Lunch & Learns
Tuesday from 12-1:15 p.m.
Grab a boxed lunch and choose from a variety of learning opportunities. The workshops will begin at 12:15 p.m.
Choose from Three Workshops
1. Teaching High-Quality 8-Week Courses: Design, Delivery, and Student Success, Ballroom E
Presented by Dr. Cindy Miller, Texas Tech University
This session equips faculty with evidence-based strategies for designing and teaching high-quality 8-week online courses. Drawing on faculty and student survey data, faculty will explore best practices for course design, workload management, instructor presence, grading efficiency, and student advising. Faculty will leave with practical tools and resources to support student success while maintaining sustainable teaching practices.
About the Presenter
Cynthia (Cindy) Miller is an assistant professor of family and consumer sciences education in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University. Prior to Texas Tech, she was an assistant professor for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and coordinator of the Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences degree program at Eastern New Mexico University for three and a half years. She was also a CTE administrator for two West Texas school districts for 13 years and a secondary business education teacher for 11 years in Lubbock.
Miller served as President, Past President, and Board of Director-At-Large (2017-2020) for the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). She is also certified in Family & Consumer Sciences and as a Personal Family & Finance Educator by AAFCS.
2. Building Community Through Team-Based Learning, Ballroom FG
Presented by Dr. Farhan Sadique, Kansas State University
Learners in online programs often balance coursework alongside full-time work, family responsibilities, and competing demands, making meaningful connections and sustained engagement difficult to achieve. This interactive workshop focuses on practical, evidence-informed ways to design community and collaboration in online courses without increasing faculty workload or student frustration.
Drawing from adult learning theory, social presence research, and real examples from online graduate classrooms, participants will explore when collaborative learning adds value, when it doesn’t, and how to design it intentionally. Team-based learning will be used as a focal example to examine how instructors can structure interaction, set clear norms, and build accountability while respecting adult learners’ time and constraints. Participants will explore concrete design strategies they can adapt immediately to their own courses or training contexts, along with examples of commonly used digital tools and platforms that support team formation, communication, and accountability.
About the Presenter
Farhan Sadique, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Adult Learning and Leadership at Kansas State University, where he teaches and designs online graduate courses grounded in experiential learning, leadership development, and human-centered instruction. His teaching, research, and consulting work focus on building meaningful connection, psychological safety, and collaboration in online courses, particularly for learners balancing work, family, and academic commitments.
Dr. Sadique is the author of Revolutionizing the Online Learning Journey and conducts research on innovative learning design, microlearning, simulation-based instruction, and the responsible use of AI. In this interactive workshop, he brings evidence-based insights and real-world teaching examples to help instructors design online teams that work.
3. AI Curious, Not AI Serious, Ballroom D
Presented by Mel Sedlacek, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
AI doesn’t have to be intimidating or dry. This interactive Lunch & Learn creates a fun, low-stakes space for faculty, staff, and leaders to explore practical ways to use AI in their work. Whether you’re brand new to AI or already experimenting with it, we’ll look at how it can support teaching, student communication, planning, and administrative tasks—without turning the session into a technical training or a debate about the future.
About the Presenter
Mel Sedlacek is an office associate in Child, Youth and Family Studies and the IDEA Campus Coordinator at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she supports online students and strengthens collaboration across partner institutions. She helps students navigate resources, troubleshoot challenges, and stay on track toward graduation. Mel is passionate about creating clear, supportive systems that help students feel confident, capable, and connected.
In addition to her core roles, Mel leads AI training sessions across campus and serves in several university leadership and service positions, including Staff Senate, the IANR and CEHS Staff Councils, the UNOPA Board, and as an Accessibility Ambassador. She also serves as the campus coordinator liaison to the IDEA Human Sciences Board.
