Annual conference

Preconference Seminars, $75

Saturday, May 24, 2025, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. (Note: These sessions run concurrently, so participants are only able to attend one.)

Get a head start on your NISOD conference journey by joining our engaging preconference seminars! These in-depth sessions offer exclusive opportunities to dive deep into today’s most pressing topics in community and technical college education. Led by expert facilitators, our seminars are designed to inspire, inform, and equip you with actionable strategies to enhance your professional practice.

Whether you’re looking to build your leadership skills, elevate your teaching techniques, or explore innovative solutions for student success, our preconference seminars are the perfect way to set the tone for an unforgettable conference experience.

Tim Mousel headshot

Creating Engaging Assignments With AI: Hands-On Strategies for Effective Assignments

Discover innovative ways to invigorate your curriculum with the transformative power of generative AI in higher education. This workshop explores how generative AI, which creates unique content from trained data, can revolutionize curriculum design, assignment creation, and student engagement. Beyond its practical applications, generative AI represents a significant paradigm shift in teaching and learning. Learn how to harness AI to create more engaging and personalized learning experiences while preparing students for a future shaped by AI technologies. Gain practical skills for integrating AI into your teaching practices through hands-on activities. Join this workshop to engage in a critical conversation about the future of education and equip yourself and your students for the digital age ahead.

By the end of this workshop, participants are able to:

  1. Articulate the key principles of generative AI and its potential applications in curriculum design, assignment creation, and student learning activities.
  2. Demonstrate their ability to craft and refine effective prompts for generating desired outputs from generative AI.
  3. Create a comprehensive action plan with a clear timeline and milestones for implementing generative AI into their teaching, considering ethical implications and potential challenges, with a view towards implementation within the next academic year.

Tim Mousel, Professor, Kinesiology, and Department Chair, Chemistry, Kinesiology, and Physics, Lone Star College

Silke Morin photo

Evidence-Based Practices for Reducing Student Anxiety in the Classroom

Since the pandemic, students’ stress levels have risen dramatically. Given that chronic stress can negatively affect students’ ability to learn and be successful in the classroom, it benefits faculty to learn how to recognize student stress and respond by teaching with compassion. In this interactive workshop, participants learn evidence-based strategies from the fields of educational psychology and neuroscience that provide practical tools for communication, rapport building, social interactions, self-regulation, and academic support.

By the end of this workshop, participants are able to:

  1. Recognize the effects of anxiety on students’ academic and interpersonal behavior.
  2. Identify compassionate andragogical strategies to foster communication and rapport.
  3. Identify academic strategies that reduce student anxiety and enhance learning.

Silke Morin, Associate Professor, Biology, and Assistant Department Chair for Student Relations, Austin Community College

Duguid Stephanie headshot

Step Together: Inspire, Empower, and Lead Positively

Leadership is not a solitary journey—it’s a collective endeavor where success is built on trust, collaboration, and empowerment. This immersive and dynamic workshop invites participants to explore the power of “stepping together” as leaders who inspire, empower, and create positive environments. In this interactive and engaging workshop, participants explore the essential role of collaboration in leadership, uncover strategies to build trust, and learn to create inclusive and empowering environments. Through thought-provoking activities, participants gain actionable insights into fostering teamwork and inspiring others to achieve collective success. Participants leave with a personalized team empowerment action plan, ready to implement collaborative strategies and inspire those they lead. If you’re ready to amplify your leadership impact and foster a culture of inclusion and trust, this workshop is your next step forward.

By the end of this workshop, participants are able to:

  1. Explore the transformative power of collaboration in leadership.
  2. Identify effective strategies to build trust and inspire team members.
  3. Understand the principles of creating inclusive and empowering environments.

Stephanie Duguid, Owner, Do Good Work