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Center for Teaching Excellence

  • Oktoberbest 2025

Oktoberbest: A Symposium On Teaching

Save the Date!

Date: Friday, October 17, 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: University Conference Center
8th Floor, Close-Hipp Building
1705 College St.
Columbia, S.C. 29208

Join us for Oktoberbest, USC’s annual teaching symposium, where faculty, instructors, and graduate teaching assistants come together to explore innovative teaching strategies, course design, assessments, and student engagement. Connect with colleagues, gain new insights, and enhance your teaching practices!

Free for all USC educators | Not open to the general public

Register for Oktoberbest

Oktoberbest Agenda


Keynote Speaker

 

Toban Thomas photo

Thomas J. Tobin, Ph.D.

Madison Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring. An internationally recognized scholar, author, and speaker, he specializes in technology-mediated education, with expertise in areas such as copyright, evaluating teaching practices, academic integrity, accessibility, and universal design for learning.

Tobin holds a master's and Ph.D. in English literature, a master’s in information science, and certifications in project management (PMP), online teaching (MOT), Quality Matters (QM), accessibility (CPACC), and academic leadership (Penn State).

Recognized on Ed Tech Magazine’s Influencers "Dean’s List," he has also received the Wagner Leadership Award in Distance Learning Administration and was named one of Eduflow’s global Top 100 Learning Influencers. He serves on the boards of Advances in Online Education, InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, and the Oklahoma University Press Teaching, Engaging, and Thriving in Higher

Tobin’s books include:

  • Evaluating Online Teaching (2015)
  • The Copyright Ninja (2017)
  • Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: UDL in Higher Education (2018)
  • Going Alt-Ac: A Guide to Alternative Academic Careers (2020)
  • Implementing UDL in Irish Further Education and Training (2021)
  • UDL at Scale (forthcoming 2026)
  • Evaluating Teaching in the Digital Era (forthcoming 2026)
  • Peer Observation Made Practical (forthcoming 2027)

Connect with him on various social media platforms or visit his website at thomasjtobin.com.

 

Oktoberbest Agenda

8:15 am – 9:00 am:    

Registration and Networking Breakfast

9:00 am – 9:10 am:

Welcome Remarks

Matt E. Thatcher, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Teaching Excellence

9:10 am – 10:40 am:

Keynote Address

Thomas J. Tobin, Ph. D.
University of Wisconsin-Madison

10:40 am – 10:50 am:

Transition to Breakout Session 1

10:50 am – 11:20 am:

Breakout Session 1

Attendees will choose one of four breakout sessions to attend (topics to be announced)

11:20 am – 11:30 am:

Transition to Breakout Session 2

11:30 am – 12:00 pm:

Breakout Session 2

Attendees will choose one of four breakout sessions to attend (topics to be announced)

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Lunch and Networking

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Recognition Ceremony:

Garnet Apple Awards for Teaching Innovation

1:30 pm – 1:40 pm:

Transition to Breakout Session 3

1:40 pm – 2:10 pm:

Breakout Session 3

Attendees will choose one of three breakout sessions to attend (topics to be announced)

2:10 pm – 2:20 pm:

Transition to Breakout Session 4

2:20 pm – 2:50 pm:

Breakout Session 4

Attendees will choose one of three breakout sessions to attend (topics to be announced)

2:50 pm – 3:05 pm:

Oktoberbest Refreshments

Think pretzels!

3:05 pm – 3:30 pm

 

Closing Remarks and Door Prizes

 

 

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

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