Many faculty members are interested in learning more about pedagogy or higher education issues but do not have the time to attend an in-person session.  In these cases, a webinar can be a great opportunity to stay engaged and learning, but do it on one’s own time and schedule.

Spring/Summer 2025 External (Unvetted) Webinars (and Workshops)

Join the Character Education in the Age of Automation series for webinars and discussions that approach emerging technology from the insights of whole-person education. This series, part of the Center’s Empowering Ethical Leaders Initiative, promotes human flourishing and dignity through integrating character education and mature technology-adoption in the classroom.

The following sessions, held from May to September, are free and open to all Saint Mary’s community members and to the public.

Integrating Modern AI in the Holistic Classroom (May 10^th, 10-11:30 AM)

What could character have to do with ChatGPT? Why turn to ideas of virtue and care ethics when evaluating the educational impact of generative and predictive AI? This session starts the series with a discussion of the intellectual habits and dispositions needed for students to become mature evaluators of emerging technologies beyond available tools in the current AI hype cycle. Participants will be introduced to whole-person perspectives that can guide technology integration in the classroom, including the Jubilee Centre Framework for Character Education and the care ethics theory of Educational Caritas. Participants will then reflect on appropriate technology use in their disciplines in light of these frameworks, develop AI-assisted assessments, and draft transparent AI assessment policies.

Add this session to your calendar

Project-Based Learning with the PAIR Framework (June 18^th, Noon – 1:00 PM)

Want to integrate authentic assessment into your courses but not sure where to start? Are you looking for ways to improve student agency and ownership of the learning process? Project-Based Learning with generative AI can be an effective way to mirror professional tasks students will encounter in future teams. Structuring a learning experience around an authentic problem can also demonstrate for students how large language models are more effective at brainstorming than generating unique insights and solutions. Working in an assignment planning journal, participants will follow the PAIR framework to co-design a project-based assignment, evaluate that assignment according to the High-Quality Project Based Learning Framework, and draft an AI-support policy for a specific assignment.

Add this session to your calendar

Writer in the Loop (June TBD, Noon – 1:00 PM)

This online workshop facilitated by the Saint Mary’s Writing Center introduces participants to the “writer in the loop” model for teaching students how to ethically and effectively use large language models (AI). The “writer in the loop” model builds off the “human in the loop” literature on prompt engineering to develop a framework that maximizes student learning. There are two primary goals: 1) help faculty and staff develop an intellectual framework for when AI is appropriate for student use; and 2) develop skills in teaching the ethical and effective discipline-specific use of AI in the classroom. Come with questions and any insights you might want to share.

Session Registration Opening Soon

Selecting Tools for Conviviality (July 16^th, Noon – 1:00 PM)

How do we ensure that we shape tools to learners rather than learners to tools? This workshop will answer that question by providing a whole-person response to modern AI based on the ideal of a convivial society. Assignment sequences that prepare students to respond to AI with maturity will be demonstrated along with conversation on how aspects can be applied to different disciplines. Throughout, participants will work within a personal digital journal to apply principles from the session to their own formation of the students entrusted to their care. Participants will leave with a plan to promote human flourishing in their classroom through the integration of character education and virtue formation with mature technology adoption.

Add this session to your calendar

Holistic Learning Outcomes in an Age of Automation (August 13^th, Noon – 1:00 PM)

What is your greatest hope for your students as they navigate the ethical complexity of modern AI and future emerging technologies? The answer to that question can guide your teaching as you refine plans for fall and think about redesigning for spring. This session invites participants to rethink course design according to the kind of persons we form, which will in turn include concerns regarding skill training, economic mobility, and the ability to thrive within society. Building on the initial course design ideas from past sessions, participants will refine their goals into formal learning outcomes, ensuring alignment with proposed AI-assisted assessments, and draft assignment sequences that integrate outcome-driven policies on student

Add this session to your calendar

 If you have any questions about the webinar series, please contact the Saint Mary’s Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at celt@smumn.edu.

Magna Commons Webinars

Magna Publications has an extensive collection of webinars on various topics related to higher education and pedagogy that are free for all Ramapo faculty and staff.  To access these webinars, go to the following link:

Please note: in order to access the webinars, you must use your Ramapo College email address for registration. 

1.     Go to https://www.magnapubs.com/register/. Enter information in the required fields > Submit. NOTE: if you get   an error that your password does not match, skip down to the EXISTING USERS Section below
2.     Once successfully registered, you will see a screen “Thank you for completing your registration”
3.     Go to https://www.magnapubs.com/profile/join-sitelicense/9147b116e75ef2dda5503461866ce3de
4.     On the right side of the page, in the “Username or email address” box, enter the email address that you submitted in Step 1 or if you are an EXISTING USER enter the username or email address entered at time of registration
5.     Enter your password > Login
6.     On the My Account page > Join Team
7.     On the My Online Access page click the appropriate orange “Go to Magna Commons” 

Need help?

• Call 800-433-0499 ext. 2 (outside the U.S. & Canada call 608-246-3590 ext. 2.). Our office hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Time, Monday through Friday
• Email support@magnapubs.com
• They also have an online chat that can help!

AAC&U Webinars

The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) offers periodic webinars on various topics related to higher education and pedagogy that are free for all Ramapo faculty and staff.  To access these webinars, go to the following link:

https://www.aacu.org/events/webinar

On this page, you will see a list of upcoming webinars that you may sign up to attend, as well as a link to Past Webinars that you may view recordings of.

Please note: in order to access these webinars, you must log in to the AAC&U website using a Ramapo email address as a login.  Go to this account web page to login to your account, create a new account, or change your username or password.