Faculty Institute 2025 - Faculty Portal
The 2025 Faculty Institute Registration, Welcome, and Program Schedule (View 2024 Recordings)
The full program starts at 9:00 am and the event concludes at 4:00 pm.
Join us in person or online:
- UMA Augusta
- Online live through Zoom
9:00-9:15 am: Welcome
9:15-10:30 am: Morning Keynote - Dr. Luke Hobson - speaking on AI in Higher Ed
Bio:
Dr. Luke Hobson
Assistant Director, Lecturer
Dr. Luke Hobson is the Assistant Director of Instructional Design at MIT xPRO and a Lecturer in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Miami's School of Education and Human Development. He's also the author of the book What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer and the host of the Dr. Luke Hobson Podcast and YouTube Channel. Dr. Hobson was named as one of the top learning influencers in 2022 and top e-learning experts in 2023.
10:45 -11:45 - Concurrent Sessions
1:15-2:30 pm: Afternoon Keynote - Dr. Ann Knettler - speaking on Creating Accessible Course Content
Bio:
Dr. Ann Knettler
Vice President, Consulting
Ann currently serves as the Vice President of Consulting for GrackleDocs, a world leader in digital accessibility. An accessibility strategist with over 18 years of experience as an ADA and 504 Compliance Officer, Director of Disability Resources offices, and global corporate policy advisor; Ann is a sought-after speaker, educator, and consultant.
As a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), Ann currently represents the Association as a member of the Council of Representatives for the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) where she has co-authored and updated policy and standards for the entire field of higher education and currently sits on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
A published researcher, Ann regularly presents and consults globally on topics such as the depth and breadth of digital accessibility, disability rights, assessment and the use of data as an advocacy tool, disability policy and policy reform, strategic planning for organization-wide access, creating and using policy and accessibility standards, program review, ableism, and the social justice model of disability.
Ann is an active faculty member in the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Master of Public Administration Programs at Delaware State University. She received a Masters of Arts in Counseling in Higher Education with an emphasis in Mental Health from the University of Delaware and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Delaware State University. Her dissertation focuses on the lived experiences of ableism and able-body privilege by students with disabilities in higher education and the impact that experience has on their receipt of an accessible and equitable education.
2:45 - 3:45 - Concurrent Sessions
The Faculty Institute is a rich compendium of professional development opportunities for distance educators across the University of Maine System and our valued community partners and colleagues worldwide through a virtual attendance option.
There is no cost to attend the Faculty Institute!
Normally, as a collaborative event, the Institute has a system-wide planning committee with faculty and staff representing each campus. The University of Maine at Augusta hosts this event for in-person attendees and facilitates the ability to participate virtually. While it has had various names over the years, the Faculty Institute has existed in some variation for the system for more than 30 years.
It is our pleasure to carry on this tradition of offering a system-wide, collaboratively designed event with sessions presented by our faculty, staff, and guests.
Thank you for visiting our site. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Join us at the UMA Faculty Institute, where innovation in teaching and learning takes center stage. This year, we extend our invitation not only to members across all campuses and outreach centers of the University of Maine System but also to our valued community partners and colleagues worldwide through a virtual attendance option.
This institute is a vital gathering for anyone engaged with or supporting today's educational methods, including hybrid, hyflex, and online modalities. Whether you are working with synchronous online classes, asynchronous content, hybrid or hyflex formats, or fully online courses, this event is designed for you. It is especially relevant for those involved in
- Faculty (full-time, adjunct, or part-time)
- Academic leaders and administrators
- Support staff in academic and student services
- Professionals in instructional design and technology
- Anyone involved in developing or delivering digital learning content
By participating in the Faculty Institute, you'll connect with peers, discover innovative practices, and gain insights into leveraging technology to enhance teaching and learning. Don’t miss this opportunity to contribute to shaping the future of education in our University of Maine System and within the communities you serve.
The University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) is committed to free speech and fosters an environment in which all members of our community have access to a vibrant, enriching education befitting a democracy. A hallmark of our work is academic freedom and open inquiry. We are proud to affirm our ongoing commitment to an education that is diverse, inclusive, equitable and anti-racist. We recognize that diversity is a strength, and encourage our college community to examine issues related to: race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, gender, gender identity/expression, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, and disability.
UMA applauds the endeavors of students, faculty and staff who engage in this work, including the development of programs and curricula. Through these and other undertakings, UMA actively promotes the lively exchange of ideas to improve our efforts and be responsive to the needs of our community. UMA will continue to lead by example, rising to the challenge of embracing change, acknowledging shortcomings, and prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in pursuit of our mission.
The President’s Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion provides support and advocacy for these efforts.
Endorsed by Faculty Senate: 2/19/21
Endorsed by President’s Cabinet: 2/23/21
Related Links
UMA is committed to ensuring a productive and inclusive environment for all members of our diverse community, which includes people of all abilities, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, nationalities, religious traditions, socioeconomic classes, and ages. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council will work to support strategic initiatives, partnerships, advocacy, innovation, and educational programs that will create, sustain, and enrich UMA’s institutional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion of its entire community. They will also work to identify challenges, propose strategies, and make recommendations for new and ongoing policies that support DEI initiatives.
Putting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into Action
The DEI Council will:
- Promote a long-term and sustained culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that is flexible, evolving, and open to continual improvement.
- Establish institutional funding for ongoing education and training programs in DEI areas, to include regular professional development opportunities for all members of the community.
- Recognize that inequalities and exclusions are the products of both structural policies and unconscious prejudice, and that DEI initiatives are not possible without both institutional support and healthy self-reflection and openness to learning from all members of our community.
- Organize and promote workshops, activities, professional development, and research in DEI related areas and advocate that these opportunities be supported and rewarded through administrative and institutional support. These development activities should be provided by university professionals as well as initiated by student interests in order to better address structural blind spots and increase attention to diverse students’ actual needs.
- Create a shared culture of DEI through deliberate and public expressions of DEI values. This means that we will seek to actively and positively create learning communities that are inclusive of sex, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, and income differences and actively understand and promote the benefits of DEI across our entire community.
- Intentionally prioritize and support faculty efforts to integrate DEI research, tools, and perspectives into their curriculum and classroom practices.
- Intentionally recruit and retain faculty, students, and staff that reflect multicultural and diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Educators, students, workforce innovators, and AI explorers are at the heart of the AI Revolution in EDU. Join us at the UMA Faculty Institute to learn how the future of student success, inclusive education, and workforce readiness intersect with Artificial Intelligence.
Be a part of this transformative journey and partner with each other in progress.
The FI Planning Committee and support staff make every effort to make all content and experiences accessible to all from the outset. The university will also make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities upon request.
Certain accommodations may require planning and resources for us to implement, so we ask that individuals needing accommodations submit their request as soon as possible and no later than May 1st.
Email the UMA FDC if you have questions at uma-fdc@maine.edu.