Events

Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 10:30-11:30am GST | Campus Center (C2), Floor 3, Faculty Hub, Library, Room 340

Faculty play a critical role in shaping students’ research skills within their disciplines.

This workshop offers practical strategies for building on that foundation by intentionally scaffolding research skill development throughout a course. Participants will explore ways to sequence research tasks, design assignments that support inquiry at each stage, and guide students through common research challenges.

By weaving research instruction into coursework, faculty can help students become more confident, independent researchers while deepening engagement with course content.

Join us for a collaborative session focused on enhancing how students learn to ask questions, find information, and build knowledge in your field.

Facilitated by
Grace Adeneye, Assistant Academic Librarian for the Arts, Outreach and Community Engagement

Rebecca Hastie, Assistant Academic Librarian for Instruction, First-Year Experience and Student Success

Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 1-2:30pm GST | Campus Center (C2), Floor 3, Faculty Hub, Library, Room 340

Even the most capable students can struggle with time management, effective note-taking, study strategies, and organizing their academic lives—skills that are often assumed to be in place, but frequently are not. This workshop focuses on practical, research-informed approaches to help faculty support students in building these foundational skills.

Rather than adding to your workload, we’ll look at ways these strategies can be embedded into existing teaching routines—reinforcing course content while supporting student learning and persistence. The session includes hands-on activities to help you adapt these techniques to your own courses, and you’ll leave with concrete tools and a personalized plan.

Facilitated by
Jamie Whelan, Associate Lecturer in Chemistry 

Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 2:45-4pm GST | Campus Center (C2), Floor 3, Faculty Hub, Library, Room 340

What do you value in “good” academic writing? What do you see your students struggling to do well when you ask them to write? (And what are they doing so swiftly they think they are doing it well, whether they are or not?)

Generative AI has disrupted the way we teach writing. But key practices from the field of composition can help teachers ground their practices in resilient pedagogical moves that will help student writers thrive.

This workshop is designed for teachers new to NYUAD– and all of us new to teaching writing in the age of generative AI. We will focus on questions of authority, authenticity, and acknowledgements as we shift our focus from teaching writing to teaching writers.

Facilitated by 
Marion Wrenn, Executive Director of Writing; Senior Lecturer of Writing and Literature & Creative Writing

Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 4:15-5:15pm GST | Campus Center (C2), Floor 3, Faculty Hub, Library, Room 340

Research in STEM education consistently shows that active student engagement produces better learning outcomes compared to more traditional passive lecture-based approaches.

This interactive session will present practical strategies to enhance student engagement, even in larger classes. Drawing on Professor Tillotson’s expertise with Learning Catalytics, participants will explore innovative methods for using in-class polling to promote peer instruction and even facilitate collaborative group exams.
The session will include a hands-on simulation of such an exam, allowing attendees to experience these techniques from the student’s perspective.

Facilitated by 
Andy Tillotson, Senior Lecturer of Physics

February 12, 2025 | 5:15-6:30pm GST - Teaching to Support Fundamental Academic Skills

Campus Center (C2), Faculty Hub, Library, Room 341

In this workshop, faculty will explore practical strategies to help students strengthen their academic skills such as studying, organizing, time management, and taking effective notes. These skills, often assumed to be learned “somewhere else”, are crucial for students’ success but are sometimes underdeveloped. By embedding these practices in daily teaching routines, faculty can help students improve learning strategies, retain course material, and manage their workload more effectively. This workshop includes hands-on activities that allow faculty to develop tools they can easily integrate into their courses. Faculty will leave with a clear plan to support students’ foundational skills and long-term academic success. Colleagues from the Student Wellness and Persistence Office will be on hand to detail the ways in which they support NYUAD Students as well.

Speaker

Jamie Whalen, Lecturer Chemistry

March 4, 2025 | 12:45-2pm GST - Activating Brightspace Tools for Blended Learning 

Virtual: This event will take place online via Zoom. Please RSVP to receive the meeting link.

Unlock the full potential of Brightspace to enhance your blended learning courses! Join us for an interactive workshop where you'll brush up on familiar tools and discover new features to engage your students more effectively.

In this hands-on Zoom session, we'll cover:

• Key Brightspace tools to streamline your course design
• Strategies to integrate content, assignments, and discussions
• Best practices for fostering collaboration and communication in blended environments
• Tips for grading, feedback, and tracking student progress
  

Whether you're new to Brightspace or looking to refresh your skills, this session will empower you to create dynamic and efficient learning experiences. Don't miss out—register today and take your teaching to the next level!

Speaker
Nancy Gleason, Executive Director, Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching and Learning, Professor of Practice of Political Science, NYUAD

March 20, 2025 | 11:30am-12:30pm GST - Giving Timely and Effective Feedback 

Virtual: This event will take place online via Zoom. Please RSVP to receive the meeting link.

As faculty, we take pride in knowing our feedback on student work plays a role in developing their critical-thinking skills and continuous improvement. Effective feedback helps enrich students' experience and move their learning forward. It fosters student engagement, enhances learning outcomes, and supports reflective practices. Providing meaningful feedback is also a significant investment of time and effort, and there is occasionally a concern that students may focus primarily on the letter grade rather than fully engaging with the constructive comments designed to support their growth. Join this session to learn more about the differences between formative and summative feedback, the elements of effective feedback, and evidence-based best practices to deliver it. We will also discuss strategies to make writing feedback more time-efficient. 

Open to NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai Faculty

Speaker

Evgeniya Efremova, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, Clinical Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning, NYU Shanghai

April 8, 2025 | 5:30-6:45pm - Addressing Grade Appeals: Setting Expectations

Faculty Hub, C2 3rd Floor, Room 341

In this interactive, one-hour workshop, you’ll learn practical approaches to reduce grade grubbing and manage grade-related conversations effectively. NYUAD has released a new grade appeals policy and faculty will have an opportunity to discuss this together. We’ll focus on small, achievable changes like refining grading rubrics, setting clear expectations, and framing grade discussions to emphasize learning. Through interactive activities, you’ll explore transparent grading practices, effective feedback techniques, and ways to shift student focus from grades to growth. Dinner will be provided.

Speakers: 

• Alya Al Zaabi, Student Assistant at the Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching and Learning

• Alberto Gandolfi, Associate Director of Faculty Teaching Development, NYUAD Center for Faculty Advancement; Professor of Practice in Mathematics

• Nancy Gleason, Executive Director, Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching and Learning, Professor of Practice of Political Science