Fall 2025 Faculty Development Series
Below are the professional development opportunities available for Fall 2025. Preregistration is required to allow presenters to plan accordingly. Please click on the appropriate link for the session you wish to attend. Upon registration, you will receive an invitation email with the Zoom link for the session.
Presenter: Milad Malakooti, ITS-Digital Learning
Description:
This training empowers faculty to efficiently use Canvas tools, allowing them to focus
on teaching and the subject. Participants will learn to streamline course setup, organize
content, and manage communication, grading, and assignments with ease. The session
will highlight features like the gradebook, quizzes, and available third-party tools
designed to save time while maintaining accessibility and engagement. By mastering
these tools, faculty can simplify administrative tasks and create a more effective,
student-centered learning environment.
Virtual Zoom Sessions (click on link to register)
Presenter: Dr. Heidi Coronado, Graduate School of Education
Description:
This interactive workshop is an introduction to the principles of trauma-informed
pedagogy and equips participants with practical strategies to foster more inclusive,
responsive, and compassionate learning environments. Participants will explore the
impact of trauma on learning and engagement, identify common triggers in classroom
settings, and discuss actionable tools to promote psychological safety and academic
resilience in their courses.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)
Presenters: Dr. Steven Hawkins, Director of Community Service-Learning and Dena Jenson, Director, Center for Nonprofit Leadership
Description:
This session is designed to provide faculty with insights about opportunities for
community engagement in and out of the classroom. Hear about opportunities integrating
community-service learning in your curriculum from Dr. Steve Hawkins and ways that
the Center for Nonprofit Leadership can serve as a conduit for community-engaged pedagogy
and research through various non-profit organizations and agencies in the Central
Coast region.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)
Presenters: Dr. Ran Lu-Andrews (past UCC chair), School of Management; Dr. Chad Barber (past UCC chair), College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Dan Tillapaugh (GCC Chair), Graduate School of Education; and Maria Kohnke, Associate Vice President of Academic Services and Registrar
Description:
In this session, the facilitators will offer insight and guidance about proposing
new courses to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee or the Graduate Curriculum Committee.
If you are a faculty member working on a new course or revision to curriculum, please
join us for this session to have your questions answered and to learn more about the
step-by-step process, including submitting your proposal on Coursedog.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)
Presenter: Counseling and Psychological Services Staff
Description:
This session is designed to empower faculty with tools to show students they are not
alone and that their well-being matters. Participants will explore practical and compassionate
ways to support students who may be in distress or coping with trauma. CAPS staff
facilitators will help faculty identify signs that a student might be struggling and
offer ways to connect students with helpful resources.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)
Presenters: Dr. John Garcia, School of Management; Dr. Shanshan Ma, ITS-Digital Learning; Dr. Jose Marichal, College of Arts and Sciences; Mike Panesis, School of Management; Dr.Gerhard Apfelthaler, School of Management
Description:
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to be a hot topic in education.
In this session, panelists will offer insights about how they have continued to think
about using AI in various ways to support student learning and success and how their
philosophies on this may continue to have evolved alongside the technologies available.
Join us for this dialogue to think through how you might think about AI as a tool
for your teaching.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)
Presenter: Dr. Monica Gracyalny, Director of the Research Protections Office
Description:
The Research Protections Office is offering a workshop designed to guide faculty through
the key compliance requirements for conducting research at the university. The session
will cover IRB processes for studies involving human participants, IACUC requirements
for animal research and teaching activities, and important information about export
control regulations that can impact international research, data sharing, and international
travel. Attendees will learn about when and how to seek protocol approval, essential
responsibilities for maintaining compliance, and resources available to support them.
Whether you are new to research or just need a refresher, this session will help ensure
your work meets ethical, legal, and institutional standards.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)
Presenters: Justin Barkhuff, Information Technology Services; Mike Panesis, School of Management; Dr. John Garcia, School of Management; and Homero Magaña, Graduate School of Education
Description:
Building off of our previous session about Artificial Intelligence in the classroom,
our campus colleagues will offer practical tools and strategies that they have used
or are working to implement in supporting student success and learning. Come gain
insights about how AI tools can help your students’ engagement of curricular concepts
and assist in their learning.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)
Presenters: Dr. Brian Collins, College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Sabith Khan, School of Management; Angela Rowley, Graduate School of Education; and Dr. Jose Torres, School for Professional and Continuing Studies
Description:
Interested in jumpstarting your spring class preparation? Looking for ways to boost
student engagement through active learning pedagogical approaches? Join with your
colleagues for a session designed to help you think about how you can increase student
engagement in your winter/spring courses. Bring a draft of an upcoming course syllabus
with you, and engage with some colleagues to think about ways to make your teaching
more active.
Virtual Zoom Session (click on link to register)