All events are open to Vanderbilt University faculty, staff, and students.
AdvancED Events
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Dates are located in the description
Location and times vary based upon class times
Teaching in Action: An Open Classroom Spotlight Series
Teaching in Action is a two-week AdvancED spotlight series that invites Vanderbilt faculty and graduate students to observe live classes and participate in facilitated post-class conversations. Selected faculty across campus will open their classrooms to registered visitors, followed by a 30-minute discussion led by AdvancED staff. The program highlights key teaching challenges—engagement, inclusion, assessment, and facilitation—while fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue around effective teaching practice.
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Wednesdays on a biweekly basis beginning on January 21
12:20 PM -1:50 PM 418A, Author’s Library, Central Library
Teaching Through Uncertainty
Hosted in partnership with the Vanderbilt Libraries, this learning community will bring together Vanderbilt instructors to explore how to teach effectively amid the shifting realities of higher education. The goal is to help faculty navigate contested terrain with courage, address the risks of public scrutiny, and leave each session with both new perspectives and practical takeaways. Participants will engage in collaborative discussions and case studies centered on four interconnected themes.
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January 22
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM Zoom
ChatGPT for Course Design
Learn how to streamline course design with targeted prompting techniques. We will demonstrate how to quickly generate creative assignments, rubric drafts, and scaffolded lessons without sacrificing academic rigor.
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Tuesdays on a weekly basis beginning on January 29
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM Baker 805 Large Conference Room
Co-Pilot, Not Autopilot: Using AI to Enhance, Not Replace, Critical Thinking and Creativity
This learning community is designed to move beyond the polarizing debate of AI as a savior or a threat. Instead, we will adopt a "Co-Pilot" philosophy, exploring how AI can be a strategic partner in enhancing – not replacing – student critical thinking and creativity. Grounded in research on AI attitudes and pedagogical best practices, this community will address key concerns like cognitive offloading, ethical implications, and the erosion of critical skills. Through collaborative, hands-on sessions, participants will develop, test, and share concrete strategies and assignments. The final output will be a curated "AI Co-Pilot Toolkit" of vetted resources, empowering instructors across disciplines to integrate AI responsibly and effectively.
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February 3
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM Zoom
Custom GPTs: Building Your Own Instructional Assistant
Go beyond the basic chat window. We will show you how to create a customized version of ChatGPT Assistant that is pre-loaded with your specific course materials, grading style, or research context. You can use this customized assistant to draft assignment descriptions and generate student feedback more efficiently.
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February 11
10:05 AM -11:05 AM Baker 805
AI Prompt Engineering for Faculty: Crafting Effective AI Prompts for Teaching and Research
This session introduces prompt engineering for education. Faculty will learn how to design prompts that generate clear, useful AI outputs and explore real-time strategies for enhancing instruction and scholarship.
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February 17
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM Zoom
Digital Doubles: A Workshop on Avatar Video Creation
See what happens when you combine AI-generated images, synthetic voices, and digital avatars. This hands-on session walks through tools like HeyGen, Midjourney, and ElevenLabs to create video content without ever picking up a camera.
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February 26
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Baker 805
Thriving Through Change: Resilience and Adaptability in Higher Education
Focused on adaptability and sustainable teaching innovation, this session equips faculty with strategies to evolve their practice in times of change while maintaining a student-centered approach.
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May 5-7
Times vary based on selected date Central Library, Community Room
Course Design Institute
Are you prepping a new course for the next semester? Are you interested in redesigning an existing course? AdvancED is excited to announce the 2026 Course Design Institute (CDI). This two-and-a-half day interactive program of workshops, small group conversations and work time will provide a supportive and collaborative environment for faculty to develop or refine courses that foster impactful student learning experiences.