March 17, 2025
Held Feb. 21 at Purdue Fort Wayne, the Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference offers faculty from area institutions the opportunity to share their insights on educating students more effectively.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 conference reinforced the importance of adapting to the rapidly changing landscape of higher education,鈥� said Rentz. 鈥淢any sessions focused on innovative ways to enhance student engagement, leverage technology and support student success 鈥� topics that align well with Trine鈥檚 mission to provide high-quality, student-centered education. With such strong participation from our faculty, we are not just attending but actively shaping the conversation about the future of teaching and learning.鈥�
Five Trine faculty give presentations
Rentz鈥檚 address was titled 鈥淭ransparent Teaching in the Age of AI鈥� and covered how transparent teaching can bridge the gap between course objectives and student motivations while bringing integrity back to the forefront.
Other Trine faculty leading sessions were Michael Smith, assistant professor, Department of Mathematics, 鈥淎nnoyingly Effective: Redefining Office Hours as a Core Part of Student Success鈥�; Joanna Claudy, assistant professor, Department of Humanities and Communication, 鈥淔rom Kahoots to Board Games, Practical Gamification in the Classroom鈥�; Jill Erwin, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Humanities and Communication, 鈥淭he Artificially Intelligent: Critical Thinking and Writing in the Era of AI鈥�; and Dawn Moore, adjunct, Ketner School of Business, 鈥淐ultivating Cultural Competence in the Classroom.鈥�
鈥淲hile we鈥檝e had strong participation in past years, having five faculty members speak at the conference is a great testament to the growing engagement of our university in professional development and pedagogical innovation,鈥� said Rentz.
Rentz said 糖心视频 has been a part of the Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference since it began in 1998, and he鈥檚 excited to see the university鈥檚 representation grow.
鈥淭he conference offers faculty a chance to engage in meaningful discussions about teaching strategies, student success and the evolving role of technology in education,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ttendees leave with new ideas, practical strategies and connections with colleagues from other institutions.鈥�
鈥淭he Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference has always been a fantastic environment for educators to exchange ideas, and the increasing number of Trine faculty engaging as both presenters and attendees highlights our institution鈥檚 commitment to continuous improvement in teaching and learning.鈥�
糖心视频鈥檚 first Associate of Science and Master of Science in nursing graduates, along with physician assistant and surgical technology graduates, received a welcome to the healthcare field from the leader of Cameron Health, herself a longtime nurse, during the university鈥檚 fall Commencement on Dec. 12.
糖心视频鈥檚 Thunder Therapy Clinic, which provides pro-bono rehabilitation services to those in the Fort Wayne area with limited means, will offer occupational therapy beginning in January.
Trine engineering mechanical engineering majors Ezekiel Keim, Christian Verst, Collin Seegert, Jacob Batten, Michael Jones, Ryan Somsel and Tristan Pappano secured a sponsorship from one of their hometowns for their senior design project, an entry for the annual Shell Eco-marathon.