Washington, October 6, 2026 / PRNewswire / -- Today, it is announced that the 10th Annual Digital Teaching Symposium ( Digital Teaching Symposium , DTS ) will be held on November 19, 2026. This is a free online event where higher education teachers from around the world will share practical methods to address the constantly changing challenges of teaching and learning.
This year's theme is “Reach, Teach & Demonstrate”, focusing on issues that educators face every day: how to reach every learner? How to teach effectively in a constantly changing world? And how to prove that learning truly brings meaningful change?
The keynote speech will be delivered by Dr. Matthew Pittinsky, co-founder and upcoming CEO of Blackboard. He previously served as a tenured assistant professor at Arizona State University. The title of the keynote speech is "_Mark Hopkins ' _Log : _AI , _Higher Education , _and _the _Extraordinary Potential _of _an _Ordinary Technology", which will explore how _AI can help provide a genuine learning management system while keeping interpersonal relationships at the core of education.
Blackboard Vice President of Academic Transformation Lisa A. Clark Doctor of Education stated: "Teachers are in a period of extremely rapid change. They are adapting to AI, rethinking academic integrity and assessment methods, and adopting new approaches to attract students and make learning more accessible. This is precisely why the Digital Teaching Seminar is so important. It brings teachers together at this critical moment in education to share what practices are truly effective."
The featured sessions of this event will discuss some of the most important issues faced by educators today, including:
- When schools ban AI, what exactly are they banning? — The publisher of the On EdTech blog, Phil Hill & Associates, and LLC partner Phil Hill will discuss how educators and institutions can view AI in learning platforms more accurately. Subsequently, Matthew Pittinsky will participate in a fireside chat and answer questions from the audience.
- Evaluation in the AI Era – As generative AI changes the way students complete course assignments, we must rethink how to assess learning.
- Attract and reach a diverse range of learners – provide practical methods that offer learning experiences tailored to each student’s current stage.
- Using AI and emerging technologies in teaching – experiences from educators who have tried new tools and methods.
- Course Design and Digital Teaching Methods – Strategies for Creating Effective and Engaging Online and Blended Learning Experiences.
- Feedback and Learning Evidence: Methods to Help Educators Understand and Communicate What Students Have Actually Learned.
- Inclusive and Accessible Teaching: Practical Ways to Create an Usable Learning Experience for More Students.
- Real teaching experience – frank opinions on which methods are effective, which are not, and how to free up more teaching time with the help of AI.
Teachers from institutions such as the University of Connecticut, the University of Pretoria, Aston University, and Wichita State University will share practical methods and experiences from their classrooms.
The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 19th, Eastern Time in the United States, and will offer two programming tracks in English and Spanish. Last year, DTS attracted over 1,300 participants from 538 institutions in 55 countries, becoming a global forum for educators to share classroom practice experiences.
Educators can register to participate in the digital teaching seminar at https :// www.blackboard.com / digital-teaching-symposium.
About Blackboard
Blackboard provides the digital environment necessary for transformative teaching and learning. The company serves thousands of institutions, and its products include the industry's most advanced LMS ( Blackboard LMS ), digital content accessibility tools Ally, as well as institutional effectiveness solutions that put educators and learners at the center. Blackboard is an education company that creates technology. For more information, please visit blackboard.com.
Erin Mitchell [ email protected ]










