Join us for a conversation with Dr. Allison Rank, who joined the University of Northern Iowa in July 2025 and has already made an enormous impact on campus. Dr. Rank brings together a deep understanding of classroom practice, community engagement, and scholarly research on teaching and civic learning. In this episode, we explore student participation in the college classroom, not just as an instructional strategy but as a foundation for building participatory cultures and democratic skills. Dr. Rank shares insights on how fostering student engagement in our disciplines creates civic learning opportunities that extend far beyond traditional political content. Whether you're looking for practical strategies to increase student participation or are interested in the broader connections between pedagogy and civic engagement, this conversation offers research-informed perspectives on creating inclusive, participatory learning environments.

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Allison Rank, who joined the University of Northern Iowa in July 2025 and has already made an enormous impact on campus. Dr. Rank brings together a deep understanding of classroom practice, community engagement, and scholarly research on teaching and civic learning. In this episode, we explore student participation in the college classroom, not just as an instructional strategy but as a foundation for building participatory cultures and democratic skills. Dr. Rank shares insights on how fostering student engagement in our disciplines creates civic learning opportunities that extend far beyond traditional political content. Whether you're looking for practical strategies to increase student participation or are interested in the broader connections between pedagogy and civic engagement, this conversation offers research-informed perspectives on creating inclusive, participatory learning environments.

In this episode, Wilson Rojas speaks with Deb Young and Rachel Morgan, faculty members at the University of Northern Iowa, about their research on students' use of AI in first-year writing classes. The conversation explores the implications of their research, the importance of clear communication about AI policies across disciplines, and strategies for helping students build confidence as writers rather than relying solely on AI tools. Deb and Rachel share their insights about why faculty should actively teach about AI, set transparent boundaries, and consider the ethical dimensions of AI use in higher education.

In this episode of the CETL Podcast, host Jonathan Chenoweth sits down with Angie Cox, Associate Professor at UNI’s Rod Library and liaison librarian for several Health Sciences departments, to explore the evolving role of information literacy in higher education. Angie shares how information literacy connects with other key literacies—digital, media, data, and AI—while emphasizing the core skills of finding, evaluating, using, and creating information ethically. She explains how disciplinary contexts shape the ways students and faculty engage with information, and why understanding those differences is essential for effective teaching and learning. The conversation highlights the collaborative role of liaison librarians, who move beyond one-time classroom visits to become long-term partners in the design of courses and assignments. Angie reflects on how the rapid rise of AI literacy is reshaping classroom dynamics, introducing new complexities around privacy, access, ethics, and instructional time. She also discusses the librarian’s role as both a resource and a teaching partner—helping faculty refine assignments, guide students, and navigate a shifting information landscape with confidence and care.

In the first episode of this season of the CETL Podcast, Jonathan Chenoweth hosts a panel discussion on how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations influence digital accessibility in higher education, particularly at the University of Northern Iowa. The panel includes:

• Leah Gutknecht, Assistant to the President and Director of Civil Rights Compliance at UNI.
• Magdalena Galloway, Instructor in Learning Technologies at UNI's College of Education.
• Dr. Amy Nielsen, Associate Provost for Faculty at UNI.

The conversation is framed around three key questions:

• What is digital accessibility, and why is it important?
• What are the challenges this brings to faculty?
• How can we address these challenges moving forward?

The panelists offer unique perspectives from the legal, instructional, and administrative sides of the university, highlighting the importance of digital accessibility not just as a mandate but as an opportunity to serve all students at UNI.