Seek. Learn. Advance.
We’re dedicated to providing you professional development opportunities! In addition to the awesome tutorials available on Tech Tools, CCI staff develop presentations and workshops to meet the needs of the campus. If you’d like us to schedule an event on a specific topic or if you’d like to share a presentation you’ve developed, please submit the Professional Development Request form or contact us at cci@potsdam.edu.
We know, sometimes making the live event is impossible. To help, we try to record CCI events when the presentation format and content can be reviewed effectively as a video.
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AI SERIES: What is AI and Generative AI? A Computer Science Perspective
Presenter: Laura M Grabowski and the Computer Science Department
The Generative AI Workshop Series is presented by the SUNY Potsdam AI Working Group.
Session 1 Overview:
Goal: Attendees will be able to recognize the capabilities of generative AI
- How generative AI works
- How is it trained and what does training mean
- What it can do
- What it can't do
- How do we detect it
View the VIDEO on the CCI YouTube site.
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AI SERIES: Generative AI and Career Development (student-focused)
Presenter: Jenica Rogers
The Generative AI Workshop Series is presented by the SUNY Potsdam AI Working Group.
Session 2 Overview:
This student-focused session will give student participants the opportunity to discuss and consider the proper use of AI technology with session participants and session leaders.
Outcomes:
- Get students thinking about career goals and preparation.
- Educate students on how AI is used in the hiring process on the employer side.
- Show students healthy ways to use career-focused text generators for their own career portfolios.
- Demonstrate useful critical thinking techniques for selecting AI tools for personal use.
- Start students on the path to understanding how AI knowledge and skills can advantage them in the workforce.
Questions attendees may have:
- “Can I just use AI to write my cover letters?”
- “Is there any good way to use AI for job stuff?”
- “What are the best AI tools to use?”
- “Is there an advantage to being able to use AI tools?”
View the VIDEO on the CCI YouTube site.
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AI SERIES: AI in the Research Process and the Classroom
Presenter: Bryan Kvet, College Libraries
The Generative AI Workshop Series is presented by the SUNY Potsdam AI Working Group.
Session 3 Overview:
- Discuss how students appear to be using ChatGPT
- Dangers of hallucinations in research
- Possible assignments using ChatGPT?
- Introduce Semantic Scholar & Elicit AIs for research purposes
View the VIDEO on the CCI YouTube site.
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HR Training Webpage
Human Resources manages a Training and Development webpage that lists several programs. You will find information and resources on Compliance and Accessibility training (FYI- the BizLibrary compliance training site also includes a video tutorial library on various topics including Microsoft M365 applications). You can also find information about SUNY CPD Points, which can pay for Center for Professional Development events.
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Introduction to Universal Design for Learning Self-Paced Online Course
Host: SUNY CPD
This online, self-paced workshop provides an in-depth introduction to the Universal Design for Learning framework begins Friday, September 1 (The course will be open enrollment and registration after this start date.) Participants will learn why the Universal Design for Learning framework is important, how to apply its principles and guidelines to their own courses, and best practices for interacting with students with disabilities. Participants of this workshop will leave with the skills and resources to apply what they learn about Universal Design for Learning to design a new lesson or student experience, or to revise an existing lesson or experience.
Learning Objectives:
- Define Universal Design for Learning and explain why it is important in higher education.
- Define Universal Design, accessibility and usability and explain how each is different from Universal Design for Learning
- Describe the three principles of Universal Design for Learning, recognize examples of them, and explain how to apply each of the three principles to their work with students.
- Employ a three-step approach to recognize barriers to success in their work with students and design to eliminate those barriers.
- Explain best practices for interacting with and providing support for students with disabilities.
Workshop Content: Total Estimated Completion Time: 12-15 hours
- What is UDL? Why is it Important?
- Provide Multiple Means of Representation
- Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression
- Provide Multiple Means of Engagement
- Three Steps to UDL
- SUNY EITA Digital Content Accessibility Standards
- Implementing Instruction to Support Students with Disabilities
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New Faculty Peer Mentoring Program
The SUNY New Faculty Peer Mentoring Program is designed and offered at no cost to support the work of new tenure track colleagues in their first two years* across the State University of New York, and offers new faculty an opportunity to talk about vital issues as teachers, scholars, and advisors. being to tenure track faculty on all 64 SUNY campuses.
This mentoring community consists of a series of regular (bi-weekly) one-hour online meetings, beginning Monday, September 18 through December 11, 2023 (from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.), and is facilitated by the faculty and staff of Center for Mentoring, Learning and Academic Innovation (CMLAI) SUNY Empire State College and the SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD), and previous program participants (current SUNY faculty serving as peer facilitators), as well as previous program participants.
The sessions have no set agenda and will be an “open-mic” format to ask questions, share concerns and to get feedback from previous meetings. These Open Mics are intended to be nonjudgmental forums; no questions are inconsequential and discussions among colleagues stay within the confines of our group. It is not required that you attend every session, however, in order to maintain confidentiality for the participants, they will not be recorded.
This informal, group-oriented, and participant-directed program has two goals:
- Build community and connection among new SUNY faculty
- Provide peer support in navigating various aspects of the faculty role - teaching, mentoring/advising, service, scholarship (and more)
*Those in temporary or adjunct faculty appointments or those who began their faculty appointment before Fall 2021 are NOT eligible for this program. The SUNY Center for Professional Development has many other professional development programs for those in these positions.
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Leaders Learning Live – 2023 Webinar Series
The SUNY SAIL Institute offers the Leaders Learning Live 2023 online webinar series, which occurs every third Thursday of the month from noon to 1:00 p.m. This interview-style webinar series provides insights into a wide variety of higher education leadership topics and best practices at no cost. Learn more and register for any and all webinars of interest! Recordings of past webinars are also available on our webinars page.
Webinar Lineup:
- Who are SUNY’s Students
- Enrollment & Retention
- Fostering Positive & Inclusive Workplaces
- I’ve Served as Chair, What’s Next?
- Cabinet Dynamics
- Strategic Planning
- Change Leadership at SUNY
- Building a Transformative Research Culture
- Mediation: What To Do?
- Community Colleges: SUNY’s Hidden Treasure
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Microsoft Enterprise Skills Initiative Training Program
Microsoft and your organization are working together to help you learn the skills you need to be successful with Azure and other Microsoft technologies. With the right technical skills, you can be more innovative, and you can better adapt to the digital landscape, even as it continues to change.
Microsoft has created the Enterprise Skills Initiative (ESI) program—to provide the structure and resources for you to expand your technical skill sets and growth. Sharpen your technical skills and knowledge of Microsoft solutions by enrolling in interactive courses and training designed for your role, and advance your career by getting certified.
Skills build confidence. Confidence drives productivity, innovation, and growth.
For more information on the program, go to https://esi.microsoft.com/ and sign in by entering your work email address and following the steps to create your learner profile. Need help signing in? Please contact: ESI Support.
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Empire KnowledgeBank (EKB) Online Learning – Spotlight on: Microsoft Office
The NYS/UUP Joint Labor/Management Committees offer free certification programs!! Just fill out the application for a FREE e-learning program license and begin exploring what EKB can offer you!!
The Empire KnowledgeBank (EKB) Online Learning contains thousands of eLearning courses, eBooks and short course videos to help employees enhance your professional and career development, prepare for certification and continuing your education in subjects including software, project management, supervision, web security, leadership and much more. The license guidelines are available here. For further information contact NYS/UUP JLMC at e-mail nysuuplmc@oer.ny.gov or phone (518) 486-4666.
Microsoft Office topics available through EKB include:
- Excel
- Powerpoint
- Outlook
- Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)
- Microsoft Office 365
- Sharepoint
- OneNote
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Teaching and Learning Certificate for New Faculty Program
The SUNY Center for Professional Development is pleased to announce this 100% asynchronous online-certificate program, which provides all of the knowledge and skills you need to teach college courses and also gives you the experience of what it is like to be a student in a well-designed online course.
This program is intended to assist faculty in planning a well-articulated, systematized path for their professional development, and the certificate provides evidence that faculty have attained a basic set of essential skills and knowledge needed for teaching at SUNY.
To enroll, participants should have taught in a formal learning/training environment or plan to do so in the near future. Completion of all three courses are required to earn the certificate, and activities for the courses will include using an ePortfolio to document work. (If a participant's campus does not provide an ePortfolio platform for use, this program offers instruction on Mahara, a no cost Open Source ePortfolio platform which can be used by the participant for coursework during their duration in the program.)
Learning Outcomes:
- Utilize learning theory in the design and delivery of their courses
- Employ foundational learning teaching strategies that are supported by research and that promote active learning
- Effectively and efficiently evaluate student performance
- Create a safe and effective learning environment
- Utilize reflective techniques as a teaching practitioner
- Uphold and promote the academic policies of a participant's individual campus and the System
Please contact your Campus Points Contact to determine SUNY CPD Points eligibility to as a possible payment method.
Fall 2023
- Applying Universal Design for Learning Principles to Your Course: May 16 - June 26, 2023
- Innovative Strategies to Engage All Students: June 27 - August 7, 2023
- Critically Reflecting on Diversity and Teaching in SUNY: August 29 - October 9, 2023
- Design and Deliver Inclusive Courses: October 10 - November 20, 2023
Spring 2024
- Helping Non-Traditional Students Succeed: January 2 - February 12, 2024
- Critically Reflecting on Diversity and Teaching in SUNY: February 13 - March 25, 2024
- Teaching for Racial Equity: March 26 - May 6, 2024
- Applying Universal Design for Learning Principles to Your Course: May 14 - June 24, 2024
- Innovative Strategies to Engage All Students: June 25 - August 5, 2024
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Online Pedagogy: Design for Online Learning
This course is a collaborative effort between the Center for Creative Instruction, the Online Faculty Fellows and volunteer faculty from across the campus (dates to be added to Upcoming Events). Conceived in the fall of 2019, the course has been an integral part of the SUNY Potsdam reopening plan and has prepared scores of faculty in delivering high quality and highly engaging online content during the COVID 19 crisis.
Course Overview: The purpose of this course is to facilitate development of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) for effective online teaching and learning. The course focuses on pedagogy and the design/facilitation of online learning. You'll learn by reading, watching, listening, sharing, and doing - applying the course content to relevant course design and development activities. This four-week asynchronous course involves an estimated 3 to 4 hours of work each week. Each course is limited to 20 participants and includes an optional opening and closing online meeting, as well as opportunities to meet with the instructors and other participants each week.
Registered participants will receive a welcome email in the days leading up to the start of the course. The email will contain links to the course sites in Brightspace as well as links to the optional Welcome and Closing sessions on the first and last days of the course, respectively. Both video meetings are optional and will be recorded.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Identify key differences between face-to-face (F2F) and online teaching and learning.
- Apply Backward Design to develop a course and its components.
- Recognize Community of Inquiry (CoI) principles of online learning and apply them to develop online teaching and learning experiences.
- Identify, select, and use tools, within the learning management system (Brightspace) and beyond, to support teaching and learning.
- Recognize relevant standards and guidelines that frame distance education.
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Quality by Design (QbD): Strategies for Effective Teaching and Quality Course Design
This four-week online asynchronous course is intended for all faculty and instructional support staff at all levels of experience with an interest in effective teaching and quality course design strategies. It provides a unique opportunity to improve courses through a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of face-to-face, hybrid, or online courses, and focuses on four major topics that are a key component of any quality designed course, including:
- Learner Support
- Content Presentation & Accessibility
- Interaction & Collaboration
- Evaluation & Assessment
Those who complete the course will be able to identify the importance of learner-centered instruction; analyze the qualities of effective course design; and integrate these concepts into their teaching and/or instructional design strategies.
Participants will have the opportunity to earn badges issued through Acclaim by Credly and is free for CPD members and low cost for all others. The time-commitment for QbD varies by individual; averaging 2 to 4 hours per week.
For registration and more information, please visit the QbD website.
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Lumen Circles Fellowships: Adventures in Teaching Excellence
SUNY faculty are provided a unique opportunity to connect with peers as they explore effective teaching strategies and instructional practices that support and boost student success and apply them in their own teaching. Through the fellowship you can learn, share ideas, and develop professionally in the areas you want to grow. Choose a fellowship theme in an area you’d like to deepen your expertise: Active Learning; Inclusive Teaching; Online Teaching; Teaching with OER; and more!
Lumen Circles Fellowships are offered in partnership with the SUNY Center for Professional Development, SUNY OER Services, and Lumen Learning. They are available at NO COST to SUNY faculty and campuses, and work well for any faculty member, in any discipline, at any stage of career. See Program Achievements for additional details about what faculty fellows have accomplished in order to earn a certificate. You do not need to use courseware to be eligible for this program.
Upcoming Events
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Monday, December 4 through Friday, December 8, daily from noon to 1:00 p.m.
Professional Development Week
Host: SUNY CPD
This week is an awareness campaign highlighting the important connection between lifelong learning, personal growth and transformative organizational success. Webinar topics encompass the areas of personal, professional, and technical development while also delving into the world of executive leadership. Not only is being strategically well-rounded a great personal goal, it can also help you with your professional journey.
Professional Development week events will be hosted online to maximize value and increase awareness of the center’s programming and services. The CPD and their partners will be teaming up to offer complimentary (free) professional development webinars throughout the week.
· Dec. 4 – Time Management: Take Back Your Day!
· Dec. 5 – Navigating Networking Anxiety: Overcoming Awkwardness and Building Bridges in Your Professional Community
· Dec. 6 – How to Utilize Mindfulness Practices to Improve Mental Wellness
· Dec. 7 – Chat GPT: How to use it in your job
· Dec. 8 – Tips and Tricks for EXCEL
For additional details about the webinar series, featured speakers, and webinar descriptions, please visit the Professional Development Week website. All SUNY employees, regardless of CPD membership are welcome.
Location: Online Webinars.
Registration: Online.
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Tuesday, December 5 or Thursday, December 7 through Thursday, February 1, 2024
Introduction to Universal Design for Learning Workshop – Session 14 and 15
Host: SUNY CPD
This no-cost workshop, currently offered in a Synchronous Online format via Zoom and Brightspace, provides a comprehensive introduction to the Universal Design for Learning framework. Participants will learn why the Universal Design for Learning framework is important, how to apply its principles and guidelines to their own courses, and best practices for interacting with students with disabilities. Participants in this workshop will apply what they learn about Universal Design for Learning to design a new lesson or revise an existing lesson.
Learning Objectives:
• Define Universal Design for Learning and differentiate between Universal Design, Universal Design for Learning, accessibility, and usability.
• Differentiate the three principles of UDL and explain how each of the three principles can be applied to their work with students.
• Explain best practices for interacting with students with disabilities.
• Recognize barriers to learning in their own instruction and choose UDL strategies that could be used to mitigate those barriers.
• Apply the UDL framework to create a more inclusive lesson.
• Determine the next steps to take to build a UDL culture in their discipline, department, college/school, or institution.
Workshop Content:
Total Estimated Completion Time: 11-14 hours
• Pre-Workshop Assignments (30-60 minutes of self-paced content)
• Live Session #1 (3 hours of instruction over Zoom)
◦ Intro to the workshop: What is UDL? Why is it Important?
◦ UDL Principles and Guidelines
◦ Identifying Barriers to Learning and Designing Instruction to Eliminate Barriers
• Mid-Workshop Homework (Work on UDL Lesson Plan) (estimated 2-3 hours of work)
• Live Session #2 (3 hours of instruction over Zoom)
◦ Applying the UDL Framework to the Classroom
◦ EITA Digital Content Accessibility Standards
◦ Supporting Students with Disabilities in Online and Face-to-face Classrooms
◦ Bringing the UDL Framework to your Campus
• Post-Workshop Assignments (Complete UDL Lesson Plan and Assessments) (estimated 3-4 hours of
work)
For a complete schedule of sessions (14 and 15) and workshop details, please visit the Universal Design for Learning Workshop website.
Location: Online Workshop.
Registration: Online.
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Thursday, December 7, from noon to 1:00 p.m.
Ensuring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Online Courses
Host: SUNY Online
This webinar is part of the SUNY Online Teaching monthly webinar series to provide information, resources, and best practices on important and relevant topics in online teaching and learning. In this session, the team will share best practices, tools, and recommendations for group work and other collaborative learning activities in an online course. Discussion will also include incorporating critical and creative thinking skills. These webinars are free to attend, but registration is required.
Location: Online Webinar.
Registration: Online.
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Thursday, December 21, from noon to 1:00 p.m.
Community Colleges: SUNY’s Hidden Treasure
Host: SUNY SAIL Institute
This webinar is part of the Leaders Learning Live 2023 webinar series, which occurs every third Thursday of the month from noon to 1:00 p.m. (events from March 16 – December 21). This interview-style webinar series provides insights into a wide variety of higher education leadership topics and best practices at no cost. Recordings of past webinars will be available on the Leaders Learning Live website.
Location: Online Webinar.
Registration: Online.
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