Faculty Professional Development Opportunities for Spring 2026 are listed below. We offer a limited number of on campus/Zoom options.
In Person/Zoom Trainings
Dates: 2/20 & 4/24
In this slightly more advanced Panopto session, our focus will be engagement. Learn ways to move your video materials beyond a passive, sit & get approach. Use the quizzing function to gather responses from students. Add a video with quiz to your Talon course to use as a low-stakes graded activity. Gather questions and feedback from students using the comments feature on the video player. Explore ways to keep your learners active while watching your video content - help them to practice, review and even submit their own video assignments. (1 hour)
Dates: 1/27 & 3/18
As AI tools become more accessible, faculty face challenges ensuring student work reflects genuine learning. This session offers strategies to design authentic assessments that reduce AI misuse, build student accountability, and responsibly integrate AI into coursework. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for designing assignments that promote critical thinking and preserve academic integrity. (1 hour)
Basics of PDF Accessibility
Dates: 1/16, 2/3, 3/3, & 3/16
Join our comprehensive PDF Remediation session designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to make your PDF documents accessible to all. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn the ins and outs of PDF accessibility and how to tag scanned PDFs. At the end of the workshop, the participants will learn; • The importance of PDF accessibility and its impact on diverse user groups. • Explore the principles of accessible PDF design and content creation. • Learn to identify and address common accessibility issues in PDF documents. • Master the use Adobe Acrobat, for PDF remediation. • Gain practical experience in creating accessible headings, lists, tables, links, artifact, images! • Explore Adobe acrobat tools for handling complex PDFs, including tagged scanned PDFs. (1 hour)
Dates: 1/9
Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) training will cover Kirkwood's CHP and OSHA's Laboratory Standard. Topics will include: 1) Methods of detecting the presence of hazardous chemicals, physical, and health hazards of chemicals in the lab, and measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards; 2) Contents of the OSHA Laboratory Standard and its appendices; 3) The PEL for OSHA-regulated substances or recommended exposure values for other hazardous chemicals not regulated by OSHA which are present in the laboratory; 4) Signs and symptoms associated with exposure to the chemicals present in the laboratory; 5) How to read and understand SDSs; 6) Location of PPE and emergency equipment as outlined in the CHP; 7) Location and availability of reference material on the hazards, safe handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous chemicals where there is no applicable OSHA standard; 8) Methods and requirements of hazardous waste management. (2 hours)
Dates: 1/28, 1/29, 2/11, 4/14, & 4/15
Even small design mistakes in Talon can create confusion, lower engagement, or create accessibility barriers for students. This workshop helps faculty identify common pitfalls in course structure, navigation, and content delivery, and provides practical strategies to fix them. Participants will learn how to create clear, organized, and accessible courses that enhance student learning and make course management easier for instructors. (1 hour)
Dates: 1/14, 2/5, 3/2, 4/6, & 5/5
Creator+ is a set of tools integrated into TALON that can be used to make content more interactive for students. In this session, participants will learn how to incorporate Creator+ “elements” and “practices” into their TALON courses. Creator+ “elements” include things like accordions, flip cards, hot spots, and carousels. Creator+ “practices” include question types such as true-false, multiple choice, sequencing, and sorting. Participants will get the opportunity to practice using Creator+ tools and will gain access to a variety of examples. (1 hour)
Dates: 2/9 & 4/7
In the era of large language models (LLMs), students can easily generate high-quality summaries and critiques, leading to a crisis in the way faculty assign and assess reading. This workshop moves beyond superficial solutions by exploring the cognitive science of reading. We will analyze seminal models (like the Simple View and the Construction-Integration Model) to understand what a skilled reader actually does: build coherence, monitor comprehension, and integrate new knowledge. Participants will leave with a practical toolkit of five "AI-resistant" reading strategies designed to shift student effort from simple extraction to deep, strategic engagement. (1 hour)
Dates: 1/7, 1/8, 1/14, 2/4, 2/5, 3/4, 3/5, 4/1, 4/2, 4/8, 5/6, & 5/7
We invite faculty and staff to join our "Fix Accessibility Issues" Open Lab Session, where you can get hands-on support to address accessibility challenges in your course materials. This session is designed to help you enhance the accessibility of your content for all students, including those with disabilities. Whether you need assistance with adding alternative text to images, creating accessible documents, or ensuring your videos are captioned, our team is here to guide you. Bring your course materials and accessibility questions, and we’ll work together to implement improvements to make your course more inclusive. (1 hour)
Dates: 1/20, 1/21, 2/16, 2/17, & 3/17
Can all your students truly see what you’re asking? Alt text turns images into accessible information for students using screen readers. In this workshop, participants will learn how to craft effective alt text specifically for assessment questions, understand how it differs from alt text in general course content, and ensure every student can fully engage with quizzes, diagrams, and charts. Make your assessments inclusive, so every student has a fair chance to succeed! (1 hour)
Dates: 1/23, 2/19, 3/25, & 4/23
With H5Ps recent addition to the Talon platform, the opportunity to create interactive elements is more accessible to all instructors and course designers. Content can be presented in new ways that ask the learner to be involved in the learning process, offering choice to learners and providing opportunities for students to reflect on their learning. In this session, we will explore the various activity types and discuss possible applications for both online and face-to-face courses. Bring your laptop, and get started creating interactive elements for your courses. (1 hour)
Dates: 4/16
Artificial intelligence offers powerful tools to support neurodivergent individuals by recognizing their strengths and reducing barriers to success. This presentation will explore common challenges neurodivergent people face in educational and professional settings, as well as the unique abilities they bring to these spaces. It will then introduce AI-driven strategies that can be used to create more effective learning and working environments. By implementing these approaches, educators and staff can design experiences that not only support neurodivergent individuals but also enhance success for everyone. (1 hour)
Dates: 3/2
Helping students retain information long-term can be one of teaching's greatest challenges. This workshop explores practical ways to enhance learning using artificial intelligence tools. Drawing on established cognitive science research, we will examine four evidence-based strategies—retrieval practice, dual coding, elaboration, and interleaving—and identify how AI can support their implementation. Participants will learn to design assignments where AI generates practice questions, creates visuals, prompts student elaboration, and develops interleaved activities. You'll leave with ready-to-use assignment templates that leverage AI as a learning partner while maintaining academic integrity across disciplines. (1 hour)
Dates: 1/26, 1/29, 3/23, & 3/26
Small design choices can make a big difference. Neurodiverse students—such as those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and anxiety, often experience course structure and instructions differently. In this session, faculty will explore how clear organization, predictable layouts, and flexible ways to engage with content can reduce barriers and support student success. Grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, this workshop offers practical strategies that benefit all learners. (1 hour)
Dates: 1/22 & 1/23
Engaging students who appear disengaged or indifferent can be one of teaching’s greatest challenges. This workshop explores practical ways to understand and address student motivation. Drawing on established motivation theories, we will analyze common factors that impact engagement and identify strategies that foster interest, persistence, and participation. Participants will also learn how to recognize different learner mindsets and apply approaches to re-engage students who have checked out. You’ll leave with evidence-based tools to help even your most reluctant learners reconnect with the learning process. (1 hour)
Dates: 2/12
Why do students disengage, miss deadlines, or seem distracted? This workshop introduces the Empathy Map, a tool to help faculty better understand students’ perspectives. Using case studies and real examples, participants will explore how students’ experiences, challenges, and motivations shape classroom behavior. Through guided activities, you’ll learn to apply empathy mapping to uncover causes of student actions and design more supportive, effective responses. You’ll leave with a practical template, concrete strategies, and a deeper understanding of how to see your course through your students’ eyes. (1 hour)
Dates: 3/21 & 4/23
The Health, Safety, and Well-Being Workshop offers opportunities to learn about the best practice to prevent and manage challenging situations that could occur during study abroad programs. (1 hour)
Dates: 2/25
Unlock your students’ potential to think critically and solve problems. This workshop shows participants how to design courses, assignments, and discussions that promote deeper thinking, reflection, and analysis, while supporting all learners through UDL principles. (1 hour)
Must be registered by 2/2
A Teaching Squares Project builds a teaching community of four faculty through classroom observations and shared reflection. The structure emphasizes learning from other instructors, instead of evaluating or judging. Each of the four faculty will visit each other’s classrooms to learn how the physical space, the student’s behavior, and the faculty’s teaching all interact. The final goal is to share a reflection of what was gained from each of the classroom visits. (15 hours)
On Demand Trainings (offered via Discover)
This one hour course will walk you through the process creating an alignment document. Rooting every aspect of the course—materials, activities, and assessments—in the learning outcomes, results in a minty fresh learning experience, where clarity and purpose refresh the student's journey like a cool, invigorating breeze. (1 hour)
Kirkwood serves many students from diverse cultural backgrounds. This course will help you better understand cultural differences and provide practical skills for improving cross-cultural interactions inside and outside the classroom (1 hour)
Creating effective assessments is a key element of course design. This course will explain best practices and examples for implementing different types of assessments across all delivery mediums. Please note – these practices are focused on course-level assessment only. This course does NOT cover college-wide assessments or assessment data. (1 hour)
If you are interested in adopting OER (Open Educational Resources, free alternatives to traditional textbooks), but don't know where to start, this is the course for you! You will walk away from this course with a solid understanding of what constitutes an OER, the benefits to students and faculty, the basics of open licensing, and the best ways to locate OER for your courses. (1 hour)
This course is a hybrid course that has been developed to provide faculty, administration, and staff training about how to design, develop, and deliver a hybrid course for students. The course has three parts (Parts I and III are completed asynchronously and Part II is completed synchronously) that address the following topics: documentation and logistics, design strategies, technology, communication, assessments, and best practices. Participants in the training will not only learn about how to build a hybrid course, but they will also experience a hybrid course from the student perspective.
Imposter Syndrome and Stereotype Threat are two powerful psychological phenomena that affect performance, confidence, and well-being across academic, professional, and personal settings. Throughout this course, we'll explore what these experiences are, how they develop, and most importantly, how to recognize and navigate them effectively. (1 hour)
Review the current accessibility issues present in your Word documents, learn how to address these issues, and implement fixes. Accessibility means removing barriers individuals might face when interacting with your materials. These individuals will encounter different barriers due to permanent or temporary disabilities, neurodivergent conditions, and learning preferences. (1 hour)
Microaggressions are everyday slights, insults, invalidations and offensive behaviors experienced by individuals from marginalized groups. This course will help you recognize microaggressions, their impact on students/colleagues, and how to respond. (1 hour)
This self-paced on demand course introduces you to writing effective alt text to make online content more accessible and foster a stronger sense of belonging. You'll learn when and how to describe images like photos, charts, and logos so all students, including those using screen readers, can fully engage with your course materials. By the end, you'll know how to write clear, useful alt text and create accessible content that supports all learners. (1 hour)
The 4 Connections are an evidence-based approach that can be integrated into your teaching strategy to enhance student success, retention, and inclusivity. This course will explain each of the 4 practices and provide practical examples of how Kirkwood faculty are implementing these strategies based on feedback from Kickoff Day in August 2023. (1 hour)
This course features 3 Kirkwood faculty members walking you through their online and hybrid courses in Talon, focusing on some best practices for structure, layout, design, aesthetics. (1 hour)
The Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework is an evidence-based strategy to improve accessibility, equity and connections with students. It is rooted in the idea that increased clarity in communicating the purpose, task, and criteria for course activities and assignments improves student success. This course explains the rationale and research behind the framework as well as practical examples that can be implemented into your courses. (1 hour)
Time management isn't a skill though that comes easily to everyone or is often explicitly taught. According to a 2023 survey by Inside Higher Ed/ College Pulse, 47% of undergraduate college students find it a challenge to balance schoolwork with other responsibilities. This session will look specifically at time management and the challenges that students at community college can face while navigating their personal lives and their commitment to their education. (1 hour)
In this session, you will be introduced to the Talon Instructor Dashboard reports. The data can help you take actions to fix hidden course issues, or connect with students in need of support. You might also come away with additional report requests to be added to the dashboard, or special reports your program would find useful. (1 hour)
This webinar will showcase how to implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles effectively in the classroom. Participants will learn strategies for creating inclusive, accessible, and engaging learning environments that cater to diverse student needs. By exploring case-based scenarios, attendees will see practical applications of UDL in real-world settings, focusing on how to support students throughout their learning process and beyond traditional assessments. (1 hour)
Communication - something we all do and seek to improve. This course offers practical tips for communicating with clarity, empathy, and confidence across all types of interactions with students. (1 hour)