At the 2026 National Faculty Summit, presentations and workshops introduced tools to help teachers improve and refresh their teaching practices.
By
CONECTA Editorial Team
-
07/17/2026
Photo
Shutterstock,
Pexels
Read time: 7 mins
Some of the tools presented to teachers during the 2026 National Faculty Summit included classroom applications, artificial intelligence (AI) resources, neuroscience, technology, and gamification.
Teachers participated remotely in talks, lectures, and workshops over the course of three days of activities to support their teaching work. They also learned about the plans of six Tec schools for the upcoming academic year.
“Not only must we consider how to assist students facing challenges but also how to create conditions that enable them to lead purposeful lives,” said Rector Juan Pablo Murra.
CONECTA shares tools that teachers can use with their students during the upcoming school year.
The National Faculty Summit took place online.
12 apps for innovation in the classroom
Sara Hernández, Innovation and Educational Technology Coordinator at CEDIIE’s Monterrey Region office, shared 12 artificial intelligence (AI) apps that teachers can use in their classrooms.
This popular tool is constantly updated and used worldwide. As it may contain inaccuracies, it should not replace cognitive work but rather serve as support.
How can you create educational games with Canva AI?
Game-based learning (GBL) can increase engagement and promote meaningful learning when incorporated into instructional design rather than used solely for entertainment.
During the 2026 National Faculty Summit, Ezequiel García Béjar,Educational Innovation Leader at CEDDIE on the Tec’s Guadalajara campus, explained that GBL differs from gamification in that it uses games as a strategy to achieve learning objectives.
As part of the Game-Based Learning with Canva workshop, the specialist showed teachers how to create interactive activities with Canva’s artificial intelligence, from memory games, escape rooms, Jeopardy-style games, and spinning wheels to timelines, virtual labs, and games for connecting concepts, without needing advanced design or programming skills.
García recommended starting by identifying the learning objective before choosing the type of game, leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline the design of materials, and experimenting with activities that are already part of the class.
He also encouraged teachers to reach out to CEDDIE for assistance in implementing game-based learning strategies and other innovative educational methods.
It is important to choose the right type of game for each class.
AI for writing: Two approaches to help teachers and students
In academic writing, artificial intelligence tools fall into two broad categories: push and pull, depending on their level of intervention in the text.
-Push-focused tools
AI guides the users as they type.
In this model, the platforms suggest real-time improvements to a text written by the author, helping to correct issues relating to spelling, grammar, clarity, style, and tone. Since the AI does not generate the main ideas, the content is still considered to be the author’s.
Paraphrase passages while retaining the original meaning.
Herramientas con Enfoque PUSH
-Pull-focused tools
The user asks the AI for help directly.
With this approach, the user enters a prompt, and the artificial intelligence then generates suggestions, ideas, or drafts to help with the writing process.
Support research and information-gathering processes.
Herramientas con Enfoque Pull
- At what point does a text no longer belong to its author?
One of the key points of the workshop was to clarify that the use of proofreading tools does not automatically render a text as AI-generated content.
The platform only:
corrects spelling,
improves grammar,
suggests stylistic changes,
proposes greater clarity,
and even if the author decides to accept or reject the changes, the text is still considered the author’s own work.
On the other hand, if AI writes entire paragraphs, develops arguments, draws conclusions, or produces text from scratch based on instructions, the resulting content is considered AI-generated and must be disclosed if institutional policies require it.
-Recommendations for responsible use
During the session, it was pointed out that AI should primarily be used as a support tool, rather than as a substitute for the author’s intellectual work. Key recommendations include:
Use AI for brainstorming, not for copying complete answers.
Always review and edit the generated content.
Retain ownership of the ideas.
To get better results, provide clear context in the prompts.
Use AI to improve the clarity and organization of texts, without replacing your own analysis.
-Five suggested prompts for academic writing
During the workshop, a workbook containing examples of prompts for various academic tasks was presented as an additional resource.
Improve clarity and conciseness of texts.
Organize the structure of a document.
Strengthen theses and arguments.
Provide formative feedback.
Paraphrase responsibly and improve the tone of text.
These resources are designed to help teachers and students use artificial intelligence to enhance their writing skills while preserving their authorship and critical thinking abilities.
These resources are designed to help teachers and students take full advantage of artificial intelligence.
Six neuroscience tips for better teaching
Instead of providing a teaching formula, neuroscience can help teachers make better decisions in the classroom.
During the session, the specialist explained that scientific evidence provides improves our understanding of fundamental learning processes such as attention, memory, motivation, and neuroplasticity.
He said, “It’s essential to stay up to date on the latest neuroscience and learning findings.”
Teachers can use neuroscience to make better decisions in the classroom.
The neurologist shared some research-based learning practices that can:
Present new content concisely, clearly, and precisely since sustained attention wanes over time.
Incorporate breaks during long sessions to help the brain replenish its attention resources.
Use a variety of tones, body language, and visual aids to keep the group engaged.
Encourage distributed practice rather than concentrating study into a single session as this helps reinforce memory retention.
Stimulate curiosity and motivation as both enhance learning and memory. “When curiosity is stimulated, different circuits in the brain are activated, enhancing learning.”
Design student-centered activities that include hands-on experiences, real-world problems, and opportunities for exploration and creativity.
“Not only must we consider how to support students facing challenges but also how to create the conditions that enable them to lead purposeful lives.” – Juan Pablo Murra
2026 National Faculty Summit
The National Faculty Summit is Tec de Monterrey’s annual gathering of the undergraduate and graduate academic community, featuring learning opportunities, institutional alignment, roundtable discussions, and moments of celebration.
The 2026 event took place virtually and consisted of three days of presentations and workshops, during which faculty members exchanged best practices and participated in activities designed to strengthen faculty development and wellbeing.
The 2026 David Noel Ramírez Padilla Award for Inspiring Teachers was also presented at the event.
