Events will be held in the CLE, Phillips (Building 3), room 3-125 or via Microsoft Teams. Select the title to access the Teams link. Each workshop refers to the associated goal in the College's Strategic Plan.

Presentation evaluations are also available during and after the sessions. We strongly encourage your feedback.

January

Durham Tech Professional Learning Presentations

Organizational Development & Learning (ODL) Preview of offerings for Spring 2026 
Date and Time: Wednesday, January 14, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. via Teams
Presented by: Dr. Cathy James-Springer, Director ODL; Dr. Barbara A Clarke, Coordinator ODL

The Organizational Development and Learning (ODL) will present the professional development offerings scheduled for the Spring 2026 semester which will include Leadership programs, faculty development, and staff developments. The presentation will highlight the connection of the workshops/presentations with the Durham Tech strategic plan.  

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Understand what professional developments are being offered and the associated timeline(s). 
  2. Know where to find information on what the ODL offers. 
  3. Understand the rationale for professional development and its alignment with student success. 
     

Recommended for all Durham Tech employees.

Campus Police and Public Safety: Annual Safety Update
Date and Time: Thursday, January 15, 2026, 1:30 p.m. via Teams
Presented by: Chief Jamaal Walker, Chief /Director of Campus Police and Public Safety.

This annual safety update provides faculty and staff with a practical review of Durham Tech’s emergency preparedness, evacuation, and response procedures. The session reinforces how to recognize and respond to fires, hazardous materials incidents, severe weather, and active threats, while ensuring participants know how to access campus safety resources, emergency notifications, and reporting systems. 

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify and apply appropriate evacuation, shelter-in-place, and emergency response procedures for common campus emergencies. 
  2. Locate and use key campus safety resources, including emergency communication systems, evacuation plans, and incident reporting tools.
     

Recommended for all Durham Tech employees.

Monthly Leadership Series: The Dean Speak. Get to know our Deans!  
Next Dean Conversation: Dr. David Long, Dean of Creative and Liberal Arts
Date and Time: January 20, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. via Teams or in the CLE-3-125. 
Conversation Moderator: Dr. Cathy James-Springer, Director of Organizational Development and Learning 

**All discussions are Hybrid in the CLE Room, Phillips Bldg. 3-125 and Teams.

Recommended for all staff and faculty!

Community of Practice: You're Worried About AI? So am I...Let's Talk About It (over lunch)
Date and Time: January 22, 2026, at 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., hybrid (in the CLE room, 3-125 and via Teams)
Presenter: Adrian Knight, Reference Librarian

Let’s be real: AI is confusing, exciting, nerve-wracking, and sometimes weird. And there’s a lot of pressure to either be terrified of it or thrilled about it. This Community of Practice discussion will explore what it means to be human in the middle of all that. We’ll talk openly about the concerns, but also about hopes. Both belong in the same room. Bring your lunch and join the discussion! 

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Providing a safe, open discussion forum for people who are scared, nervous, unsettled by the meteoric rise of AI, in life, but also in academia.
  2. Hopefully, we know some fun ways AI can be applied for classrooms, but life as well.
    Recommended for all employees interested in learning more about AI

New Year, New Me Financially
Date and Time: January 27, 2026, at 1:30 - 1:30 p.m. via Zoom (TBD), and January 28, 2026, at 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. via Zoom
Presenter: Javon Wilcher, former Durham Tech student and Senior Representative of Primerica Financial Services Company

Join us for a practical financial literacy session led by a Durham Tech graduate who is passionate about giving back and is sharing an opportunity for staff/faculty to have the chance to enlighten themselves on steps to becoming the “New You” financially in this New Year. This workshop will share strategies and breakdown common doubts in the financial space. The workshop will also show what ways to navigate the largest challenges in the economy today, as well as how to properly prepare for what’s ahead and take care of the largest hurdles in your financial life confidently.

Learning Outcomes 

  1. Educating on what to do first when getting income in the home
  2. Educating faculty and staff on ways to navigate the ever-changing economy and their own financial hardships they may be facing.
     

Recommended for all faculty and staff.

New Faculty Orientation for Spring 2026
Date and Time: Friday, January 30, 2025, at 9:00a.m.via Teams
Presented by: The ODL Team with participation from our college leadership

New faculty are welcome to the Durham Tech community and will be provided with crucial information to support them in their roles as new faculty in our college. College leadership will join the meeting to share their perspectives and roles, along with the presentation of resources specific to instructional roles. 

Learning Outcomes: 

  1. Learn about instructional and student support resources at Durham Tech
  2. Meet key college personnel
  3. Review effective strategies for working with adult learners
     

**All New Faculty invited – please email Barbara Clarke to indicate your attendance! 

Recommended for all new faculty members – both full-time and adjunct.

Central Hub Professional Learning Presentations

View All NC Teaching and Learning Hubs Events

Excellence in Teaching: Escape from Passive Learning with Kara Clary
Date and Time: January 21, 2026, at 1:00 –1:30 p.m.

The Central Teaching and Learning Hub is proud to showcase local college Teaching Excellence Award winners across the Central Hub region. For this session, Kara Clary, the 2026 Halifax Community College award winner, discusses her use of active learning strategies in the Nursing classroom. Upon completion of this session, attendees will identify actionable strategies to develop and integrate active learning activities in their classrooms.

Register Here

Excellence in Teaching: Managing Your Classroom and Course Policies to Support Student Success
Date and Time: January 29, 2026, at 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

This presentation provides insights on how to effectively utilize course prep time, manage your classroom time efficiently, and create clear policies that avoid confusion and preventable administration interventions. Join Central Carolina Community College's Deana St. Peter (Executive Director, Center for Organizational Excellence) and Jessica Brown (Biology Instructor), a former winner of the NCCCS Excellence in Teaching Award, for an insightful session on how community college instructors can promote student success through intentional classroom management and course policies.

Register Here

February

Durham Tech Professional Learning Presentations

What’s New with Grants at Durham Tech
Date and Time of Presentation/Workshop:   February 2, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., and February 4, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Both sessions via Teams (online only) 
Presented by: Dr. Eileen Hammond, Director of Grants

Learn about the grants Durham Tech has submitted and won this year and hear some examples of the grant pursuit policy in action!

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Describe Durham Tech’s grant approval process, including key stakeholders, required documentation, and timeline considerations.
  2. Learn what grants Durham Tech has won lately and what grants we're currently pursuing.
    Recommended for all faculty and staff 

Spring 2026 New Faculty Cohort Monthly Kickoff: New to Durham Tech. Come join the conversation, meet other faculty, and build a faculty community!
Date and time: February 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the CLE Room, Phillips 3-125.  
Our Speakers: Dr. Anna Sanders-Bonelli, Instructor/Chair for Social Sciences and CALA; Ms. Lauren Jones, new faculty member in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. 
Focus: They’ll share insights on “What I Wish I Knew” and best practices for 8-week courses.

Recommended for all new faculty. 

Library Reading Circle: Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick (2024)
Facilitated by: Meredith Lewis, Librarian, Orange County Campus. 

This “reading circle” will be reading and discussing Ethan Mollick's 2024 book “Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI”.  For more information, check out Durham Tech Library's Reading Groups page HERE You do not have to attend all the meetings to participate. Books are available for checkout at the Main Campus Library. Contact Meredith Lewis (lewisma@durhamtech.edu) with questions.

Dates and Times: 

  • Meeting 1: Wed., Feb. 4, 2026, from 3:00-4:00 p.m., Introduction through Part I (Creating Alien Minds, Aligning the Alien, and Four Rules for Co-Intelligence), pp. Xi-64 (via TEAMS)
  • Meeting 2: Wed., Feb. 18, 2026, from 3:00-4:00 p.m., AI as a Person, AI as a Creative, AI as a Coworker, pp. 65-158. (via TEAMS)
  • Meeting 3: Wed., March 4, 2026, from 3:00-4:00 p.m., AI as a Tutor, AI as a Coach, AI as our Future, Epilogue, pp. 159-212. (via TEAMS)
     

Recommended for all faculty and staff.

First Things First: Managing Your Time, Roles, and Energy with Intention
Date, time, location: Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in the CLE room
Facilitator: Dr. Susan Bowen, Vice President, Chief Operations Officer
Details: 

  • Participants will register for this workshop on training.durhamtech.edu (HERE)
  • A reminder will be sent two days before the workshop, and a calendar invitation to the workshop will be provided to all who register via Outlook.
     

This workshop is designed to help leaders and teams move beyond the urgent and focus on what truly matters—both professionally and personally. Drawing on Stephen Covey’s Principle of Putting First Things First, this session helps participants align their daily actions with their highest priorities. Participants will explore the multiple roles they play—leader, colleague, parent, partner, friend—and learn strategies to plan their week and day around what truly matters most. Through reflection, guided discussion, and practical tools, attendees will gain clarity on their core responsibilities, identify timewasters, and design a realistic structure for managing their energy and attention across competing priorities.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explain Covey’s principle of Putting First Things First and its connection to personal and professional effectiveness.
  2. Identify their key life and work roles and the values or goals associated with each.
  3. Analyze how they currently spend their time and recognize gaps between intention and action.
  4. Apply Covey’s Time Management Matrix to prioritize tasks and manage their week proactively.
  5. Develop a personalized weekly and daily planning framework that supports balance, focus, and results.
     

Recommended for all faculty and staff.

Campus Safety Considerations: Staying Safe on Campus
Date and Times: Friday, February 6, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in the CLE room (in-person) 
Presented by: Chief Jamaal Walker, Chief / Director Police and Public Safety; Sergeant Joseph Derilus, Campus Police and Public Safety

Join us for this workshop on campus safety. We'll share vital tips for staying safe at night, entering your car securely, and defending yourself if grabbed. This practical, hands-on session will demonstrate key techniques you can use. Be informed and ready to protect yourself in different situations. We will also address campus safety in construction zones from a commuter and pedestrian perspective. If you are attending, please wear closed-toe shoes. This is an interactive, in-person event!

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand key considerations for safety on this and any college campus
  • Learn ways to protect themselves in unexpected situations 
  • Understand ways to stay safe on campus in different environments, including major construction.
    Recommended for all faculty and staff

Online Course Review Checklist part 5: Beyond the Gradebook: Meaningful Assessment and Feedback in Canvas 
Date and Time of Presentation/Workshop: February 23, 2026, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. via Teams
Presented by: Marisa Sullivan-Director of Instructional Technologies; Amy Netzel-Coordinator of Instructional Design and Media; Maureen Walters-Coordinator of Distance Learning

Join us for an engaging session where we’ll explore easy ways to design assessments that actually support your course goals and your students’ learning. We’ll dive into Canvas tools like rubrics, SpeedGrader, and creative assignment options that make feedback feel like a two-way conversation with your class. Come get fresh ideas for keeping students invested and confident in their progress.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Design assessments that align with course learning outcomes.
  2. Provide clear criteria and rubrics for major assignments.
  3. Deliver timely, actionable feedback that supports students.
  4. Use a variety of assessment types to measure learning effectively. 
  5. Incorporate opportunities for student self-assessment and reflection.
     

Recommended for all faculty using the Canvas LMS.

Monthly Leadership Series: February Dean Focus: Justin Long, Dean of Human Services and Public Safety 
Date and Time:  February 24, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., hybrid in the CLE, Phillips 3-125 or via Teams
Conversation Moderator: Dr. Cathy James-Springer, Director of Organizational Development and Learning 

Get to know our Deans better through our monthly series "Dean Speak".  Join us in a podcast-style conversation each month! 

Central Hub Professional Learning Presentations

View All NC Teaching and Learning Hubs Events

More sessions will be announced soon.

March

Durham Tech Professional Learning Presentations

New Faculty Cohort Monthly Meetups: New to Durham Tech?  Come join the conversation, meet other faculty, and build a faculty community!
March Host: Ask the Dean: Student Transfer Success, Lea Bingham, Assistant Dean, University Transfer Center
Next session date and time: March 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. via Teams

Recommended for all new faculty

The MOSAIC approach to Academic Integrity with AI
Date and time: March 5, 2026, at 1:00-2:30 p.m. via Zoom
Presented by: Chris Ostro, Assistant Teaching Professor and Learning/AI Strategist, University of Colorado-Boulder

Assistant Teaching Professor and Learning/AI Strategist Chris Ostro will detail the ways he has leveraged various tools in a “mosaic approach” to help safeguard integrity in his course while also building a culture of trust and transparency.  Ultimately, this approach has helped his course get past the “cops and robbers” phase and back to the student/teacher dynamic.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this talk, attendees will have tools to evaluate how they build AI safety into their class as well as additional tools for communicating those policies to students.

Recommended for all faculty.

Monthly Leadership Series: The Dean Speak. Get to know our Deans!
Date and Time: March 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. (via Teams)
Conversation Moderator: Dr. Cathy James-Springer, Director of Organizational Development and Learning, featuring Melissa Ockert, Dean of Health and Wellness

Get to know our Deans better through our monthly series "Dean Speak".  Join us in a podcast-style conversation each month! 

Spring 2026 New Faculty Cohort Monthly Meetups: New to Durham Tech. Come join the conversation, meet other faculty, and build a faculty community!
Next Session: March 31, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., Hybrid in the CLE, Phillips 3-125 and via Teams
March / April Host: Ask the Dean: Teaching with AI: Question & Answer Session with Dr. Al Leaston, Assistant Dean, Business and Entrepreneurship, IT

Central Hub Professional Learning Presentations

View All NC Teaching and Learning Hubs Events

More sessions will be announced soon.

April

Durham Tech Professional Learning Presentations

Monthly Leadership Series: The Dean Speak. Get to know our Deans!  
Date and time: April 14, 2026, at 11:00am, Hybrid in the CLE 3-125 or Teams
Conversation Moderator: Dr. Cathy James-Springer, Director of Organizational Development and Learning 
This month’s Dean: Dr. Chris O'Riordan-Adjah, Dean of Building, Engineering, and Skilled Trades. 

Get to know our Deans better through our monthly series "Dean Speak".  Join us in a podcast-style conversation each month! 

New Faculty Cohort Monthly Meetups (NFCMM) End of Year Wrap-up
Date and time: April 28, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in the CLE 3-125 and via Teams
Featured Speakers and Facilitators: Dr. Jason Moldoff, Faculty Coach, co-director of the NCCCS Central Hub, Instructor of Communications; Special Recognition to our New Faculty with President JB Buxton.

Central Hub Professional Learning Presentations

View All NC Teaching and Learning Hubs Events

More sessions will be announced soon.

May

Durham Tech Professional Learning Presentations

 

Central Hub Professional Learning Presentations

View All NC Teaching and Learning Hubs Events

More sessions will be announced soon.

View the Fall 2025 Calendar


Center for Learning Excellence
Phillips (Building 3), Room 3-125
cle@durhamtech.edu