The colleges and universities of the Appalachian College Association share a common commitment to support students through exceptional teaching and learning opportunities. To these ends, each summer the ACA hosts an intensive, week-long workshop on one of our member campuses delivered by national experts and master-teachers from ACA institutions, designed to promote pedagogical development and innovation. The Institute emphasizes integrated learning, student centered learning theories, and evidence-based teaching practices.
The TLI also includes a track on Higher Education leadership in the ACA context. This track is open to anyone in or aspiring to be in a leadership position but is especially focused on the knowledge and skills necessary for those who are new to campus leadership roles (academic or otherwise), such as department chairs, deans, and directors of programs.
Year after year, the TLI's post-event survey feedback indicates incredible benefits to participants. We encourage all ACA faculty and staff to consider participating in this valuable experience!
2025 Teaching & Leadership Institute
Registration Is Now Open!
The ACA's 2025 Teaching & Leadership Institute will convene June 2-5, 2025, at Maryville College, in Maryville, TN. We hope you will join the workshops in either of our two program tracks: Teaching & Learning or Higher Education Leadership Development. The theme for this year's Teaching & Learning tack is Adapting to the Needs of (Post-)Pandemic Learners.
Due to the profound effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the current cohort of postsecondary students we serve and teach differs in important ways from their predecessors. Often these students missed opportunities for developmentally typical socialization that is critical for developing social skills and a sense of belonging. These (post-)pandemic students had to adapt to a constantly changing educational environment that frequently required them to engage with new technologies with little to no advance notice or instruction, to transition rapidly from highly structured in-person instruction to less structured distance learning, and/or to have their learning disrupted by significant personal or family health events.
Because of the physiological and psychological effects of exposure to both the coronavirus itself and the chronic stress of an ever-present serious health threat, many higher education professionals have characterized the current cohort of students as less motivated, less engaged in their learning, highly anxious, and socially isolated. The pandemic has impeded students’ ability to be fully engaged in learning by disrupting basic needs such as belonging, competence, and autonomy. Many educators do not feel adequately equipped to support learners in meeting these myriad challenges. Furthermore, a myopic focus on the deficits of (post-)pandemic students poses the additional risk of overlooking the many strengths and skills these learners possess.
The 2025 TLI’s Teaching and Learning Track seeks to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to the evolving needs of the cohort of learners whose educational experience has been shaped and disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Helping students successfully transition to postsecondary education and their lives and careers beyond graduation requires us not only to empower them to overcome challenges but also to leverage their strengths to meet their goals.
The fee for this year's TLI is $600 per person, which includes lodging, meals, and all instructional costs. Any member institution with two or more paying registrants will receive one free registration. Confer with your CAO to learn how your school plans to allocate these funds (furnished to the institution after the event).
Select among the links below to see our instructor bios and/or the schedules of the two tracks. (Minor revisions to the schedules may occur prior to the event.)
