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Below you will find a curated list of online teaching and learning articles, reports, research, white papers, podcasts, webinars, conferences, ed tech news/resources, and AI news/resources by the Academic Services and Products team at Risepoint. This list of resources is updated monthly. Last update: June 30, 2025.
Summer Institute for Distance Learning and Instructional Technology (SIDLIT “Side Light”)
Date: July 18, 2025
Location: WSU Tech NCAT Campus, Wichita, KS (and virtual)
Transforming Challenges into Opportunities: Education in a Changing World—this one-day hybrid event brings together designers, faculty, and ed-tech professionals for workshops on accessibility, AI in curriculum, engagement strategies, and more.
Thirty-Second International Conference on Learning
Date: July 8 – 10, 2025
Location: University of Granada, Granada, Spain + Online
Human Learning and Machine Learning—Challenges and Opportunities for AI in Education” brings global researchers together to discuss pedagogy, assessment, leadership, and technology integration.
MIT AI & Education Summit 2025
Date: July 16 – 18, 2025
Location: Cambridge, MA
Hosted by MIT’s RAISE initiative, this in-person summit explores AI literacy, responsible AI use in teaching, and hands-on workshops on building AI-enhanced learning tools.
UPCEA SOLAR 2025 Summit for Online Leadership and Administration
Date: July 22 – 24, 2025
Location: Portland, OR
Focused on digital transformation in online education, SOLAR offers sessions on credential innovation, program design, policy trends, and networking for administrators and instructional designers.
UDL-Con: International 2025
Date: July 22 – 23, 2025
Location: Capital Hilton, Washington, D.C. (and online)
The premier event on Universal Design for Learning, featuring keynotes, workshops, and panels on inclusive curriculum design, accessibility strategies, and UDL research.
AI for Educators Conference (TCEA)
Date: July 22 – 24, 2025
Location: Online
A practical, hands-on event offering sessions on AI-driven lesson planning, instructional design, and student engagement using– and governing – generative AI tools in education.
2.1 M Students Left Higher Ed Without a Degree Last Year
New data from the National Student Clearinghouse reveals that over two million students stopped out in 2023, prompting colleges to launch targeted “stop-out” re-engagement programs and flexible credential options to boost completion rates.
Nondegree Credentials Yield Mixed Outcomes
A new report from the American Enterprise Institute and the Burning Glass Institute analyzed over 23,000 nondegree programs and found that while the right credential can significantly boost a worker’s career, only about 18 percent of earners saw wage increases they wouldn’t have otherwise
Small Colleges Are Banding Together Against a Higher Endowment Tax. This Is Why.
Small private institutions, many of which rely on endowment returns for a large share of revenue—are uniting to lobby against provisions in the recent budget bill that would sharply increase taxes on their endowments, warning of severe financial strain if the measure passes
1 in 3 Americans recommend trade school for high school graduates
A smaller share of surveyed adults would suggest a four-year college or university as the “ideal post high school path,”
A ‘Great Misalignment’ Between Credentials and Jobs
An American Staffing Association survey finds that a plurality of adults now favor vocational or trade schools over four-year degrees for new high school graduates, with Gen Z being the only generation still leaning toward a traditional bachelor’s path.
University of Minnesota Eyes Steep Tuition Hikes and Budget Cuts
Facing looming federal and state funding reductions, the University of Minnesota is proposing a 6.5 percent tuition increase alongside 7 percent cuts to academic program budgets, and is exploring new revenue streams, including philanthropy,to navigate “unprecedented challenges”
Why I Stopped Starting Class with Content – and What Happened Instead
In this Faculty Focus piece, educator Kristen Eshleman describes replacing traditional content dumps with “unresolved paradox” openers, proving that starting with curiosity-driven puzzles dramatically increases engagement and critical thinking.
Making a Meaningful Environment for Belonging Drawing on social-ecological research, Kelly Hogan outlines how embedding belonging practices—like peer mentoring and inclusive syllabus design—strengthens students’ motivation, professional identity, and overall satisfaction.
A peer-reviewed study examining generative AI adoption strategies at 40 universities worldwide through the lens of Diffusion of Innovations Theory.
AI in higher education is driving a shift toward lifelong learning, Northeastern president says
Northeastern University President Joseph Aoun argues that AI is transforming higher education by pushing institutions to embrace lifelong learning, personalize offerings for adult learners, and cultivate a ‘humanics’ curriculum that blends tech, data, and human literacy to stay relevant in an AI‑driven world.
AI Agents Are Set To Transform Higher Education — Here’s How
This article highlights how AI agents are already revolutionizing higher education by automating admissions, advising, learning, and student support, delivering tangible outcomes like significant time savings and personalized engagement.
AI Has Changed How Students Search — And Universities Are Paying the Price
Everspring’s 2025 AI Search Trends Report reveals that Gen Z students are increasingly bypassing Google and turning to AI tools like ChatGPT for college research. This is forcing universities to rethink SEO and paid‐search strategies as they risk becoming invisible if they don’t adapt.
Does College Still Have a Purpose in the Age of ChatGPT?
This editorial warns that rampant AI use by students to outsource assignments—and even for grading—has pushed higher education ‘closer to a crisis point,’ prompting urgent calls for clear policies, in‑class assessments, and a reimagined pedagogical model to preserve academic integrity and critical thinking.
Students Speak: Survey Indicates Students Feel Unprepared to Use AI in the Workplace
Results from a survey of students at five major U.S. universities shows that while over 90% of students are familiar with AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini, just 3% feel ‘very confident’ in their ability to use AI in future jobs, and 65% say they haven’t had any AI‑focused coursework. This highlights a significant preparation gap for entering an AI‑driven workforce.
Has AI ‘transformed’ university for the better?
A recent BBC survey finds that while 44% of UK students are excited about AI transforming university life, many still worry about its academic impact, prompting calls for clearer guidance and ethical safeguards.
How Higher Ed Institutions Are Using Built-In Generative AI Tools
Higher education institutions such as the University of South Florida and Rice University are embedding generative AI, Microsoft Copilot in 365 and Google’s Gemini in Workspace, directly into their existing IT stacks, providing easy access for students and faculty while emphasizing the importance of clear data-privacy and usage agreements.
Students across campuses are turning to tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google NotebookLM to manage workloads and deepen learning; for example, at Kansas State University, Allison Abeldt uses AI-driven prompts and summarization to refine her study habits and boost performance.
Built on Moodle™, Open LMS offers a fully open-source learning management solution for education and corporate training, prioritizing flexibility, customization, and robust tech support to help institutions bridge digital divides and meet diverse educational goals.
Anne Trumbore of UVA’s Darden School traces the cyclical nature of edtech innovations from early computer-aided instruction to modern AI tutors arguing that recognizing historical patterns enables more strategic, student-centered technology adoption.
How AI Helps Our Students Deepen Their Writing (Yes, Really)
Composition teachers Dennis Magliozzi and Kristina Peterson report that, with clear guardrails like drafting independently first and using AI as a prompt for inspiration, not a shortcut. ChatGPT can serve as a constructive “thought partner” that deepens critical thinking and writing,
Study.com Classroom Teacher – Tool to Try
Study.com Classroom Teacher delivers over 100,000 state-aligned, animated video lessons with integrated quizzes and worksheets that plug into major LMS platforms, allowing educators to track student progress and tailor support based on real-time performance data.
Are We There Yet? Rebuilding Trust in the Value of Education
The hosts discuss strategies for restoring confidence in the purpose and outcomes of higher education amid shifting societal expectations.
High Structure Course Design for Student Engagement, Retention, and Success
Learn how clearly defined course frameworks can reduce failure rates, boost active learning, and help institutions retain students without sacrificing academic rigor.
Hosts explore a six-school professional development program that equips faculty with techniques for integrating AI into their instructional strategies.
How to Facilitate Enriching Learning Experiences
Practical tips and techniques for designing interactive, student-centered online sessions that foster deep engagement and learning.
Season 8 Wrap Up: Looking Back and Ahead
The Future U hosts reflect on Season 8’s highlights from AI developments to federal policy changes and preview emerging trends in higher education.
Higher Ed’s Struggling Workforce
An Inside Higher Ed episode examining how today’s budget cuts and hiring freezes are shaping faculty recruitment, retention, and institutional capacity.
2025 State of Higher Education Report (Gallup & Lumina Foundation)
A survey of 14,000 adults examining perceptions of college value, barriers to completion, and demographic trends to inform institutional strategy
Time for Class 2025 Report (D2L & Tyton Partners)
Based on over 3,000 faculty responses, this report evaluates how daily AI use can reduce teaching workload and influence institutional policies
Report: Higher Ed ‘Re-Norming’ With Tech
A Tyton Partners study shows that despite heavy generative AI usage (65 percent of students report weekly use), learners still overwhelmingly prefer in-person instruction, human-led support, and skills-based curricula over purely tech-driven models .
2025 Predictions for Online & Professional Education (UPCEA)
UPCEA’s annual forecast on workforce alignment, credential innovation, and digital learning trends driving online program growth
7/09 Leadership Under Pressure: Mastering Change, Complexity, and Uncertainty
Drawing on groundbreaking research on effective leadership, cognitive diversity, and team dynamics, this webinar explores how successful leaders navigate and build resilience in this tumultuous era of complexity and uncertainty. You’ll learn practical and proven strategies that help leaders effectively ride the waves of constant change, develop resilience for themselves and their team members, and harness the collective intelligence of their team to solve complex problems they face and drive innovative thinking in response.
7/16 Grading for Impact: Aligning Clarity and Feedback to Develop Great Learners
Featured Speakers: Davel Nagel & Bruce Potter A Summer Kickoff Examining How to Align Grading to Other High Yield Classroom Actions of Clarity.
Join us for a fast-paced, high-energy 60-minute launch event that will transform how you think about grading! Grading Visible Learners is more than a book—it’s a movement toward equity, clarity, and student ownership. In this engaging session, you’ll get hands-on with practical strategies that turn grading into a powerful tool for growth and motivation. Walk away with ready-to-use concepts and actions to start the 2025-2026 school year that make learning visible and empower student ownership. Plus, get an exclusive sneak peek at the interactive fall series led by the authors themselves. Equity. Empowerment. Impact. You’ll want a front-row seat for this one!
7/24 Stress-Free Course Policies: Supporting Student Learning & Easing Anxiety Without the Extra Work
The webinar will focus on two course policies that reduce stress for students while maintaining manageable workloads for instructors. The first policy addresses flexible late work submissions, including examples, implementation techniques, and student feedback on specific policies. The presenter will also share data she’s collected where students report just having these policies available to them reduces their anxiety and the number of students who actually utilize late-work policies are far fewer than one might expect. The second policy covers the acceptance of multiple assignment formats (e.g., audio, video, written), offering practical strategies for grading efficiency.
Live online course design and delivery webinars hosted by the Academic Services and Products team
Developed by Risepoint, Faculty eCommons (FeC) is a social learning ecosystem for faculty across the world to work together to improve online education. FeC contains resources specifically tailored to help online instructors and is maintained by the Academic Services and Products team at Risepoint.
The information provided on Faculty eCommons, including links to third-party websites, does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials on this website are for general informational purposes only.
Risepoint
700 North Pearl Street, Suite 600
Dallas, TX 75201
855-593-6050