The mission of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Innovation (CETI) is to provide comprehensive support for the creation, execution, review, and assessment of courses at Northern Kentucky University. CETI aims to enhance teaching and learning by offering educator professional development and support for the learning management system, data analytics, and course design.
CETI envisions a university where faculty are empowered to design and deliver engaging and effective courses that foster student success and lifelong learning.
Throughout the year, CETI offers multiple learning institutes, both synchronous and asynchronous. These learning institutes can be taken on their own or can be taken as part of the Master Educator's Certificate. The Master Educator's Certificate is achieved when the educator completes three core requirements and two elective institutes.
For more information about our institutes and certificate program, please contact Vanessa Steele and see the upcoming schedules under our Events page.
One-on-one Consultations
Faculty can meet with CETI coaches for one-on-one assistance with course design, active learning strategies, assessment design, online instruction, and Canvas. Learn more about consultations.
Educator Learning Communities
CETI hosts Educator Learning Communities (ELCs) by topic throughout the academic year. To see a list of current topics, go to CETI News and Activities. To suggest a ELC topic, contact Denice Robertson at robertsonde@nku.edu
CETI Workshops
CETI offers workshops on topics that support faculty in their teaching and scholarship. For a list of upcoming CETI workshops check the CETI Calendar.
365E Founders Hall
Phone: (859) 572-5188
E-mail: robertsonde@nku.edu
Bio
Denice has been a member of faculty at NKU since 2001 teaching initially for CINSAM before moving to Biological Sciences. She has taught a number of different courses and has developed two cross-disciplinary courses: Biomathematics and The Ecology and Geology of Coral Reefs. Denice enjoys teaching study abroad courses and all of her courses are taught using high impact practices and active learning. In addition, Denice is involved in Ecological research on the restoration of native prairies and woodland wildflowers.
359D Founders Hall
Phone: (859) 572-7946
E-mail: downingt1@nku.edu
Bio
Travis started at NKU in 2006 getting a degree in Graphic Design while beginning work at the IT helpdesk in 2007 until graduating in 2011. He started working full time as an Instruction Technology Coordinator in CITE in 2012 making use of his artistic background creating banners, editing the CITE webpages, and video editing. Today, as a member of CETI, he assists NKU's educators and students as an Educational Technologist with Canvas and Kaltura administrative support being a problem solver where able.
484 Mathematics, Education & Psychology Center
Phone: (859) 572-7887
E-mail: weigleink1@nku.edu
Bio
Dr. Kayla Weiglein is both an instructional designer and educator with a Ph.D. in Germanic Languages, Literatures with 10+ years of experience teaching in higher education. She began working at NKU in the summer of 2023 and specializes in incorporating inquiry and genre-based pedagogy, open educational resources, universal design for learning, and second language acquisition into the online/blended classroom environment. Prior to joining the CETI team at NKU, she taught at the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, and the University of Kentucky. She has designed and taught online courses, facilitated in-person and online conferences, was editor for the Focus on German Studies journal, and has presented her research at numerous higher educational institutions.
359E Founders Hall
Phone: (859) 572-7885
E-mail: fixt1@nku.edu
Bio
Tommy Fix completed his BA in Video and Audio production at Ball State University. This enabled him to get a position at the university facilitating distance learning classes which would inspire him to complete his master's degree in Curriculum and Educational Technology. Tommy has been at Northern Kentucky University since 2013, starting as an instructional designer before managing the team of instructional designers. Recently more exposure to that administrative side of academic tools has driven an interest in analytics and what we can learn as a university from how we use our tools.
543 Griffin Hall
Phone: (859) 572-1481
E-mail: steelev1@nku.edu
Bio
From crafting educational art books to pioneering AI workshops for faculty, Vanessa's career has been defined by one constant: crafting engaging learning experiences. Since joining NKU in 2019, she's become known for helping faculty find innovative and practical solutions for teaching. Her workshops on Universal Design for Learning, student-centered course design, and emerging technologies consistently provide creative ideas for faculty to incorporate into their teaching practices. With dual Master's degrees in English and Communication, plus experience spanning art, writing, and family history education, Vanessa has the flexible background to take complex concepts and make them click.
