Focus & Learn Day: AI Expo
Discover, Connect, and Advance Your AI Knowledge
Join us for SLCC's Focus & Learn Day: AI Expo, a day of hands-on learning and practical conversations about how artificial intelligence is shaping teaching, learning, and campus work. This event brings together faculty and staff to explore AI tools, classroom applications, and institutional supports through short, focused sessions.
The AI Expo is hosted by the AI Training Institute.
Schedule
| Room A or online | Room B | Room E | Room DF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00–9:50 a.m. | AI in the Academic Toolkit: Supporting Teaching and Learning Facilitator: Kristin Cartwright, Associate Professor, Mathematics and FTLC Faculty Fellow Description: AI is changing how we teach and how students learn, and faculty have an opportunity to guide that change. This session explores practical uses of generative AI to support teaching and student learning while maintaining academic integrity. Participants will examine productive student uses of AI and take away ready‑to‑use strategies for clearly communicating AI expectations to students. |
AI Research Assistants Facilitator: Zach Allred, Director, Library Services Description: AI agents are beginning to appear within academic library databases, offering new ways to navigate, summarize, and explore research materials through conversational interfaces and automated assistance. This session provides an overview of how these tools function, the potential benefits, and limitations they introduce, and considerations for their thoughtful use in a community college learning environment. |
Intro to AI Using Copilot Facilitators: OIT Trainers (Cass Simmons and Tami Anderson) Description: Get a clear, approachable introduction to AI and SLCC’s approved large language model, Copilot. This hands‑on session walks participants through how to leverage Copilot for everyday tasks—no technical background required. |
Power Automate Facilitator: Jonah Ericson, Coordinator, Workforce Training & Education Description: |
| 10:00–10:50 a.m. | Co-Intelligence in Practice: Exploring Approaches That Support Your Work and Well-Being Facilitators: Dasheek Akwenye, Senior Director, Center for Health and Counseling and Anjali Pai, Director, Staff Development Description: Discover fresh, practical ways to collaborate, make decisions, and stay grounded—drawn from Co‑Intelligence: Living and Working with AI. In this thoughtful session, you’ll explore simple practices for shared insight and consider the new questions AI raises about how we think, learn, and work together. |
AI in Actual Practice: What Faculty and Students Are Really Doing at SLCC Facilitators: Zach Allred (Director, Library Services), Gavin Harper (Assistant Provost, eLearning/Digital Initiatives), Brittany Stephenson (Professor, English) Description: This panel shares insights from SLCC’s collaboration with Ithaka S+R examining how faculty and students are using generative AI in real instructional contexts. Panelists will discuss what the study will frame teaching practice, assignment design, workforce training, and supporting faculty in developing AI literacies across disciplines. |
Copilot in Excel Facilitators: OIT Trainers (Cass Simmons and Tami Anderson) Description: Whether you’re an Excel novice or a power user, see how Copilot can help you analyze data, surface insights, and create clear, actionable results—while spending less time wrestling with spreadsheets. |
Copyleaks AI Checker Facilitators: Corey Stevens (Assistant Director, Teaching & Learning Technology) and Peter Wiarda (Coordinator, eLearning) Description: In this session we are going to talk about the Copyleaks AI Checker, how to set it up in Canvas, and the technology that makes it work. We’ll cover options on how to set it up, best practices, and the limitations inherent in detecting AI content. |
| 11:00–11:50 a.m. | Engagement by Design: Using Harmonize for Discussions, Assignments, and Rubrics Facilitator: Gavin Harper, Assistant Provost, eLearning Description: This session explores how Harmonize can support the design of discussion‑based assignments that emphasize process, reflection, and authentic student voice—making them more resistant to over‑reliance on generative AI. Participants will see examples of how structured prompts, peer interaction, and aligned rubrics in Harmonize can help faculty assess learning in ways that foreground thinking, engagement, and original contribution. |
Adobe Express + Firefly Facilitator: Tami Anderson, OIT Trainer Description: No design background needed—see how Adobe Express and Firefly use AI to help anyone create professional‑looking visuals quickly and easily. |
Copilot in M365 Apps Facilitator: Cass Simmons, OIT Trainer Description: Learn how the latest version of Copilot Chat works across apps like Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint to help you create, summarize, respond, present, and collaborate more efficiently. |
Hiration: AI-Powered Career Platform Facilitators: Career Services Description: |
| 12:00–12:30 p.m. | Lunch | |||
| 12:30–1:20 p.m. | Room A/B or Online Human Connection in the AI Era Presenter: Lon Schiffbauer, Associate Professor, Business Management Description: Everyone is talking about how AI is coming for our jobs and will spell the end of humanity, but I want to propose something new: I want to explore the idea that AI will help usher in a renaissance of human meaning and connection. |
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| 1:30–2:30 p.m. | Room A/B Open Focus & Learn Sharing Space |
Room E Open Support Lab Space with Technology Support |
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Registration
Participants should register for either in‑person attendance or for online attendance for Room A, which will be offered in a hybrid format. Registration Link in NeoEd.