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August Institute

August 10 - 14, 2026

The FDIC August Institute is the premier professional development series aimed at preparing Eastern Illinois University faculty and staff for the coming academic year. This year's institute will feature online workshops on campus technology, career readiness, AI, digital accessibility, and student belonging. The week kicks off with an update on campus technology on Monday August 10 at 1PM, and ends Friday, August 14 with a session from Turnitin.

Registration is not required, but much appreciated.

Monday August 10, 2026, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Classroom Login Changes & Other Campus Technology Updates

Facilitator: Ryan Gibson, Executive Director, Information Technology Services

Webinar Link:

Starting this fall, classroom computers will require single sign-on (SSO) login, a change from previous years in how EIU faculty authenticated to Windows computers. This session will walk faculty through what to expect, why the change is happening, and how it benefits you day to day. With SSO, logging in gives you seamless access to Office 365, your mapped network drives, and other resources tied to your account, without extra steps or separate logins once you're signed in.
Beyond the classroom login change, this session will cover a few other technology updates coming to campus this year, including the renewal of the Adobe contract, ongoing network upgrades, and the relocation of the Help Desk. Come learn what to expect, how these changes may affect your day to day work, and where to go if you have questions or run into issues.

Registration:

Tuesday August 11, 2026, 10 AM – 11 AM

Improving Student Attendance: Building Purpose, Belonging, and Engagement

Facilitator: Nora Heist, PhD, Communication Studies

Webinar link:

What motivates students to come to class? In this interactive session, faculty will explore the connection between course purpose, student beliefs about attendance, and classroom engagement. Through reflection and discussion, participants will examine the “why” behind their courses and identify practical strategies for creating meaningful learning experiences that encourage students to show up, participate, and succeed. Faculty will leave with actionable ideas they can implement in their classes.

Registration:

Tuesday August 11, 2026, 1 PM - 2 PM

Durable Skills by Design

Facilitators: Gabe Grant, PhD and Kelly Best, PhD, School of Technology

Webinar link:

Many courses require students to demonstrate durable skills such as time management, troubleshooting, and communication, yet these skills often remain unassessed. This session presents a practical approach for making these competencies visible within existing coursework. Participants will explore a durable skills overlay model that adds a small process-based grading component to current assignments.

The session will also introduce short reflective artifacts that allow students to document challenges, solutions, and learning processes. Attendees will see how these strategies can be integrated into a variety of disciplines without adding new course content. Participants will then adapt the framework to one of their own assignments and leave with editable rubrics, reflection prompts, and an implementation plan. The approach aligns with inclusive teaching and Universal Design for Learning by clarifying expectations and providing multiple ways for students to demonstrate learning and growth.

Registration:

Wednesday August 12, 2026, 1PM – 2 PM

From Policing to Process: Designing AI-Resilient Assignments That Promote Learning

Facilitators: Andrew Kerins, PhD, Director and Kim Ervin, Instructional Designer, Faculty Development and Innovation Center (FDIC)

Webinar Link:

Generative AI has changed the landscape of teaching and assessment, making it increasingly difficult, and often unproductive, to focus solely on preventing cheating. Rather than asking, "How do I stop students from using AI?" this interactive workshop invites faculty to ask a more productive question: "How can I redesign assignments so that learning matters more than the final product?"

Participants will explore why students turn to AI, experience assignments can be completed with generative AI, and examine strategies for creating assignments that prioritize critical thinking, reflection, and the learning process. Through guided activities, attendees will evaluate one of their own assignments, identify vulnerabilities, and start redesigning it using evidence-based approaches such as process-oriented assessment, productive learning friction, and interactive oral assessments. Together, we will discuss when secure assessments are appropriate, when open AI-supported learning can be beneficial, and how to balance both within a course.

Faculty will leave with practical tools, enhanced confidence navigating AI,  and the start of a redesigned assignment that better supports authentic student learning in an AI-enabled world.

Come prepared: This is a hands-on session, so please bring one assignment you currently use, or plan to use, that you would like to examine and improve. You will also want access to a generative AI tool during the session, so please have one ready to use on your device. A free or paid version is fine.

Registration:

Thursday August 13, 2026, 10 AM – 11 AM

Navigating the ADA Title II WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance

Facilitator: Keerthana Saraswathula, Instructional Support Training Specialist (ISTS), FDIC

Webinar Link:

Creating accessible digital materials gives us an incredible opportunity to make learning accessible for every single student. New federal updates under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA title II) and Specific standards (WCAG 2.1AA) help us build a more inclusive campus by ensuring all digital course content meets clear, baseline accessibility standards.

This collaborative session is designed to give EIU faculty peace of mind and practical strategies. We will break down exactly what these updates mean for your everyday teaching, explore the free tools and templates available through the FDIC, and look at FDIC’s shared plan to hit the federal compliance deadline on April 26, 2027.

Instead of discussing the rules, we will spend the last 15 minutes working together on a hands-on "Edit-a-Thon." Everyone online will get a sample course document to practice updating in real time. You will leave this session feeling confident, supported, and equipped with simple steps to make your digital classroom welcoming for all learners.

Registration:

Thursday August 13, 2026, 1 PM – 2 PM

Practical Strategies for Integrating the NACE Career Readiness Competencies into Your Teaching

Facilitators: Bobbi Kingery, Director, Career Services

Webinar Link:

Today's students—and the employers who hire them—expect a college education to prepare graduates for success beyond graduation. This session introduces the NACE Career Readiness Competencies and highlights current research demonstrating how intentionally integrating career readiness into the curriculum enhances student learning, engagement, retention, and post-graduation outcomes. Participants will explore why embedding career readiness benefits not only students, but also faculty and academic departments by strengthening academic relevance, supporting accreditation and assessment efforts, improving graduate success metrics, and reinforcing the value of their academic programs. Faculty will leave with a foundational understanding of the competencies and practical ideas for incorporating them into courses without sacrificing disciplinary content.

Registration:

Friday, August 14, 2026, 10 AM - 11 AM

Understanding Turnitin's AI Writing Report: Interpreting Results with Confidence

Facilitator: Kevin Stringfellow, Senior Solution Engineer, Turnitin

Webinar Link:

As generative AI becomes increasingly common in higher education, faculty need a clear understanding of what Turnitin's AI Writing Report is designed to show. This session provides a practical orientation to the AI writing report, demonstrates how to navigate and interpret its results, and highlights recommended practices for reviewing flagged submissions. Participants will also learn about Turnitin's ongoing efforts to address emerging AI technologies and the broader evolution of its academic integrity tools. While the session will not provide guidance on institutional decision-making or prescribe how AI writing indicators should be used in academic integrity cases, it will help faculty better understand the information available within the report and how it can inform their own review processes. Ample time will be reserved for participant questions and discussion.

Registration: