Description:

The KEEN Network promotes an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) that encompasses attitudes, habits, and behaviors that shape a unique approach to problem-solving, innovation, and value creation. KEEN emphasizes: Curiosity, Creativity, and Creating Value. Their free website offers thousands of peer-reviewed active learning cards that describe learning activities suitable for use in classes, well beyond engineering.  

This session will provide a brief introduction to the resource, accompanied by examples of active learning exercises of varying lengths. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore resources and find an application that best suits their teaching needs. 

Abstract:

This session will be a hands-on, collaborative session. We will present the Engineering Unleashed (EU) website and highlight some sample active learning cards. The team will help attendees create their own free accounts (please bring a laptop if you can). Small groups will select a classroom problem, such as ice breaker, working in teams, and communication 

The small groups will explore EU cards related to the topic and select one or more cards that seem applicable. Small groups will discuss the learning outcomes and activities on they have selected and make modifications or adjustments as needed.  

The session will end with each small group sharing what they have selected and how they have adapted the materials, if necessary.  

Materials/Resources:

• one
• two

Description:

Mini-lessons offer a powerful way to scaffold skill development across multiple class sessions without overwhelming learners or instructors. In this fast-paced Pose-a-Problem Design Sprint, participants will co-create strategies for integrating short, targeted mini-lessons into their courses to build skills gradually and intentionally. After exploring a simple framework for designing effective mini-lessons, attendees will collaborate to identify challenges, brainstorm applications, and rapidly prototype lesson ideas. Participants will leave with a customizable mini-lesson design template and a collection of peer-generated ideas to apply in their own teaching. 

Abstract:

Many courses require students to develop complex skills—such as analysis, drafting, problem-solving, or communication—that cannot be mastered in a single class meeting. Mini-lessons provide a flexible, student-centered approach to building these skills incrementally, distributing learning across multiple touchpoints in a course. By embedding short, focused learning segments within larger instructional sequences, instructors can promote sustained engagement, reduce cognitive load, and empower students to practice and refine skills over time. This session aligns with the conference theme by highlighting how continuous, scaffolded skill-building supports learner growth, confidence, and future success. 

This 30-minute Pose-a-Problem Design Sprint invites participants into a creative, collaborative exploration of how mini-lessons can enhance learning in any discipline or modality. The session begins with a brief introduction to a practical mini-lesson framework that emphasizes three components: (1) a clearly defined micro-skill, (2) a short, active learning task, and (3) an immediate reflection or application opportunity. Participants will examine examples of how mini-lessons can be used to reinforce concepts, introduce skills just-in-time, and weave learning across several sessions. 

Next, attendees engage in the design sprint: a rapid sequence of ideation, problem-framing, and prototype-building. Participants will first identify a challenge related to teaching a particular course skill—such as ineffective student practice, skill gaps, or lack of transfer between assignments. Small groups will then generate creative mini-lesson solutions, share quick prototypes, and refine ideas based on peer feedback. This structured, time-bound format encourages cross-disciplinary insight, diverse perspectives, and innovative approaches. 

By the end of the session, participants will leave with: 
• a clear, adaptable framework for designing mini-lessons; 
• rapid prototypes or outlines for mini-lessons they can implement immediately; 
• strategies for distributing skill-building across a course to enhance retention and confidence; and 
• peer-generated ideas and examples that illustrate the versatility of mini-lessons in different teaching contexts. 

This engaging design sprint empowers instructors to rethink how skill development can be woven throughout their courses, offering a practical and creative approach to supporting lifelong learners. 

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify a specific micro-skill within their course that can be supported through a short, focused mini-lesson delivered across multiple class sessions. 
•  Apply a simple mini-lesson design framework to rapidly prototype a short instructional activity that reinforces skill development over time. 
•  Collaborate with peers to generate and refine ideas for integrating mini-lessons throughout a course, drawing on examples and insights shared during the design sprint. 

Materials/Resources:

• Powerpoint Presentation
• MS Word Mini-Lesson Toolkit Lesson Set - Example
• Blank Mini-Lesson Template

Description:

Empower students to become lifelong learners through interactive, research-based science and math simulations from the University of Colorado Boulder’s PhET project. This hands-on workshop guides participants in exploring free simulations that support conceptual understanding, inquiry, and active learning in both face-to-face and asynchronous courses. Attendees will experience sample instructional materials, practice designing simulation-based activities, and leave with adaptable assignments ready for classroom use. Ideal for instructors seeking engaging, accessible tools that promote critical thinking and future-ready problem-solving skills. 

Abstract:

Active learning is a cornerstone of empowering lifelong learners, yet many instructors struggle to find accessible, research-supported tools that promote deep conceptual understanding across modalities. The University of Colorado Boulder’s PhET Interactive Simulations project offers more than 150 free, high-quality science and math simulations designed to foster inquiry, support exploration, and build transferable problem-solving skills. These simulations create opportunities for students to test ideas, visualize abstract concepts, and engage in meaningful sense-making—whether they are learning in a face-to-face environment or asynchronously online. 

This 75-minute, expert-led workshop immerses participants in practical strategies for integrating PhET simulations into their own courses. Attendees will explore a selection of simulations across STEM disciplines, examine the research that informs their design, and experience firsthand how guided inquiry can enhance engagement and retention. The session emphasizes adaptable design, showing participants how to use simulations to create low-barrier, high-impact activities that support diverse learners and promote autonomy, curiosity, and persistence. 

Working in small groups, participants will analyze sample instructional materials, collaborate to adapt or design simulation-based learning tasks, and consider ways to align activities with course outcomes. The workshop also highlights evidence-based scaffolding approaches, including pre-simulation prompts, structured exploration guides, reflective questions, and formative assessments that build metacognitive awareness. 

By the end of the session, participants will leave with: 
• ready-to-use or modifiable assignments for both synchronous and asynchronous courses; 
• strategies for embedding simulations within lectures, labs, or online modules; 
• methods for encouraging student agency and critical thinking; and 
• a framework for designing active learning experiences that support students’ present understanding and future success. 

This workshop equips instructors with immediately applicable tools and a replicable design process—supporting the conference theme of Empowering Lifelong Learners through meaningful, engaging, and research-driven active learning experiences. 

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this presentation participants will be able to: 

• Explore the PhET website, including simulations and instructional materials 
• Incorporate these learning materials into their LMS 

Materials/Resources:

• Powerpoint presentation
• PhET Flyer

Description:

Digital escape rooms offer an engaging, low-cost way to promote problem-solving, collaboration, and active learning across disciplines. In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore how to design and implement digital escape rooms using Google Forms. Attendees will analyze example puzzles, learn techniques for building branching logic and lock-style challenges, and collaborate in small groups to create or adapt their own escape-room activities. Participants will leave with ready-to-use templates and strategies for integrating escape rooms into face-to-face or asynchronous courses to support critical thinking, motivation, and student success. 

Abstract:

Digital escape rooms provide a playful and highly engaging approach to active learning, giving students opportunities to collaborate, think critically, and apply course concepts in meaningful ways. Because they can be created using widely available tools such as Google Forms, escape rooms are accessible to instructors across disciplines and teaching modalities. This workshop aligns with the conference theme of empowering lifelong learners by demonstrating how puzzle-based learning fosters persistence, problem-solving, and deep understanding. 

In this 75-minute, hands-on session, participants will examine the pedagogical value of escape-room activities and the instructional design principles that make them effective learning experiences. The workshop begins with an interactive demonstration of a short digital escape room, allowing participants to experience the student perspective. We then unpack the structure behind the activity, examining how clues, locks, sequencing, and narrative elements contribute to learning while promoting curiosity and motivation. 

Attendees will learn step-by-step methods for building escape rooms using Google Forms, including: 
• using validation settings to create digital “locks”; 
• applying branching logic to create pathways, hints, or challenge escalation; 
• embedding images, videos, or external resources; and 
• designing puzzles that align with learning outcomes. 

Participants will work in small groups to brainstorm themes, create puzzle sequences, and draft their own escape-room structures. Templates and sample materials will be provided, enabling instructors to adapt the examples for use in face-to-face, hybrid, or fully asynchronous courses. The session will also address ways to scaffold the experience for diverse learners, incorporate debriefing and reflection, and evaluate student learning. 

By the end of the workshop, attendees will leave with practical, ready-to-use tools; a clear design workflow; and a collection of puzzles and ideas that they can immediately integrate into their courses. This hands-on session empowers educators to create active learning experiences that not only reinforce content mastery but also cultivate learners who are curious, resourceful, and prepared for future challenges.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: 

1. Explain the pedagogical value of digital escape rooms, including how they support active learning, critical thinking, and learner motivation. 
2. Design puzzle-based challenges using Google Forms, employing features such as response validation, branching logic, and multimedia elements. 
3. Create or adapt a digital escape-room sequence aligned with their course objectives and student needs. 
4. Apply a structured workflow for developing narrative-driven or concept-driven puzzles that reinforce key concepts. 
5. Collaborate with peers to refine escape-room activities, considering accessibility, scaffolding, and strategies for both synchronous and asynchronous implementation. 

Materials/Resources:

• one
• two