Helping Students Thrive: Recognizing and Responding to Student Mental Health Concerns in the Classroom

By swcelt in Uncategorized


Led by: Rebecca Hasbani and Michael Casali

Dates: September 14, 2026

Location: Lakeshore Room

Faculty are often among the first to notice when a student is struggling, but knowing how to respond can feel overwhelming. This interactive session will provide practical guidance on recognizing common signs of student distress, responding with confidence and compassion, and connecting students with appropriate campus resources. We’ll also share current trends we’re seeing in the Student Wellness & Counseling Center, discuss effective classroom strategies that foster student well-being, and clarify how faculty can support students while maintaining healthy boundaries. Participants will leave with practical tools and greater confidence in helping students thrive both academically and personally. 

New and Returning Faculty Development Day 2026

By swcelt in 2026-2027 CUW Programs

Canvas Basics

Wednesday, August 12, 8:00 – 8:45 am Central/9:00 am – 9:45 am Eastern, Zoom

Facilitators: Chris Scudella and Phil Koch

Description:

Learn how to add content, modules, assignments, and set up the gradebook for your Fall course! This is an ideal session for faculty new to using Canvas. The session is for those who set up their own Canvas courses. 

Helpful links for reference: 

AI Integration with BoodleBox: Practical Applications for All Comfort Levels

Wednesday, August 12, 9:00-9:45 am, Zoom

Presenters: Kari Bjerke, Chris Scudella, and Phil Koch

Description: This session will show examples of how BoodleBox can support teaching, grading, and student engagement.

Helpful links for reference: 

Online Instructor Best Practices: Instructor Presence and Meeting New Policy Expectations

Wednesday, August 12, 10:00 -10:45 am, Zoom

Presenters: Led by Natalie Upson, Kate Robertson, and Chris Scudella

Description: This session will describe and outline updates to the new online teaching policy. Examples of best practices in online teaching will be shared, including how to create an active presence as an instructor and how to best engage students.

Helpful links for reference: 

Research Resources: ORSP (primarily for full-time faculty)

Wednesday, August 12, 11:00-11:45 am, Zoom

Presenters:  Dan Frederking

Description: Learn what research/scholarship support resources are available to you as faculty, including where to find them, and who to contact if you need more help. 

Helpful links for reference: 

Designing/Refreshing Your Course and Syllabus

Wednesday, August 12, 12:00-12:45 pm, Zoom

Presenter: Kate Robertson and Allison Wolf

Description: Learn about and incorporate best practices in course design and syllabus development. Discussion includes how to improve your objectives, align course objectives with assessments, the Concordia University syllabus template latest revision, and how to connect to program outcomes and the University Cornerstones.  

Helpful links for reference: 

Accessibility Best Practices – from Canvas to Campus

Wednesday, August 12, 1:00-1:45 pm, Zoom

Presenters: Chris Schultz and Kari Bjerke

Description: This session will introduce you to the ARC (Academic Resource Center) and the many services it provides to our students.  Best practices about organizing your Canvas course for accessibility will also be discussed.

Helpful links for reference: 

Engaging Your Learners

Wednesday, August 12, 2:00-2:45 pm, Zoom

Presenter: Kate Robertson and Sarah Mayer

Description: Effective teaching fosters learning; students need to be engaged for learning to happen. This session introduces strategies to engage students in multiple instructional modes. 

Helpful links for reference: 

Canvas Quizzes, Respondus LockDown Browser with Monitor, and TurnItIn Software

Wednesday, August 12, 3:00-3:45 pm, Zoom

Presenters: Tyler Shadick and Sarah Mayer

Description: This session will show how faculty can create tests in Canvas using common question types. Then the session will cover Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor. Faculty will learn the difference between LockDown Browser and Monitor, and how to enable the appropriate settings based on where students take the test. Faculty will also learn about TurnItIn and how to use it as a plagiarism and AI detector for students’ written work.

Helpful links for reference: 

Face-to-Face Adjunct Orientation

By swcelt in Uncategorized

Thursday, August 13, from 5:00-7:00 PM.

Presenters: Kate Robertson, Justin Cross, Andrew Wahl, Chris Schulz, Brian German, Erik Jorvig

Welcome new Adjunct instructors!  If you are teaching face-to-face, on-campus classes this academic year, this session is for you.  Information about campus resources, such as IT, AV, and the Academic Resource Center, will be shared.  We will also discuss our LCMS faith, some best practices for teaching, and general navigation of campus and systems.

Helpful links for reference: 

Link to Session Recording

Adjunct Instructor Resources on the CUW Portal

Canvas Training Video Library

Faculty Advancement in Rank Seminar

By swcelt in Uncategorized

According to the faculty handbook, faculty who intend to apply must notify the Vice President for Academics and their Dean by August 1. Please do this by sending a brief email to Academic.Office@cuw.edu, and copy your dean.  (Please do not email me or Dr. Jorvig directly). 

The next step in the process is to complete your Advancement in Rank portfolio in Watermark. The portfolio must be completed by September 1.  Instructions concerning eligibility to apply, and what the portfolio requires, are found in the faculty handbook.  Please note that the Rank and Promotion committee has made a few small changes to the format of some pieces of the portfolio for this year; those will be included in the July 1, 2026, edition of the faculty handbook and are also attached here for your convenience.  Please direct any questions about those changes to members of the Faculty Rank and Promotion Committee.

To help faculty prepare, I am offering a Zoom session focused on explaining the timeline, process, and requirements for advancement in rank.  This will take place on Thursday, June 18, at noon Central Time.  Members of the Rank and Promotion committee will also be present to help clarify their committee’s process and answer questions. To register, please use this link:   https://cuwaa.zoom.us/meeting/register/Lg__j_4KRE2rHOz7QiBChg.  The session will be recorded; please register to receive that recording.  I recommend attending this session if you plan to apply this year or if you just want to learn more about the process for the future.

Session Slides

Session Recording

Program Director and Chair: Managing Change Seminar

By swcelt in 2026-2027 CUW Programs

Leading change as a chair can be challenging, especially when balancing administrative expectations with supporting faculty. In this session, chairs will explore Kotter’s 8-step change model, discuss how to balance empathy with accountability, and walk through practical strategies for communicating difficult decisions, maintaining trust, and helping departments move forward effectively.  You’re welcome to eat your lunch during the session and participate in thoughtful conversation.

Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions

How to Succeed When You Didn’t Plan to Lead – Resource from Magna Publications

Link to session recording

*Due to the private nature of the topics in this session, the discussions have been edited out of the recording.

Grow in Your Faith: Resource Hub

By swcelt in Canvas, Uncategorized

Welcome to the Grow in Your Faith: Resource Hub!

This page is your starting point to deepen your spiritual journey at Concordia University and beyond. On this page you will find a collection of resources—including information about the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), campus chapel live stream, and campus ministry information—alongside external tools like digital Bibles. Whether you’re seeking connection, inspiration, or practical support, this hub is designed to meet you where you are and help you grow in faith. Explore at your own pace, and know that you’re supported every step of the way!

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)

Concordia University is affiliated with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Visit the LCMS websiteLinks to an external site. to find a wide range of resources. Below are some resources to help you learn more!

Concordia University Resources 

Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor offer a wide variety resources and opportunities to grow in your faith. Take a few minutes to explore the resources specific to each campus. 

Accessing the Bible

Engaging with scripture is an important part of growing in faith. Below are a few electronic resources to access the bible. (NOTE: Please keep in mind these are third-party resources that are not managed or supported by CUWAA.) 

Growing Together 

In every course, you have the opportunity to grow in faith together by supporting one another in prayer and praising God’s divine work. Please use the Pray & Chat discussion board in your course to post prayer requests and praise reports as well as offer prayers for your classmates. 

VoiceThread Timeline and Suggestions for Transition

By swcelt in Canvas, CELT Newsletter

Hello,

As we wrap up the spring semester, I want to share an important update regarding instructional tools moving forward.

VoiceThread will be accessible until May 8, 2026 at 11:59 P.M. The 2026 spring semester is the final term in which VoiceThread assignments will function. We recognize this has been a valuable tool across many programs, and we appreciate the thoughtful ways it has been used to support student engagement.

To ensure continuity, we are asking all Program Directors to transition any existing VoiceThread assignments to Canvas recording features within Discussions, Assignments, etc. Canvas provides built-in options for video and audio recording that can support similar types of interaction and assessment.

We recommend reviewing your courses ahead of the next term to identify any VoiceThread activities and update them accordingly. Here is a video explaining how to replace VoiceThread assignments in Canvas. For written instructions, see below.

If you need assistance converting assignments, please submit a support ticket to Canvas@cuw.edu. Thank you for your continued partnership and for all the work you do to support your students.

Thank you,

Mary Buenz

Quick Conversion Guide

Here are a few common ways to replace VoiceThread activities using Canvas tools:

1. VoiceThread Discussions → Canvas Discussions with Media Recording

  • Create a Discussion in Canvas
  • Provide clear, concise instructions to guide students in completing the initial discussion prompt and peer responses
  • In the Rich Content Editor, select Record/Upload Media
  • Ask students to record an initial post video and reply to peers using video (they can use the same tool)

2. VoiceThread Presentations → Canvas Assignments with Media Submission

  • Create an Assignment in Canvas
  • Set submission type to Online → Media Recordings or File Uploads
  • Students can record directly in Canvas or upload a video presentation

3. Slides + Narration

  • Faculty or students can:
    • Upload slides and record narration using Canvas media tools, or
    • Record a presentation externally (e.g., PowerPoint recording) and upload it

Tips

  • Completely remove any existing VoiceThread assignments from your course content
  • Keep discussion and assignment prompts clear and concise to guide student responses
  • Consider using grading rubrics to support consistency
  • Test the recording feature from the student view before publishing

Pedagogy and Strategy Workshop: Using AI to support your Teaching

By swcelt in 2025-2026 CUW Programs, Uncategorized

Tuesday, April 7, from 12:00 – 1:00 pm in the Lakeshore Room  

Kari Bjerke, Jessica Leiberg, Kate Robertson, Tyler Shadick, Natalie Upson 

This workshop is geared toward all faculty, regardless of your comfort level with AI.  Join us for a brief tour of AI pedagogical resources that are accessible through an Organization in Canvas.  The second half of the workshop will be time to brainstorm and discuss AI, teaching, and assignment strategies with colleagues.  Please bring your laptop. 

Link to Recording

PowerPoint Slides

Link to Faculty Focus Article: When AI Gets It Wrong: A Pedagogical Approach

BoodleBox Training Resources

By swcelt in 2025-2026 CUW Programs, BoodleBox, Uncategorized, uncategorized

BoodleBox Basics – February 17th

This session provides a solid introduction to the software and covers the fundamental basics of the system to help you get started.

Session Recording

Session Resources:

Bot Design Deep Dive – March 19th

In this hour of learning, attendees will learn about real-world examples of bot successes and failures. They will discover what makes for quality bot design and how to employ best practices such as stress testing, maintenance, and collaboration. There will be time for Q and A and exploration of individual and collaborative use cases.

Session Recording

Session Resources:

Using AI for Meaningful Collaboration – March 30th

The hour will focus on how collaboration can be achieved within the BoodleBox platform. Attendees will learn about best practices, use cases, ethical implementation, and experience hands-on exploration. Attendees will have ideas and implementation strategies upon which they can build beyond the session. There will be time for Q and A.

Session Recording

Session Resources:

Reimagining Online Teaching in the Age of AI – April 30

This 90-minute working session shares the latest findings in online learning and moves into hands-on work integrating AI into online work. This includes stress-testing real assignments and examining what students are experiencing. We’ll tackle hard questions around academic integrity and assessment design in online contexts. Participants will leave with strategies for transformative learning within the online space.

Session Recording

Session Resources:

BoodleBox Faculty AI Champions – Exclusive Workshop – May 13

As an identified BoodleBox AI Champion, you are invited to this special session reserved for champions and pioneers of AI integration across campus. There will be time for workshopping and developing personal use cases. You will learn approaches to AI-integration, including how to guide others of varying abilities and views within your respective discipline and/or department. The session will close with Q and A.

Session Recording

Session Resources:

Teaching Observation Process (Face-to-Face Courses and Online Courses)

By swcelt in 2025-2026 CUW Programs

Thursday, March 12, 2026, 11:00 to 12:00 Central/12:00 to 1:00 Eastern via Zoom 

Leaders: Catherine (Kate) Robertson, Instructional Development Specialist, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) 

Department Chairs, Program Directors, Deans, and Faculty, please attend!  During this session, we will review the teaching observation process and form for summative teaching observations. Includes strategies for the observation and post-observation discussion, providing positive, constructive feedback, and tips on using the form for formative or peer observations as well.

Session Recording

Session Slides