Agenda

8:00 am-9:00 am  Registration and Coffee (Ryan Atrium)

9.00 am - 9:10 am  Introduction to the Day 
Adam Hauerwas, Academic Systems Architect / LMS Administrator at Providence College
Mary MacDonald, Senior Instructional Technologist at Framingham State University
Ryan Sobeck, Associate Director - Educational and Engagement Technology at Yale University
Lindsey Van Gieson, Director of Technology for Teaching and Learning at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

9:10 am - 10:15 am  Instructure/Canvas Speaker - Smarter Systems, Stronger Connections
Speaker:  Ryan Lufkin, VP of Global Academic Strategy at Instructure 
Exploring how efficiency, personalization, and AI can elevate the student journey. In an era of growing complexity and constrained resources, operational efficiency is no longer a luxury in higher education; it’s a necessity. In this session, we will explore how leading institutions are reimagining the digital campus, integrating systems, and optimizing the learning ecosystem to improve student engagement and institutional performance. Join us for an insights-driven conversation on how to reduce administrative burden, optimize adoption, and deliver high-quality, scalable education without burning out your teams.

10:15 am - 10:30 am Break 

10:30 am - 12:00 pm  Lightning Round Presentations
The Lightning Round presentations are a series of short talks designed to share best practices and insights and encourage conversations about innovative ideas and tips for using Canvas tools. 

Blueprinting for Student Success
Speaker: Erin Kalish, Instructional Designer &Technologist at Wheaton College

This session will present a case study of using Canvas Blueprints in the inaugural First Year Experience Lab course taken by all incoming first-year students in Fall 2025. The Lab course was hybrid and contained instructional content and assignments from three different areas on the Wheaton Campus--the library, Advising, and our Life & Career Design Institute. We used blueprinting to ensure continuity across sections and update the course as the semester progressed. I will describe my planning and implementation process, as well as the challenges that arose, and our future plans for using blueprinting in Canvas.

Implementing CidiLabs DesignPlus at RPI at Work
Speakers: 
Susan Riello, Director of Instructional Design,
Adam Hechler, Director of Technology Systems at RPI at Work

RPI at Work will share their roadmap for adopting Cidi Labs DesignPlus into their Canvas instance, including their software selection process, approach to engaging stakeholders, and planned next steps for implementation.

Canvas Learning Academy at Providence College
Speaker:  Roger Echols, Senior Instructional Technologist at Providence College

This session introduces the Canvas Learning Academy, a professional development course created for Providence College faculty. The three‑tier program covers Canvas essentials and online teaching best practices while awarding Canvas Credential badges—Apprentice, Architect, and Artisan—as participants progress. The Office of Teaching and Learning Technologies supports each tier with tools and interactive activities.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm   Unconference / Roundtable
The afternoon will be a less-structured, more organic opportunity to collaborate and share with fellow attendees. We will crowdsource topics for open discussion and encourage participation from all attendees!

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm  Next Steps / Wrap Up

3:00 pm   End