Calling Back, Forward, and Beyond to Center the Learning Experience

TEACHx 2023, taking place May 17–18, opened its call for proposals on January 18. This year's event returns to its multi-theme symposium roots while building on lessons learned during the pandemic. In its eighth year, TEACHx remains a forum to celebrate innovation in teaching and learning and convene instructors, technologists, and learning designers to share the best of what they developed with peers around the country. While recent years required a tighter focus on building and maintaining connections when the primary modalities for learning shifted to remote and virtual courses, symposium organizers are excited to return to the multi-theme format that made previous TEACHx events so successful.

This year, TEACHx is asking participants to think about how instructors can continue to innovate and experiment with technology that expands teaching strategies while also asking individuals to consider the full impact of their approaches on the student learning experience. Organizers invite submissions that center on various themes, both new takes on traditional topics and those that academia has only recently begun to grapple with as essential components of teaching and learning. The call invites proposals focused on the following:

• Accessibility
• Universal Design for Learning
• Inclusive teaching
• Innovation through technology
• Grading and assessment strategies
• Self-care/empathetic teaching (student care)

The event is fully in-person and will be held May 17–18 at the Norris University Center on Northwestern's Evanston campus. As in the past, the conference welcomes presentations that actively engage participants. Presentation formats include interactive presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and digital posters.

Bryan Dewsbury, PhD, associate professor of biological sciences at Florida International University, will deliver the keynote on May 17. Dr. Dewsbury's work addresses pressing issues, such as student retention in STEM fields (especially in higher education), the underrepresentation of minority groups in certain STEM fields, and the role of the instructor and student in promoting student learning gains. He is interested in reframing the education discussion to address questions of equity and community-building better.

The deadline to submit a proposal for this year's TEACHx is February 13, and applicants will be notified of a decision on their proposals by late March.

To learn more about TEACHx 2023, visit the symposium's website.