| Date: | Friday, October 17, 2025 |
| Time: | 8:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
| Location: | University Conference Center 8th Floor, Close-Hipp Building 1705 College St. Columbia, S.C. 29208 |
Why Attend
- Participate in faculty-led sessions on teaching strategies and innovation
- Celebrate GARNET Apple Teaching Award recipients
- Hear Dr. Thomas Tobin’s keynote on inclusive, accessible learning
- Enjoy free registration, meals, and networking opportunities
Free for all South Carolina educators | Not open to the general public
Keynote Presentation
Title
Secret Champion Training: How to Talk to Colleagues about Inclusive Teaching
Abstract
As instructors and support professionals, we should advocate for our colleagues around us to design their interactions with students to be as broadly accessible and inclusive as possible to foster greater student agency, autonomy, and satisfaction. When access barriers are addressed proactively, we free up energy to tackle more complex issues.
This keynote introduces the idea of “secret champions” – grassroots advocates who help colleagues with practical advice and help influence institutional change. We’ll share concrete strategies for how to approach colleagues in productive ways to talk about universal design for learning (UDL) in their own work. We’ll also explore how to talk with your campus leaders to get them to see the positive impact of UDL on campus operations (and on the budget), especially during times of disruption and uncertainty. By attending this keynote session, you will be able to:
- Frame the principles of UDL within the access needs of all students at your institution;
- Talk with your leadership about specific campus-wide UDL efforts that can lower barriers, reduce costs, and increase student persistence and retention rates; and
- Advocate for inclusive design efforts from your teaching and support-staff colleagues that increase student agency, autonomy, and satisfaction.
Hear From Our Keynote Speaker (0:30)
In this short video, Dr. Thomas J. Tobin, internationally recognized expert on Universal
Design for Learning, shares a preview of his Oktoberbest keynote and what you can
expect from this year’s event.
Keynote Speaker
Thomas J. Tobin, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring. An internationally recognized
scholar, author, and speaker, he specializes in technology-mediated education, with
expertise in areas such as copyright, evaluating teaching practices, academic integrity,
accessibility, and universal design for learning.
Tobin holds a master's and Ph.D. in English literature, a master’s in information science, and certifications in project management (PMP), online teaching (MOT), Quality Matters (QM), accessibility (CPACC), and academic leadership (Penn State).
Recognized on Ed Tech Magazine’s Influencers "Dean’s List," he has also received the Wagner Leadership Award in Distance Learning Administration and was named one of Eduflow’s global Top 100 Learning Influencers. He serves on the boards of Advances in Online Education, InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, and the Oklahoma University Press Teaching, Engaging, and Thriving in Higher
Tobin’s books include:
- Evaluating Online Teaching (2015)
- The Copyright Ninja (2017)
- Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: UDL in Higher Education (2018)
- Going Alt-Ac: A Guide to Alternative Academic Careers (2020)
- Implementing UDL in Irish Further Education and Training (2021)
- UDL at Scale (forthcoming 2026)
- Evaluating Teaching in the Digital Era (forthcoming 2026)
- Peer Observation Made Practical (forthcoming 2027)
Connect with him on various social media platforms or visit his website at thomasjtobin.com.
Oktoberbest Agenda
|
8:15 am – 9:00 am |
Registration and Networking Breakfast |
|
9:00 am – 9:10 am |
Welcome RemarksMatt E. Thatcher, Ph.D. |
|
9:10 am – 10:40 am |
Keynote AddressThomas J. Tobin, Ph. D. |
|
10:40 am – 10:50 am |
Transition to Breakout Session 1 |
|
10:50 am – 11:20 am |
Breakout Session 1Attendees will choose one of four breakout sessions to attend. Beyond Lectures: Engaging Engineering Students with Discussions Teaching with AI and Blackboard Ultra: Practical Strategies for Smarter Course Design Unlocking Biology for All: Universal Design for Learning in the Life Sciences Managing Hands-On Group Projects in Large Classrooms |
|
11:20 am – 11:30 am |
Transition to Breakout Session 2 |
|
11:30 am – 12:00 pm |
Breakout Session 2Attendees will choose one of four breakout sessions to attend. Empowering Student Review with GPT Bots Tailored to Your Course Turning Grades into Growth in Online Asynchronous Courses How to Create a Skills-Based Competency Video: A Faculty-Led Design Model Using Active Learning Strategies to Facilitate Learning Katie Hopkins, M.Ed. |
|
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm |
Lunch and Networking |
|
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
Recognition CeremonyGarnet Apple Awards for Teaching Innovation |
|
1:30 pm – 1:40 pm |
Transition to Breakout Session 3 |
|
1:40 pm – 2:10 pm |
Breakout Session 3Attendees will choose one of three breakout sessions to attend. To TBL or Not to TBL? A Faculty Experience Annette Rauch, MMS, PA-C Collaborative Learning Through POGIL: Redesigning Classrooms for Engagement Teaching for Mastery: How Specification Grading Moves Beyond Points for Deeper Learning |
|
2:10 pm – 2:20 pm |
Transition to Breakout Session 4 |
|
2:20 pm – 2:50 pm |
Breakout Session 4Attendees will choose one of three breakout sessions to attend. Unfolding Proteins: A ChemArtistry Approach to Molecular Storytelling Li Cai, Ph.D. Role-Playing for Engagement: From Classroom Simulations to Structured Games Creating More Inclusive Instructional Environments: Neurodivergent Instructor Challenges
and Strategies Abigail Reza, M.A. Robert Hock, Ph.D., LMSW |
|
2:50 pm – 3:05 pm |
Oktoberbest RefreshmentsThink pretzels! |
|
3:05 pm – 3:30 pm |
Closing Remarks and Door Prizes |