The Center for Innovation in Teaching, Assessment, and Learning |
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CITAL NEWSLETTER - MAY 12, 2026 |
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Summer is Around the Corner |
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to your last CITAL Newsletter of the year! While we know you are in the home stretch with final exams, grading, and commencement front of mind, we want to remind you that CITAL is here all year round to help with your teaching goals. In this issue, we highlight two faculty members who are practicing innovation in their classrooms. Next, we want to bring to your attention several opportunities for development happening over the summer, including our inaugural Summer Faculty Institute on AI (22 of your colleagues have already signed up), our new Canvas Tips in 20 workshop series. Additionally, we want to remind you about Quality Matters opportunities and highlight some upcoming webinars and workshops. On a final note, Gina Rue (Senior Instructional Designer) will be retiring on July 10, 2026. Gina has been a valued member of the CITAL team and Valpo community. Please join us in wishing her well on whatever the future holds. We look forward to seeing all of you in the fall (and perhaps over the summer). Until then, we hope you find at least some time to relax and recharge.
The CITAL Team (Ed, Cindy, Gina, and Raina)
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By Cynthia Rutz, Director of Faculty Development
In this week’s blog, we highlight two Valpo faculty who have worked hard to update their pedagogy in response to real-world challenges. Paul Smith (Chemistry) has his students doing original research on creating sustainable fuel made from used cooking oil and eggshells. Phrosini
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Samis-Smith (CONHP) has used feedback from alumni and external partners to create new courses and programs that better position our students for success in their field.
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☀️ AI SUMMER INSTITUTE
📆 Wednesday, July 29th, 2026
📆 Thursday, July 30th, 2026
⏰ Reserve Your Seat
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As part of the Lilly Endowment AI in Higher Education planning grant, CITAL will be hosting a two-day Summer Faculty Institute on AI.
Our keynote speaker will be nationally recognized author C. Edward Watson (AAC&U, and co-author of Teaching with AI). Caleb J. Keith (AAC&U) will be our AI scholar in residence for both days. Additionally, we plan to have Valpo faculty presentations and conversations to build on existing institutional knowledge.
All faculty who attend will receive a daily stipend of $75 ($150 total) and will enjoy meals and fellowship. More information, including the full agenda, will be provided as we get closer to the event.
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As you wrap up the spring semester and start preparing for the fall, we want to update you on new and exciting things in Canvas. We've updated the Canvas Orientation course, which now includes information about how to use Parchment Digital Badges. You will learn how to access badges, create a badge and pathways.
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CITAL Workshops: Canvas Tips in 20!
Fast & Focused for Faculty |
📚Ready to sharpen your Canvas skills without taking up your whole day?
Join CITAL’s “Canvas Tips in 20” Mini-Workshop Series. This is a collection of quick, practical, 20-minute Zoom sessions designed to enhance your teaching and spark new ideas. Each session spotlights one powerful Canvas feature you can start using immediately. Whether you want to streamline your course navigation, energize discussions, enhance accessibility, or explore new AI-powered tools, there’s something here for everyone.
📚Why attend?
● Bite-sized learning that fits your schedule
● Practical tips you can apply immediately
● Live demos + Q&A
● Perfect for new and experienced Canvas users
Join us for one, or collect all twelve. Click here for the Schedule & Registration.
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🌟 Elevate Your Online or Hybrid Course
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- Join the 59 Valpo faculty who are now Quality Matters certified—join the momentum.
- CITAL is available over the summer to offer the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric Workshop.
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- It is eight hours total and can be offered over two half days or one full day, either virtually or on campus. If held on campus, CITAL would provide breakfast and lunch. Let us know when you are ready to schedule your event.
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QM‑certified and ready for more?
- Prepare your course for Official Review with CITAL’s support.
- Reach out to CITAL to begin.
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✔️ You’ve Done the Workshop—Now Level Up
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The next step is QM’s Official Course Review.
- CITAL is here to help you launch.
- Connect with us to move forward.
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🚨CITAL will guide your next steps
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Upcoming Webinars and Conferences |
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Below are upcoming and on-demand webinars and podcasts from leading experts in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
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Below are upcoming conferences. These conferences cover a wide range of topics including AI, online pedagogy, and leadership in online programs.
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The Center for Innovation in Teaching, Assessment, and Learning |
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