Program Overview

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Undergraduate Education

The Office of Undergraduate Education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hosts an annual event focused on inspiring faculty with ideas for innovation and interactivity in the classroom. This event features speakers, small breakout sessions, and workshops, and is free and open to faculty, staff, and graduate students.

Teaching & Learning Colloquium

The Teaching & Learning Colloquium is a professional development opportunity for faculty and staff. The 2025 Spring In-Person Professional Development Session will be held on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the CBIS/Isermann Auditorium.

Presentation Details

• The presentation, discussion, and Q&A will be led by guest speaker James M. Lang, Professor of Practice at the Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Notre Dame and Emeritus Professor of English at Assumption University.
• Lang will offer insights into:
  • The neuroscience of the brain and how it processes information
  • Teaching in today's digital world of distractions and guidance on how to work with various strategies in the classroom
  • The correlation between distraction and students' respect for faculty and instructors

Speaker Biography

James M. Lang is the author of six books, including "Distracted: Why Students Can't Focus and What You Can Do About It," "Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning," and "Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty." He has given talks and workshops on teaching for faculty at over 300 colleges, universities, and schools in the U.S. and abroad, and has consulted for the United Nations on the development of teaching materials in ethics and integrity for college faculty.

Office of Undergraduate Education

The Office of Undergraduate Education is located in Walker Lab, Room 4010. The office is committed to the cultivation of a community that is welcoming, inclusive, and values learning. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or other characteristic protected by law.