Empowering Instructors | Supporting Excellence
CATT News & Updates | Spring 2026
Student-Centered Pedagogy in Practice
By GREGORY TUYN
Updated March 25, 2026
Student-Centered Pedagogy in Practice was a daylong, interactive workshop designed to support instructors in developing student-centered course materials and teaching strategies. Through a combination of hands-on activities, individual reflection and small-group discussion, participants explored approaches that promote belonging, engagement and inclusive learning. Topics included syllabus design, active learning, formative assessment, mindfulness, digital accessibility and Universal Design for Learning.
Facilitators guided participants in applying student-centered practices directly to their own courses, with a focus on practical strategies that could be implemented right away. The workshop emphasized shared learning and concrete examples, providing instructors with tools and ideas to strengthen classroom climate and support student learning across a range of teaching contexts.
Upon completion of the session, instructors will:
- Describe best practices for developing student-centered course materials, including the course syllabus.
- Develop or revise a syllabus to reflect best practices.
- Describe best practices for a student-centered approach to course delivery.
- Identify and apply best practices to support a student-centered teaching approach in delivering course content.
8:30 a.m.
Check-in and light refreshments
9–10 a.m.
Creating a Focused Syllabus to Promote Belonging
10–10:30 a.m.
Syllabus Design Activity
Individual and small-group work facilitated by CATT staff
10:30–10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45–11:45 a.m.
Breakout sessions
- Using Formative Assessment to Promote Metacognitive Skills
- Mindful Pedagogy: Enhancing Student Participation and Performance
- UB Learns and Digital Accessibility, Including ADA Requirements
- Active Learning to Promote Belonging and a Positive Classroom Climate, Including Virtual Spaces
11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.
Lunch and open discussion
1–2 p.m.
Promoting Kindness and Belonging Through Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning
2–2:45 p.m.
Next Steps: Applications for the Classroom
Practical examples and group discussion
2:45–3 p.m.
Closing remarks
Using Formative Assessment to Promote Metacognitive Skills, Room 205
Presented by Cathleen Morreale
What if assessment could actively build better learners and not just measure learning? In this engaging, hands-on session, faculty will explore how formative assessment can be leveraged to strengthen students’ metacognitive skills, including self-awareness, self-monitoring, and strategic thinking. Through practical examples and collaborative discussion, participants will examine simple, high-impact strategies that make student thinking visible, spark reflection, and cultivate greater ownership of learning. Faculty will leave with ready-to-implement techniques that promote deeper engagement and more durable learning in any discipline.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Explain how formative assessment supports the development of students’ metacognitive skills.
- Identify and adapt 3–4 formative assessment techniques that promote reflection, self-monitoring, and self-regulation.
- Integrate metacognitive prompts or structured reflection into an existing course activity.
- Design feedback approaches that guide students to think about how they learn—not just what they learn.
Mindful Pedagogy: Enhancing Student Participation and Performance, Room 218
Presented by Jacqueline Conroy
Mindfulness is increasingly recognized as a powerful, research-informed practice that can support student attention, emotional regulation, and learning. This workshop will explore how mindfulness can enhance teaching and learning in college classrooms. Participants will discuss the purpose of mindfulness, examine the evidence behind mindful awareness, and consider its potential effects on student participation, academic performance, and classroom engagement.
The session will conclude with practical, accessible strategies that faculty can incorporate into their own teaching to foster presence, focus, and a supportive learning environment.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the purpose of mindfulness in higher education contexts and explain how mindful awareness can support teaching and learning.
- Summarize scientific evidence behind mindfulness practices, including their role in attention, stress regulation, and cognitive engagement.
- Identify potential impacts of mindfulness on student participation and academic performance, particularly in relation to focus, motivation, and classroom climate.
- Experience and reflect on brief mindfulness techniques that can be used to support presence and readiness to learn in college classrooms.
- Develop practical strategies for integrating mindfulness into pedagogy, including inclusive, accessible practices that can be incorporated into a variety of disciplines and teaching modalities.
UB Learns and Digital Accessibility, Including ADA Requirements, Room 228
Presented by Michelle Connolly and Sarah Guglielmi
Student-centered teaching encourages us to design learning experiences that actively involve students in the learning process. Yet many LMS courses are still organized primarily as places to store readings, slides, and assignments. In this session, we will explore how UB Learns (Brightspace) can be used more intentionally to support student-centered learning. Participants will reflect on their beliefs about teaching and learning and consider how those beliefs show up in the way their courses are designed in the LMS. We will also briefly discuss how accessible course design—especially in light of the upcoming Title II ADA digital accessibility requirements—supports student engagement and ensures all students can access and participate in course materials. Through examples and a short redesign activity, faculty will identify small, practical changes they can make in UB Learns to better support engagement, practice, feedback, accessibility, and student learning.
Active Learning to Promote Belonging and a Positive Classroom Climate, Including Virtual Spaces, Room 222
Presented by Roberta Schlehr
Do you want to unlock strategies to captivate your students' interest? Join this workshop to discover innovative methods for transforming passive learners into active participants, all while fostering a connected and stimulating classroom environment.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify passive vs. active student behaviors
- Select and apply at least two active learning strategies
- Reflect on engagement practices and opportunities