SIDLIT 2026

This workshop provides an overview of Extended Reality (XR) and teaches the audience how to create a VR learning environment for educational purposes. The presentation includes two parts: 


Part 1: The Concept of XR (10 mins)
Dr. He will clarify the technical distinctions between XR, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), and these modalities' relationship to the physical world and the typical scenarios to apply these different "R"s. 


Part 2: The Skills of Creating VR (80 mins)
Dr. He will demonstrate and guide the audience through a hands-on process to learn how to create a VR learning environment using a free, web-based platform called FrameVR. A laptop is required for this workshop. The audience will learn how to register a FrameVR account, how to customize their avatars, how to navigate FrameVR, how to create and edit objects, and how to make the objects interactive. The audience will create a VR learning environment during the remaining time. 

Each of us has perhaps thousands of images in our cell phones, but what are we doing with them once they have been taken?  Do they just remain dormant in our cloud platforms? Let's use those intriguing images to be the driving force to create a very short story of six words or less.


A legendary tale has it that famed 20th century author, Ernest Hemingway (1970), is credited with creating this story writing technique. Yet, this poster presentation will elevate this writing technique by adding impactful images to each short story.


This workshop will have participants use their critical thinking skills to choose an image and craft six words or less to tell a complete story.


Be inspired to use this story writing technique as a team building activity for your next upcoming team project!


Last, preview a vetted set of images and very short stories from Emporia State University students, faculty, homeschool students, the Midwest, and other regions. Ultimately, these images and very short stories that were showcased at the Emporia Art Center this past April and May.
 
Participants will be charged with the following tasks:
--Be concise; remember you have up to six words maximum.
--Only select words that are meaningful; critical thinking skills are required.  ;-)
--You must share a complete story.
--Consider adding conflict, action, or a resolution.
--Again, carefully, choose your words.
--Evoke an emotion, surprise, smile, curiosity, or challenge the reader’s imagination to fill in the gaps of a larger narrative not told, but implied.
--Let the readers create a bigger ending in their minds.  There is power in what is NOT being said.

Ever feel like your classroom assessments and your course learning objectives are speaking two entirely different languages? It’s a common trap: we plan fascinating weekly lectures and activities, only to realize at midterms that our exams don't quite match what we actually expected students to master.


In this hands-on, 90-minute workshop, participants will use the framework of backwards design to build courses where every assignment, quiz, and lecture serves a distinct purpose. You will learn how to align your course with the spectrum of broad institutional goals and program standards down to measurable, daily course competencies. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy as our compass, we will analyze the cognitive levels of our objectives to ensure our summative assessments actually measure higher-order thinking (applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating) rather than just rote memorization. Providing clear evidence of student learning is essential for instructional improvement and accountability.


This is not a passive lecture. Come with a course in mind to create a concrete learning plan. You will walk away not just with theoretical knowledge, but with an actionable blueprint for a course unit that guarantees alignment and drives student success.

Don’t Miss the SIDLIT 2026 Scavenger Hunt—Only for In‑Person Attendees! 
Want a fun, interactive way to meet new colleagues and experience Emporia beyond the conference sessions? Join our SIDLIT Scavenger Hunt, an exclusive in‑person activity designed to spark connection, curiosity, and a little friendly competition!
Team up with fellow attendees from different institutions, follow clues, and uncover hidden gems along the way. But the real reward? The first three teams who complete the hunt will win dinner in downtown Emporia, giving you the perfect opportunity to continue conversations, build meaningful connections, and enjoy the local food scene together.
This is more than just a game—it’s a chance to network in a relaxed, memorable way and experience the community that’s hosting you.
 Come for the conference. Stay for the adventure. Leave with new connections.

The rapid growth of technology is a catalyst for changes in pedagogies. Traditionally, instructors create sequential, linear learning modules.  However, what are the important considerations when incorporating innovative technologies? 

               The driving factor for using any emerging technology should be supporting learning objectives, not showcasing exciting, novel functions.  The SAMR model (substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition) proposed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura provides a useful framework for adapting any technology.  When instructors first begin incorporating technologies into courses, they often focus on substitution and augmentation. For example, converting materials to a digital file (substitution) or creating a fun Kahoot game (augmentation).  The primary goal of the substitution and augmentation stages is to use technology to enhance learning.  The last two stages, modification and redefinition levels, aim to incorporate technology to transform learning.

                     Alan Carrington’s Padagogy Wheel (Pedagogy Wheel for apps, so it is spelled as “Padagogy Wheel”) is another useful framework to incorporate technologies to support learning, which incorporates Bloom’s taxonomy, SAMR model, and popularly used tools. The traditional learning design is usually linear and step-by-step. Some simulation and virtual reality settings allow learners to explore several avenues from multiple entry points. Therefore, the modules are now interconnected and require redesign.  Focusing on learner experience (UX), which includes focusing on meaningful, engaging, and inclusive class experiences, is another key consideration.
                     In addition to aligning with course learning objectives, utilizing theoretical frameworks such as SAMR and the Padagogy wheel, prioritizing learner experience, and adjusting pedagogy to the type of technology, it is also important to maintain accessibility compliance.

                     Every class is different, and each instructor is unique. Participants will draft their own personalized technology integration and collaborate by sharing ideas and resources.

Instructional designers constantly face challenges at their job. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the field and the considerable variances from position to position, it is vital to understand the instructional design (ID) professionals’ own experiences. This paper reports voices from novice ID professionals on the essential requirements of their ID work, and essential ID professional characteristics. From analyzing interviews with seven ID professionals from a variety of work contexts, the study reveals that the variety of key responsibilities fall onto four dimensions on contradictory ends, indicating four sets of characteristics that ID professionals need to learn to balance well. The findings present the four sets of characteristics in a spider web form with an instructional design at the center, promoting a shift to taking a holistic approach when developing competencies. This paper bears practical implications for aspiring and novice instructional designers, faculty who provide education for ID students, and employers who aim to look for the best fits for the positions, making contributions to the education of instructional designers, hiring and further professional development of ID professionals.

As generative AI becomes increasingly embedded in online and blended education, instructors face a difficult question: how can learning be supported and assessed when students can quickly generate polished answers, explanations, lesson materials, and multimedia products? Much of the current conversation focuses on academic integrity, prompt writing, tool adoption, or AI-use policies. While these issues are important, they do not fully address a deeper instructional question: what does meaningful learning look like when AI-generated output becomes part of the learning process? This work-in-progress session begins with a dialectical autoethnographic inquiry into a 24-turn interaction between the presenter and a generative AI system. Although the interaction began with a personally meaningful problem related to IRA planning, the focus of the analysis is not financial decision-making. Rather, the episode is used as a situated case for examining how learning unfolds within a human–AI–artifact system. Preliminary analysis suggests that AI-generated outputs should not be treated as final answers, neutral tools, or authoritative explanations. Instead, they function as epistemically unstable learning materials that require human verification, revision, justification, and synthesis. Building from this analysis, the session translates the emerging theoretical insight into practical strategies for online and blended teaching. The presenter will introduce assignment and assessment structures that foreground process evidence rather than only final products, including prompt archives, revision logs, delta reports, AI feedback loops, AI defense activities, peer process audits, and reflective synthesis prompts. These strategies are designed to help instructors evaluate how students define problems, examine AI-generated output, verify information, revise their thinking, justify decisions, and produce a defensible final synthesis. Participants will leave with a conceptual vocabulary for understanding generative AI-mediated learning and a set of adaptable strategies for designing assignments that make student judgment visible. The session is intended for educators, instructional technologists, online program leaders, and educational technology researchers interested in moving beyond AI-use compliance toward more rigorous, reflective, and assessable forms of AI-supported learning.

Canvas is packed with powerful features that can save instructors time, improve course quality, and enhance the student experience, yet many of these tools remain underutilized. In this session, participants will explore practical Canvas tips and hidden gems, including targeted messaging in the Gradebook, content recovery tools, accessibility features, page design enhancements, and AI-supported workflows. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to streamline course management, create more accessible and engaging content, and make better use of Canvas’s built-in capabilities.
Participants are recommended to attend with a laptop and try these tips during the presentation. 

Dr. Albrecht teaches in an online accelerated program (AOP) with an average of 85 students per class. In collaboration with Jiayi Wang, Learning Designer in Learning Technologies at Emporia State University, Dr. Albrecht has introduced innovative pedagogy for optimal student learning. Come and learn how she engages students for a face-to-face learning experience in an online course! Here is what students say about their learning experiences in these classes:

• "I really enjoyed your video lectures and the way you connected the learning content to real-life situations. I especially appreciated the examples you shared from your own experiences, as they made the concepts more meaningful and relatable. Another aspect I truly appreciated in your course was the thoughtful feedback on my assignments. Your comments were always encouraging and reflective, and they were written in a way that helped me grow as future leader while also building my confidence. Thank you."
• "This course was truly eye-opening. Completing the field experiences and intentionally reflecting on each one was extremely beneficial to my growth as a future school leader. The opportunity to shadow administrators at multiple levels allowed me to see firsthand the complexity of the principalship and the balance between instructional leadership and building management. These experiences helped me connect the coursework to real-world practice, especially in areas such as communication, decision-making, and supporting staff. Observing different leadership styles also helped me reflect on the type of leader I aspire to be and the importance of building trust and strong systems within a school. I also appreciated that the grading feedback was consistently positive, specific, and encouraging. Your feedback affirmed my thinking while also helping me deepen my reflection and consider additional leadership perspectives. Overall, this course has been one of the most valuable experiences in my program because it allowed me to learn directly from practicing administrators while reflecting on my own leadership development."
• "Dr. Albrecht is a great professor. She connects course content to real-life situations, allowing students to directly apply concepts that are taught. Dr. Albrecht provides thorough, meaningful feedback that allows students to think about what comes next, following each course assignment. Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Dr. Albrecht and taking this course."
• "Dr. Albrecht is a professor who clearly wants to help students. She is genuinely invested in their success and works hard to support them in achieving their goals. Thanks for a great course."
• "I appreciate your clear communication and quick turnaround time getting assignments graded. Thank you!"

 
Learn how to increase connectivity among and between students and instructor for more engaged online learning in Accelerated Online Educational Administration graduate courses.  For example, peek in on how weekly Zoom meetings are organized and used to conduct collaborative team decision-making as students work together live to solve problems building principals encounter through case scenarios. Rubric design and how to grade assignments using this innovative instruction and much more will be shared.  You do not want to miss out on how to organize and grade this advanced pedagogy.  Come learn how successful this strategy is in meeting learning outcomes for students.

Have you ever suddenly found yourself in charge after your supervisor moved on to a better opportunity? That happened to me in October 2024, and I was left to keep our tech systems running smoothly.
Over the past year-and-a-half, I’ve tackled everything from failing server drives to submitting board and credit card reports. It’s been a steep learning curve, but also an incredibly rewarding one.
I’d love to share some of the lessons I’ve learned—and hear about your experiences too. What challenges have you faced when stepping into a leadership role unexpectedly?

SIGs are a networking opportunity to allow professionals to collaborate on relevant topics. These are held over the lunch hour. Hosts prepare questions and facilitate a discussion on the topic of their choice.

SIGs are a networking opportunity to allow professionals to collaborate on relevant topics. These are held over the lunch hour. Hosts prepare questions and facilitate a discussion on the topic of their choice.

As generative AI becomes easier for students and educators to access, many institutions are responding with policies, permissions, restrictions, and detection tools. While these conversations matter, they often miss a central instructional design question: What learning is the assignment supposed to protect?
This session reframes AI guardrails as a learning design issue rather than a compliance checklist. Participants will examine how AI can support learning without replacing the thinking, decision-making, practice, and evidence students are meant to develop. Using practical examples from classroom and online learning contexts, the session will introduce a guardrails audit that helps educators identify which parts of a task may be AI-supported, which parts must remain student-owned, and what evidence can make student thinking visible.
Attendees will consider how guardrails can support academic integrity, accessibility, student agency, and meaningful engagement without relying only on surveillance or tool bans. The session is designed for educators, instructional designers, faculty/staff support professionals, and technology leaders who are helping others make responsible decisions about AI use in learning environments.
Participants will leave with adaptable questions they can use to review assignments, discussions, projects, and assessments at their own institutions or organizations.

By the end of the session, attendees will: 


Understand the core principles of micro lecture design. 


Learn how to integrate micro lectures into their own teaching or training programs. 

High engagement doesn’t come from expensive tools; it comes from intentional design. In this session, we’ll share how our nonprofit team builds highly engaging Canvas professional development for adult learners ages 14–70+ by thoughtfully selecting and layering the right tools for the right purpose. 
You’ll see real examples of how we use Canvas with interactive slides, flip cards, embedded activities, and structured discussions; alongside aligned objectives, reflection, and knowledge checks; to create meaningful learning experiences. More importantly, we’ll unpack the “why” behind each choice: how we match tools to learning goals, cognitive load, application, and desired levels of interaction. 
Leave with practical engagement strategies and tools that are purposeful, scalable, and budget-conscious; no premium integrations required.