2026 Micro-CHIIPs Concurrent Sessions
All session links are available via the digital program you will receive upon registration for Micro-CHIIPs.
During our Institute Scholars Studio Sessions, Scholars from last summer’s General Education Instructors’ Institute will, in small facilitated panels, share a new teaching method they tried this past fall and how it went. Attendees will then get a chance to ask questions and consider a method they might adopt and adapt for their own instruction. This is a great chance to hear about a variety of creative and engaging instructional methods!
Interested in more than one session being offered concurrently? Request post-conference access to Micro-CHIIPs session recordings here.
Concurrent I
10:15 - 11:00
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Institute Scholars Studio Session: Social Sciences & Education
Hear (and maybe steal) teaching idas from the following Scholars:
Christopher Eddy (Political Science)
Morgan Lowder (Political Science)
Kim Hale (Educational Foundations)
Jingyuan Zhang (Special Education)
Rebecca Tolley (Women & Gender Studies) -
Playful Perception: Nature Journaling as a High-Impact, Sensory-Based Practice for Deep Observation and Curiosity Development
Kelly C. Porter, ETSU Department of Art & Design
In a world of distraction and cognitive overload, guiding students to slow down and truly notice can sharpen thinking in any discipline. This session introduces nature journaling as a playful, high[1]impact instructional practice that strengthens deep observational skills, curiosity, and reflection. Grounded in research on sensory based learning and mindful attention, nature journaling invites students to slow down, notice details and make meaning from their environment. By engaging in multiple senses and documenting observations, students develop strong cognitive presence and well-being.
Participants will experience two activities: a guided “I notice / I wonder / It reminds me of…” journaling exercise and a sensory scavenger hunt adapted for indoor or outdoor spaces. In small breakouts, attendees will remix these prompts for their own contexts, followed by a group share. Attendees will leave with a ready-to-use prompt toolkit and templates for implementing their own observation breaks that enhance joy, attention, and curiosity.
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Institute Scholars Studio Session: STEM & Health Sciences
Hear (and maybe steal) teaching idas from the following Scholars:
Sandy Eagle (Chemistry)
Ray Mohseni (Chemistry)
Jamie McGill (Mathematics)
Chelsie Dubay (Computer Science)
Richard Campbell (Health Services Management & Policy)
Ryan Youngblood (Health Services Management & Policy)
Mikki Johnson (Behavioral Health) -
Teaching with AI as Playful Pedagogy: Empowering Metacognition, Student Agency, and Joyful Learning in College Writing and Beyond
Jill Channing, ETSU Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis
What if AI could make learning more playful, more open, and more empowering? In this interactive session, participants will explore AI-supported instructional strategies that promote joyful experimentation, metacognition, and student agency in college courses, especially writing-intensive and discussion-based disciplines. Drawing from ludic pedagogy and open educational practices, this session demonstrates how tools such as ChatGPT, Canva AI, and image-generation platforms can become objects of play that help learners test ideas, remix knowledge, iterate on drafts, reflect on feedback, and build self-efficacy. Participants will experiment hands-on with AI-enhanced games, collaborative writing activities, and reflective prompts that reframe AI not as a shortcut but as a playful partner in deep learning. Attendees will leave with adaptable classroom activities, templates, and implementation guidance that work across modalities, disciplines, and class sizes.
Concurrent II
11:15 - 12:00
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Institute Scholars Studio Session: Communication & Humanities
Hear (and maybe steal!) teaching ideas from the following Scholars:
Christine Anzur (Storytelling & Communication Studies)
Nancy Donoval (Storytelling & Communication Studies)
Emily Katt (Storytelling & Communication Studies)
Heather Weaver (Storytelling & Communication Studies)
Rachel Mazzara (Literature & Language)
Chelsea Wessels (Literature & Language)
Austin Due (Philosophy) -
Making Makers: Cultivating Hands-On Learning through Building and Play
Melissa Whitaker & Joshua Foley, ETSU Department of Biological Sciences
The Makers Movement offers a powerful framework for transforming passive learners into active creators. This session explores how building and crafting can deepen student engagement through guided play and creation. Drawing from my undergraduate Entomology course, I will profile two playful activities that students consistently rank as course highlights: Insect Tie-Dye, where students create a wearable garment made from 100% insect materials; and DIY Pinning Boards, where students assemble their own spreading boards from laser-cut components. Both activities position students as makers rather than consumers, encouraging curiosity, problem-solving, and personal investment in their learning. Session participants will explore how building and play can intersect in their own disciplines, and will be guided through a “rapid design challenge” to envision a hands-on maker moment for their own course. Participants will leave with practical strategies for designing playful learning that centers students as active creators.
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From Lecture to Play: Rethinking Student Engagement
Rebecca McCasland, ETSU Nursing Undergraduate Programs
Have you ever left a conference thinking, “I like this idea, but I can’t do it in my class”? Do you have a large, lecture-based class, complex topics, or are you worried you don’t have any extra moments in your time? This session has your back! In this interactive session, we will explore the role of play in higher education and its effects on critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, creativity, time management, and assessment. The session will showcase adaptable, playful learning strategies, including Padlet, art projects, YouTube Shorts, movement-based activities, podcasts, and SchoolAi. Grounded in Ludic Pedagogy, creative experimentation, and Open Educational Practices, this session models an enjoyable approach to teaching and learning. Participants will leave with increased confidence, enthusiasm, and practical strategies for integrating playful learning into diverse higher-education contexts.
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The 5E Instructional Model
Morgan Treaster, Matthew Tolliver, & Kristen Riem, ETSU Department of Pediatrics
Attendees will learn the 5E instructional model by experiencing it directly throughout this interactive session, structured around each 5E phase and including active participation throughout. During Engagement, participants will reflect in small groups on the structure of a past lecture they delivered. In Exploration, participants will brainstorm ways to enhance student–teacher interaction in their own courses. Explanation will occur through a whole-group didactic introducing each 5E phase, followed by Elaboration, a time to redesign a lecture outline using the 5E framework. Finally, in Evaluation, attendees will share and receive peer feedback on revised plans. By modeling the strategy we aim to teach, we show how the 5E model can be applied across disciplines, course topics, and teaching contexts. Grounded in adult learning theory and supported by evidence of improved student outcomes, this approach promotes meaningful high-impact instruction.
