Faculty Innovations for Student Success Showcase

Program

• 9:00 to 9:20 a.m.: Opening Address

  Center Ballroom

  Heather Russell, Vice Provost, Faculty Leadership and Success

• 9:30 to 10:10 a.m.: Concurrent Session 1

  East Ballroom

  You Can Teach That with a Zine: DIY Composition in Any Classroom

  Dr. Carolina Villalba and Dr. Christine Martorana - Department of English (CASE)

  As tools for practicing multimodal communication, zines empower student writers and spark joy in the creative process. They have a multidisciplinary history as texts that can democratize authorship, and center topics or voices often marginalized in academic discourses. Rooted in DIY and activist traditions, zines resist conventional hierarchies of genre or expertise. Creating them both requires and enables community, collaboration, and material circulation. For educators, zines can be dynamic pedagogical tools. This breakout session shares strategies for incorporating zine writing into a course and invites participants to begin creating their own mini zine. The session explores how zine production can be adapted for varying course levels.

  Center Ballroom

  The Thinking Project: Supporting Metacognitive Growth in Calculus Students

  Dr. Kathleen Guy, Hagit Kornreich Leshem, and Richard Aguado Mesa - Department of Mathematics and Statistics (CASE)

  Many undergraduate math students struggle not only with content but also with the metacognitive skills needed to monitor, regulate, and direct their learning. The Thinking Project (TTP) is a metacognitive support initiative implemented in multiple sections of an Applied Calculus course. TTP fosters metacognitive awareness through structured, web-based activities. These activities encourage self-reflection, increase awareness of course content, academic progress, and learning goals, and are easy to complete. This presentation outlines the project’s theoretical rationale, design, and ongoing data collection, highlighting a research-informed approach for examining how structured, course-embedded activities can support metacognitive growth.

  West Ballroom

  Developing Non-Cognitive Skills to Improve Learning Outcomes

  Raul Ruiz - College of Law

  Developing noncognitive skills, like resilience, self-regulation, adaptability, and a growth mindset, can transform student performance in the classroom and beyond. This proposed talk explores how intentionally cultivating these skills strengthens academic engagement, improves long-term outcomes, and prepares learners for the complex demands of modern education and professional life. I will use the College of Law as an example of how teaching these so-called "soft skills" has helped students find success on their attorney licensing exam with objective data and a discussion of program design. The hope is that faculty can take these ideas and implement them in their programs to help all students at FIU become master learners.

• 10:20 to 11:00 a.m.: Concurrent Session 2

  East Ballroom

  I Say Cosmogony, You Say Cosmology: Creating & Utilizing Micro-Credentials

  Jeanette Smith - Department of Religious Studies (SIPA)

  This session explores practical strategies for creating and utilizing micro‑credentials to enhance student learning and curricular innovation. Using examples such as the university‑developed “Understanding Emotional Intelligence” micro‑credential and the “Fundamentals of Cosmology and Cosmogony” badge that I co‑developed, we will examine design principles, implementation challenges, and opportunities for interdisciplinary engagement. We will also consider how micro‑credentials support flexible, skills‑focused learning across diverse academic contexts and can also enhance faculty professional development—showing how even small credentials can make a meaningful impact.

  Center Ballroom

  AI That Works: Classroom-Tested Writing Assignments Across Disciplines

  The Writing Across the Curriculum Team

  Dr. Sat Gavassa, Department of Biological Sciences - CASE
  Dr. Daniela Foerch, Department of Teaching and Learning - CASE
  Dr. Meghan Owenz, Department of Psychology - CASE
  Prof. Mike Creeden, Writing Across the Curriculum
  Dr. Ming Fang, Writing Across the Curriculum
  Dr. Kimberly Harrison, Writing Across the Curriculum

  This panel showcases faculty-designed writing assignments developed through recent WAC workshops focused on responsible, learning-centered uses of generative AI. Panelists introduce four adaptable approaches to AI-infused assignment design that increase student engagement, strengthen AI literacy, and align with course learning outcomes rather than tool-driven novelty. Faculty from Biology, Education, and Psychology share and reflect on classroom case examples demonstrating how AI supports inquiry, drafting, reflection, and revision within discipline-specific contexts. This session emphasizes practical, classroom-tested strategies and attendees will leave with concrete design principles, sample assignment structures, and transferable models.

  West Ballroom

  Printing the Future: A collaborative approach to 3D printing education

  Dr. Amanda Thomas, PT, DPT - Department of Physical Therapy (NWCHNS)

  Integrating 3D printing into healthcare education enhances learning, fosters innovation, and addresses patient care challenges. This presentation outlines a collaborative model embedding 3D printing within a Doctor of Physical Therapy program through partnerships with biomedical engineering, architecture, and immersive technologies. Students gained hands-on experience designing and fabricating adaptive devices for individuals while strengthening interdisciplinary teamwork and problem-solving. Pilot projects integrated training, role development, community engagement, and product creation. Outcomes revealed both successes and challenges, highlighting the importance of external partnerships and real-world problem identification.

• 11:10 to 11:50 a.m.: Concurrent Session 3

  East Ballroom

  Non-STEM Student Feedback to a Relevance-Based Math Curriculum

  Lakshmy Menon Narayanankutty and Roneet Merkin, PhD - Department of Mathematics and Statistics (CASE)

  Research shows that students, particularly non-STEM majors, do not perceive relevance in mathematics, leading to a negative attitude towards the subject. To that end, curriculum development for a new course, MGF 1130 Mathematical Thinking, focused on creating student-relevant, real-world applications in the activities and assessments. Survey data was collected to assess if student perception aligned with the overarching course goals of building relevance, confidence, and a sense of community in the classroom. Lessons learned can be applied to other disciplines to help reduce the feeling of isolation on the college campus and increase the likelihood of graduating on time.

  Center Ballroom

  Do a Flip? Comparing Outcomes in a Flipped, F2F, & Online Psychology Course

  Emanuele Rizzi and Julia Parker - Department of Psychology (CASE)

  Wide-spread AI tools have reduced our ability to assess student learning outcomes and foster engagement with difficult content. To improve self-efficacy and collaborative practice, we tested a flipped course redesign emphasizing in-vivo class work in a research methods class. We compared face-to-face, online, and flipped classes across two instructors and semesters, providing within- and cross-instructor analyses of the 3 modalities.

  We examined data on student performance and interpersonal connection. These data can inform evidence-based decisions about instructional modality, the benefits of flipped classrooms, and address AI-related challenges with respect to supporting students in doing the important thinking themselves.

  West Ballroom

  Reflective Journaling as a Bridge to Belonging for International Students

  Connie Viamonte, PhD - Department of English (CASE)

  International students in first-year writing courses face a dual challenge: mastering academic English while navigating the social and cultural transitions of college life. Drawing on Tinto's Model of Student Integration, this presentation explores how reflective journaling was introduced in ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 courses within the Global First Year program to build student buy-in and community. Students were invited to write about personal wins, struggles, and the challenges of adapting to a new academic and cultural environment, and share with peers. In ENC 1102, students track their research process through a dedicated research journal. Survey data analyzed through the Inquiry Institute informed this intervention.

• 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.: Posters

  Ballroom Foyer

  Student-led Evaluation of AI Chatbots in The Context of Organic Chemistry

  Mrinal Chakraborty - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (CASE)

  This group project engaged students in critically evaluating the performance of AI chatbots in solving organic chemistry problems. Working collaboratively, students designed targeted prompts and tested AI responses across core topics. Through systematic analysis of AI-generated answers, they identified both strengths and significant limitations, including errors in reasoning and incomplete explanations. Based on their findings, students developed evidence-based conclusions about the best practices and effective use of AI. The project fostered critical thinking and digital literacy, encouraging students to approach AI as a supportive yet limited learning tool rather than accepting its outputs at face value.

  Perceived Instructor Support Drives Student Belonging in Courses

  Patricia Waikel - Department of Biological Sciences (CASE)

  Sense of belonging drives student success in undergraduate STEM. We found that instructor-student interaction was positively correlated with student sense of belonging in a course across multiple modalities. Factor analysis indicated two constructs of instructor-student interaction (F1 and F2). F1 focused on perception of instructor support and had a significant effect on student sense of belonging. F2 included actual interactions and lacked significance. Thus, student’s perceived and actual instructor-student interactions are a key factor for sense of belonging. Focusing on perception of student-instructor interactions over actual interactions may provide greater benefit to student sense of belonging and success in a course.

  Undergraduate career plans and cultural identity in two biology courses

  Dr. Javier Francisco Ortega - Department of Biological Sciences (CASE)

  Many students majoring in biology aim for health careers. We expected courses with a strong career focus to be more engaging than others. The study was conducted at a Hispanic-Serving Institution with many students with Caribbean ties. An upper division course entitled Caribbean Biodiversity (CB) was offered to engage students in biological concepts of this region. We evaluated career plans and national identities as factors for this study. Surveys were presented to CB and General Biology2 (GB2) students. As expected, GB2 was more relevant to student career interests, whereas CB was more relevant to student cultural identity. Surprisingly, there was a positive correlation between career plans and cultural identity for students taking GB2.

  Ecology Lab: Reconnecting students with nature

  Levy de Carvalho Gomes, PhD, Leah Bakewell, Guillermo Sicilia-Pasos, and Andrea Marroquin - Department of Biological Sciences (CASE)

  The ecology laboratory course was redesigned in Fall 2025, shifting from a focus on statistical analyses using programming language to designing and conducting experiments using real methods in ecology. This approach deepens students’ understanding of ecological theory and experimental design while fostering direct engagement with the natural environment. We developed ten field-based experiments at MMC, preparing students to design and conduct their own experiments as a final project rather than taking written examinations. The course structure received a rating of 4.77 in the SPOTs survey, indicating strong satisfaction with the laboratory experience, which prioritizes understanding scientific principles over computational methods.

  An Action–Reflection Model for Engaged Learning

  Maria Calahorra-Jimenez - Moss School of Construction (CEC)

  Preparing construction management students for complex industry challenges requires integrating research, professional practice, and course content. This poster presents an Action–Reflection model implemented in BCN5626 Construction Cost Analysis and Control. In the Action phase, students review key concepts, engage with research and industry materials, and attend a guest speaker session while formulating analytical questions. Guided discussions promote synthesis and critical reasoning. In the Reflection phase, students submit a written reflection integrating course, research, peer, and practitioner insights. Preliminary observations indicate increased engagement, stronger theory-to-practice connections, and enhanced critical thinking.

  Hands-On AI for Structural Behavior

  Isabella Rakestraw, Cedrick Monfleury, and Joshua Ukunda - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEC)

  Understanding structural behavior under different loading conditions is fundamental to civil engineering education, yet students often struggle to connect analytical theory with real-world structural response. Traditional teaching methods rely heavily on idealized models and static examples, while emerging tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) are rarely integrated into undergraduate coursework in a hands-on manner. This project introduces an experiential learning framework that combines AI, embedded sensors, and 3D printing to study structural systems in a data-driven context. Students design and 3D-print scaled structural components, assemble modular frames, and collect real-time strain and deflection data under applied loads. Using

  AI Enhanced Lectures, Assignments, and Assessment

  Dr. Charles Newman - Department of International Business (COB)

  Generative AI is changing how students research, write, and solve problems—often faster than course designs can adapt. This 40-minute session presents a practical, faculty-first framework for integrating AI to enhance learning, reduce workload, and protect academic standards. Participants will see examples of AI-enhanced lectures (clearer explanations, structured engagement, rapid iteration), assignments that intentionally leverage AI for higher-order thinking (analysis, evaluation, creation), and assessment strategies that remain valid when AI is available. The focus is instructional design and governance: aligning outcomes to AI-enabled activities, requiring observable learning processes (e.g., rationale, checkpoints, reflection).

  Wristbands, Stakes, and Learning That Sticks

  Dr. Rakesh R. Nair, M.D., MPH., MBA, Dr. Israel Castillo Gonzalez, PharmD, PhD, MT, Dr. Emiri Uchiyama, M.D, Dr. Gagani Athauda, M.D, Adriana Bautista, Dr. Rebecca L. Toonkel, M.D, and Jenny Fortun, PhD - Department of Medical Education (HWCOM)

  What if learning felt like a mission, not a lecture? As students demand interaction and instant feedback, traditional instruction often misses the mark. This lightning talk introduces a gamified, team-based learning experience inspired by a popular TV series. Students enter a narrative scenario wearing a “lifeline” wristband as teams race through timed challenge stations. Immediate feedback and real consequences—losing a lifeline for unsafe decisions—make every choice matter. This high-stakes design fuels engagement, accountability, and critical thinking. Adaptable across disciplines, the model turns routine instruction into an experience students remember and show up for.

  The AI Driven Professor: Teaching What AI Can’t

  Dr. Otis Kopp, Department of Marketing and Logistics (COB)

  As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in higher education, faculty are being asked to adapt not only their teaching methods, but their professional identities. This session explores how AI challenges long-held assumptions about expertise and assessment in the classroom. It also addresses why this moment represents an opportunity rather than a threat. Drawing on research in technology adoption and classroom practice, this talk reframes the professor’s role from content expert to guide, mentor, and architect of learning. Rather than focusing on tools or detection, it highlights what AI cannot replicate: human judgment, ethical reasoning, contextual understanding, and the formation of student identity.

• 12:20 to 1:20 p.m.: QEP Awards Lunch

  Center Ballroom

  The FIU Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Critical Skills for the 21^st Century, is designed to strengthen students’ readiness for the modern workforce by certifying their mastery of knowledge, skills, abilities, and values in key areas: artificial intelligence, data literacy, and emotional intelligence. This is achieved through micro‑credential pathways that help bridge the gap between students’ career preparedness and employers’ expectations. The presentation highlights the QEP’s impact on student success, drawing on student outcomes, faculty and student feedback, and lessons learned for future initiatives. The success of the QEP relies heavily on a dedicated group of faculty and subject‑matter experts who deliver micro‑credentials through both synchronous curricular and asynchronous co‑curricular formats. Thanks to their efforts, more than 3,000 students have earned digital badges verifying new competencies—credentials they can share with potential employers to gain a competitive edge in today’s job market. Finally, awards will be presented to faculty members who demonstrate exceptional commitment to this QEP.

• 1:30 to 2:22 p.m.: Lightning Talk Round 1

  East Ballroom

  Interdisciplinary Problem Solving & Student-Faculty Partnership Focus

  Forward Thinking for Future Success

  Ellen Modlin - Department of Occupational Therapy (NWCNHS) and Deana Goldin - Graduate Nursing Dept. (NWCNHS)

  Students often view coursework as content that must be mastered to pass licensure exams. We introduced forward thinking learning theory strategies to encourage students to see the value of their coursework for future professional competencies, as well as to develop peer relationships that will serve them in their future interprofessional collaborations. This innovative student-centered, competency-based approach, can prepare students to think ahead and anticipate the shifting landscape of knowledge, both practical and theoretical, to help prepare them for their future careers. This lightning talk will present successful implementation of this approach and practical strategies to adapt this framework across disciplines.

  Podcasting the History of AI: Student Research as Public Scholarship

  Tina Wei - Department of History (SIPA)

  During Fall 2025, students in AMH 4375: "Technology and American Society" researched, scripted, and produced podcasts on topics related to the "History of AI," such as deepfakes, AI in medicine, and predictive policing. Now accessible through FIU's Digital Scholarship Commons, these podcasts have allowed students to build their work portfolios and resumes while contributing their research to public discourse on pressing issues. In this lighting talk, I will share about the process through which I guided students in producing their own podcasts and worked with FIU's General Counsel and Digital Librarians to host these podcasts online. Attendees will learn about the benefits of using a podcasting assignment to engage students' unique interests and to cultivate their authentic voices in speaking and writing.

  What Happens When We Treat Games Like Serious Culture?

  Dr. Jennifer Houston - Department of Marketing and Logistics (COB)

  Esports is often dismissed as entertainment, yet it offers a powerful window into how today’s students learn, compete, collaborate, and cope with pressure. This lightning talk highlights how FIU’s esports program treats games as culture rather than content, using them to teach strategy, consumer behavior, ethics, identity, and performance under uncertainty. Through applied projects and moments of productive failure, this teaching practice surfaces challenges faculty across disciplines already face—perfectionism, burnout, digital identity, and engagement. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for leveraging play as a serious pedagogical tool and rethinking experiential learning without sacrificing rigor.

  Center Ballroom (STEM Focus)

  Helping Students Utilize AI as a Study Tool

  Dr. Uma Swamy, Dr. Elwood Kwong Lam, and Dr. Vincent Zollo - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (CASE)

  Effective and ethical AI usage is an essential career skill. In Fall 2025, we surveyed General Chemistry 1 classes. Most students admitted using AI as a study tool but reported a wide range of knowledge and abilities regarding AI. Students also desired that faculty discuss effective AI usage. AI is the new front of metacognition. Students must be able to use existing knowledge to evaluate the validity of AI-generated responses. By designing course related AI activities, educators can help all students become confident and perceptive AI users. In Spring 2026, we designed an activity allowing students to explore AI usage in our General Chemistry 2 classrooms. We will share observations and responses collected during and after the activity.

  Simulation-Based Learning

  Anamary Tarifa - Global Forensic and Justice Center; Michael Trainor and Constanza Saltoff - FIU Online

  Students enrolled in fully online courses have limited access to experiential learning opportunities. Thus, there is a need for equitable, experience-based learning activities that allow fully online students to engage with the instructional materials and apply their knowledge dynamically. Our team developed a prototype laboratory simulation for a fully online course using Articulate Storyline 360. In this interactive gamified learning activity, students explore a lab and complete tasks while applying theoretical and foundational knowledge. Students reported that the simulation helped them apply the material learned and kept them engaged. This project provides an innovative solution to current real-world challenges in higher education.

  Active and Screen-Free Learning in Statistics Classes in an AI World

  Dr. Deborah Goldwasser - Department of Mathematics and Statistics (CASE)

  The rapid development and widespread availability of AI technologies such as ChatGPT present new challenges for Mathematics and Statistics instruction. Traditional homework assignments including computational and coding exercises, data analyses, and even graph creation can now be completed in seconds using AI tools. Instructional strategies must ensure that meaningful student learning is taking place.

  In this lightning talk, I reflect on successful strategies for increasing in-class student engagement and participation in two undergraduate statistics courses, STA 3033 and STA 2023 with the inclusion of screen-free paper-based group exercises, in class R coding exercises with provided code, alongside some (light) competition.

  West Ballroom

  COIL-ing: Benefits & Challenges, and Why It's Worth It for Student Learning & Development

  Mihaela Plugarasu - School of Communication (CARTA)

  Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an international teaching and learning methodology facilitated through technology and intentional curriculum design. COIL faculty partners from different countries and institutions collaborate to develop a series of synchronous and asynchronous activities for their students to complete in international teams using a variety of digital communication and collaboration tools. Learn how and why to incorporate COIL into your teachings, and receive free access to COIL syllabus featured as a Case Study on COIL Connect.

  Co-Teaching with an AI GPT: Designing Architecture for 2070

  John Stuart, AIA - Department of Architecture (CARTA)

  In ARC 6356, I co-taught a graduate design course with an AI GPT named “Ann,” who functioned as a simulated client from the year 2070. Students presented research, climate resilience strategies, and design proposals in structured “client meetings,” where the AI questioned assumptions, responded to sea-level projections, and imagined future occupants and economies. This session addresses: How do we use AI without sacrificing rigor? How do we prevent plagiarism and move beyond AI as a writing shortcut? By reframing AI as a stakeholder within a structured pedagogical model, with assessment checkpoints and ethical reflection, this approach strengthens critical thinking, student agency, and interdisciplinary problem solving across disciplines.

  Perspectives Are More than Techniques: Tools for Self-Directed Growth

  Douglas Robertson - Department of Educational Policy Studies (CASE)

  From an analysis of over 350 scholarly publications on the behavior and lived experience of college teachers, patterns can be discerned. For example, developmental positions appear. These perspectives inform the Professor’s Teaching Perspective/Developmental Model (PTP/DM), the most comprehensive developmental model extant for professors-as-teachers (hooks, & Robertson, 2007; Robertson 1988, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000a, 2000b, 2001, 2001-2002, 2002, 2003a, 2003b, 2005, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2025). The PTP/DM has been employed by scholars in 34 different countries on 6 continents. In addition to discussing the PTP/DM, this presentation introduces an accompanying instrument--the Professor’s Teaching Perspective/Inventory (PTP/I) (Robertson, 2025).

• 2:30 to 3:22 p.m.: Lightning Talk Round 2

  East Ballroom

  Real Work, Real Learning: Designing Authentic Assignments That Foster Succes

  Maria Reid - Department of Psychology (CASE)

  This session explores how intentionally designed, real-world assignments can transform student engagement, deepen learning, and strengthen academic outcomes. As professors we are committed to preparing students for meaningful professional and civic lives in our diverse environment. This presentation hopes to demonstrate how the process of creating authentic assessments promote transferable skills, equitable participation, and measurable academic success.

  Learn about teaching practices that are realistic, research-aligned, and responsive to their students’ needs empowering students to collaborate, think critically, and succeed both within and beyond the university.

  Turning Complexity into Competition: Gamified Learning in Action

  Dr. Israel Castillo Gonzalez, Dr. Gagani Athauda, Dr. Rakesh R. Nair, Dr. Emiri Uchiyama, Anita Jacob, Adriana Bautista, Dr. Jenny Fortun, and Dr. Rebecca L. Toonkel - Department of Medical Education (HWCOM)

  Teaching application‑based content is challenging because students must link foundational knowledge to real clinical decisions. To improve engagement, we developed the Pharmacology Hunger Games, a gamified simulation where second‑year medical students worked in teams to manage rotating cardiac rhythm scenarios. Students interpreted data, chose treatments, and justified decisions with immediate expert feedback, earning points to encourage competition. Surveys showed high satisfaction, strong engagement, and increased confidence, with exam performance matching national benchmarks. An interprofessional team will share lessons learned and strategies for adapting gamified simulation across disciplines.

  Peer Evaluation of Social Determinants and Health Disparities Research

  Barbra Roller. PhD - Department of Medical Education (HWCOM)

  Undergraduates need experience in information literacy. In the Challenges in Healthcare class (IDH 3034), each group selects an address in Miami-Dade. Using databases and other online information sources to identify the social determinants of health in their zip code, they first identify a specific health disparity and then formulate a practical plan to mitigate that disparity. This requires the students to think critically about solutions in the healthcare system. Each group makes a PowerPoint presentation, and all students anonymously evaluate each other via rubrics and comments. Students receive feedback on the presentation/content and on their communication. This group format has wide-ranging applicability to many different fields.

  Center Ballroom (STEM Focus)

  Making Online Precalculus Interactive, Affordable, and Student-Centered

  Umut Caglar and Akorede Oluwo - Department of Mathematics and Statistics (CASE)

  This lightning talk presents the design of a fully online, zero-cost Precalculus (MAC 1147) course that emphasizes active learning, mathematical communication, and collaboration. The course uses open educational resources, interactive video assignments, guided notes, and a free online homework platform to support practice and mastery. Weekly handwritten assignments with detailed feedback strengthen students’ problem-solving and writing skills. The focus of the talk is an online group-project model built around real-world applications, recorded Zoom collaboration, peer feedback, and structured reflection. This approach transforms an online math course into an interactive learning community.

  Virtual Labs to improve understanding of Fundamental Mechanical Vibrations

  Carmen Muller Karger - Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering (CEC)

  Mechanical Vibrations is a mathematically demanding course that often lacks hands-on laboratory experience. We developed four Virtual Mech. Vibrations Labs (VMVLabs), standalone, designed to bridge the gap. The VMVLabs leverages the open-source PyChrono framework to solve governing differential equations directly, producing both 3D visualizations. The labs were successfully integrated into a 62 students’ undergraduate course during the fall 2025 term. Usability and student perceptions were evaluated with the tailored modified Gateway Survey, along with course reports, exam performance, and qualitative feedback. Results indicate high student satisfaction, strong usability ratings, and improved conceptual understanding.

  Bridging the AI Knowledge Gap in Construction Management Education

  Dr. Mahya Sam - Moss School of Construction (CEC)

  As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the construction industry, construction management (CM) education remains largely traditional. This study examines CM students’ awareness of AI and their perceptions of integrating AI into curricula at Florida International University. Results show moderate general awareness but limited familiarity with construction-specific applications such as scheduling and safety analytics. Despite this gap, students believe AI is important for professional success and supports its inclusion in CM programs, especially through hands-on, project-based learning. The findings highlight a disconnect between industry advancement and academic preparation.

  West Ballroom

  Teaching Search Strategies with LLM-Enhanced Library Databases

  Christopher Jimenez and Ramces Marsilli - Learning & Research (Library)

  As large language models (LLMs) become embedded in academic library databases, student research behaviors are shifting. Natural‑language queries, AI‑generated summaries, and machine‑shaped relevance rankings can accelerate discovery—but they also reshape how students interpret authority, evidence, and search strategy. This lightning talk presents practical teaching strategies for LLM‑enhanced research environments.

  Through brief demonstrations, presenters model approaches that prompt students to compare AI‑assisted and traditional database searches, explain why particular sources surface, and critically reflect on what AI contributes—and what it does not. These moments frame searching as an interpretive process rather than a neutral or automated one.

  Using examples from platforms such as JSTOR and Academic Search Complete, the talk highlights teachable moments where librarians and faculty can surface algorithmic influence and reinforce evaluative judgment. Participants leave with adaptable strategies for integrating AI literacy into an iterative library research process while keeping human expertise central to scholarly inquiry.

  Code You Can Read: Using MATLAB Live Scripts to Teach Engineering Modeling

  Asad Mirza - Department of Biomedical Engineering (CEC)

  Engineering students often learn modeling and programming at the same time, which can overwhelm early undergraduates. This presentation describes the use of MATLAB Live Scripts to make engineering modeling more transparent and concept-focused. Live Scripts integrate equations, explanation, code, and visualization in one document, helping students connect mathematical assumptions to simulation results. Examples from sophomore-level engineering courses show how this approach supports curve fitting, approximation, error analysis, and simple dynamical systems. By shifting attention from syntax to interpretation, Live Scripts reduce barriers and strengthen student engagement with modeling across engineering disciplines in core STEM courses.

  Leading with Vibes: Using AI + Miami Energy to Build Connection + Success

  Christi Navarro - School of Public Health (CPHSW)

   Can "vibes" drive student success? In the virtual classroom, how do we ensure students feel connected to FIU while mastering the foundational competencies of their degree? This lightning talk explores a 22-part webinar series designed to bridge content delivery and student connection in the Online MPH program. The project leverages AI-enhanced storytelling, vibrant visuals, and music to transform competency reviews into high-energy "Miami-inspired" learning experiences. Evaluation data show high engagement and effectiveness, confirming that "vibe" and aesthetics are essential components of modern online pedagogy. Attendees will gain a replicable framework for using creative media to drive student engagement and success.

• 3:30 to 4:00 p.m.: Posters

  Ballroom Foyer

  Designing Inclusive Learning Systems with AI in Special Education and STEM

  Shivanna Birbal and Sherwin Jose - Department of Teaching and Learning (CASE)

  AI is reshaping education with significant implications for equity, access, and instructional effectiveness. Here, we examine how AI can be strategically integrated into curriculum design, assessment, and teacher preparation to support inclusive learning in special education and STEM contexts. From current research and practice, the presentation highlights five evidence-based strategies, including adaptive learning pathways, AI-enhanced assessment and feedback, data-informed curriculum planning, collaborative and inquiry-based learning supports, and AI tools that foster teacher reflection and professional growth. Emphasizing a human-centered approach, the presentation positions educators as critical decision-makers while addressing ethics.

  Hyperobjects, Affect, and Unlearning: A Post-Anthropocentric Teaching Model

  Ozan Atalan - Art + Art History (CARTA)

  In an era shaped by ecological crisis, AI, and systemic instability, the professional worlds of art and design function as hyper-objects, distributed systems that exceed individual perception yet shape education and practice. This presentation introduces a post-anthropocentric teaching model grounded in hyper-objects, affect, and unlearning. Drawing from coevolutionary aesthetics, art and design education moves beyond assumptions of human autonomy and control. Affective epistemology reframes emotion as a tool for knowledge in experiential learning. The model cultivates cross-disciplinary awareness, critical agency, and ecological literacy, offering faculty a framework for preparing students to engage within complex, more-than-human systems.

  From Collaboration to Classroom Impact: Advancing Student Success

  Laura Lamour Burns, PhD - English Language Institute

  Faculty in Intensive English Programs (IEPs) are tasked with supporting student success in contexts shaped by shifting enrollments, evolving learner needs, and ongoing institutional change. While innovation efforts often emphasize structural reform, less attention is given to the collaborative teaching practices that directly influence student learning. This poster introduces an approach to teaching that highlights collaboration, communication, and shared leadership to promote instructional alignment. Drawing on principles from the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), this work-in-progress explores how relational teaching practices can foster stable and responsive learning environments for English language learners.

  Teaching Beyond Tradition: Transforming Education Through Engaged Learning

  Carmen R. Duque, DNP, APRN, PPCNP-BC, Ivette Hidalgo, PhD, APRN, PPCNP-BC, Kelly Cortada, BSN, RN, and Catalina Miranda, BSN, RN, CPN - Nursing (NWCNHS)

  This project evaluated the impact of integrating flipped classroom strategies using ATI modules, case studies, and game-based learning tools to enhance engagement and learning among students in an undergraduate nursing course. Traditional passive learning approaches can result in reduced student engagement and comprehension. A multimodal instructional design incorporating at-home learning through the ATI Engage platform was implemented. Student perceptions were assessed using an anonymous seven-item Qualtrics survey administered mid-semester. Findings suggest that a flipped classroom supported by ATI Engage, case studies, and Kahoot! can improve engagement, deepen content understanding, and enhance assessment performance.

  Using AI-Powered Tools to Foster Reflective Practice in an SLP Course (70)

  Dr. Joe Zelenke, CCC-SLP - Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (NWCHNS)

  This poster presentation explores how AI-enabled tools within an online graduate course can enhance reflective practice during virtual pre-clinical observation experiences. Participants will learn how to incorporate guided reflection, use feedback analytics, and follow ethical AI practices. Integrating this activity promotes deeper self-assessment, professional growth, and purposeful engagement among developing speech-language pathologists in training.

  Resources for Engaging in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

  Laura Wood, Idaykis Rodriguez, and Rocio Benabentos - Department of Teaching and Learning (CASE)

  This presentation will share principles and lessons learned from facilitating a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) focused on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). SoTL provides a systematic scholarly approach to investigate faculty’s own teaching practices and learning experiences, in order to improve their teaching, classrooms, and students’ experiences. Engaging in SoTL can involve formulating hypotheses and research questions, initial IRB processes, considerations for ethical research, development of quantitative and qualitative data collection protocols, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods.

  AI-Human Collaboration in Logic Education: From Perfect QM to RETI Award

  Kiavash Bahreini - Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Science (CEC)

  This session presents the redesign of COT3541 Logic for Computer Science, which earned a perfect Quality Matters score of 101/101 and FIU's 2025 RETI Award. Key innovations include integrating Harvard's PingPong LLM (GPT-4o) as a Canvas-embedded AI teaching assistant with privacy protection, gamified Kahoot mock exams, interactive zyBooks modules, and Prolog programming. Equity-driven improvements—weekend TA sessions, dual-format office hours, and anonymous feedback from TAs/SICAs—were based on SPOT survey analysis. Materials cost: $29.67/credit hour. Taught across six sections in three modalities, attendees will gain actionable strategies for AI integration in their courses.

• 4:00 p.m.: Closing Remarks

  Ballroom Foyer

  As we conclude the Tenth Annual Faculty Innovations for Student Success Showcase, let us take a moment to reflect on the rich exchange of ideas, practical strategies, and innovative approaches shared throughout the day that advance teaching and student success at FIU. We thank all presenters and attendees for their contributions to this inspiring learning community and encourage everyone to carry forward the insights gained into their classrooms, research, and future collaborations. Please enjoy some sweet treats as we celebrate a successful event together.