BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Edge, the Nation's Nonprofit Technology Consortium - ECPv6.16.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Edge, the Nation's Nonprofit Technology Consortium
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://njedge.net
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Edge, the Nation's Nonprofit Technology Consortium
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20230312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20231105T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260416T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260416T170000
DTSTAMP:20260613T200346
CREATED:20250623T205119Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T162322Z
UID:10000004-1776330000-1776358800@njedge.net
SUMMARY:EdgeCon Spring 2026
DESCRIPTION:Agenda\n8:00-8:30 – Check In / Registration \n8:30-9:30 – Exhibitor Networking & Breakfast \n9:40-10:20 – Breakout Session 1 \n10:30-11:10 – Breakout Session 2 \n11:20-12:30 – Keynote Panel \n12:30-1:30 – Exhibitor Networking & Lunch \n1:40-2:20 – Breakout Session 3 \n2:30-3:10 – Breakout Session 4 \n3:10-4 – Coffee & Connections: Exhibitor Networking \n  \nWhen Digital Learning Becomes Infrastructure: What Changes for Teaching and Learning\nDigital learning is no longer experimental in higher education. Learning platforms\, analytics\, AI tools\, and online and hybrid delivery models are now embedded in how institutions teach\, advise\, assess\, and communicate. For many campuses these systems function as core infrastructure shaping everyday academic practice\, often without being explicitly named as such. \nThis keynote panel moves beyond questions of what institutions should adopt next and instead examines what changes once digital learning becomes embedded in the institution. Panelists will explore how decisions affecting pedagogy\, accessibility\, equity\, and academic quality are increasingly made through systems\, policies\, and vendor configurations-and where responsibility for those decisions truly sits. \nThe conversation will surface how institutional structures\, governance models\, and technology ecosystems influence teaching and learning behind the scenes\, and what happens when the desire for speed\, scale\, and automation collides with the need for quality\, trust\, and accountability. Panelists will also discuss where institutions are intentionally slowing down\, adding guardrails\, or revisiting assumptions as digital learning continues to scale. \nRather than focusing on emerging trends\, this session centers on institutional maturity: how roles and responsibilities shift as digital learning becomes infrastructure\, what higher education must still actively own\, and where the risks of not deciding are already being felt. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBreakout Sessions\nBreakout Session 1 • 9:40 – 10:20 AM\nExpand AI or Not? Designing Assignments in the Age of Artificial Intelligence \nRoom – BSC 225 East \nThis presentation examines the increasingly difficult challenge of detecting AI-generated student work and its implications for academic integrity and instructional design. As AI tools become more sophisticated and accessible and students improve their proficiency in using them\, educators face increasing uncertainty about the reliability of AI and plagiarism detection software and how to interpret the results.  We’ll begin with a game to challenge participants’ AI identification skills.  We’ll then examine the limitations of detection software and compare two approaches to assessment design: creating “AI-proof” assignments that minimize the potential for student AI assistance and creating assignments that require students to leverage AI as part of the process. Finally\, we’ll explore the pedagogical and ethical challenges and benefits of each approach.  \nPresenter: \n\nJarrod Cecere\, Instructional Designer\, Seton Hall University\n\nExpand From Insight to Innovation: Using Data and Market Analytics to Inform Digital Program Development \nRoom – BSC 225 West \nThis session explores how Stockton University is integrating labor market intelligence\, enrollment trends\, and academic program analytics to guide the development of new digital and hybrid programs. By bringing together expertise from institutional research\, academic leadership\, finance\, and enrollment teams through the Gray Decision Intelligence (Gray DI) platform\, Stockton is moving toward a more strategic and data-informed approach to program portfolio maintenance and development. \nThe presentation will highlight how market data\, student demand indicators\, and competitive landscape analysis can help institutions identify opportunities for new digital offerings\, evaluate program viability\, and align program development with institutional priorities such as access\, workforce relevance\, and long-term sustainability. The session will also discuss practical considerations for incorporating data into academic planning processes\, including faculty engagement\, governance pathways\, and balancing quantitative insights with academic mission and disciplinary expertise. \nParticipants will gain insights into how data can support more intentional decision-making around digital program development while fostering collaboration between academic and administrative units responsible for planning\, analytics\, and resource allocation. \nPresenters: \n\nNicole Suprun\, Associate Director of Planning\, Stockton University\nKelly Oquist\, Director of Academic Finance\, Stockton University\nJessica Kay\, Director of Institutional Research\, Stockton University\n\nExpand From Audit to Action: Real Strategies for ADA Title II Compliance in Higher Ed \nRoom – BSC 222 \nWith the ADA Title II deadline now here\, the question for most institutions has shifted from “do we need to comply?” to “how do we actually do this?” In this session\, Edge is joined by institutional partners who have each approached compliance differently – and together they tell a story that covers nearly every angle an institution might be navigating right now. Mercer County Community College shares what a comprehensive accessibility audit revealed and how those findings became the foundation for a systemic\, institution-wide response. Passaic County Community College walks through a course remediation partnership model that brought inaccessible courses back to life at scale without adding burden to already stretched faculty. Stockton University reflects on what it took to address compliance across complex vendor platforms while simultaneously building the faculty awareness and buy-in needed to make accessibility a shared institutional value. And Felician University – a private institution that chose to get ahead of the curve – speaks to what proactive compliance looks like from the inside: building policy and procedures\, establishing student-facing communication\, and holding vendors accountable before problems became crises. Together\, these perspectives offer something for everyone in the room: practical strategies\, honest reflection\, and proof that compliance is achievable regardless of institutional type\, size\, or starting point. Attendees will leave with concrete takeaways and a clearer sense of what a realistic compliance roadmap can look like for their own institution. \nPresenters: \n\nLaura M. Romeo\, Ph.D.\, Director of Digital Learning Innovation\, Scholarship\, and Educational Services\, Edge\nInder Singh\, VP for Information Technology Services\, Mercer County Community College\nDr. Deanna Valente\, Dean of Academic IT\, Information Systems & Learning & Development\, Felician University\nScott Huston\, Chief Information Officer\, Stockton University\n\nExpand The Modern Digital Campus: Turning Online Access Into Real Engagement and Community \nRoom – BSC 224 \nOnline learners and faculty often exist at the edges of campus culture – engaged in academics but disconnected from community. In this session\, we’ll explore how institutions are using a unified campus experience platform to replicate the richness of the physical campus in a digital environment – personalized\, inclusive and built around the specific needs of online and hybrid learners.  \nWe’ll draw on real outcomes from Franciscan University of Steubenville\, where intentional segmentation and student-centered design drove online student awareness of resources from 69% to 94% – and discuss how institutions of any size or model can apply the same approach to close culture gaps and extend a sense of belonging to adjunct and online faculty. Whether you’re rethinking student engagement or looking to better support your distributed teaching community\, this session offers a practical\, replicable framework for building a digital campus that works for everyone. \nPresenters: \n\nLindsey Haynes\, Director of Franciscan Life Online\, Franciscan University of Steubenville\nAllison Dean\, Account Executive\, Pathify\n\nExpand As Seen on TV: Using Television Best Practices in Video Lectures \nRoom – BSC 216 Leadership Training Room \nProf. John Baldino draws on two decades of experience in television and digital media to help educators strengthen their courses with compelling video content. Grounded in best practices in television and online video shaped by consumer behavior\, this session will provide practical strategies for producing engaging\, high-quality video for both online and on-ground learning\, blending proven media techniques with today’s digital teaching tools. \nPresenter: \n\nJohn Baldino\, Director\, Center for Teaching and Learning / Assistant Professor\, Lackawanna College\n\nBreakout Session 2 • 10:30 – 11:10 AM\nExpand Covid\, AI and the Blue Book: Rethinking Pedagogy in 2026 \nRoom – BSC 225 East \nWhat year did you graduate college? Did you take blue book or scantron exams? How would your students (or children!) react to that experience? Let’s chat about how the pandemic\, then AI\, radically altered the educational landscape changing the rules of engagement in the college classroom. This interactive session invites instructional designers\, faculty\, and administrators to collaboratively explore the urgent need to update pedagogical strategies to align with the lived experiences and expectations of today’s students. This session will use structured dialogue\, small-group activities\, and reflective exercises to surface challenges\, share solutions\, and co-create actionable strategies. \nPresenter: \n\nEllen Farr\, Director of Online Learning\, The College of New Jersey\n\nExpand From Clicks to Strategy: Using Canvas Analytics\, AI\, and Communication Data to Drive Institutional Decision-Making \nRoom – BSC 225 West \nThis session examines how Providence College leverages Canvas analytics to move beyond course-level insights and build a data-informed annual report that directly shapes academic and operational decision-making. Drawing on real dashboards and reporting workflows\, the presentation will show how LMS engagement data is aggregated\, contextualized\, and translated into narratives that inform faculty development\, instructional design priorities\, resource allocation\, and long-term digital learning strategy. \nIn addition to Canvas usage and engagement metrics\, the session highlights how categorization of email subject lines and communication patterns\, supported by AI-assisted tagging and analysis\, adds a critical layer to understanding student support\, outreach effectiveness\, and institutional responsiveness. By connecting LMS data\, internal databases\, and communication analytics\, the institution creates a more holistic picture of how digital learning ecosystems function in practice. \nAttendees will learn practical approaches to building scalable dashboards\, aligning analytics with institutional goals\, and using AI ethically and transparently to support decision-making. The session emphasizes lessons learned\, challenges encountered\, and strategies for ensuring analytics remain meaningful\, actionable\, and human-centered rather than purely technical. \nPresenters: \n\nAaron Colaiacomo\, Sr. Instructional Technologist\, Providence College\n\nExpand Reimagining Adult Learning through Collaborative Open Pedagogy Planning\, Design\, and Execution \nRoom – BSC 222 \nThis presentation details the strategic design of a Wikimedia initiative at Lehman College that conceptually resituates students from passive consumers into active knowledge producers. The true innovation lies not just in the deliverables\, but in the “positive collaboration” framework used to build it. Attendees will leave with two key takeaways: a pedagogical model for using Wikipedia to teach digital literacy and public scholarship\, and a replicable “collaboration map” for identifying and engaging cross-campus stakeholders. By highlighting the specific roles and positive interplay of these departments\, we demonstrate how reimagining adult learning starts with reimagining how we work together. \nPresenter: \n\nDermot Foley\, Associate Director of Online Education\, Center for Teaching and Learning\, Lehman College\, CUNY\n\nExpand Behind the Veil: Designing Just Digital Learning in the Age of AI \nRoom – BSC 224 \nAs artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in learning management systems\, instructional tools\, and institutional decision-making\, higher education is entering a new phase of digital learning\, one defined not only by access to technology but by the values and assumptions encoded into it. Systems designed to support teaching and learning are now shaping what counts as engagement\, rigor\, integrity\, and success. Yet many of these systems still operate on inherited models of standardization\, compliance\, and surveillance\, models that often privilege the most advantaged users while intensifying barriers for those who are least resourced\, least confident\, or most vulnerable to exclusion. \nThis session introduces a philosophically grounded but highly practical framework for evaluating digital learning design through the lens of John Rawls’s veil of ignorance. Rawls’s thought experiment asks designers to build institutions without knowing what role they will occupy within them\, whether student or instructor\, advantaged or marginalized\, digitally fluent or struggling. Applied to digital learning systems\, this lens reveals how common institutional defaults\, including rigid deadlines\, narrow definitions of participation\, and high-stakes assessment structures\, are now being amplified by AI-enabled systems such as integrity tools and proctoring platforms\, predictive analytics dashboards\, and automated feedback systems. These tools often promise objectivity and efficiency\, but they can also intensify inequities when deployed under policy pressure for standardization and scalability. \nParticipants will explore instructional design as a form of moral architecture and will be introduced to a Rawlsian Design Audit\, a set of guiding questions that can be applied to course design\, institutional policy\, and learning technology governance. Using examples drawn from common LMS practices and emerging AI-enabled tools\, attendees will examine five design domains\, including time\, communication\, assessment\, navigation\, and institutional governance. The session will highlight justice-oriented alternatives that support learner and faculty agency\, such as multimodal participation pathways\, transparent assessment design\, flexible pacing structures\, human-centered feedback practices\, and governance approaches that treat AI as a tool for support rather than surveillance. Participants will leave with a concrete\, reusable framework and checklist for evaluating whether digital learning environments are being built primarily for efficiency and scale\, or for justice\, inclusion\, and human dignity.  \nPresenters: \n\nSteven D’Agustino\, Senior Director for Online Programs\, Fordham University\nJoshua Gaul\, Chief Information Officer\, SUNY Schenectady County Community College\n\nBreakout Session 3 • 1:40 – 2:20 PM\nExpand One Course\, Many Formats: AI + UDL for In-Person\, Hybrid\, and Online Learning \nRoom – BSC 225 East \nHow do I adjust my course content and teaching for a variety of modalities? Designing a course that works across in-person\, hybrid\, and online formats can feel overwhelming\, especially as faculty balance accessibility\, engagement\, and academic rigor. This session explores how Artificial Intelligence\, grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL)\, can help instructors design once and adapt intentionally across multiple learning environments. \nRather than treating each format as a separate course\, participants will examine how AI can function as a design partner to: \n\nAnticipate and reduce barriers before students encounter them.\nCreate multiple means of engagement\, representation\, and expression based on the course modality.\nDevelop flexible assessments aligned to shared learning outcomes.\nScaffold student learning while maintaining rigor.\nStreamline feedback and course adjustments without increasing workload.\nThrough practical examples and adaptable prompts\, attendees will leave with concrete strategies for building resilient\, inclusive courses that translate effectively across in-person\, hybrid\, and online settings.\n\nPresenter: \n\nJaimie Dubuque\, Learning Technology Administrator\, Ellucian\n\nExpand Building the Plane While Flying It: Lessons from Launching an AI Faculty Institute in Fall 2025 \nRoom – BSC 225 West \nWhat does intentional\, institution-wide AI faculty development actually look like in practice? At The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)\, The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) partnered with faculty colleagues across campus to design and launch a five-week\, online\, stipend-supported certificate program to support more than 55 full-time faculty in moving from isolated experimentation with AI toward intentional\, discipline-informed engagement in their teaching and research. \nIn this session\, we share the institutional choices that shaped the program’s design\, the adjustments we made in response to faculty realities\, and what participant data revealed about what actually supports sustained engagement. We will discuss how we used the Canvas LMS to deploy the CETL AI Faculty Institute\, leveraged our new One Button Recording Studios to create content introducing each week’s module\, and created a forum space within the Canvas course for faculty to interact with one another as they experimented with AI tools and explored fundamental AI literacy. Attendees will leave with a replicable program framework\, implementation lessons grounded in practice\, and a reframing of AI faculty development – not as a one-time workshop\, but as a durable\, sustainable institutional infrastructure. \nPresenters: \n\nJoseph Baker\, Professor\, Department of Chemistry\, The College of New Jersey\nJudi Cook\, Executive Director\, CETL\, The College of New Jersey\nEllen Farr\, Director of Online Learning\, CETL\, The College of New Jersey\nRebecca Hunter\, Associate Professor\, Department of Chemistry\, The College of New Jersey\nJohn Oliver\, Information Literacy Librarian\, The College of New Jersey\nAndrea Salgian\, Professor\, Department of Computer Science\, The College of New Jersey\n\nExpand Stop Retrofitting: Why Embedding Instructional Design from Day One Changes Everything \nRoom – BSC 222 \nMost institutions discover the cost of skipping instructional design the hard way – through courses that don’t hold together\, assessments that don’t match outcomes\, and program experiences that feel inconsistent from one course to the next. In this session\, Edge’s instructional design team uses the development of a graduate-level occupational therapy program as a real-world case study to explore what intentional\, embedded program design actually looks like – and why it matters. Attendees will see how aligning learning outcomes across an entire program from the start\, designing assessments that reflect authentic professional practice\, and building a coherent student journey from course one to course completion produces measurably better results than retrofitting courses after the fact. But more importantly\, they’ll leave with a practical framework they can bring back to their own institutions – whether they’re building something new\, reexamining something existing\, or trying to make the case internally for why instructional design needs a seat at the table from the beginning. \nPresenters: \n\nLaura M. Romeo\, Ph.D.\, Director of Digital Learning Innovation\, Scholarship\, and Educational Services\, Edge\nShirley Abbelard\, MOT\, OTR/L\, Assistant Professor\, Felician University\n\nExpand Reimagining Intro to Comm: Voice\, Choice\, and Digital Design \nRoom – BSC 224 \nAs educators in a rapidly evolving digital world\, we’re on a mission to design learning experiences that reflect the real-world communication demands and creative possibilities students will encounter in their future careers. Projects that prioritize student voice and choice invite learners to explore new modes of expression through multimedia content creation. In this session\, a professor and an instructional designer will share how they co-designed communication projects that empowered students to create compelling multimedia content\, respond to realistic scenarios\, and engage meaningfully with their peers. \nPresenter: \n\nVictoria Ghilardi\,Senior Learning Experience Strategist\, Berkeley College\nLisa Karakas\, English Professor\, Berkeley College\n\nExpand Humanizing Courses to Promote a Community of Learners \nRoom – BSC 2016 Leadership Training Room \nOur diverse classrooms include first-generation\, differently abled\, international\, and non-traditional students\, among many other categories. Students bring their own strengths and concerns when it comes to “what will this class experience mean to me?” \nHigher education research into “humanizing” courses is centered in online teaching and learning. In this session\, we will share how these same principles can create opportunities to encourage students to share their personal preferences and individual needs. This\, in turn\, can help build class cohesion whether in the traditional classroom or in digital spaces. \nStudents are more likely to engage with their peers and instructors when they feel seen\, heard\, and welcomed. As an instructor\, you can use multimedia elements to provide a human touch to text-based assignment feedback and enhance student sense of belonging. \nThis interactive session will provide ideas to new and seasoned instructors in higher education classes. You will come away with sample surveys\, videos\, and a renewed sense of how to engage students throughout the entire semester. \nUpon completion of this workshop\, the participant will be able to: \n\nDescribe the concept of a “humanized” course\nConsider the use of surveys to provide students with an opportunity to share self-identification preferences and course-centered personal backgrounds\nPreview sample videos to support a student’s sense of belonging\nInvestigate opportunities to use a learning management system’s feedback options\n\nPresenters: \n\nAnn Oro\, Senior Instructional Designer\, Seton Hall University\nKate Sierra\, Senior Instructional Designer\, Seton Hall University\n\nBreakout Session 4 • 2:30 – 3:10 PM\nExpand A Division‑Level\, Bottom‑Up Model for Responsible AI Adoption: Improving Administrative Productivity While Preserving Faculty Capacity \nRoom – BSC 225 West \nAs generative AI tools become embedded in higher education operations\, institutions face a central challenge: how to improve efficiency without undermining faculty roles\, governance structures\, or institutional trust. This session presents a division‑level implementation case study from the Community College of Philadelphia demonstrating how a bottom‑up\, staff‑centered approach to AI adoption-supported by IT and academic leadership-can increase administrative productivity while reducing faculty administrative burden.  \nFollowing compliance‑aligned training facilitated by IT leadership\, administrative staff integrated Microsoft Copilot into high‑friction workflows spanning decision support\, compliance reporting\, operational documentation\, and institutional analytics. Rather than targeting isolated tasks\, Copilot was applied to recurring work patterns that consume disproportionate staff time-enabling faster information synthesis\, more consistent documentation\, and expanded analytic insight across the division’s core administrative functions. \n This collaborative\, bottom‑up model fostered rapid buy‑in\, strengthened cross‑functional relationships between IT and administrative staff\, and improved morale by positioning AI as an enabling tool rather than a directive mandate. Faculty-who operate as a distinct employee group-benefit indirectly through reduced administrative complexity\, faster reporting cycles\, and clearer operational support\, allowing faculty effort to remain focused on teaching and academic work.  \nTo assess impact\, the division is developing an evaluation framework that estimates time saved per task and per staff member\, translating individual efficiency gains into an amplifying\, division‑level productivity effect. This session offers a practical\, transferable framework for responsible AI implementation that aligns with institutional roles\, governance\, and long‑term sustainability. \nPresenters: \n\nMoe Rahman\, Associate Vice President / CIO\, Community College of Philadelphia\nVishal Shah\, Dean\, MSHC\, Community College of Philadelphia\nAndrenna Gibson\, Associate Dean\, Community College of Philadelphia\n\nExpand Academic Feedback Intelligent Assistant \nRoom – BSC 222 \nAcademic learning is an iterative process that relies heavily on fair\, effective\, and timely feedback. However\, overwhelmed faculty and administrative burnout often lead to feedback that is delayed or inconsistent\, negatively impacting student motivation and engagement. How can institutions leverage Generative AI to solve the “”grading bottleneck”” without removing the human educator from the equation? \nIn this session\, Slalom will present a case study from the UCLA Anderson School of Management\, detailing the development and implementation of the Academic Feedback Intelligent Assistant (AFIA). Built on Amazon Bedrock and integrated directly into the LMS\, AFIA utilizes a “”human-in-the-loop”” architecture. The system prompts the LLM to generate hyper-personalized\, research-grounded feedback based on student submissions. Crucially\, these insights are delivered as hidden comments within the LMS\, allowing instructors to review\, edit\, and personalize the feedback before it reaches the student. \nAttendees will explore the technical architecture and the proprietary prompt design strategies used to ground AI outputs in educational best practices. We will share pilot results demonstrating how AFIA improved feedback consistency and reduced the time course assistants spent writing comments by approximately 50%\, ultimately freeing up educators to focus on high-value student interactions. \nPresenter: \n\nMariola Pogacnik\, Director\, Slalom\, Inc.\nJennie Wong\, Director\, Slalom\, Inc.\n\nExpand The Operating System Changed: What Happened to Students\, Information\, Reality\, and Knowledge While We Were Arguing About ChatGPT \nRoom – BSC 224 \nWhile higher education has spent the last two years debating AI tools\, policies\, and plagiarism detection\, something more fundamental shifted underneath. The foundational conditions of learning: what students are\, how information works\, what counts as real\, and what’s possible to know\, changed before AI arrived. AI didn’t cause the disruption. It accelerated one already underway. \nThis session identifies four shifts in the educational landscape that most institutional AI strategies ignore: the dissolution of the human-machine boundary in student identity and cognition; the transformation of information from something students access to an environment they inhabit; the collapse of reliable distinctions between authentic and synthetic; and the expansion of what’s computable\, knowable\, and askable across every discipline. \nEach shift carries direct implications for technology architecture\, data strategy\,governance\, and  institutional decision-making – implications that no vendor has an incentive to surface and most campuses haven’t yet named. \nPresenters: \n\nRobert J. Clougherty\, AI Lead\, Edge\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVIP Sponsor\n \nBlank \n \nBlackboard \n \nBlank \nExhibitor Sponsors\n \nArtic Wolf \n \nAspire \n \nBlackboard \n \nD2L \n \nePlus \n \nLenovo – Intel \n \nPathify \n \nPKA Tech \n \nPoll Everywhere \n \nrubrik \n \nBlank1 \n \nSHI Public Sector \n \nWe Video \n \nVelocity Tech Solutions \nLanyard Sponsor\n \nBlank \n \nModern Campus
URL:https://njedge.net/event/edgecon-spring-2026/
LOCATION:The College of New Jersey
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://njedge.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CollageEmail-WebHeaders-Spring2026-600x400-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240418T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240418T170000
DTSTAMP:20260613T200346
CREATED:20250626T142810Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T201717Z
UID:10000008-1713430800-1713459600@njedge.net
SUMMARY:EdgeCon Spring 2024
DESCRIPTION:EdgeCon Spring 2024\nIn partnership with The College of New Jersey\, we were thrilled to bring this transformational event to a campus known for its natural beauty situated on 289 tree-lined acres in suburban Ewing Township\, New Jersey\, in close proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia. \nEdgeCon Spring 2024 was dedicated to Excelling in a Digital Teaching & Learning Future. Featuring 15-20 breakout sessions exploring the event theme\, EdgeCon Spring also featured high profile\, industry leading vendors from across the academic enterprise. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with and learn from a growing community of digital learning professionals while discovering innovative solutions to help institutions solve today’s biggest digital learning challenges. \nDate: April 18\, 2024\nTime: 9 am – 5 pm\nAttendee Ticket: $49\n\nEvent Location:\nThe College of New Jersey\n2000 Pennington Road\nEwing\, NJ 08628-0718\n			\n							Read the Event Recap\n					\n	Agenda\n8 a.m.-8:30 a.m.-Check-In & Networking \n8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.-Breakfast\, Networking\, & Exhibitor Connections \n9:35 a.m.-10:35 a.m.-General Session: AI and the New Era of Learning: How Higher Education Must Respond \n10:45 a.m.-11:25 a.m.-Breakout Sessions \n11:35 a.m.-12:15 p.m.-Breakout Sessions \n12:15 p.m.-1:20 p.m.-Lunch\, Networking\, & Exhibitor Connections \n1:30 p.m.-2:10 p.m.-Breakout Sessions \n2:20 p.m.-3:00 p.m.-Breakout Sessions \n3:10 p.m.-3:50 p.m.-Breakout Sessions \n3:50 p.m.-5:00 p.m.-Snacks/Coffee\, Networking\, & Exhibitor Connections \n\n			Breakout Sessions	\n\n			Session 1: 10:45 – 11:25 a.m.	\n										Expand\n					Embracing or Limiting AI to Enhance Authentic Learning\n					Room: BSC 100 \nWhile fully ‘ChatGPT-proofing’ your course might be challenging\, learn how to creatively design assignments that promote genuine student engagement. This session will guide you through innovative strategies to modify your assessment approach\,  either using or limiting AI tool use to create captivating\, challenging assignments that inspire authenticity and excitement in your students. \nPresenter: \n\nEllen Farr\, Assistant Director\, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning\, The College of New Jersey\nJudi Cook\, Executive Director\, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning\, The College of New Jersey\n\n										Expand\n					We’ll Do the Dirty Work: EdgeLearn and the Realities of Digital Learning & Instructional Design Support\n					Room: BSC 225 East \nInnovation in higher education is fueled by new approaches to instructional design and technology\, partnered with advances in pedagogical theory and process. But most schools don’t have the time or budget to do it because their most talented\, motivated staff and faculty are weighed down by important\, but somewhat monotonous tasks and responsibilities. This session will demonstrate how EdgeLearn can lessen that burden at a non-profit price and allow you to advance your online programming with ease. \nPresenter: \n\nJoshua Gaul\, Associate Vice President & Chief Digital Learning Officer\, Edge\n\n										Expand\n					Future of AI: Insights from the Next Generation\n					Room: BSC 225 West \nTired of the same old AI discussions? This panel flips the script! Join a conversation with college and graduate students\, the future leaders in AI development and application\, to hear their unfiltered thoughts and expectations. Get ready for a dynamic discussion about: \n\nStudent concerns: What ethical considerations are paramount for the next generation of AI?\nEmerging trends: What exciting possibilities do students see for AI in their fields?\nBridging the gap: How can academia and industry better prepare students for the AI-powered future?\n\nThis isn’t your typical AI talk. Be prepared to be challenged and inspired! \nModerator: \n\nDiane Rubino\, Adjunct Assistant Professor\, NYU\n\nStudent Panelists: \n\nHarshil Thakkar\, Stevens Institute of Technology\, Master’s Engineering Management Candidate\nEvangelia Gkaravela\, Stevens Institute of Technology\, Master’s Engineering Management (researcher)\, Space Systems Engineering Candidate\nKatherine Weiss\, NYU\, MS in PR/Corporate Communications Candidate\n\n\n			Session 2: 11:35 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.	\n										Expand\n					Harnessing the Power of AI: A Foundation for Higher Education Faculty\n					Room: BSC 100 \nNew to AI? This workshop is your launchpad! Designed specifically for faculty new to AI\, this session will equip you with a foundational understanding of AI’s potential as you rethink activities and assessments to address AI disruption. We’ll break down key terms\, explore innovative AI tools that personalize instruction\, boost engagement\, and deepen understanding. We will also address the challenges faced by artificial intelligence usage. Get hands-on ideas about where to start redesigning your online course with practical applications of AI tools in your field. Walk away with a solid foundation to revolutionize your teaching and student success! \nPresenter: \n\nLaurie Hallick\, Instructional Designer\, Molloy University\n\n										Expand\n					Interactive Examination of Organizational Ecosystems and Online Success\n					Room: BSC 225 East \nThis goal of this interactive discussion will be to address questions about the relationship between organizational structures and the success or demise\, as well as the level of quality of online education programs. During the session we will employ dynamic online polling to gather group insights and present them visually throughout the session\, as well as the opportunity to engage in a deep exploration of key questions dissecting the organizational ecosystem which includes the interplay of administrative policies\, institutional culture\, technology infrastructure\, and student support. Through this dialogue\, the goal is to identify challenges and opportunities for better synergies within institutional frameworks to advance online learning. \nPresenter: \n\nAlexandra Salas\, President\, Cognition Ink LLC\n\n										Expand\n					Integrating High Performance Computing into the Undergraduate Curriculum: Insights from the School of Science at TCNJ\n					Room: BSC 225 West \nAlmost all fields that our students enter into after graduation require enhanced data science and computational skills in the modern workforce. The importance of these skill-sets will only continue to increase. TCNJ’s High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster is used for computationally driven scientific research by all departments in the School of Science and supports 500 to 700 students per academic year in both class related usage as well as faculty mentored research opportunities. In this presentation we describe how we have successfully integrated HPC into our science curriculum. allowing us to equip students directly with the skills they will need to enter the 21st century workforce\, and providing faculty with a resource to engage students in transformational research experiences and hands-on learning in the classroom and the laboratory. \nPresenters: \n\nSunita Kramer\, Dean\, School of Science\, The College of New Jersey\nJoseph Baker\, Professor of Chemistry\, The College of New Jersey\nShawn Sivy\, HPC Systems Administrator\, The College of New Jersey\n\n\n			Session 3: 1:30 – 2:10 p.m.	\n										Expand\n					AI and the Future of Student Success\n					Room: BSC 100 \nNew Jersey Institute of Technology is embracing AI to support everything from campus life to curriculum planning. In this presentation\, you’ll see a glimpse of the future of student success enriched by AI. Along with their partner\, Slalom\, NJIT will debut their early-stage Digital Student Advisor. Ed Wozencroft\, NJIT’s Vice President for Digital Strategy & CIO\, will inspire you to think of the world of possibility for students and faculty… What If…? \nPresenters: \n\nStephen Walsh\, Senior Director\, Public & Social Impact\, Slalom\nEd Wozencroft\, Chief Information Officer\, VP for Digital Strategy\, New Jersey Institute of Technology\n\n										Expand\n					MAGIC in Higher Education: Motivating\, Active Learning\, Gamifying\, Imagining\, and Collaborating\n					Room: BSC 225 East \n“MAGIC in Higher Education: Motivating\, Active Learning\, Gamifying\, Imagining\, and Collaborating\,” a convergent parallel design\, mixed-methods study\, assessed how embedding play into the architecture of a classroom can improve the learning process for students. We aimed to identify if changing the natural passive environment of a classroom to an active\, play-driven environment would influence learning outcomes. Considering low national retention and graduation rates within community colleges\, we examined concepts highlighting embedded play in the lesson as an extrinsic motivator to augment the learning process. \nWe hypothesized that creating an abstract classroom learning environment\, considering both passive and active learning can positively impact comprehension and the student learning experience. We collaborated with faculty and administration to investigate learning environments and teaching practices. We focused on the architecture and design of the classroom environment and how engaging students in play might strengthen its structure\, increasing comprehension of the subject material. Our research revealed that play promotes positive experiences for students focusing on active learning. \nThe data exposed a dichotomy between teaching and learning; faculty primarily engage in passive lecture-based teaching\, whereas students prefer active play-based learning. We recognized that a natural classroom environment is subjective depending on the discipline and pedagogy. Therefore\, we engaged faculty to redesign a lecture to include play-based learning aligning with their discipline. The data from the active learning investigation revealed that participating in the playful activity significantly improved students’ understanding and application of the lesson’s content. Reflecting on our research and outcomes\, we created a forum to showcase our data to faculty\, administration\, and students. This showcase has launched a play-based\, active learning Community of Practice (CoP) for faculty professional development. \nPresenters: \n\nDr. Jennifer Gasparino\, Associate Professor\, Human Services & Phi Theta Kappa Advisor\, Passaic County Community College\nAndy Perales\, Program Coordinator\, Teachers Excellence Project & Phi Theta Kappa Co-Advisor\, Passaic County Community College\nAlexandra Della Fera\, Associate Professor\, English\, Passaic County Community College\nJohn Paul Rodriguez\, Assistant Professor\, Computer Information Services\, Passaic County Community College\n\nStudent Presenters: \n\nBilal Gebril\, President\, Phi Theta Kappa\nErick Vasquez Minaya\, Provisional Membership Coordinator\, Phi Theta Kappa\nVenus John\, Honor in Action Co-Chair\n\n										Expand\n					Beyond Barriers: Crafting Inclusive Learning Environments through Digital Accessibility and Universal Design\n					Room: BSC 225 West \nDigital accessibility is frequently approached reactively\, wherein instructors generate course content\, students submit accommodation letters\, and the subsequent realization of content inaccessibility prompts efforts to modify and enhance accessibility. This method proves time-consuming and perpetuates the marginalization of students by reinforcing structural and environmental barriers to learning. Rather\, embracing a proactive universal design perspective in addressing digital accessibility enables instructors to prioritize the diverse needs of learners during the creation of digital content and materials. This approach minimizes the necessity for accommodations\, fostering a more inclusive learning environment from the outset. While achieving digital accessibility necessitates a comprehensive commitment at the systemic and institutional levels\, instructors can adopt various practices within their classrooms to advance the creation and provision of accessible course materials. This interactive workshop will guide participants in contemplating the significance of digital accessibility in higher education and in exploring practical tools for implementing digital accessibility principles across physical\, hybrid\, and online learning environments\, grounded in a universal design approach. \nPresenter: \n\nMel Katz\, Accommodations Support Specialist for Curriculum and Assessment\, The College of New Jersey\n\n										Expand\n					HPC\, AI\, and Data (HPC AID) Affinity Group\n					Room: BSC 104 \nEdge\, in collaboration with our partner institutions\, has launched the HPC\, AI\, and Data (HPC AID) Affinity Group. The group aims to expand knowledge access\, community\, and practice in HPC and Research Computing in support of AI and data intensive research and education. \nJoin us in our mission to share information and best practices related to High Performance Computing and Research Computing and Data. The group is open to anyone with focus on leveraging HPC and Data in support of Research and Education\, so please invite peers or colleagues to join us.  \n\n			Session 4: 2:20 – 3:00 p.m.	\n										Expand\n					Unlocking Learning: The Educational Power of DIY Escape Rooms\n					Room: BSC 100 \nEscape rooms offer numerous benefits when integrated into higher education classroom settings. By presenting students with complex puzzles and challenges\, escape rooms promote teamwork\, communication\, and critical thinking skills. Collaborative problem-solving becomes the focal point\, encouraging students to leverage each other’s strengths and expertise to achieve a common goal. \nDuring this workshop\, participants will see photos of the TLTC’s Pirate Escape Room and an example of an online escape room\, followed by a discussion of pros and potential pitfalls of designing one. Everyone will receive a digital copy of resources\, tips\, and ideas to guide them through creating an escape room of their own. \nPresenter: \n\nKate Sierra\, Instructional Designer\, Seton Hall University\n\n										Expand\n					Trends and Future Prospects of Digital Accessibility in Learning Environments\n					Room: BSC 225 East \nThis presentation explores the latest trends and future prospects of digital accessibility in learning environments\, focusing on integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI)\, Voice User Interfaces (VUI)\, Augmented Reality (AR)\, Virtual Reality (VR)\, Mobile Accessibility\, and Inclusive Design principles. Participants will gain insights into AI-driven accessibility solutions\, the benefits of VUI in digital learning platforms\, leveraging AR and VR for accessible learning experiences\, mobile accessibility considerations\, and strategies for incorporating inclusive design. \nPresenter: \n\nLaura Romeo\, Instructional Designer\, Edge\n\n										Expand\n					Active Learning Design: Contextualizing Multimedia for Knowledge Transfer\n					Room: BSC 225 West \nTechnological advancements have made multimedia a main language for conveying information and knowledge. Multimedia elements like video\, audio\, animation\, and interactive media enable learners to encode information in multiple formats\, which leads to deeper understanding. A multimedia learning environment tailored to the context allows students to integrate and interpret relationships. This approach promotes learner-centered teaching and adheres to constructivist theory. According to this theory\, learners do not passively absorb new knowledge and understanding. Instead\, they actively build new knowledge by experiencing and integrating new information with their prior knowledge. \nThis session will explore the concept of visual thinking by delving into the cognitive psychology behind media-based instructions and their role in humanizing digital learning and fostering stronger teacher-student relationships. It will also highlight the significance of interactive multimedia in learning environments. Encouraging students to interact with and manipulate media to achieve their learning goals creates an environment that promotes learning by doing. This teaching approach promotes higher-order thinking in multiple dimensions\, resulting in better knowledge retention. \nThis session will also explore the distinct capability of multimedia in addressing various learning objectives and requirements and discuss the methods of integrating them into instructional design. I will use actual course examples to illustrate how and when students learn best. By participating in this session\, attendees will better understand the distinct advantages of multimedia teaching and acquire practical techniques for integrating multimedia design into their courses. \nPresenter: \n\nCecily McKeown\, Instructional Multimedia Specialist\, Hudson County Community College\n\n\n			Session 5: 3:10 – 3:50 p.m.	\n										Expand\n					The Amazing Race: Keeping Up with GenAI at Montclair State University\n					Room: BSC 100 \nIn January 2023\, the instructional design team at Montclair State University began ideating a response to the advances in artificial intelligence\, which broke headlines in late 2022. Since then\, Instructional Technology and Design Services (ITDS) has produced a suite of web-based resources\, workshops and trainings\, consultations\, and more to guide University faculty through discovery and exploration of GenAI to be leveraged pedagogically and mitigate misuse. In this session\, Montclair instructional designers Joe Yankus & Gina Policastro will share their experience composing these resources\, facilitating small and large-group faculty development\, lessons learned\, and goals for the upcoming year. \nPresenters: \n\nJoseph Yankus\, Instructional Designer\, Montclair State University\nGina Policastro\, Instructional Designer\, Montclair State University\n\n										Expand\n					10 Things I Wish I Knew About Accessible Digital Media Before Becoming an Instructional Designer\n					Room: BSC 225 East \nWord-processed documents\, presentation slide decks\, PDFs\, and videos can all be made ready for use by all students. It’s not just a good thing to do\, it’s also the law. In this presentation\, you will learn ten easy tips that can help anyone have a better experience using your digital documents. \nThis session will concentrate on Microsoft documents. The concepts will be applicable to other programs available on other platforms as well as documents created in the cloud. \nThe big ideas include the importance of headings\, alternative text for images\, tables\, accessibility checkers\, lists\, font selection and color\, slide titles\, saving files as PDFs\, reading order\, and captioning. \nPresenter: \n\nAnn Oro\, Senior Instructional Designer\, Seton Hall University\n\n										Expand\n					Dual Rubrics That Offer Learning Insights\n					Room: BSC 225 West \nSimple Rubrics support LEARNING by offering a checklist of expectations\, a mechanism for delivering formative/summative evaluation\, and a framework for learner reflection and self-remediation. Dual Rubrics go further to also support TEACHING by offering a means for making an inference about about students’ mastery of learning outcomes/competencies. Implementing Dual Rubrics in the Canvas LMS\, at the course or program level\, offers a data-driven opportunity to incorporate learning insights that support quality improvement in instructional effectiveness and curricular design. \nPresenter: \n\nKaren Harris\, Senior Instructional Designer and Assessment Specialist\, Rutgers University\n\n\n			Lanyard Sponsor	\n\n				\n	\n\n			VIP Reception Sponsor	\n\n				\n	\n\n			Exhibitor Sponsors
URL:https://njedge.net/event/edgecon-spring-2024/
LOCATION:The College of New Jersey
CATEGORIES:past
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://njedge.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EdgeCon-LOGO-SPRING2024-TCNJ-scaled.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR