Monday Morning Mentor Program
Delivering fast, focused, high-quality training for faculty every week of the academic year
The Monday Morning Mentor program empowers faculty to start each week with a fast, dynamic and convenient professional
development program that addresses some of today’s most important academic issues.
The University Teaching Center is excited to provide faculty with this unique and
efficient professional development opportunity.
Every Monday, faculty will receive an email with a link to a Monday Morning Mentor program. Each webinar is a focused, fact-filled, 20-minute on-demand video mentoring session and includes supplemental materials, the PowerPoint slides and transcript. The on-demand video will be available for viewing throughout the week, Monday morning through Sunday night. The supplemental materials and the PowerPoint slides can also be downloaded during this time.
The topics that will be presented during the current semester as well as those from prior semesters are listed below.
Watch your email every Monday morning for the link and sign-on instructions for the week’s webinar!
Monday Morning Mentor Schedule and Topics
UToledo faculty members may request copies of the transcripts, PowerPoint presentations and supplemental materials from past topics by emailing universityteachingcenter@utoledo.edu
* Programs denoted with an * in the Fall, 2026 schedule are currently in production and will be finalized soon.
Fall 2026 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Aug. 17, 2026 | How Can I Use the First Day to Set the Tone for a Semester of Learning? |
| Aug. 24, 2026 | How Can I Create an Engaging, Student-Focused Syllabus? |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | From Boring to Broadcast-Ready: Using OBS to Create Online Class that Keep Students Coming Back |
| Sept. 7, 2026 | AI Toolboxes for Educators: Work Smarter, Teach Better |
| Sept. 14, 2026 | When and Why Do Students Engage with Course Readings? |
| Sept. 21, 2026 | How Do I Create Questions that Stimulate Engaging Conversations in Online Discussion Boards? |
| Sept. 28, 2026 | Mind-Body Practices to Help Faculty Manage Stress and Build Resilience |
| Oct. 5, 2026 | How to Create an AI Tutor for Your Class |
| Oct. 12, 2026 | What Are Practical Solutions for Managing My Online Teaching Workload? |
| Oct. 19, 2026 | How Can I Structure Class Discussions to Maximize Student Engagement? |
| Oct. 26, 2026 | How Can I Gauge Online Learning Through Engaging Activities and Assignments? |
| Nov. 2, 2026 | Teaching Time Management Through Peer Dialogue* |
| Nov. 9, 2026 | Why Should Students Struggle in an Age of Easy Answers?* |
| Nov. 16, 2026 | How Can I Write Better Exam Questions to Measure Student Performance and Learning? |
| Nov. 23, 2026 | How Can I Ensure Academic Integrity in the Online Classroom? |
| Nov. 30, 2026 |
Make It Click: AI-Generated Explainers that Engage and Teach* |
Spring 2026 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Jan. 19, 2026 | How Can I Introduce Creativity to My Classes to Build Connection with Students? |
| Jan. 26, 2026 | Bite-Sized Best Practices for Incorporating Generative AI into Any Course |
| Feb. 2, 2026 | What Are Active Strategies for Structuring a Synchronous Class? |
| Feb. 16, 2026 | How Can Gamification Transform the Flipped Classroom? |
| Feb. 23, 2026 | What Are Three Proven Ways to Manage My Online Discussion Board and Actively Engage Students? |
| Mar. 2, 2026 | How to Embrace the Emotional Labor of Teaching |
| Mar. 9, 2026 | How Can I Truly Enjoy Teaching Asynchronous Online Classes? |
| Mar. 16, 2026 | How Can Embedding Career Competencies in the Classroom Enhance Student Success? |
| Mar. 23, 2026 | Detect, Document, Decide: Responding to AI Misuse with Confidence and Care |
| Mar. 30, 2026 | How Do I Structure Virtual Office Hours to Promote Student Use? |
| Apr. 6, 2026 | Game On! Collaborative Learning Techniques for the Modern Classroom |
| Apr. 13, 2026 | How Can Effective Note-taking Improve Online Student Learning? |
| Apr. 20, 2026 | Bridging Classroom Knowledge and Career Readiness for Workforce Success |
| May 4, 2026 | How to Develop and Maintain a Scholarly Agenda |
Fall 2025 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Aug. 18, 2025 | Onboarding Meetings: Building Connection and Success from Day One |
| Aug. 25, 2025 | Strategies for Teaching Essential Employability Skills |
| Sep. 1, 2025 | How Can You Scaffold Assignments to Promote Student Engagement All Semester Long? |
| Sep. 8, 2025 | Threat or Opportunity? Reframing the DEI Debate |
| Sep. 15, 2025 | How Can I Use the Discussion Board to Stimulate Engagement and Build Confidence for First-Year Students? |
| Sep. 22, 2025 | How to Craft Assignments that Outsmart AI Tools |
| Sep. 29, 2025 | How Can I Reach and Teach Struggling Students? |
| Oct. 6, 2025 | What Are Best Practices for Online Pedagogy? |
| Oct. 13, 2025 | Supporting First-Generation and Non-Traditional Students |
| Oct. 20, 2025 | How Can I Support Neurodivergent Colleagues? |
| Oct. 27, 2025 | How Can You Use Retrieval Practice to Make Learning More Effective?* |
| Nov. 3, 2025 | How Can Handouts Become Your Secret Weapon for Student Engagement? |
| Nov. 10, 2025 | Reimagining Feedback and Assessment Through Learner-Centered and Growth-Oriented Practices |
| Nov. 17, 2025 | Can We Disagree and Still Belong? Navigating Classroom Conflict |
| Nov. 24, 2025 | How Can I Adapt 5 Popular Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) to the Online Classroom? |
| Dec. 1, 2025 | What Is Student Success? Re-Engaging the Value Proposition of Higher Education |
Spring 2025 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Jan. 20, 2025 | Re-envisioning Office Hours to Increase Engagement |
| Jan. 27, 2025 | How Can I Spark and Sustain Engagement in Reluctant Learners? |
| Feb. 3, 2025 | How Can I Incorporate Best Practices into My Online Teaching? |
| Feb. 10, 2025 | What Challenges Do Neurodivergent Students Face in the College Classroom? |
| Feb. 17, 2025 | How Can I Create Assignments that Teach Ethical AI Literacy? |
| Feb. 24, 2025 | Applying “See One, Do One, Teach One” in Online Education |
| Mar. 3, 2025 | How Can I Alleviate Student Stress and Anxiety in My Class? |
| Mar. 10, 2025 | How Can Online Instructors Better Manage Their Workload? |
| Mar. 17, 2025 | How Can AI Feedback Tools and Blended Grading Develop Growth-Minded Students? |
| Mar. 24, 2025 | What Assessment Strategies Are Effective for Asynchronous Online Teaching? |
| Mar. 31, 2025 | Conspicuously Human: How to be You in an AI-Driven Classroom |
| Apr. 7, 2025 | Core Concepts of Quality Assessment |
| Apr. 14, 2025 | How Can I Use Surveys and Polls to Support Active Learning? |
| Apr. 21, 2025 | How Can I Teach AI Prompt Engineering to My Students? |
| Apr. 28, 2025 | How Can I Assess Active Learning Strategies in the Classroom? |
| May 5, 2025 | Recharging Your (Personal and Professional) Batteries |
Fall 2024 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Aug. 19, 2024 | How Can I Use My Teaching to Improve Student Study Skills? |
| Aug. 26, 2024 | How Can I Use AI Tools to Better Manage My Time? |
| Sept. 2, 2024 | How Can I Apply Virtual Reality to Create Meaningful Assignments and Assessments? |
| Sept. 9, 2024 | How Do I Get Students to Complete Reading Assignments? |
| Sept. 16, 2024 | How Can I Teach Courses That Are Inclusively Accessible to All Learners? |
| Sept. 23, 2024 | How Can I Use AI to Create Engaging Discussion Boards? |
| Sept. 30, 2024 | How Can I Recover Student Engagement Mid-Semester? |
| Oct. 7, 2024 | How Can I Use OER to Create a More Inclusive Classroom? |
| Oct. 14, 2024 | How Can I Ensure Students Are Prepared for My Class? |
| Oct. 21, 2024 | How Can I Supercharge My Slide Deck? |
| Oct. 28, 2024 | How Can I Leverage ChatGPT to Support Students with Disabilities? |
| Nov. 4, 2024 | How Can I Help Students Become More Comfortable with the Uncomfortable? |
| Nov. 11, 2024 | How to Ensure Students Are Prepared for Class |
| Nov. 18, 2024 | How to Teach Transferable Skills for Career Readiness |
| Nov. 25, 2024 | Using OER to Create Inclusive Classrooms |
| Dec. 2, 2024 | How Can I Use Mindfulness Strategies to Prepare Students for Learning? |
Spring 2024 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Jan. 22, 2024 | How Can I Prevent Plagiarism in the Artificial Intelligence Era? |
| Jan. 29, 2024 | How Can I Create a Meaningful Online Learning Experience for Students? |
| Feb. 5, 2024 | How Can I Use Assessment Data to Provide Meaningful Feedback and Deeper Learning? |
| Feb. 12, 2024 | How Can I Use Everyday Interactions to Instill a Growth Mindset in Students? |
| Feb. 19, 2024 | How Can I Use AI to Create Multimedia Teaching Materials? |
| Feb. 26, 2024 | How Can I Use LMS Intelligent Agents to Increase Interaction in My Online Classes? |
| Mar. 4, 2024 | How Can Generative AI Get Students Thinking Again? |
| Mar. 11, 2024 | What Interventions Help Students Master Deep Reading and Engage with Assignments? |
| Mar. 18, 2024 | How Can I Use Technology Platforms to Engage Students in Active Learning? |
| Mar. 25, 2024 | How Can I Create Authentic Engagement Through Feedback Dialogue? |
| Apr. 1, 2024 | How Can I Spark and Sustain Engagement in Reluctant Learners? |
| Apr. 8, 2024 | How Can I Help Students Who Are Struggling with Online Learning? |
| Apr. 15, 2024 | How Can I Use Virtual Reality to Impact Classroom Learning? |
| Apr. 22, 2024 | How Can AI Literacy Help Students Use AI Tools More Efficiently and Creatively? |
| Apr. 29, 2024 | How Can I Create a Tutoring Library Using Podcasts and Videos from my Course? |
| May 6, 2024 | How Can You Become More Intentional About Culturally Responsive Teaching? |
Fall 2023 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Aug. 21, 2023 | How Can I Use AI to Draft Course Materials? |
| Aug. 28, 2023 | What Are 14 Strategies to Take My Teaching Career from Good to Great? |
| Sept. 4, 2023 | How Can I Use the Discussion Board to Stimulate Engagement and Build Confidence for First-Year Students? |
| Sept. 11, 2023 | How Can I Create Assessments to Effectively Measure Student Learning? |
| Sept. 18, 2023 | How Can I Harness the Power of Story to Create Classroom Community? |
| Sept. 25, 2023 | How Do I Start Using Virtual Reality as a Tool for Instruction? |
| Oct. 2, 2023 | How Can I Introduce Creativity to My Classes to Build Connection with Students? |
| Oct. 9, 2023 | How Can Intentionally Create a Course that Boosts Learning and Decreases Stress? |
| Oct. 16, 2023 | How Can I Use AI as a Student Writing and Editing Coach? |
| Oct. 23, 2023 | How Can I Move From Supporting to Empowering Trans-spectrum Students? |
| Oct. 30, 2023 | What Do I Need to Know to Get My Podcast Started? |
| Nov. 6, 2023 | How Can I Use My Podcast as an Instructional Tool? |
| Nov. 13, 2023 | How Can Media Richness Theory and Social Presence Theory Improve My Instruction? |
| Nov. 20, 2023 | How Can I Create a Tutoring Library Using Podcasts and Videos from my Course? |
| Nov. 27, 2023 | How Can I Pace DEI Work to See Subtle Gains Now and Significant Gains in the Future? |
| Dec. 4, 2023 | How Can I Become a Better Online Instructor? |
Spring 2023 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Jan. 23, 2023 | What Is the Best Teaching Advice I Ever Received? |
| Jan. 30, 2023 | How Can I Structure Class Discussions to Maximize Student Engagement? |
| Feb. 6, 2023 | How Can I Write a Course Syllabus That's Worth Reading? |
| Feb. 13, 2023 | How Can I Engage Students During a Synchronous Online Class? |
| Feb. 20, 2023 | Beyond Syllabus Policies: What Strategies Help Students Take Responsibility for Learning? |
| Feb. 27, 2023 | What Are 7 Ways to Assess Students in an Ungraded Classroom? |
| Mar. 6, 2023 | What Can Engagement in Games Teach Me About Engagement in My Courses? |
| Mar. 13, 2023 | How Can I Create a Meaningful Service-Learning Project for my Online Class? |
| Mar. 20, 2023 | How Can I Grade in Less Time with Greater Impact? |
| Mar. 27, 2023 | What Are 5 Ways H5P Tools Can Help Students Retain Course Content? |
| Apr. 3, 2023 | How Can I Adapt 5 Popular Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) to the Online Classroom? |
| Apr. 10, 2023 | What Is the Best Citizenship Advice I Ever Received? |
| Apr. 17, 2023 | The Discussion Board and Beyond: How Can I Engage Students Online? |
| Apr. 24, 2023 | How Can I Apply a Resilient Mindset to My Teaching Practice? |
| May 1, 2023 | How Can I Extend My Research to the Public With a Podcast? |
| May 8, 2023 | How Do I Go Beyond the Basics of Universal Design for Learning? |
Fall 2022 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Aug. 22, 2022 | How Can I Use the First Day to Set the Tone for a Semester of Learning? |
| Aug. 29, 2022 | How Can I Reach and Teach Struggling Students? |
| Sept. 6, 2022 | What Are the Benefits—and Challenges—of Hyflex Instruction? |
| Sept. 12, 2022 | How Can I Use Everyday Interactions to Instill a Growth Mindset in Students? |
| Sept. 19, 2022 | What Are 5 Easy-to-use Technologies That Have a Big Impact on Learning in the Online Classroom? |
| Sept. 26, 2022 | How Can I Teach with Confidence in the Hyflex Classroom? |
| Oct. 3, 2022 | What Interventions Help Students Master Deep Reading and Engage with Assignments? |
| Oct. 10, 2022 | How Can I Help Online Students Develop Autonomy and Take More Responsibility for Their Learning? |
| Oct. 17, 2022 | How Can Ungrading Unleash Your Students' Potential? |
| Oct. 24, 2022 | How Can I Create an Engaging, Student-Focused Syllabus? |
| Oct. 31, 2022 | How Can I Spark Conversation in the Classroom? |
| Nov. 7, 2022 | How Can I Create Authentic Engagement Through Feedback Dialogue? |
| Nov. 14, 2022 | What Brain-Based Techniques Can I Use to Engage Students During Class? |
| Nov. 21, 2022 | How Can You Become More Intentional About Culturally Responsive Teaching? |
| Nov. 28, 2022 | How Can I Be My Own Instructional Designer? |
| Dec 5, 2022 | What Are Some Calendar Hacks for Faculty to Avoid Stress and Burnout? |
Spring 2022 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Jan. 17, 2022 | How Can I Build an Antiracist Syllabus? |
| Jan. 24, 2022 | How Can I Plan (or Revise) My Courses More Efficiently? |
| Jan. 31, 2022 | How Do I Structure Virtual Office Hours to Promote Student Use? |
| Feb. 7, 2022 | How Do I Create a Class That Support First-Year Students? |
| Feb. 14, 2022 | What’s Different About Teaching Online, and How Do I Change So My Students Succeed?* |
| Feb. 21, 2022 | How Can Disruptive Innovation Impact STEM Education? |
| Feb. 28, 2022 | How Can I Assess Students in my Online Classes through Student-created Videos? |
| Mar. 7, 2022 | What Are Practical Solutions for Managing My Online Teaching Workload? |
| Mar. 14, 2022 | How Can I Write Better Exam Questions to Measure Student Performance and Learning?
|
| Mar. 21, 2022 | What Are Active Strategies for Structuring a Synchronous Class? |
| Mar. 28, 2022 | What Are Three Proven Ways to Manage My Online Discussion Board and Actively Engage Students? |
| Apr. 4, 2022 | How Can I Use Microactivities to Engage Students and Improve Learning and Retention? |
| Apr. 11, 2022 | How Can Online Instructors Make Themselves More Visible to Students? |
| Apr. 18, 2022 | How Can I Be a More Productive and Effective Teacher? |
| Apr. 25, 2022 | How Can I Redesign a Classroom Assignment for Online Teaching? |
| May 2, 2022 | What Culturally Responsive Teaching Techniques Can I Use to Improve Learning? |
Fall 2021 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Aug. 23, 2021 | How Can I Create a Meaningful Online Learning Experience for Students? |
| Aug. 30, 2021 | How Can Understanding Group Dynamics Lead to Better Group Work? |
| Sep. 6, 2021 | How Will OER Benefit the 21st Century Student? |
| Sep. 13, 2021 | How Can I Increase Exam Security with Custom Question Banks? |
| Sep. 20, 2021 | How Can Discussion Responses Give Narrative Shape to an Online Class? |
| Sep. 27, 2021 | How Can I Adapt My Teaching So Students Thrive in a Polysynchronous Classroom? |
| Oct. 4, 2021 | How Can I Ensure Academic Integrity in the Online Classroom?* |
| Oct. 11, 2021 | How Can I Teach Soft Skills to Better Prepare Students for the Workplace? |
| Oct. 18, 2021 | How Can I Encourage Students to Stay Connected with Course Content After Class? |
| Oct. 25, 2021 | How Can I Effectively Move Peer Reviews Online? |
| Nov. 1, 2021 | How Can I Develop Opportunity-Minded Learners?* |
| Nov. 8, 2021 | How Can I Manage the Disconnect Between Faculty and Student Perceptions of Rigor to Increase Learning? |
| Nov. 15, 2021 | How Can I Help Students Who Are Struggling with Online Learning? |
| Nov. 22, 2021 | How Can I Grade In Less Time with Greater Impact?* |
| Nov. 29, 2021 | What are the Differences Between Synchronous and Asynchronous Teaching, and How Do I Best Choose the Format for My Online Class? |
| Dec. 6, 2021 | What Can I Do to Manage and Reduce Academic Job Stress? |
Spring 2021 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Jan. 25, 2021 | How Can I Make My Video Lectures Effective and Engaging? |
| Feb. 1, 2021 | How Can You Help Online Students Be More Successful In Your Course? |
| Feb. 8, 2021 | How Do I Create Questions that Stimulate Engaging Conversations in Online Discussion Boards? |
| Feb. 15, 2021 | How Can I Maximize the First 10 Minutes of Remote Teaching To Spark Student Engagement? |
| Feb. 22, 2021 | How Can I Optimize Announcements to Help Online Students Navigate My Class? |
| Mar. 1, 2021 | How Can I Guide Online Learning by Engaging with Students? |
| Mar. 8, 2021 | What Are 9 Practical Steps to Implement Mastery Learning? |
| Mar. 15, 2021 | How Can Effective Note-taking Improve Online Student Learning? |
| Mar. 22, 2021 | How Can Educational Programs Use Backwards Design to Drive Learning and Student Success? |
| Mar. 29, 2021 | How Can a Teaching Calendar Help Me Be More Effective and Efficient in the Online Classroom? |
| Apr. 5, 2021 | How Can I Gauge Online Learning Through Engaging Activities and Assignments? |
| Apr. 12, 2021 | What Are 5 Easy-to-use Technologies That Have a Big Impact on Learning in the Online Classroom? |
| Apr. 19, 2021 | How Can I Extend My Research to the Public With a Podcast? |
| Apr. 26, 2021 | How Can Faculty Advocates Promote Online Education on Campus? |
| May 3, 2021 | What Is the Best Citizenship Advice I Ever Received? |
| May 10, 2021 | What Is the Best Leadership Advice I Ever Received? |
Fall 2020
|
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| Aug. 24, 2020 | How Can I Add Choice to My Course to Give Students Autonomy and Motivate Deep Learning? |
| Aug. 31, 2020 | How Can We Support Home-Schooled Students as They Transition to College? |
| Sept. 7, 2020 | How Can I Help Online Students Develop Autonomy and Take More Responsibility for Their Learning? |
| Sept. 14, 2020 | Why Should I Migrate from Traditional Resources to OER in My Courses? |
| Sept. 21, 2020 | How Can I Get Students to Engage with Course Content Before Class? |
| Sept. 28, 2020 | How Can I Use LMS Intelligent Agents to Increase Interaction in My Online Classes? |
| Oct. 5, 2020 | How Can I Use Simple Gamification Strategies to Engage My Students? |
| Oct. 12, 2020 | How Can Screencasted Feedback Enhance Student Comprehension? |
| Oct. 19, 2020 | How Can I Use Technology to Foster the Emotional Processing of Course Content? |
| Oct. 26, 2020 | How Do I Go Beyond the Basics of Universal Design for Learning? |
| Nov. 2, 2020 | How Do I Build Trust with a Personal Users’ Guide? |
| Nov. 9, 2020 | How Do I Infuse Equity into Any Online Class? |
| Nov. 16, 2020 | What are 3 Keys to Teaching Intercultural Competence? |
| Nov. 23, 2020 | How Can I Build Engagement in My Online Classes through Student-Created Videos? |
| Nov. 30, 2020 | What is the Best Scholarship Advice I Ever Received? |
| Dec. 7, 2020 | How Can I Repurpose My Content into Videos that Get Viewed (and Shared)? |
Spring 2020 |
TOPIC OF 20-MINUTE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| January 27, 2020 | What Is the Best Teaching Advice I Ever Received? |
| February 3, 2020 | How Can Online Instructors Better Manage Their Workload? |
| February 10, 2020 | How Can I Cost-Effectively Use Virtual Reality to Enhance Instruction? |
| February 17, 2020 | How Can Media Richness Theory and Social Presence Theory Improve My Instruction? |
| February 24, 2020 | What Technology and Tools Do I Need to Create a Podcast for My Students? |
| March 2, 2020 | How Can Change Management Principles Help New Educational Programs Succeed? |
| March 9, 2020 | How Can I Become a Better Online Instructor? |
| March 16, 2020 | How Can I Write a Course Syllabus That’s Worth Reading? |
| March 23, 2020 | What Teaching Strategies Help Engage All Learners Online? |
| March 30, 2020 | How Do I Master Mastery Grading? |
| April 6, 2020 | How Can I Spark Conversation in the Classroom? |
| April 13, 2020 | How Do I Lead Change from the Middle? |
| April 20, 2020 | How Can Universities Empower Adult Learners? |
| April 27, 2020 | How Can I Be My Own Instructional Designer? |
| May 4, 2020 | How Can Post-Exam Reviews Become a Powerful Teaching Strategy? |
| May 11, 2020 | How Can I Use LMS Conditional Releases to Efficiently and Intentionally Engage My Students? |