2025 Pre-Summit Workshops
The ACA invites our faculty and staff to participate in our Pre-Summit Workshops, which will occur on Wednesday, September 17, the day prior to Summit 2025, at the Knoxville Convention Center. These workshops focus on topics of interest to both faculty and staff, and they provide a great opportunity to explore interesting and valuable practices related to teaching and other issues of interest to our colleagues.
Pre-Summit participants may register for just a Wednesday workshop ($150 early bird price), or they may select (for a reduced rate) to join us for all three days (Wednesday through Friday) of Summit activities. When you register, please be sure to indicate your workshop choice on the registration form. The workshops may have slightly different start and end times (but all have at least four hours of contact time). Also note that Wednesday registration includes lunch and an afternoon food and drink break.
WORKSHOP 3: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm (eastern)
Cheryl Hild, Assistant Professor of Business, Lincoln Memorial University; Joshua Ray, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Business, Lincoln Memorial University
Developing Analytical and Critical Reasoning Skills in the Age of AI
In this interactive workshop, we explore the role of human reasoning in decision making and problem solving. Five major constructs of analytical reasoning are characterized and discussed, including interpretation, representation, calculation, evaluation and application, and validation. Participants will take part in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of both generative AI systems and human reasoning for each of these five areas of analytical reasoning. After reviewing some of the important historical perspectives and research on developing cognitive skills in applied contexts, participants will engage in an affinity mapping exercise on key attributes of human vs. AI-based machine reasoning skills. We then consider three questions that are urgently challenging us in this rapidly changing time:
- How must we evolve our educational practices and methods to prepare our students for a future in which AI-enhanced learning and AI-based decision-making play increasingly dominant roles?
- What competencies, dispositions, and reasoning skills must we develop in our students that result in value-added, individual (i.e., human) contribution as opposed to merely co-existing with AI-enhanced tools and methods?
- How do we build course content that promotes advanced reasoning skills and promotes confidence in our students’ abilities to tackle complex issues in the midst of change and uncertainty?
The workshop culminates with the sharing of ways in which we can create an environment of continuous learning that shifts both online and in-person classrooms from lecture-style, skill-based settings to environments of application, critical questioning, mentorship, and student engagement. This workshop is ideal for faculty, instructional designers, and educational leaders seeking practical, evidence-based strategies for rethinking curriculum design considering AI's capabilities and limitations.
WORKSHOP 5: Wednesday, 10:00 am - 3:30 pm (eastern)
Chris Robinson, Dean of Students, University of Pikeville
Emergency Management for Student Affairs Professionals
This workshop is designed to equip student affairs professionals with the critical skills and knowledge necessary to enhance campus emergency preparedness and response efforts. Given the ever-evolving landscape of higher education and the increasing complexities of campus safety, student affairs staff play a vital role in ensuring institutional resilience and the well-being of students, faculty, and staff during crises. This comprehensive training workshop provides a structured approach to emergency management, offering best practices and real-world applications tailored to the higher education environment. Participants will gain valuable insights into emergency planning, crisis communication, collaboration with campus and community partners, and leadership strategies essential for effective emergency response.
Return to Summit 2025 Registration Site
