Just before the spring semester began, professors and educators of all disciplines at the University of Dallas gathered for a day of collaboration, reflection and inspiration at UD’s second annual Teaching and Learning Conference. 

A joint effort of UD’s eLearning Team and the Center for Teaching and Learning, the conference provides participants an opportunity to explore and celebrate the transformative power of teaching and learning in higher education. A call for proposals was issued in the fall of 2023 and resulted in the selection of 12 topics presented by 20 of UD’s own faculty and one student, as well as opening remarks by UD’s beloved Professor of Philosophy William Frank, PhD, who retires this year.

The conference was developed in the fall of 2022, when Wendy Clayton, MEd, director of instructional design & educational services, saw a need for faculty to get together to share ideas and discuss the art of teaching. She pitched her idea to Associate Provost John Norris, PhD, who she says “threw his full support behind it.” With the authorization of Provost Matthias Vorwerk, PhD, for use of funds from the Faculty Development Fund and the formation of a planning committee, the conference was born. 

Clayton’s sense of the faculty’s need for collegial dialogue was spot-on. This year’s conference saw a 20% increase in attendance from last year, resulting in participation by more than half of the university’s full-time faculty.

“I think this conference is a perfect example of our faculty community,” Clayton said. “All of them are excellent in their chosen fields. They’re always very eager to share with one another, and this conference shows the dedication that they also have to continuing learning.”

Frank’s opening remarks were a highlight for many in attendance. Professor of English Scott Crider, PhD, MA ’18, says he appreciated Frank’s “usual mix of pointed wisdom and incisive humor.” 

“Because he’s retiring, it was slightly elegiac,” Crider said; “but because it was Bill, it wasn’t sentimental.”

Participants spent the morning in concurrent sessions, hearing from their colleagues on topics including the definition of a good life, the use of Socratic dialogue in the classroom, and tips for fruitful online education.

“This conference is more than just a training ground, more than ‘just’ professional development,” says Academic Adviser and Adjunct Professor of Biology Ana Henriquez, MS, BS ’20. “This conference is a venue for positive and meaningful interactions among colleagues, a place for conversation, troubleshooting and encouragement. It provides support for faculty at UD and facilitates cross-talk between departments, which bleeds over into creative implementation and discovery in the classroom.”

Over lunch, faculty engaged in a book discussion, led by physics professor Jacob Moldenhauer, PhD, on The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer, a text provided to all faculty by the Office of Personal Career Development and UD Odyssey. The book discussion was “one of the greatest moments” of the conference, remembers Henriquez, who sat on the panel for the discussion. 

“Faculty from across departments shared ways that they had both struggled and succeeded in engaging students in their classes,” Henriquez said. “The self-reflection that my colleagues were willing to do in such a large group was inspiring, and it reminded me once more of how blessed I am to work among them.”

The conference ended with a general Q&A session for all the speakers and flowed into that afternoon’s King/Haggar Awards Ceremony and Reception. 

Clayton says the plan for the future of the Teaching and Learning Conference is, first and foremost, to attract more of UD’s own faculty. But beyond that, the committee would love to see the conference expanded to a multi-day event which attracts participants and keynote speakers from other universities. 

“I think that would be right in line with the quality Recognition and Reputation pillar of the university’s strategic plan,” says Clayton. “If we have other outside colleges and universities looking to UD for learning and teaching experiences, that would be fantastic.”

Clayton says the conference carries importance for how the university serves not only its students but also its faculty. 

“We want our faculty to love what they’re doing,” Clayton said, “and to always chase that life well-lived.”

Becca Grillot is a 2010 UD alumna. With a background in theology and Montessori early childhood education, she is now a freelance writer and editor and a homeschooling mom of three. She and her husband and kids live in Irving and love to travel and explore.