Join CRTLE and OIT in our Technology Test Kitchen—an interactive space where faculty can experiment with digital tools and learn practical strategies for integrating technology into their teaching. Located in Trinity Hall, OIT service desk, first floor lobby with breakout sessions in rooms 112 and 105 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm. Sessions are 30 minutes long with additional work time if needed.
We will offer two sessions in January.
January 15th: Level-Up Your Career Portfolio Assignments with Adobe Express (30 minutes)
Empower your students to present their academic and professional achievements with confidence using Adobe Express (free to faculty and students at UTA). In this faculty-focused hands-on workshop, you’ll explore how to incorporate Adobe Express into portfolio-based assignments that encourage creativity, multimodal communication, and real-world skill building. Build AI literacy for you and your students and learn strategies for guiding students through the design process, review ready-to-use templates, and leave with adaptable assignment ideas you can bring directly into your courses. Bring your own device (laptop, iPad, mobile device). Access Adobe Express before the workshop.
January 22nd: Supercharge Your Syllabus: Multimodal Design in Adobe Express (30 minutes)
Reimagine your syllabus as an engaging, accessible gateway into your course. This session introduces faculty to multimodal syllabus design using Adobe Express, offering tools and approaches to visually highlight key information, enhance clarity, and support diverse learners. You’ll experiment with templates, explore best practices for visual communication in teaching materials, and walk away with a refreshed syllabus ready to energize your students from day one. Access Adobe Express before the workshop.
Please visit the CRTLE Adobe Resources Page before the session: https://www.uta.edu/administration/crtle/resources/adobe-resources
If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]
Save the Date for the below. We will have registration links soon.
January 15
Level-Up Your Career Portfolio with Adobe Express
January 22
Supercharge Your Syllabus: Multimodal Design in Adobe Express
February 19
Lights, Mic, Action! Explainer Videos & Podcasts in Adobe Express
March 5
Turn Data into Impact: Research Posters & Infographics with Adobe Express
March 26
Create Once, Reuse Always: Custom Templates that Shine in Adobe Express
April 2
OER (Open Education Resource) Potluck: Turn Your Existing Course Materials into Bite-Sized Shareables
April 23
Crafting AI-Enhanced Lessons: A Khanmigo Test-Kitchen for Faculty
May 7
Signature Dish Showcase: Bring your Best Teaching Idea from Previous Test Kitchens
Your Hands-On Pathway Through the Technology Test Kitchen. Be sure to participate in the Chef's Challenge for Recognition!
The Technology Test Kitchen is grounded in contemporary learning theories that emphasize active creation, collaboration, AI Literacy, and digital fluency. Drawing from constructivism (Vygotsky, 2025), connectivism (Siemens & Downes, 2024), and Communities of Practice (Wenger-Trayner, 2020), the Test Kitchen provides a dynamic environment where faculty learn by experimenting with emerging technology tools such as Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Khanmigo, generative AI, and more. To structure this experimentation, the space utilizes Design Thinking (Fallin & Turton, 2025) to foster iterative prototyping, while engaging peers in shared problem-solving, coaching support, and informal mentoring. Furthermore, by adopting the flexible personas described in the Ten Faces of Innovation (Kelley, 2005), such as the "Experimenter" or "Cross-Pollinator," faculty are empowered to bypass academic silos. This hands-on, multimodal approach facilitates Experiential Learning (Morris, 2020), supporting digital literacy with an eye on teaching, encouraging innovation, and helping faculty build confidence through supported exploration and playful learning rather than isolated trial-and-error. By fostering community, creativity, a sense of belonging, and practical skill-building, the Technology Test Kitchen enables faculty to design innovative and more engaging, learner-centered digital experiences for students.
References
Fallin, L., & Turton, M. (2025). The transformative potential of Design Thinking in Learning Development. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (34).
Kelley, T. (2005). The ten faces of innovation: IDEO’s strategies for defeating the devil’s advocate and driving creativity throughout your organization. Currency/Doubleday.
Morris, T. H. (2020). Experiential learning – a systematic review and revision of Kolb’s model. Interactive Learning Environments, 28(8), 1064-1077.
Siemens, G., & Downes, S. (2024). Connectivism: Learning in the age of generative AI. Learning Technologies Magazine, 51(2), 24-30.
Vygotsky, L. S. (2025). The enduring influence of Vygotsky's social constructivism. In 6 Key Learning Theories Every Educator Should Know in 2025. Teachfloor Blog.
Wenger-Trayner, E. (2020). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Wenger-Trayner. (Updated conceptual reference).
