Mark your calendar for a dynamic week February 9 through February 13 designed to empower educators, staff and creators with the tools, insights and confidence to navigate two essential frontiers in modern teaching: Accessibility and Artificial Intelligence.
Throughout the week, you’ll dive into practical strategies for creating accessible digital content, learn how to meet emerging digital technology guidelines and explore the powerful capabilities of today’s AI tools, both inside Blackboard and beyond. Whether you're looking to enhance your courses, streamline workflows, spark creativity, plan something fun or deepen your understanding of inclusive design, this week offers something for everyone.
Session schedule:
*Note: The schedule and descriptions will be updated as information is added.
- Beyond the Slide Deck: Simple Ways to Design Interactive Activities with AI Support
Presenter: Shannon Hoehn, IT Project Manager, Information Technology and Lecturer, College of Liberal Arts and Romain College of Business
Time and Date: 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, February 9
Location: Zoom: https://usi.zoom.us/j/95870548438, Meeting ID: 958 7054 8438
Description: This one‑hour workshop demonstrates practical, ethical ways to use AI to convert your lectures, notes, and course materials into small‑group activities, in‑class applications, and discussion prompts that deepen student engagement. This is meant to be a "starter course" for those thinking about ways to have AI support (not replace) their expertise!
- Accessibility Foundations for Online Materials: Designing content students can access, use, and understand
Presenter: Jeremy Adams, Instructional Designer, Online and Adult Learning
Time and Date: 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, February 9
Location: BE 1033
Description: This workshop introduces practical accessibility foundations for online course materials using the POUR framework. Faculty will focus on small, high-impact design choices that improve access without requiring technical expertise. The session includes examples and hands-on practice to support immediate application.
- ADA Accessibility: Making Our Website Easy for Everyone
Presenter: Noah Lutz, Front-end Developer/programmer, University Wed and Digital Content
Time and Date: 2 to 3 p.m. Monday, February 9
Location: BE 0030
Description: Learn about website accessibility and ADA requirements, with a focus on simple, practical ways to make our website easier for everyone to use, including people with disabilities. Discover how people with disabilities experience websites and where common barriers can appear. See real-world examples of how small content changes can make a big difference.
- A Conversation About Conversational AI in Ultra
Presenters: Jeremy Adams, Instructional Designer, Online and Adult Learning; Roger Gude, Instructor and Academic Advisor for Bachelor of Professional Studies, College of Liberal Arts; and Kyle Tharp, IT Business Manager, Information Technology and Lecturer, College of Liberal Arts
Time and Date: 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 10
Location: UC 2217-2220
Description: This panel brings together faculty and an instructional designer to share experiences using Blackboard Ultra’s AI Conversation tool. Panelists will discuss how they’ve used the tool, what they’ve observed in practice, and open questions that remain. Time will be reserved for audience questions and discussion.
- Gamification and AI
Presenter: Walter Fisher, Senior Applications Administrator, Information Technology
Time and Date: 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, February 10
Location: LA 1008
Description: We’ve been talking about gamification in learning for many years, but it has always been a challenging topic to tackle. Traditionally, we’ve had two main options: create a simple application that was fun but ultimately felt too basic, or build an elaborate, highly designed experience that was so time‑intensive you could only manage it once a semester. It’s unfortunate that there hasn’t been a way to create engaging, high-quality applications all the time—or is there?
- Creating Transparent Assignments with AI as a Guide
Presenter: Dr. Amy Chan Hilton, Director of Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Director of the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Administration, Professor of Engineering and Lecturer in Engineering, Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education
Time and Date: Noon to 12:50 p.m. Tuesday, February 10
Location: Zoom: https://usi.zoom.us/j/99569290055 | Meeting ID: 995 6929 0055
Description: Coming soon
- Campus AI Use for Students, Educators, and Administrators
Presenter: Kyle Tharp, IT Business Manager, Information Technology and Lecturer, College of Liberal Arts
Time and Date: 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, February 10
Location: LA 1015
Description: Join us for a guided tour of the AI tools available across campus, learn how to access and use them effectively, explore real‑world use cases for educators, administrators, and students, and see AI agents in action during a live demo. A great intro for anyone looking to understand what AI can actually do in our academic environment.
- Anthology Trainers on-site
Date: Wednesday, February 11
Session 1: 9 to 10:15 a.m.
Session 2: 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.
Session 3: 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.
Session 4: 3 to 4:15 p.m.
Location: all sessions in UC2217-2220
Descriptions: Coming soon
- Accessibility Foundations for Online Materials: Designing content students can access, use, and understand
Presenter: Jeremy Adams, Instructional Designer, Online and Adult Learning
Time and Date: 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, February 12
Location: LA 1009
Description: This workshop introduces practical accessibility foundations for online course materials using the POUR framework. Faculty will focus on small, high-impact design choices that improve access without requiring technical expertise. The session includes examples and hands-on practice to support immediate application.
- AI for Home and Work: Efficiency Everywhere (Encore presentation from Professional Development Day)
Presenters: Brandi Hess, Director of University Web and Digital Content, and Jason Provence, Senior Web Programmer
Time and Date: 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, February 12
Location: BE 0030
Description: Discover practical, real-world ways AI can save you time—both at home and in the office. Jason and Brandi will share simple, accessible examples of how AI can streamline everyday tasks, boost productivity, and reduce friction in your personal life and professional workflow. No technical background required—just tools you can start using right away.
- Hands-On Workshop: Using Generative AI to Make Course Materials Accessible
Presenter: Dr. William Elliott, Associate Dean and Professor of Geology, Pott College of Science, Engineering and Education
Time and Date: 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, February 12
Location: BE 2001
Description: This hands-on workshop will be an opportunity for faculty to learn how to use AI to make their course materials accessible. Embedded Generative AI, such as Co-Pilot and Gemini, along with stand alone platforms, such as ChatGPT and Otter AI, will be explored. Bring along course documents and presentations that need to be made accessible and share your own insights with using AI.
- Human-centered Teaching and Learning and AI: A Card Game
Presenter: Dr. Amy Chan Hilton, Director of Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Director of the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Administration, Professor of Engineering and Lecturer in Engineering, Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education
Time and Date: 2 to 2:50 p.m. Thursday, February 12
Location: ED 3145
Description: Coming soon
- Design Smarter, Not Harder: Using AI for Learning Objectives, Assignments, and Rubrics
Presenter: Christine Nelson, Senior Instructional Designer, Online and Adult Learning
Time and Date: 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, February 13
Location: Zoom: https://usi.zoom.us/j/96707007119 Meeting ID: 967 0700 7119
Description: This session introduces faculty to practical ways AI can support course design by drafting learning objectives, assignment descriptions, and rubrics. Participants will see concrete examples and prompts that help improve clarity, alignment, and efficiency while maintaining academic rigor and faculty control.
- Using AI to Connect Curriculum to Career: Skill Translation, Professional Identity, and Job Search Strategy
Presenter: Susan Todd, Instructor, Academic Advisor, Career Coach, and Recruiter, Bachelor of Professional Studies, College of Liberal Arts
Time and Date: 11 a.m. to noon Friday, February 13
Location: BE 0005
Description: Many students struggle to explain the value of what they are learning in our courses. This session shares practical strategies for helping students connect coursework to real-world application using AI as a structured reflection tool. Designed for faculty and advisors across disciplines, the session demonstrates how simple AI-supported prompts can help students articulate transferable skills, strengthen professional identity and approach internships or job searches with greater clarity. No career advising expertise is required. Participants will leave with adaptable strategies that can be integrated into writing assignments, projects, or advising conversations to help students better understand, value and communicate the impact of their education.
- Human-centered Teaching and Learning and AI: A Card Game
Presenter: Dr. Amy Chan Hilton, Director of Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Director of the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Administration, Professor of Engineering and Lecturer in Engineering, Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education
Time and Date: Noon to 12:50 p.m. Thursday, February 12
Location: Zoom - link TBA
All sessions on Wednesday, February 11 will be recorded and uploaded for later viewing, as will several of the other trainings offered that week. The full schedule is also posted on the Blackboard learn Ultra Upgrade website at: https://www.usi.edu/it/blackboard-learn-ultra-upgrade.
Come learn, experiment and imagine what’s possible when innovation and inclusivity work side by side. All are welcome.
