Seminars for Excellence in Teaching
Since 2008, the Academy for Teaching and Learning has hosted a series of one-hour Seminars for Excellence in Teaching (SET) to help colleagues meet the historic expectations of excellence in teaching at Baylor. For new Teachers of Record (TOR), SET satisfy SACS requirements for professional development in teaching. For more experienced TOR, SET facilitate the sharing of ideas and insights about teaching and learning today and encourage participants to renew their commitments to inspirational teaching. SET are also a valuable resource in the preparation of graduate student Teachers of Record.
All members of the Baylor community are invited to attend SET in accord with our core commitments to seek learning and apply knowledge and to pursue excellence through continuous improvement.
SETs are recorded as noted below and will be posted for later viewing.
Fall 2026 SETs
Ian Grigsby (Mathematics), Nadine Welch (Communication Sciences and Disorders), Lauren Weber (Theatre Arts)
In-person only: Moody Library 104 (Active Learning Lab). Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
In this session, Dr. Ian Grigsby (Lecturer, Mathematics), Professor Nadine Welch (Clinical Associate Professor, Associate Dean of Student Success, Communication Sciences and Disorders), and Professor Lauren Weber (Senior Lecturer, Theatre Arts) will share what they find joyful about teaching, how to maintain or rediscover joy in teaching, and how teaching joyfully can be an act of resistance, a journey to wholeness, and a method of effective pedagogy.
Mary Herridge (Enrollment Management), Marcie Moehnke (College of Arts & Sciences)
In-person only: Moody Library 104 (Active Learning Lab). Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
Each institution has its distinct student population. And although each student is unique, the students in our classrooms (and online) at Baylor have many shared traits, backgrounds, and experiences. Teaching effectively often means understanding and accounting for these characteristics.
In this session, we’ll hear from Mary Herridge (Associate Vice President, Enrollment Management) and Dr. Marcie Moehnke (Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, College of Arts & Sciences; Teaching Professor, Biology), Baylor professionals involved in recruitment and enrollment, as they describe Baylor students and discuss implications for your teaching.
Regan Gurung (Oregon State University)
Faculty in higher education are experiencing high levels of burnout while also dealing with a greater need to be accountable for effective teaching. What are the components of quality teaching and how can one be both effective and efficient as an educator?
In this conversation, author, psychologist, and pedagogical expert Dr. Regan Gurung (Oregon State University), will share some key elements of what it takes to be a great teacher - to teach like a champ - as well as how to do so while safeguarding mental health and prioritizing non-academic areas of life. Facilitated by Dr. Toby Brooks (Director, Academy for Teaching & Learning).
*Pizza will be provided for SET registered attendees. Please note: An additional RSVP is required for this lunch event, separate from your registration for the AI Symposium. Register here: https://buytickets.at/academyforteachinglearning/2302091
In-person only: Moody Library 104 (Active Learning Lab). Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
David Corey (Honors College)
In-person only: Moody Library 104 (Active Learning Lab). Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
Presenter: Dr. David Corey (Professor of Political Science, Honors College)
Amy James (Libraries), Megan Alstot (Academy for Teaching and Learning)
Online only: Zoom link will be sent to registrants. Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
Presenters: Amy James (Online Librarian for Education & Information Literacy, Baylor Libraries) and Dr. Megan Alstot (Postdoctoral Research Associate in AI & Emerging Teaching Technologies, Academy for Teaching & Learning)
Kevin Villegas (Intercultural Engagement)
In-person only: Foster 118 (Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation). Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
Baylor is a Christian University, but what does that mean for our students’ faith lives and the implications for teaching? This session will survey the major trends and highlights of Baylor students’ religious lives with special attention to the often-hidden variety of Baylor students’ belief, behavior, and belonging. Presenter Dr. Kevin Villegas (Dean of Intercultural Engagement and Division of Student Life Initiatives, Baylor Student Life) will explore the implications of Baylor students’ faith for teaching, learning, and student-instructor interactions.
Amy Achenbach (Academy for Teaching and Learning; History)
In-person only: Schumacher Flex Commons (Moody Library 1st Floor). Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
Instructors don’t always know if students appreciate their teaching, let alone what about their instructors they are thankful for. In this session, Amy Achenbach (Graduate Fellow, Academy for Teaching and Learning; Ph.D. Candidate and Instructor of Record, History) presents results from the ATL’s ongoing “Thank an Instructor” campaign, sharing an emerging “taxonomy of gratitude” from students’ notes of thanks that can inspire and challenge instructors.
Dan Watkins (History)
In-person only: Moody Library 104 (Active Learning Lab). Session will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
What if your students’ work didn’t end at your desk and exist solely for you? This session explores how to design authentic assignments that connect classroom learning to real audiences, real purposes, and potentially the world beyond the university. Drawing on examples from the digital humanities, Dr. Dan Watkins (Associate Professor, History; Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Initiative, College of Arts & Sciences) will focus on practical, adaptable strategies you can use right away to redesign existing assignments. The emphasis will be on creating less busywork and more meaningful work -- fewer forgotten papers and more projects that last. And, yes, it might even make grading easier too.