2025 Festival of Teaching and Learning
The Festival of Teaching and Learning demonstrates and celebrates pedagogical innovation across the Purdue University system. Join us in April 2025 for a hands-on teaching showcase and get inspired! All Purdue educators—in any position, rank, or unit—are invited to apply. We are especially interested in showcasing:
- Innovative methods
- Inclusive pedagogy
- Interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary approaches
- Project-based or experiential learning
- Community-engaged learning
- Co-creative and peer education
- Artificial Intelligence
- Honors pedagogy
Application for the 2025 festival arriving here later in 2024.
About the 2024 Festival of Teaching & Learning
On April 12, 2024, the Blue Sky Lab hosted the 1st annual Festival of Teaching and Learning, an expo of innovative teaching methods and techniques that invited Purdue educators to share best and most novel practices. 300+ members of the Purdue community joined together in to celebrate Boilermaker creativity in and out of the classroom. See the photo gallery of the event here.
Co-sponsored by Purdue’s Center for Instructional Excellence, Innovation Hub, and Teaching Academy, the event promoted further teaching innovation by offering new models, networking opportunities, and cash awards to support future teaching experiments. See the 2024 Festival of Teaching and Learning award winners below.
2024 Festival of Teaching & Learning Awards
Congratulations to the winners of Purdue’s inaugural Festival of Teaching and Learning!
Teaching Academy Awards
This award honors presenters whose work best embodies the values of Purdue’s Teaching Academy and the Framework for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Elizabeth Brite, John Martinson Honors College: International service-learning model (HONR 399: Beyond Afghanistan)
Dr. Rustin Webster, Purdue Polytechnic Institute: Catapult design challenge (MET 10200)
Innovation Hub Awards for Innovative Uses of Generative-AI
This award recognizes recipients of Purdue Innovation Hub grants whose work demonstrates innovation in classroom uses of AI.
Dr. Haiyan Li, Minsun Kim, Ty C. Climer, and Cheng Lixia, PLaCE, College of Liberal Arts: Chat GPT in ESL classrooms (ENGL 11100)
Dr. Ramses Martinez, School of Industral Engineering: AI tools for critical thinking (IE 37000)
IMPACT Festival of Teaching and Learning Recognition
This award honors exceptional teaching innovation by instructors who have
completed IMPACT training.
Dr. Beatriz Castro Bohorquez, Department of Biological Sciences: Tools for transforming large lecture classrooms (BIOL 203/4)
Dr. Michael Johnson, Department of English: Self assessments in the writing classroom (ENGL 106)
Dr. Corrinne Lim-Kessler, Department of Psychological Sciences: Models for crafting and exploring cultural narratives (PSY 39200)
Dr. Jason Ware, John Martinson Honors College: Performance-based experiential education (HONR 312: Jazz)
Blue Sky Awards for Excellence in Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Pedagogy
This award honors innovative and inclusive approaches to interdisciplinary teaching
Dr. Jacob Adler, Department of Biological Sciences, “Research for All: Community Focused Experiences” (BIO 135)
A Fay Barber-Dansby, Purdue Polytechnic Institute: Design thinking with community orgs (TECH 120)
Thomas Lucas, Purdue Polytechnic Institute: Science communication podcast “Most Significant Bit” (MFET 374),
Dr. Zahra Tehrani, John Martinson Honors College: Models for ethical reflection in science policy (HONR 299: Modern Eugenics)
Contact Information
If you have any questions, please send an email to blueskylab@purdue.edu.
