LU Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning

10/08/2026

LU Faculty Success invites you all to join the Blackboard community (virtually) on November 19, 2026, for the Digital Teaching Symposium (DTS), a *free,* one-day event bringing together higher education faculty and educators from around the world to share practical experiences, ideas, and approaches shaping the future of teaching and learning.

https://community.blackboard.com/public/events/digital-teaching-symposium-2026

10/08/2026

LU Faculty Success Presents!

Join us tomorrow afternoon (Thursday 10/08) for an hour with Dr. Sarah Silverman, educator and independent faculty developer focusing on neurodivergence, disability studies, and instructional design for all student needs.

https://sarahemilysilverman.com/

Register here: https://www.lamar.edu/lu-online/faculty-success/events.html

09/24/2026

HAPPENING NOW!!! Join the University Innovation at Lamar University session!

Still 45 minutes left. Join us to learn about your new access to Google Gemini and Gems through Lamar University.

Getting Started with Google Gemini and Gems, Virtual Training Via Teams
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (1 hour)
September 24, 2026 at 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Microsoft Teams meeting
Join:https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/283459491322683?p=gMznDO1F7OQcrgiGh8
Meeting ID:283 459 491 322 683
Passcode:P9Gq3wt9

Can’t attend? Email [email protected] to get recording access. Register for future sessions here: https://www.lamar.edu/forms/university-innovation/fall-trainings.html

Fall 2026 Trainings Registration

09/17/2026

University Innovation is bringing the content! Hope to see you there.

09/16/2026

September 17th begins Red Day, LU's big-giant-donor-outreach-day, and there are several local businesses that we’ve partnered with this year to contribute to the cause. One of those is the Chick-fil-A on College Street, so if you don’t have dinner plans tomorrow evening, stop by between 5 and 7 p.m. (drive-thru or dine in both apply), and a portion of sales will benefit Red Day!

There are a few local businesses offering Red Day deals as well: a special donut at Happy Donuts on College Street, a Red Day cupcake at Come Alive Coffee House, or a special Red Day treat from Hard Bean Coffee in Beaumont and Lumberton. All of these deals AND MORE can be found at lamar.edu/reddaypartners

For general information, or just to donate to Red Day or share the event, visit lamar.edu/redday . If you click on “Become a Champion,” you'll find a toolkit with some great graphics for social sharing!

08/18/2026

Congratulations, Dr. Kucknoor! This high honor seems just right for one of LU’s most passionate mentor-teachers. We hope you have the best year!

Congratulations to one of our amazing professors Dr. Kucknoor for being awarded the TSUS Regents Teacher Award!

08/17/2026

"...when a submission raises questions about whether a student did their own thinking, you need a legitimate way to find out. AI detectors won’t give you one; research has shown they produce unacceptable false positive rates and carry particular bias against non-native English speakers (Liang et al., 2023; Weber-Wulff et al., 2023).... Rather than trying to prove how a submission was produced, ask the student to demonstrate that they understand what they submitted."

Learn five practical ways to verify student learning and assess genuine understanding in higher education when AI tools are part of the learning environment.

08/12/2026

We welcomed 37 new, returning, and promoted faculty today, but the cohort is 45, and they come to us from all six colleges. It’s the largest and most academically diverse new faculty class we’ve had in many years. LU is so fortunate to have them all!

08/10/2026

"Strong UI/UX design helps direct attention toward learning tasks rather than platform navigation and has been associated with increased engagement, reduced mind-wandering, and improved learning outcomes (Chaganti, 2023; Wong, 2024). For these reasons, prioritizing effective UI/UX design is critical to supporting motivation, participation, and success in online learning environments."

What is UX/UI design? Our instructional design team can help! Your course design in Blackboard, *regardless of course modality*, is paramount to your students' success. Email [email protected] to connect with us!

Remember, you must subscribe to read FF articles, but subscription is free, and there are great new articles every day to help us navigate the wildly, rapidly-shifting higher ed learning environment.

Learn how effective LMS course design and UX principles improve online learning by enhancing navigation, reducing cognitive load, and supporting student success.

08/06/2026

We are so excited to welcome Lamar University faculty back to campus and prep for Fall 2026 start! Faculty return to offices on Monday, August 10 for the Week of Welcome.

New faculty, Tuesday is for you. Bring your excitement and your laptops to New Faculty Orientation on August 11. Our LU Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning and University Innovation teams are ready to welcome you with an Academic Affairs orientation designed to prepare you for both the work and the experience of being part of the LU community.

All faculty are invited to join us that afternoon for networking, music, and fun at the President and Provost Mixer. Beginning at 4 p.m. at the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum Pavilion, the mixer will feature live music from two educators whose talents extend beyond the classroom and administrative suite. LU Provost Dr. Brett Welch is also a recording singer-songwriter whose music is available on Spotify, Apple, and popular streaming platforms. His catalog includes several EPs and singles, a 20-song album, and his newest release, Corduroy Jacket. Joining him will be Carl Richardson, Commercial Music Program Coordinator at Lamar State College-Port Arthur. Carl is a singer, songwriter, bassist, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist who performs throughout SETX and SW Louisiana. His decades of contributions as performer and teacher were recently recognized with his induction into the City of Vidor Walk of Fame. Together, Brett and Carl represent some of the region's best! Join us to begin Fall 2026 on a high note. Parking at Spindletop is limited, so carpooling is recommended.

On Wednesday morning, new faculty will complete benefits, paperwork, and other final onboarding needs with Human Resources.

All faculty and staff will then come together for the President’s Convocation and Lunch at the Montagne Center. Attendance is expected as we hear from executive leadership about Lamar University’s vision and priorities for the year ahead. Food and LU swag will be provided!

Following Convocation, new faculty will continue with hands-on course design support. Our instructional designers, technologists, media specialists, success professionals, and others will be available in person to help finalize preparations for the fall semester.

On Thursday, all faculty will gather for Cardinal Kickoff, our full-day faculty professional development experience in the Live Oak Ballroom and Setzer Student Center. Attendance is expected to kickstart our fall as a united front! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eazcR_xt

On Friday, it's time for College Convocations. Brush off the summer heat and take a look at your inbox for details from your dean or department chair.

On Monday, August 17, faculty take their final opportunity to prepare classrooms, courses, and student communications before the first day of classes on August 18.

We are so happy to have everyone back and to help get this new academic year moving. See you soon, Cardinals!