Professional Development Programs

Professional Development Programs

The Malone Center for Excellence in Teaching sponsors a number of professional development programs designed to support faculty in the use of evidence-based instructional approaches, to promote the integration of innovative instructional technologies, and to foster students’ academic success. Information about these programs can be found below.

Did you miss a workshop that you were interested in? Resources from workshops prior to Spring 2020 can be accessed on the  Past Professional Development Workshops  page. Recordings of and handouts from workshops after Spring 2020 are available in the Malone Center’s  Instructional Resources  Canvas course. If you do not have access to this Canvas course, please  email the Malone Center and request access.

Faculty Teaching Exchange

An excellent idea put forward by the Fall 2023 Book Study group, this new program offers Faculty a communication hub to connect with colleagues open to guest observers in their class sessions. Participation and reporting of any results is voluntary; this is a different moment than formal observations as defined by departments and programs. This is an opportunity to share ideas for effective instructional techniques, provide resources for Faculty to find solutions to common challenges in delivery and session design, and provide a way to experience firsthand the courses our students take at UM and how we can reinforce the connections between those courses to best realize the benefits of a Liberal Arts curriculum.

Interested Faculty of all classifications can fill out the form linked below to receive more information, there is no deadline to sign up as enrollment will be ongoing.

Summer Online Intensives

The Malone Center and campus partners offer compensated summer session online course intensives in specialty topics. All full-time Faculty are eligible to submit applications to register. Online Intensives are on hold for Summer 2025 to return in Summer 2026. Previous Summer Intensive course content will be available to Faculty on-demand in the Falcon Learn system.

TaLON Institute, Fall 2024 “Exploring Universal Design for Learning”

Hybrid starting 6/1/2024, In-Person Clinic Workshop August 9, 2024 from 10AM to 3PM

Thank you to all who participated in TaLON 2024. TaLON is on hold for Summer 2025 to return in 2026. The 2024 content and resources will be available on the Falcon Learn system in Fall 2025 for on-demand Faculty access. 

Universal Design for Learning offers opportunities for learner inclusion and enrichment of the learning experience for all- not just those eligible for official accommodations. This year’s episode in the TaLON Institute annual professional development event series will provide 15 participants with foundational information about UDL principles, instructional design ideas and examples, and key features of a universally accessible course in a Canvas course followed by an in-person (no remote access options, unfortunately) one day workshop with provided lunch and other “compelling snacks” as is the Malone Center brand! The hybrid portion of the institute is asynchronous with no set deadlines, although the preparation materials must be completed to successfully participate in the in-person workshop.  Upon submission of the completed workshop product, participants will receive a $400 stipend. All Faculty are eligible to register, including adjunct faculty- those teaching online are particularly encouraged to participate! Registration is first-come-first-served with an option for a waitlist.   Any questions about content or access can be emailed to Emily Gill, gille@montevallo.edu.

Career Portfolio Creation Support for Faculty

T&P and FAR Portfolio Workshop, Wednesday, November 5, 3:30 PM- 5:30 PM, or by appointment for individuals and departments/colleges.

Faculty at all levels are invited to come learn about design strategies and system tools to help create and maintain dynamic career portfolios on Canvas for annual evaluations, benchmark reviews, and other professional archival needs. In the group session, we will focus on translating tenure and promotion guidelines into well-organized Canvas sites easy to review and maintain year to year. Participants should review their departmental or division guidelines, and those who want to work along with the presentation will want to bring their own laptop with some sample files they want to add to their portfolio. Design and technical support consultations are available for individuals and groups by emailing Malone Center Faculty Director, Emily Gill gille@montevallo.edu.

Toolbox Talks

Toolbox Talks are the primary professional development series for the Malone Center. These monthly lunch workshops present a how-to guide and hands-on demonstration of an innovative instructional tool or pedagogical theme. Lunch will be provided for in-person participants who register by 10 am the Monday prior to the workshop. UM Faculty can access resources and prep materials for each workshop in the “Instructional Resources” Falcon Learn site.

If you know you want to watch a recording of an event, you may register and select that modality, and we will send you a link to the recording as soon as it is available.

September 10, 2025: Using Metacognition Strategies to Promote Critical Thinking Skills Development

This Toolbox Talk revisits a previous session on metacognition-inclusive pedagogy offered in 2021. Adding information about current tools and resources available, particularly generative AI technology widely available, participants will explore their own thinking habits and patterns and how they contribute to how they approach individual and collaborative work.

Session is September 10, 2025, from 12 noon to 1 PM, H2 Studio in Hill House, our classroom training space. Options for Faculty to participate: live attendance with provided buffet lunch for those registering before 10 AM on Monday, September 8; synchronous remote access via Teams; and registration until 5 PM on Tuesday, September 9, for anyone wanting live attendance but no lunch. All Toolbox Talks are posted to the Instructional Resources Canvas course for UM Faculty once captioning and video editing is completed.

October 15, 2025: Authentic Assessments and Learning Outcomes

This session also revisits an earlier Toolbox Talk, but also includes information for UM Faculty related to our Academic Integrity process, AI-responsive assessment design, and new ideas to refresh course assessments and activities. Resources and supplemental readings are available for UM Faculty in the “Instructional Resources” Falcon Learn site.

Session is October 15, 2025, from 12 noon to 1 PM, H2 Studio in Hill House, our classroom training space. Options for Faculty to participate: live attendance with provided buffet lunch for those registering before 10 AM on Monday, October 13, synchronous remote access via Teams; and registration until 5 PM Tuesday, October 14, for anyone wanting live attendance and no lunch. All Toolbox Talks are posted to the Instructional Resources Canvas course for UM Faculty once captioning and video editing is completed.

November 12, 2025: Inclusive Course Delivery Strategies

A quick version of the 2024 TaLON Institute topic of exploring Universal Design for Learning principles through redesigning an example learning activity, this session will provide resources for Faculty who wish to explore integrating UDL strategies into their instruction. UM Faculty can access prep resources in the “Instructional Resources” Falcon Learn site.

Session is November 12, 2025, from 12 noon to 1 PM, H2 Studio in Hill House, our classroom training space. Options for Faculty to participate: live attendance with provided buffet lunch for those registering before 10 AM on Monday, November 10; synchronous remote access via Teams; and registration until 5 PM Tuesday, November 11, for anyone wanting live attendance and no lunch. All Toolbox Talks are posted to the Instructional Resources Canvas course for UM Faculty once captioning and video editing is completed.

Faculty Book Club

Fall 2025: The New College Classroom, by Cathy N. Davidson and Christina Katopdis

Selected and facilitated by Dr. Melissa Shepherd, Associate Professor of Psychology, this book explores research-based strategies for creating engaging learning experiences for post-secondary students in the 21st century. Enrolling in the book club requires participation in three one-hour sessions from 9-10 A.M. with Dr. Shepherd in the Malone Center at Hill House. Dates are: 9/24/2025, 10/22/2025, and 11/19/2025. Book copies and morning snacks will be provided.

Register here, and if you are interested in suggesting a title and/or leading a future cohort, you can submit recommendations at any time through the linked form below.

Foundations of Online Instruction 

The Foundations of Online Instruction training is designed to familiarize instructors with the fundamental principles of quality distance education in order to prepare them for a variety of distance modalities including fully online, hybrid, and hyflex courses.

The training course consists of three instructional modules:

• Module 1: Best Practices contains an overview of best practices in distance education, including pedagogical strategies and course accessibility.
• Module 2: Policies provides an introduction to the policies put forth by SACSCOC, ACHE, and others to regulate online and distance courses.
• Module 3: Building Your Distance Course introduces you to the instructional design process and allows you to practice applying what you learned in the first two modules to develop materials for a course of your choosing (or modify previously developed materials).

If you are planning to teach a distance education course at the University of Montevallo and you have not already completed Foundations of Online Instruction or the previously offered Teaching Effectively Online, you can register for Foundations of Online Instruction through the following link.

Fresh-Refresh Sessions for New(ish) Faculty

Over the course of Fall 2025 semester, the Malone Center will offer a series of informational sessions for new (and “new-ish”) Faculty to learn about opportunities on campus for special programming and UM career planning and management as they move towards tenure and promotion. Sessions are open to all UM Faculty, see the tentative schedule below:

UPDATED DATE! Friday, September 5, 2:00 PM, H2 Studio Classroom: FDAC 101

Wednesday, September 24, 3:30 PM, H2 Studio Classroom: Interdisciplinary Curriculum Opportunities for Faculty and Students

Wednesday, October 8, time TBD, J.A. Brown Room, Carmichael Library: New Faculty Showcase- Faculty Research and Teaching Symposium (submit a proposal below)

Wednesday, November 5, 3:30 PM, H2 Studio Classroom: Faculty Activity Report and Tenure and Promotion Portfolio Development Workshop (see registration above)

Faculty Research and Teaching Symposium

During this event, we highlight the accomplishments of UM faculty in teaching and creative endeavors. The day will feature faculty research and teaching innovation presentations as well as a capstone keynote address from the 2025-2026 University Scholar. The event’s schedule will be organized around the University’s class schedule to allow faculty, staff, and students to come and go as needed. Please submit proposals via the link below. For any questions about  the format or available presentation amenities, please see this Information Sheet or you can contact Emily Gill at gille@montevallo.edu.

2025 Faculty Research and Teaching Symposium
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
J. A. Brown Room, Carmichael Library

New Faculty Orientation and Resources

The Malone Center for Excellence in Teaching hosts a two-day new faculty orientation each fall, which is required for all first-year faculty. New faculty orientation introduces participants to the University’s policies and procedures that are pertinent to teaching faculty. This orientation is followed by regular meetings throughout the first academic year to better acquaint our newest faculty with the UM campus and culture.

For access to the New Faculty resource course on Falcon Learn, please email Director Emily Gill, gille@montevallo.edu