UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The annual Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Symposium, to be held Saturday, March 21, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, will offer sessions for Penn State educators and professionals that highlight innovative approaches to online teaching and learning.
The symposium serves as a space that brings collaborative ideas on how to explore new technologies and share practices that will aid student success. The event provides an opportunity for faculty and staff from Penn State’s campuses and Penn State World Campus to exchange ideas.
The World Campus track will feature faculty and staff who will focus on strategies developed through Penn State’s online programs, including methods to strengthen student engagement, design impactful assessments and thoughtfully integrate new digital tools such as generative AI into the online learning experience.
Registration is now open. Check out the sessions from the World Campus track of the TLT Symposium below.
‘Using the W Curve Concept to Retain Students in the Online Classroom’
This concurrent session presentation will explore how the “W Curve” model, which describes people’s stages of transition and adjustment, can be applied to online course design to better support students during critical points in the semester. The session will highlight strategies for building students’ connection, clarity and confidence to help improve their engagement and persistence in the virtual classroom.
Dawn Coder, acting associate vice provost for Online Education and Student Engagement for Penn State World Campus, will give the presentation. Coder works closely with online learners and faculty to develop initiatives that strengthen student support and success in the online learning environment.
‘Assessing for the Real World: Designing Workforce-Ready Assessment in Online Learning Environments’
In this concurrent session, the presentation will examine how authentic assessment design can help online learners build practical, career-relevant skills while demonstrating mastery of course content. Attendees will learn how assignments such as applied projects, scaffolded activities and portfolio-based evaluation can align academic outcomes with workforce expectations.
The presenter, Crystal Donlan, is a noncredit instructional designer for Penn State World Campus Learning Design. She holds a master of education degree in learning design and technology from Penn State and is currently a doctoral candidate and academic instructor in lifelong learning and adult education.
With more than 20 years of experience as a learning scientist and educator, Donlan has taught in K–12, correctional, community-based and higher education settings. Her research focuses on digital badges and micro-credentials, distance and online learning, and 21st-century literacies.
‘Don’t Panic, Design: The AI Usage License as a Faculty Response to Generative AI’
This concurrent session presentation introduces the AI Usage License, a framework designed to help faculty clearly communicate expectations for ethical and transparent AI (artificial intelligence) in coursework. The session will demonstrate how intentional course design can integrate generative AI while maintaining academic integrity and supporting student creativity.
Michael Collins, an associate teaching professor of art with the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture, will give the presentation. Collins teaches in the online Digital Multimedia Design program and works with World Campus partners to develop innovative approaches to digital instruction and emerging technologies in online education.
‘AI for Writing: Guiding Students and Instructors in Responsible AI-Assisted Writing Tasks’
This concurrent session presentation explores how artificial intelligence can be thoughtfully integrated into writing instruction while preserving students’ critical thinking skills and authentic voice. The session introduces the “AI for Writing” module, a flexible resource designed to help students navigate AI-assisted writing through functional, critical and rhetorical literacies aligned with Penn State’s AI literacy framework. Attendees will also learn strategies for guiding ethical AI use, facilitating classroom discussions and designing assignments that incorporate emerging technologies while maintaining academic integrity.
Matt Dingo, assistant director for online faculty development; Chris Millet, acting associate vice provost for online learning design; and Stuart Selber, director of digital education in English, will present the session, sharing approaches for supporting both instructors and students as AI continues to shape writing and learning practices.
Visit the TLT Symposium website to learn more about the event and the World Campus track.