Join colleagues from across campus for the Essential Education Symposium, a day dedicated to sharing ideas, exploring innovative teaching practices, and strengthening Michigan Tech’s Essential Education program. The schedule features interactive workshops, faculty panels, and collaborative discussions focused on topics such as student reflection, community engagement, AI in teaching and learning, and the use of Husky Folio to document student growth.
Whether you are new to Essential Education or actively teaching within the program, the Symposium offers space to learn from one another and contribute to the continued evolution of undergraduate education at Michigan Tech.
Symposium Schedule
Check out the 2026 Essential Education Symposium list of sessions:
Symposium Registration Open
Get checked in and enjoy coffee before the opening remarks.
Location: Memorial Union Building (MUB) Ballroom A
Opening Remarks
Location: MUB Ballroom A
Description: A history of Gen Ed and why we made the change to Essential Education.
Session A - Workshop
Title: Teaching Squares: Peer Feedback for Instructors of Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 Math, Science, and Foundations Courses
Location: TBD
Presenters: Mike Meyer, Physics; Steven Holloway, Business; and Jean DeClerck, Office of Assessment for Curricular Effectiveness
Description: This Teaching Squares session is for instructors submitting reports this semester for their Lower-Level Math, Science, and Foundations courses. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their submitted report (containing assessment findings and future plans for one Essential Ability) and explore strategies for engagement, assessment, HuskyFolio use, and student reflection. (Please note: Registration is required in advance for this session.)
Session B - Workshop
Title: Shark Tank: Pitching Essential Education Like You Mean It
Location: TBD
Presenter: Travis Wakeham, Biological Sciences and Maria Bergstrom, Humanities
Description: Essential Education changes students' lives — but only if we can help them see it. Join us for an interactive session where we'll sharpen our messaging together and compete (in the friendliest way possible) to craft pitches that connect Essential Education and ePortfolio to what students actually care about.
Session C - Panel
Title: Learning Together: Community Partnerships in Action
Location: MUB Ballroom A
Description: Panel discussion featuring Michigan Tech faculty and local community partners reflecting on successes and challenges with practicing community-engaged research and teaching.
Session A - Panel
Title: Husky Folio Made Easy: Real Assignments, Real Students, Real Simple
Location: TBD
Description: Struggling to fit the Husky Folio requirement into your course? Skip the guesswork
and join us for a showcase of assignment models from across campus, ranging from "keep
it simple" assignments to sophisticated workbooks. You’ll hear directly from faculty
about their honest experiences, challenges, and successes in incorporating Husky Folio
into their classes.
Session B - Workshop
Title: AI In/Action: Making Purposeful Pedagogical Choices
Location: TBD
Presenter: Holly Hassel, Humanities and Trish Grosse-Brewer, Humanities
Description: In this workshop, participants will learn about Generative AI technologies that can be used for classroom purposes; they will have an opportunity to engage in cross-disciplinary pedagogical exchanges and brainstorm GenAI enhancements to an assignment of their choice. Participants will adapt their assignment in ways that account for various student perspectives on GenAI by user-testing it in small and large groups with the goal of advancing student learning and skill development.
Session C - Workshop
Title: Leveraging Technology to Summarize Feedback and Prioritize Changes
Location: TBD
Presenters: Teresa Woods, Math and Ann Hardin, Business
Description: Using student feedback and performance indicators to improve instruction can feel like a daunting task. This workshop explores how technology can help instructors aggregate large amounts of data to identify opportunities for impactful change.
Networking Lunch
Location: MUB Ballroom A
Description: Enjoy a catered lunch and time for networking with fellow colleagues.
Course List Breakout Discussions
Location: TBD
Description: Join instructors teaching from the same Essential Ed course list for a sharing of resources, best practices, and tips. Discussions will be facilitated by the Course List Teams.
Session A - Workshop
Title: Reflection and Metacognition: Tools To Enhance Learning
Location: TBD
Presenters: Claire Helakoski, Humanities and Jennifer Miller, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Business
Description: Discuss what reflection and metacognition look like in your field and learn how to apply these tools in class assignments in order to enhance student learning for stronger critical thinking, the ability to make connections, and personal growth.
Session B - Workshop
Title: From Classroom to CV: Documenting and Sharing Your Essential Ed Teaching Story
Location: TBD
Presenter: Teresa Woods, Math; Robyn Johnson, Provost’s Office; and Maria Bergstrom, Humanities
Description: Explore practical strategies for capturing your Essential Ed teaching innovations and assessment work in Digital Measures and beyond. Learn how to translate your course development, student reflection, and eportfolio efforts into CV entries, conference presentations, publications, and other professional opportunities that showcase your impact.
Session C - Panel
Title: In Their Own Words: Student Perspectives on Essential Education
Panelists: Current Michigan Tech Students
Description: Hear directly from students navigating Essential Education as they share candid reflections on their experiences in the First-Year Seminar, ePortfolio platform, and community-engaged courses. This panel offers faculty and staff a rare opportunity to listen, engage, and ask questions of the students themselves—celebrating the program through the voices that matter most.
Closing Remarks and Recognition
Location: MUB Ballroom A
Description: A wrap-up of the day will include lessons learned from our first year of Essential Education and what we have to look forward to next year. There will also be recognition of those who have been exemplars of Essential Education.
Questions? Please email essentialed@mtu.edu for more information.