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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T113000
DTSTAMP:20260915T183601Z
CREATED:20260814T211217Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T183601Z
UID:11805-1791196200-1791199800@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Preparing Your Course and Yourself for Difficult Classroom Discussions & Situations
DESCRIPTION:Register here | Facilitator: Shelley Reid\n\n\n\n\n\nDo you have strategies to prepare yourself and your students to handle difficult conversations? This could be when you are having difficult conversations about topics like race\, sexuality\, religion\, politics\, or similar. These situations also could result from a discussion comment that makes a student or group uncomfortable. In this workshop\, we will discuss how to design (or redesign) your course and prepare yourself to facilitate important or “hot topic” conversations in the classroom. This workshop is applicable to instructors across all disciplines for facilitating important conversations\, whether or not their course topics include socially pressing issues. This workshop is part of the AIEM-Teach four-part credential series for Mason faculty to engage in broadly inclusive education across all disciplines. \n*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-preparing-your-course-and-yourself-for-difficult-classroom-discussions-situations-2/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Workshop
ORGANIZER;CN="Shelley Reid":MAILTO:ereid1@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T150000
DTSTAMP:20260826T142237Z
CREATED:20260826T142237Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260826T142237Z
UID:11871-1791208800-1791212400@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading
DESCRIPTION:Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar\nAlready using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics\, but to share what’s working\, troubleshoot challenges\, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below). \nEven if you cannot attend all of the meetings\, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing\, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings\, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting\, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address. \nContact Breana Bayraktar (bbayrakt@gmu.edu) with any questions! \nMeeting Dates & Tentative Themes\nSept 14: Starting lines — How did you introduce your grading system to students this semester?\nOct 5: First feedback cycles — What’s working in your early rounds of feedback or reassessment\, and what?\nOct 26: Resistance and confusion — How do you handle students who push back or misunderstand your approach?\nNov 16: Keeping momentum — How do you sustain student engagement with alt grading as end-of-semester pressure kicks in?\nDec 7: Institutional realities — How do you navigate final grades\, incompletes\, and systems that weren’t built for what we do?\nJan 11: One thing I’m changing — Based on last semester\, what are you iterating on and why?\nFeb 1: Revision and reassessment policies — What rules govern redos in your course\, and how are they holding up?\nFeb 22: Equity and access — Where do you see alt grading advancing equity — and where does it fall short?\nMar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning\, motivation\, and stress?\nApr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?\nApr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?\nMay 17: Year in review — What worked\, what didn’t\, and what are you still trying to figure out? \n* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/conversation-hours-advanced-alternative-grading-2/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Conversation Hours
ORGANIZER;CN="Breana Bayraktar":MAILTO:bbayrakt@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261007T090000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261007T100000
DTSTAMP:20260813T135522Z
CREATED:20260729T161400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T135522Z
UID:11603-1791363600-1791367200@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Motivating Students in STEM Courses
DESCRIPTION:Register Here | Facilitator: Laina Lockett \n\nDo you teach a STEM course but feel that your students lack motivation? If you answered yes\, you aren’t alone. Since the pandemic\, professors across the country have been expressing that they have noticed a general trend in reduced student motivation. In this workshop we will discuss theories of motivation so that you can engage your students whether you teach a large class\, teach online\, have many non-majors\, or are teaching an upper-level course. You will gain tips\, tricks\, and ideas that can be implemented into your course this semester and beyond! \nPart of the Level 1 Foundational Practices in STEM Education Cluster. \n* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above. \nDates of workshops in this Cluster:\n\nWednesday\, September 2 – 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.\nWednesday\, September 16 – 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. \nMonday\, September 14 10:00-11:00am or Tuesday\, November 3 10:00-11:00am (attend first hour of workshop)
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-motivating-students-in-stem-courses/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Cluster,Workshop
ORGANIZER;CN="Laina Lockett":MAILTO:llocket@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261008T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261008T113000
DTSTAMP:20260702T203931Z
CREATED:20260702T202152Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260702T203931Z
UID:11553-1791455400-1791459000@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Designing Effective Peer Review
DESCRIPTION:Register Here | Facilitator: Katherine Miscavige\n\nWant to facilitate better peer review activities? This workshop introduces participants to designing effective\, outcome-aligned peer review activities that support students learning and disciplinary writing goals. Participants will leave with practical strategies they can readily adapt to their own courses. \n*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-designing-effective-peer-review-3/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Workshop
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261009T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261009T110000
DTSTAMP:20260918T190532Z
CREATED:20260825T205253Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T190532Z
UID:11860-1791540000-1791543600@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Crafting an AI Policy That Reflects Your Values
DESCRIPTION:Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar\nFormerly titled “Workshop: Communicating With Students About Ethical AI Use”\n\nNot sure whether to ban artificial intelligence\, embrace it\, or something in between? This hands-on session will help you move from uncertainty to clarity. Through guided frameworks\, discipline-specific examples\, and individual drafting time\, you’ll leave with a coherent\, nuanced AI policy tailored to your courses. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI Credential. \n\n\n\n\n*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-crafting-an-ai-policy-that-reflects-your-values/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:AI Series,Workshop
ORGANIZER;CN="Breana Bayraktar":MAILTO:bbayrakt@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261015
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261016
DTSTAMP:20260915T205405Z
CREATED:20260915T205405Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T205405Z
UID:12131-1792022400-1792108799@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Deadline: Apply to Join the CORE+AI Design Program
DESCRIPTION:Apply here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar\nThe CORE+AI Design Program provides up to $450 in stipends to instructors redesigning assignments. Rather than focusing on AI tool adoption\, the program positions faculty as scholarly designers: identify a meaningful instructional challenge\, redesign assignments\, and document your work in a Design Portfolio. Space is limited and participants will be accepted on a rolling basis before the October 15 application deadline\, so apply early! \nParticipants earn stipends as they complete each tier of the program and gain access to a community of colleagues working through the same questions across disciplines. Along the way\, the program generates research on how instructors reason through course design in the AI era and produces a shared repository of adaptable\, evidence-informed instructional resources for faculty development across institutions.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/deadline-apply-to-join-the-coreai-design-program/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Deadline
ORGANIZER;CN="Breana Bayraktar":MAILTO:bbayrakt@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261015T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261015T113000
DTSTAMP:20260917T151914Z
CREATED:20260702T204525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T151914Z
UID:11555-1792060200-1792063800@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Providing Effective and Sustainable Feedback
DESCRIPTION:Register Here | Facilitator: Katherine Miscavige\n\nWant to develop a more sustainable and effective plan for providing feedback? This workshop focuses on key practices for increasing the impact and efficiency of the feedback you offer. We will explore the characteristics of effective feedback and strategies for implementing them. \nThis workshop is a CPD Level 1 Assess and is required for the Level 1 Teaching Essentials Credential for the Continuing Professional Development Program. \n*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-providing-effective-and-sustainable-feedback-3/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Workshop
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261016T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261016T110000
DTSTAMP:20260918T190550Z
CREATED:20260825T204553Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T190550Z
UID:11858-1792144800-1792148400@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Beyond the Syllabus - Talking with Students About AI
DESCRIPTION:Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar\nFormerly titled “Workshop: Communicating With Students About Ethical AI Use” \nThis workshop focuses on how to talk with students about artificial intelligence use in ways that build trust rather than suspicion\, respond to violations without eroding relationships\, and cultivate a classroom culture where integrity is a shared value. Through discussion\, role-play scenarios\, and practical strategies\, you’ll leave with language and approaches you can use from day one. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI Credential. \n\n\n\n\n*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-beyond-the-syllabus-talking-with-students-about-ai/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:AI Series,Workshop
ORGANIZER;CN="Breana Bayraktar":MAILTO:bbayrakt@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261019T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261019T113000
DTSTAMP:20260915T183654Z
CREATED:20260814T213827Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T183654Z
UID:11812-1792405800-1792409400@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: How to Handle Difficult Classroom Discussions and Situations in the Moment
DESCRIPTION:Register here | Facilitator: Shelley Reid\nAre you prepared to handle difficult discussions and charged situations in the classroom in the moment? Do you sometimes think of things later that you wish you would have said or done? In this workshop\, we will prepare how to handle important and potentially tense classroom conversations in the moment. Our focus will be on how to support everyone in the classroom – including yourself – during tense times. We will explore and discuss several teaching approaches. This workshop is applicable to instructors across all disciplines for facilitating important conversations\, whether or not their course topics include socially pressing issues (like race\, gender\, religion\, politics). Please note\, this is the second in a two-part series on difficult conversations. However\, participants are welcome and encouraged to attend this session even if they were not able to attend Part One. This workshop is also part of the AIEM-Teach four-part credential series for Mason faculty to engage in broadly inclusive education across all disciplines. \n*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-how-to-handle-difficult-classroom-discussions-and-situations-in-the-moment-4/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Workshop
ORGANIZER;CN="Shelley Reid":MAILTO:ereid1@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261023T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261023T110000
DTSTAMP:20260918T190608Z
CREATED:20260813T140541Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T190608Z
UID:11747-1792749600-1792753200@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: AI Test Kitchen: Designing New Assignments
DESCRIPTION:Register Here | Facilitator: Laina Lockett \nWhether you’re new to artificial intelligence tools like Microsoft CoPilot or have a lot of AI experience\, join this session to explore prompts and discuss the role of generative AI in designing new assignments. Based on the book Teaching with AI by Bowen and Watson. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI Credential. \n* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-ai-test-kitchen-designing-new-assignments/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:AI Series,Workshop
ORGANIZER;CN="Laina Lockett":MAILTO:llocket@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261026T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261026T150000
DTSTAMP:20260826T142329Z
CREATED:20260826T142329Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260826T142329Z
UID:11874-1793023200-1793026800@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Conversation Hours: Advanced Alternative Grading
DESCRIPTION:Register here | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar\nAlready using some form of alternative grading in your courses? Join colleagues who are actively implementing alternative grading practices — not to learn the basics\, but to share what’s working\, troubleshoot challenges\, and think through new ideas together. We will meet via Zoom every 3rd Monday at 2pm (dates below). \nEven if you cannot attend all of the meetings\, feel free to register for each occurrence as it fits your schedule; you must register for each separate event. This group is focused on discussion and sharing\, and participants will have the opportunity to bring examples from your own courses to share and get feedback on. We will not have a set list of readings\, but will focus on a different question or theme for each meeting\, in addition to whatever topics participants would like to address. \nContact Breana Bayraktar (bbayrakt@gmu.edu) with any questions! \nMeeting Dates & Tentative Themes\nSept 14: Starting lines — How did you introduce your grading system to students this semester?\nOct 5: First feedback cycles — What’s working in your early rounds of feedback or reassessment\, and what?\nOct 26: Resistance and confusion — How do you handle students who push back or misunderstand your approach?\nNov 16: Keeping momentum — How do you sustain student engagement with alt grading as end-of-semester pressure kicks in?\nDec 7: Institutional realities — How do you navigate final grades\, incompletes\, and systems that weren’t built for what we do?\nJan 11: One thing I’m changing — Based on last semester\, what are you iterating on and why?\nFeb 1: Revision and reassessment policies — What rules govern redos in your course\, and how are they holding up?\nFeb 22: Equity and access — Where do you see alt grading advancing equity — and where does it fall short?\nMar 15: Mid-spring check-in — What are you noticing right now about student learning\, motivation\, and stress?\nApr 5: The hard conversations — How do you talk to students about where they stand before the final stretch?\nApr 26: End-of-course practices — What does closure look like in an alt-graded course?\nMay 17: Year in review — What worked\, what didn’t\, and what are you still trying to figure out? \n* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/conversation-hours-advanced-alternative-grading-3/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:Conversation Hours
ORGANIZER;CN="Breana Bayraktar":MAILTO:bbayrakt@gmu.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261029T091500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261029T094500
DTSTAMP:20260814T194449Z
CREATED:20260814T194449Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T194449Z
UID:11798-1793265300-1793267100@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:STEM Education Coffee Chat
DESCRIPTION:Register Here | Facilitator: Laina Lockett\nJoin your STEM liaison and chat about your class or anything else teaching related over a cup of coffee (or tea if that’s more your speed). Sign up for one of these small group chats\, happening this fall on select Thursday mornings. Topics are open to anything\, but we will start with a discussion of the previous week’s Teaching newsletter from Beth McMurtire at The Chronicle of Higher Education. The newsletter will be shared for those who are not already on the mailing list the 48-hours before the chat is scheduled.\n\n* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/stem-education-coffee-chat/
LOCATION:Innovation Hall Rm 427\, 4699 Mattaponi River Ln\, Fairfax\, VA\, 22030\, United States
CATEGORIES:Faculty Meet-up
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261030T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261030T110000
DTSTAMP:20260918T190628Z
CREATED:20260813T141456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T190628Z
UID:11749-1793354400-1793358000@stearnscenter.gmu.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Can AI write my ___?
DESCRIPTION:Register Here | Facilitators: Thomas Polk and Katherine Miscavige\nThis hands-on workshop invites faculty to explore how students can use Generative Artificial Intelligence as a writing tool to assist with their assignments. Together\, we’ll experiment with AI tools at various stages of the writing process\, including brainstorming\, drafting\, and revising\, to consider the strengths and limitations of AI as a writing tool. This workshop is part of the Teaching with AI Credential.\n\n* Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.
URL:https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/event/workshop-can-ai-write-my-___/
LOCATION:Zoom\, You will be able to view the Zoom link upon registering.
CATEGORIES:AI Series,Workshop
END:VEVENT
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