Spotlight on Learning Conference
Ohio University’s Spotlight on Learning (SoL) Conference is a project of the Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Committee and supported by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA); the Office of Instructional Design (OID); OHIO Libraries; the Office of Information Technology (OIT); and other collaborators.
The SoL Conference brings together OHIO faculty, staff and the larger teaching and learning community to highlight models of teaching excellence by sharing examples of highly effective instructional practice, outlining strong approaches to assessing student learning and evaluating instruction, and providing methods for implementing, investigating, assessing and researching teaching innovation.
2026 Spotlight on Learning Conference
The conference theme, “Navigating Change with Confidence,” responds to the Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Committee's commitment to elevating the experiences of OHIO students and the constantly evolving landscape of higher education related to generative artificial intelligence, scholarship on student learning and shifting instructional contexts.
Spotlight presentations can take one of two formats: Concurrent Session talks (20-minute TED Talk style) or Festival of Learning demonstrations (5 to 10 minute interactive activities). Proposals may be submitted for both formats.
The 2026 event will be held on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, in Baker Center.
| 8:45 – 9:00 | Check-in Coffee and Pastries available in Baker 240/242 | Baker Hallway |
| 9:00 – 9:15 | Welcome | Baker 240/242 |
| 9:15 – 10:15 | Keynote Presentation | Baker 240/242 |
| 10:15 – 10:30 | Break | |
| 10:30 – 11:45 | Festival of Teaching | Baker 240/242 |
| 11:45 – 12:00 | Break | |
| 12:00 – 12:45 | Lunch | Baker 240/242 |
| 12:45 – 1:45 | Plenary Session | Baker 240/242 |
| 1:45 – 2:00 | Break | |
| 2:00 – 3:15 | Concurrent Sessions | Baker 231-239 |
| 3:15 – 3:30 | Concluding Remarks, Raffle and Festival of Teaching Awards | Baker 240/242 |
Spotlight on Learning Concurrent Sessions and Festival
In 2025, 14 sessions were offered along four tracks. The structure ensured participants had many new model strategies and approaches for possible implementation in their own courses.
In addition, 2025 was the first year that the Spotlight on Learning Conference features a Festival of Learning during which time presenters actively shared their teaching strategies with participants on a self-paced and led festival tour. Faculty participants "competed" for first, second and third place as judged by a panel of their peers. Awards of $1,000, $750 and $500 respectively were awarded and used to support student activities in an upcoming course.
2025 Sessions on Timestamped Tech
- Genuine Thinking and Artificial Stupidity in Algorithmic Culture: Suleyman Gurbanov, Communication Studies
- How to Use AI in Your Classroom for Critical Thinking Assignments: Victoria LaPoe, Journalism
- Gen Z and GenAI: How Students Perceive, Use and Navigate AI in Higher Education and Beyond: Sarah Rist and Jacob Hiler, Marketing, with students Ali Addington, Matthew Sheehan, Lexie Sherman, Julia Welton
- Beyond Policing, Towards Empowerment: Designing Writing Assignments in the Age of GenAI: Paul Shovlin, English
2025 Sessions on Engaging Students
- "I Was The One Who Wrote That": Using TopHat in the Humanities Classroom to Foster Community and Engagement: Spencer Smith, English
- Coaching Your Students To Success Through Engagement: Ian Klein, Biological Sciences
- Using Team-Based Learning: Ann Frymier, Communication Studies
- Collaborative Case Studies: Fostering Student Engagement Through Industry Partnerships: Shawnee Chapman, Management
2025 Sessions on Supporting Students
- Teaching Concepts: Five Fixes to Ensure Your Students Build Conceptualizations for the Long-term: David Moore, Education Studies
- Empowering Students by Creating a Predictable and Supportive Online Learning Environment: Joy Cobb and Mike Dombroski, Office of Information Technology
- Supporting College Algebra Students' Transition to OHIO: Corey Boby, Monica Hilverding and Tracy Watson, Mathematics
2025 Sessions on Teaching Regionally
- How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Test-optional Policy? Improving Math Placement for Regional Campus Students: Zijian Diao and John Prather, Mathematics
- Teaching Physical Science Classes Across Campuses: Gabriela Popa and Michael Koop, Physics and Astronomy
- Innovative Learning in Action: Engaging Nursing and Social Work Students in the Management of Child Abuse and Neglect: Christy Watson and Susan Dowell, Nursing, and Leah Vensil, Social Work
2025 Festival of Learning Lineup
- Existential Questions in the First-Year Classroom: Chris Lewis, HTC, and Mary Kate Hurley, English
- Game Design-Based Learning -- A third approach to teaching and learning: Michael Greene, University HR
- Learn to Fly in Marketing /Business: Nicole Byrd, Marketing
- Mindfulness in the Wild: A Student-Driven Immersive Learning Experience: Lisa Martin, HTC
- More Than Speaking Up: Voice Empowerment and Leadership in the Classroom and the Community: Robin Muhammad, African-American Studies
- Phishing for Awareness: A Collaborative Approach to Cybersecurity Education: Reagan Klinger-Neviska, John Roberts, OIT
- Redefining Space for Learning--Using Story and Drama as Designing Spaces for Learning: Kevin Cordi, Teacher Education
- Second City Success: What Improv Taught Me About Learning: Dan Farkas
- The Accessibility Habit – Stacking Simple Habits for a More Accessible World: Haley Riwniak, Alicia Porter and Jill Bateman, Accessibility
- Empowering the Next Generation: Strategies for Cultivating Critical Thinking in Hybrid Learning Environments: Fatiha Bazouche, Teaching Assistant
- These tubes can talk? The source-filter theory of speech production: Chao-Yang Lee, Caitlyn Neill, Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences
- Ohio University Libraries, the Office of Instructional Design, TopHat, the CTLA and the Office of Instructional Technology will also have staff present to share resources and consult with SoL participants.
Spotlight on Learning Conference Committee
SoL planning committee members comprise a faculty lead and faculty representatives from the Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Committee, as well as staff members from units supporting faculty development at the university.
2026 SoL Conference Planning Committee
- Jennie Klein, Professor, School of Art and Design, TLA Spotlight Subcommittee Chair
- Wendy Adams, Associate Director for Assessment, CTLA
- Corey Beck, Professor of Instruction, Chemistry
- Mike Dombroski, Instructional Technologist III, Academic Technology, Office of Information Technology
- Jeremy Henkel, Associate Director for Faculty Programming, CTLA
- Kalyn McDonald, Assistant Clinical Professor, Communication Sciences Disorders
- Candice Morris, Executive Director, Office of Instructional Design
- Dave Nguyen, Dean, University College
- Sarah Poggione, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs