Main content

Location:
Building 4, Room 401

Time:
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

About:
Blaine Wall – Multimodal Composition and Artificial Intelligence:
The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms, such as ChatGPT and Dall-E2, has significantly impacted higher education, especially in writing-intensive disciplines like English. Although current AI technology cannot produce advanced college-level writing reliably, its potential to transform communication and writing processes cannot be ignored. English educators face a critical decision: ban AI from class assignments or integrate it meaningfully into the academic writing process. This presentation will outline methodologies for transforming traditional writing assignments into multimodal compositions, thereby making it more difficult for students to rely soley on AI to create written assignments for them.

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Lauren Rogers – Astronomical League Master Observer:
The Astronomical League, a national organization for astronomy outreach and education, provides observing challenges for amateur and professional astronomers. As observers complete programs, they can earn certifications, and I just completed my Gold Level Master Observer award during my sabbatical.

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Sara Smith – Reading Actively, Thinking Critically, and Writing Rhetorically in English Composition II:
This project focused on creating a resource for English Composition II courses that could potentially be adopted as an open-source textbook for the English and Communications Department faculty to use. My goal was to compile a free or low-cost text that reflects the multifaceted design of the course as well as its overall learning outcomes. A main objective of the book is to prepare students for their writing-emphasis courses in other disciplines; I also wanted to foreground the importance of rhetoric and critical thinking in various genres and modes of writing. This presentation will highlight the process of researching, writing, and editing the book.

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Jimmy Rhea – Curatorial Collaborations; New Technologies in Sculpture
During my sabbatical, I researched and experimented with new media and 3D technologies with the primary purpose of integrating new tools into multiple Visual Arts classes. This experimentation will lead to new classroom practices and culminated in a new body of artwork combining new media with longstanding techniques and tools used in traditional sculpture. I will be displaying my artwork in a solo exhibition at the Pensacola Museum of Art, opening March 7 on view until June 1, 2025. Also, Nicholas Croghan, the Director of the Pensacola Museum of Art, and I are working together to co-curate a National Sculpture exhibition. This exhibition will feature over 20 renowned artists from across the continental United States and will be on view at the Pensacola Museum of Art beginning June 20, 2025 through January 11, 2026.