Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the educational landscape, offering new ways to learn, work, and interact with information. In response to the ongoing evolution of AI and its implications for higher education, the Center for Teaching and Mentoring, the Provost’s Office, and Grad-AI (College of Graduate Studies) are organizing a series of AI workshops throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. Each session will occur both in person in LIB 348 and remotely on Zoom. Registration is not required; please attend as your schedule allows. These workshops are open to faculty and academic affairs staff.
Wednesday, March 25 1:30-2:30 pm LIB 348 or synchronously on Zoom
Tips and Tricks for Using AI to Increase your Productivity
John Wallin
Discover practical ways to use AI tools to save time and streamline your work—from proofreading and creating rubrics to summarizing reports or tackling complex tasks when no expert is available. This session highlights safe, FERPA-compliant strategies for using AI in teaching, research, and administration while maintaining accuracy, confidentiality, and professional integrity.
Wednesday, April 8 2:30-3:30 pm LIB 348 or synchronously on Zoom
From Hype to Habit: Practical AI Workflows for Professionals
Rajah Smart
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the professional landscape, but for many, it remains a buzzword rather than a practical tool. This workshop is designed for professionals across all industries—from executives and project managers to administrative support and creative leads—who want to leverage AI to enhance their day-to-day operations. We will move beyond the theoretical future of technology to focus on the immediate “now.” Participants will learn how to treat AI as a capable research assistant, editor, and data analyst. The session aims to demystify the technology, reducing the intimidation factor while maximizing immediate workplace utility. This workshop focuses on tangible workflows that save time and reduce mental fatigue.
Discover how AI-driven chatbots can provide learning support, instant explanations, and increased engagement. Learn how these tools can increase student engagement while easing administrative burdens for instructors. Participants learn how to create a simple chatbot for their class using their own class materials. The end goal for this workshop is to develop awareness of classroom chatbots as transformative tools for enhancing student support and student engagement.
This workshop is designed for faculty and staff who are new to generative AI. Attendees develop an understanding of AI basics – what it is and how we got here. Attendees also receive guidance for using AI-based tools ethically and effectively as well as updates on what is new in AI.
This session demonstrates how easy it is to start using new open-source AI models without sharing your data with the big tech companies. Run large language models with your internet unplugged and wireless connection turned off. Gain insights into what is now possible on most consumer-grade machines and what upgrades are needed to run more powerful models.
Teaching Information Literacy in a World of Chatbots
Eric Detweiler
One of the well-documented challenges presented by generative AI tools is their tendency to fabricate information. AI-powered chatbots are not search engines, but many students (and occasional faculty) use them that way, assuming the sources and claims they provide to users are answers when in fact, they’re often pieces of language stitched together to sound like plausible answers. This workshop provides strategies for helping students and faculty consider how to teach information literacy in a world where chatbots are widespread and widely misunderstood. Topics include broad issues of trust related to generative AI tools, strategies for prompting chatbots to reduce the generation of misinformation, and strategies for teaching students to recognize misinformation as well as choose between appropriate digital tools when conducting research for course projects. Hands-on exercises and discussion are key parts of this workshop.
