Greetings, Friends, 

Welcome to the aspirationally-named “Spring” 2026 term! This month we especially want to honor your innovative spirit, in multiple ways. While we see you out there repurposing your garden and construction tools for sleet excavation, we also want to appeal to your inventive teaching self by inviting you to 

And if you know a colleague who’s been leading teaching and curriculum innovation for a long time, please nominate them by February 11 for a David J. King award. 

As you scroll down or check our Event Calendar for the full list of upcoming workshops, opportunities, and deadlines, we hope you feel encouraged to try something new, or share the new work you’re already doing! 

E Shelley Reid, Ph.D. 

Executive Director

We invite George Mason University faculty, graduate instructors and staff to submit proposals for the 18th Annual Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference! This year’s theme is Relevant Teaching, where instructors can address strategies for meeting recent changes in higher education and teaching. The hybrid conference includes online sessions via Zoom on September 24, 2026, and in-person sessions on September 25, 2026. See our ITL webpages for a full description of the conference and our call for proposals.

The Teaching with AI: Level 1 workshop series offers instructors a practical, research-informed foundation as they navigate the choices around the use of AI in their courses. See below for our next three workshops, or click below to learn about the five-workshop Certificate.

The David J. King Teaching Award is given annually to a faculty member who has made significant, long-term contributions (over the course of 20 years or more) to the overall educational excellence of the university. Read more on our website; nominate a colleague via email to stearns@gmu.edu by February 11, 2026.

In this session on Friday, February 13, we will review the Stearns Center's AI Quick Start Guide. Topics include discussing the most common questions asked by GMU faculty about AI, reviewing recommended resources including the GMU Guidelines for Faculty and Students, demonstrate some of the tools that are available to use, and consider ethical considerations for tool usage as instructors. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI credential series.

Are you interested in developing learning experiences where students can apply their skills and competencies in and beyond the classrooms? In Part 1 on Tues., Feb. 17 of this thematic faculty development cluster, you will learn about the critical elements of teaching today’s students and how to use transparent assignment design for experiential learning. In Part 2 on Thurs., Feb. 19 of this thematic faculty development cluster, you will learn how to get students involved in their own learning and how to assess experiential learning. You can earn a CPD Level 1 Teaching Essentials Credential by completing Part 1 and Part 2 of the cluster.

Want to develop a more sustainable and effective plan for providing feedback? This workshop on Thursday, February 19 focuses on key practices for increasing the impact and efficiency of the feedback you offer. We will explore the characteristics of effective feedback and strategies for implementing them.

Whether this is your first time teaching a Mason Core course or you are a seasoned veteran, this workshop on Friday, February 20 will help you develop new strategies for increasing student engagement and success while better managing the additional workload that often comes with teaching a general education course.

This interactive workshop on February 20 is designed to help you effectively communicate with students about ethical AI use in your courses. Through discussions, case studies, and individual work, you will develop a coherent AI policy tailored to your courses and gain practical strategies for guiding your students in responsible AI use. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI credential series.

Last month, we published our first two episodes for season 4! Dive into Sensible Approaches to Teaching in the Age of AI-Generated Everything with Dr. Tawnya Azar and listen to Everyone Should Learn to Teach with Drs. Stephanie Bluth and Alyssa Bivins.

This month, look forward to February 12 where we will have special guests Dr. Indigo Eriksen and Hector Revollo from Northern Virginia Community College. Then on February 25 our episode will feature key insights on academic advising. 

✅ Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts to stay tuned! 

Whether you’re new to AI tools like Microsoft CoPilot or experiences, on Friday, March 27 explore prompts and discuss the role of AI-Assisted Faculty tasks including interfacing with students. Based on the book Teaching with AI by Bowen and Watson. *Participation in past AI Test Kitchens is not required. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI credential series.

This hands-on workshop on Friday, April 3 invites faculty to explore how students can use Generative AI as a writing tool to assist with their assignments. Together, we’ll experiment with AI tools at various stages of the writing process, including brainstorming, drafting, and revising, to consider the strengths and limitations of AI as a writing tool. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI credential series.

All members of the George Mason community are invited to join us for the Teaching Excellence Awards ceremony and reception where we will celebrate and honor the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award Winners!
Monday, April 13, 2026 | 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Dewberry Hall, Johnson Center

Mason Online is offering several workshops this Spring for George Mason faculty to level-up their online teaching tools! Contact Mona Davidson-Tisler at jdavid25@gmu.edu for registration assistance and questions.

Are you working to figure out how to convey the impact and effectiveness of your teaching and mentoring for renewal, tenure, and/or promotion? The workshop is appropriate for faculty in any discipline. You will outline your teaching, learning, and mentoring strategies for developing and present it to peer and reviewer audiences. This workshop is on March 18, 11:30 am to 1 pm.