, connect with our events and resources, and share your own reflections on the meaningful changes you’re bringing into your classrooms this semester.

Mike Griffith, PhD 

Executive Director -  Strategic Digital Innovation  | Information Technology 

Director - Innovative Learning Center 

Save the Date: Adobe Express-Canvas Modules Launch August 27th

 

The Adobe Express Modules Library gives educators a concise but flexible collection of materials and resources to explore and choose from. Like a conventional library, you might come here looking for one specific resource, but, as you browse around, you are likely find adjacent things that are useful for you. Likewise, within each module, you might pick and choose which of the contents you want to use as is, or revise to fit your needs.  Choose your own adventure!

 

There are eight modules in the guide:

• Career-skills portfolio
• Multimodal Reports, Essays, and Narratives
• Infographics
• Research Poster
• Presentation
• Explainer Video
• Podcast
• Digital Documents

Join our upcoming

Lunch n' Learn

info session and official launch of Adobe Express Modules Library!

 

Wednesday, August 27

12pm to 1pm

Hybrid

Make your course materials more inclusive with just a click! The Canvas Accessibility Checker is built right into the Rich Content Editor and helps you quickly spot and fix common accessibility issues—like color contrast, alt text, and table formatting. A few small adjustments can make a big difference for your students’ learning experience. Try it out today and ensure your content is welcoming and accessible to all learners!

Hypothesis August Starter Series: Annotate Your Syllabus

Thurs. August 28 | 12:30pm to 1pm | Zoom 

Register

(W.A.V.E.) AI Fundamentals

Tues. September 9 | 1pm to 2:30pm | Hybrid 

Register

Activating Student Reading with Hypothesis

Thurs. September 11 | 11am to 12pm | Zoom 

Register

SIG: Canvas Admins: Drop-In, Discover & Discuss

Tues. September 16 | 12pm to 12:30pm | Zoom

(W.A.V.E.) AI for Instructional Planning and Content Management: Setting the Hook

Tues. September 23 | 1pm to 2:30pm | Hybrid

Register

By Blaine Fisher, Ph.D., MS, MA, NRP, PG-Cert

Artificial intelligence might feel like magic, but behind the curtain it runs on very real electricity and water. Every query to a large language model or image generator triggers calculations in power-hungry data centers. OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman recently revealed some eye-opening stats: an average ChatGPT query uses about 0.34 watt-hours of electricity and 0.000085 gallons of water. That’s roughly the electricity an oven consumes in just over one second (or an LED bulb in a couple minutes), and about one-fifteenth of a teaspoon of water per query. On an individual level it sounds trivial, hardly more than a blink of an eye or a few drops. But multiply that by millions or billions of AI queries and tasks, day after day, and you start to see a hidden energy hunger with real environmental implications.

 

AI may be virtual, but its environmental footprint is painfully real.

Zoom Phones have been installed in General Pool Classrooms.  

• New Feature: Press Send or Dial to make a call.  
• New Phone Queue: Press 1 for Classroom Support. 

Fall Teach Anywhere
Office Hours

 

Mondays | 12pm to 1pm

 

No appointments necessary, both online via zoom and in the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Suite 300 for all pedagogy and academic technology needs.

 

Mondays and Thursdays 12pm to 1pm

The ILC created the Resource Hub in order to give the Tulane community quick access to guides and documentation on all the academic technology that is available to you. 

 

New Resources available:

• AI Resource Hub
• Classroom Technology Training

• Zoom Flair: Add Personality to Your Zoom Meetings 

Question of the Month

 

What’s one small change you’re making in your teaching this term—and what inspired it?

Chronicle Festival: 3 Days, Big Ideas

You are invited to join The Chronicle Festival, a three-day virtual event exploring the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing higher education today. From the evolving needs of Generation Z to the future of college leadership and workforce alignment, this year’s agenda offers timely insights from leading voices in the field.

 

 

Day 1: The Gen-Z Puzzle – September 16 

Today’s students are reshaping higher education. Explore how institutions can adapt to changes in enrollment, AI-driven learning, and campus culture.

Featuring Steven Pinker, Johnstone Family Professor, Department of Psychology, Harvard University

 

Day 2: Innovating Leadership – September 17 

What does leadership look like in a time of disruption? Hear how college leaders are rethinking strategy, technology, and institutional resilience.

Featuring Nancy Gonzalez, Executive Vice President and University Provost, Arizona State University

 

Day 3: A Catalyst for the Workforce – September 18

As the economy and workplace evolve, how can colleges ensure long-term career success for graduates?

Featuring Kim Hunter Reed, Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Louisiana; former Deputy Undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Education

 

 

Daily Schedule: 12:30pm - 4:15pm ET

Contact the IT Service Desk

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Hours | Mon - Fri 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM | Sat - Sun 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

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