NWACC Instructional Technology Roundtable 2026
Get Curious: Navigating Change Together
November 4-6, 2026
Courtyard City Center
550 SW Oak St
Portland, OR 97204
Wednesday, November 4
4:00 PM Check-in – Happy Hour and Welcome Activity – Hotel Conference Level
Drinks, snacks, and NWACCo Bingo!
5:30 PM Welcome & Dinner Park Ballroom
6:15 PM – Keynote
Scott Shigeoka – Curiosity is a Bridge for Connection
Scott’s keynote will focus on how curiosity can foster understanding, connection and transformation, building on the success of his award-winning book Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. Scott will especially focus on the stories and concrete tools anyone can apply to introduce more curiosity into their leadership, workplaces, and relationships—particularly during a moment of unprecedented change.
Thursday, November 5
7:30 AM – Breakfast
8:30 AM – Welcome & Getting on the Same Page Park Ballroom
8:45 AM – Speed Networking and Crowdsourcing Park Ballroom
Get acquainted with your friends and colleagues at other institutions by discussing common shared issues. Find your next table!
10:00 AM – Break
10:30 AM – Plenary: Getting Curious About AI’s Impacts on Teaching & Learning Park Ballroom
11:30 AM – 1:00PM – Lunch & Birds of a Feather Table Discussions
1:00 PM – Breakout Sessions #1
Breakout A
Human-Centered Security: Balancing AI Innovation, Privacy, and Trust
We continually face new challenges around privacy, security, and institutional governance. How do we balance protecting institutional data with exploration and innovation in teaching and learning? This discussion will explore how instructional technologists and cybersecurity professionals can embrace curiosity, communication, and collaboration to better understand campus needs, inform decision-making, and explain the reasoning behind security and privacy requirements. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences, challenges, and approaches to building trust while supporting responsible technology adoption.
Breakout B
Meeting Students’ Needs in a Changing Educational Landscape
How are we preparing today’s students for an environment that is rapidly changing and a future that is evolving faster than ever? Our role and work in education technology can be critical in supporting faculty and helping students navigate new ways of learning, develop essential skills, and become contributors to society as future professionals in their own fields. Let’s come together to explore and compile resources on how institutions are supporting students in engaging with education technology, AI, and other related topics.
2:15 PM – Break
2:30 PM – Breakout Sessions #2
Breakout A
Instructional Technologist Approaches to Change and Project Management
No matter your role, and regardless of whether you have been specifically trained, you are likely involved in some sort of project/change management. In this session, we’ll discuss how recent issues in EdTech (AI, Accessibility, and LMS Data/Security) may have changed the way we approach people, projects, and change. We’ll also brainstorm ways that we can leverage Scott’s work to further bridge differences, build trust, and enhance our work.
Breakout B
Accessibility: Where Are You Now and How Did You Get There?
A collaborative retrospective on the evolution of your institution’s compliance with the latest DOJ requirements and what has changed since the extension of the deadline. How will you leverage this extension to best serve your students and institutions?
3:45 PM – Break
4:00 PM – 3 Minutes of Fame Park Ballroom
5:30 PM – Dinner with Colleagues (optional)
7:00 PM – After dinner drinks @ Deschutes (optional)
Friday, November 6
7:30 AM – Breakfast
8:30 AM – Looking Ahead – Park Ballroom
8:45 AM – Breakouts #3
Breakout A
Why You Should Be Documenting Your Professional Life
Are you keeping track of your professional life? What are your plans for recording institutional knowledge for your co-workers and future stakeholders? Creating a repository of your own accomplishments/activities has benefits for your institution and for yourself, regardless of the stage of your career. Come share what you are doing to pass on knowledge to others, as well as how you keep track of your own professional progress.
Breakout B
Sustaining the Human Element: Cultivating Resilience in Today’s Higher Ed
This session will focus on how we cultivate resilience in the context of ongoing challenges following the pandemic era, remote work, AI, and budget constraints within higher education. We are hoping you’ll join us for this screen-free session to learn from colleagues about how they decompress and stay creative, connected, and present.
9:40 AM Break (5 minutes)
9:45 AM – Plenary: Cool Tools Show & Tell Park Ballroom
Share in small and large groups and learn from colleagues the tools that make edtech and your work easier, shinier, and pedagogically effective!
10:45 AM – Break
11:00 AM Plenary: NWACC Collaborations: Highlights and Opportunities Park Ballroom
11:20 AM – Circling Back / Evaluations
11:30 AM Adjourn