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Opportunities to Learn about Artificial Intelligence

by | Nov 4, 2025 | AI, Blog, Classroom, Educational Technology, Faculty Development Workshop, Help Your Students, Learn, Pedagogy, Student Engagement, Teaching and Learning

AI in the WCU Classroom

Join colleagues for an open discussion on using AI in teaching and learning on Tuesday, Nov 18, 3:30-5:00 pm. This two-part program will include sharing strategies for integrating generative AI into instruction and course management, as well as approaches for setting clear expectations around ethical student use. We’ll also consider how to design learning goals that emphasize key human skills. For more information and to register, read the blog post.

UNC System Pilot: Student AI Literacy

The UNC System Office is piloting a new AI Foundational Skills program, developed collaboratively by faculty, librarians, and instructional designers across the System, in Spring 2026 to strengthen student AI literacy and workforce readiness. This collaborative initiative gives students practical AI experience and critical evaluation skills while connecting them with industry perspectives. We’re seeking faculty to integrate the training into their courses and provide feedback, which will help refine the program. Faculty will receive a stipend. Interested? Complete this interest form to receive more information. Questions? Contact Dr. Heather McCullough, Director, Learning Technology and Open Education, hamccullough@northcarolina.edu

Engaging Students Through Course-Based Research & Creative Inquiry

by | Oct 28, 2025 | Blog, Mentoring, Pedagogy, Research, Student Engagement, Teaching and Learning

As instructors, we make pedagogical choices with the understanding that we may never see the full impact those choices have on students’ learning and growth. One exception I’ve found especially rewarding is integrating undergraduate research as a pedagogical strategy. Through this approach, I’ve been able to see students genuinely activate their curiosity, gain knowledge and understanding, think critically, and articulate their learning. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate research as “a mentored investigation or creative inquiry conducted by undergraduates that seeks to make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge.” WCU is known for offering undergraduate research opportunities through programming, funding, and conferences. For example, WCU’s Research and Scholarship Celebration (RASC), scheduled for March 25-26, 2026, provides the perfect venue for students to showcase their research and creative work. Have you been looking for ways to foster student curiosity and inspire deeper learning? The following assignment ideas invite students to take ownership of their learning and create projects they can proudly present at conferences such as RASC. 

  • Evidence-based policy brief or white paper: Ask students to address wicked problems in your discipline 
  • Creative artifact: Students design artifacts such as a digital exhibit, website, podcast, or short documentary grounded in research 
  • Community engaged research: Students partner with a local organization to solve a practical problem 
  • Computational or simulation-based research: Students compute a data set (or part of one) and analyze it 
  • Student-designed product: Students design a model, system, or tool (physical or digital) informed by research 
  • Cross cultural comparison project: Students compare issues/phenomena across cultures, countries, or global systems 
  • ePortfolio: Students build an ePortfolio over a semester or program, curating their work, reflecting on growth, connecting to future goals 
  • Traditional empirical research: Students analyze secondary data or open data sets  
  • Survey or interview research: Students design and administer a survey or interview protocol to explore aspects of the course that pique their interests 

Certainly, the context of your courses, such as the number of enrolled students, will factor in whether undergraduate research as a pedagogical strategy works for you. For more information about undergraduate research as a pedagogical strategy, aligning your student learning outcomes with undergraduate research projects, or scaffolding and assessing research assignments, please stop by the Coulter Faculty Commons at Hunter Library 172, call us at 828.227.7196, or make an appointment. For questions about undergraduate research compliance and human subject compliance, contact the Office of Research Administration at irb@wcu.edu or 828.227.2921. For more information about RASC, contact Suzanne Melton at scmelton@wcu.edu or 828.227.2575.

Microlearning Made Simple: What It Is and How to Do It

by | Sep 30, 2025 | Blog, CFC Insider, Educational Technology, Online Learning, Pedagogy, Student Engagement, Teaching and Learning

Microlearning is a pedagogy that works well in both in-person and online courses. While definitions of microlearning vary, there is at least some consensus on the benefits and how to approach it. At its core, microlearning delivers content in short, small chunks that can be accessed on demand. Other benefits include reduced cognitive load for students, better knowledge retention, improved learning outcomes, and student engagement. 

Here are some tips for incorporating microlearning into your classes: 

  1. Focus on one objective or concept. Determine the goal so you can structure the lesson and select the best medium given your objective. 
  2. Use one medium (videos are the most common) with multiple learning elements. Examples of learning elements include visuals, audio, quizzes, slideshows, PDFs, and links. PowerPoint is a nice medium because you can include video, visuals, and link out to PDFs and quizzes. 
  3. Keep it short and focused. Research indicates 30 seconds to up to 15 minutes, and if you are using video, bear in mind that videos longer than 9 minutes results in a drop in viewer attention. 
  4. Make it interactive. Enhance videos by embedding 1–2 quiz questions directly into them (for example, you can do this directly in Panopto), or by using slides that prompt students to guess an answer, then click to reveal the correct response on the following slide. 

It’s fun to explore ways to integrate microlearning into courses. For in-person classes, one effective approach is to assign a microlearning module as homework before class. This helps students prepare for an active learning experience when the class meets. In online courses, microlearning can be used as either standalone modules or be embedded within larger units.

If you’d like to explore microlearning further, consider stopping by the CFC to chat or schedule a consultation with one of our educational developers. 

References 

Balasundaram, S., Mathew, J., & Nair. S. (2024). Microlearning and learning performance in higher education: A post-test control group study. Journal of Learning for Development 11(1), 1-14.

Denojean-Mairet, M., López-Pernas, S., Agbo, F. J., & Tedre, M. (2024). A literature review on the integration of microlearning and social media. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1), 46.

Kohnke, L. (2021). Optimizing microlearning for mobile learning. In Corbeil, J.R., B.H. Khan, & M.E. Corbeil (Eds.), Microlearning in the digital age [pre-print]. Routledge.

NC State Teaching Resources (n.d.). Micro-learning with digital tools. Available at: https://teaching-resources.delta.ncsu.edu/micro-learning-with-digital-tools/ 

Thillainadesan, J., Le Couteur, D. G., Haq, I., & Wilkinson, T. J. (2022). When I say… microlearning. Medical education, 56(8), 791–792.

Professional Development Opportunity from Association of College and University Educators (ACUE)

by | Sep 16, 2025 | Blog, Pedagogy, Teaching and Learning

WCU faculty, graduate students, and instructional staff are all eligible to receive no-cost access to the ACUE self-paced course, Effective Teaching 101: Starting the Semester Strong. It is suitable for those teaching in person, online, or hybrid formats and designed to equip participants with five essential evidence-based teaching practices that enhance teaching and positively impact student success. This self-paced course takes less than 8 hours to complete. A digital badge will be provided upon successful completion.

Project Kitty Hawk, in partnership with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), is excited to offer this professional development opportunity as part of their commitment to instructional excellence and student success.

CFC Listening Sessions This Fall

by | Sep 15, 2025 | Blog, Feedback, Pedagogy, Teaching and Learning

This semester, the CFC is taking a closer look at how you experience the resources and support available to you, and how we can better align our programs with what you truly need. To kick things off, we just launched a needs assessment survey (check your inbox). But that’s just one part of the conversation.

We’re also hosting a couple of informal listening sessions this fall, and we’d really like to hear from you. These are relaxed, drop-in gatherings (no presentations, no pressure). Just a chance to share what’s on your mind.

We’ll be at:

  • Lazy Hiker in Sylva | 4:30–6:00 PM on Monday, October 27
  • Hillside Grind (on campus) | 9:30–11:00 AM on Thursday, October 30

We’re especially interested in hearing:

  • What’s working well for you?
  • What could be better?
  • What kinds of support or resources would make a difference?

It’s buy-your-own beverage style, so feel free to grab a drink and join us whenever you can. Whether you’ve got ideas, questions, concerns, or just want to chat, we’re here to listen. Your input helps shape how the CFC grows and how we support teaching and learning at WCU. We hope you’ll stop by and be part of the conversation!

30th Annual FALCON Conference (Virtual): A free conference for adjunct faculty and lecturers

by | Sep 8, 2025 | Blog, CFC Insider, Pedagogy, Teaching and Learning

The Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching at Indiana University presents the 30th Annual FALCON Conference themed Teaching with Purpose: Supporting Learners in a Changing World. The virtual conference, to be held September 26th, will explore how faculty can create responsive, student-centered learning spaces amid evolving challenges. Sessions will highlight strategies for building connection and resilience, designing flexible and accessible learning, and fostering environments where all students can thrive. 

Participants can easily register and then self-enroll in the course. Those without an Indiana University account can very quickly create a guest account. Session recordings from last year are also available to view.