10/07/2026
Last week, Dr. Cortney Shuley attended and presented at the American Association for Teaching & Curriculum (AATC) Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. The conference theme, Cultivating Care: Finding Meaning, Wholeness, and Courage in Education, brought together educators, researchers, and leaders from across the country to share current research and innovative practices.
Dr. Shuley co-presented with Nichol Anderson from Minot State University on "Executive Functioning and the Forgetting Curve in University Students' Learning." "Executive functioning shapes how university students encode, retain, and retrieve information, yet its relationship with time-based forgetting remains understudied in higher education. This session explores how working memory and cognitive flexibility influence learning in complex environments."
Beyond presenting, Dr. Shuley attended sessions featuring in-progress and completed research studies, innovative frameworks, instructional strategies, and emerging ideas across the field of education and research. Keynote speakers focused on educator well-being, workplace culture, reflective practice, authentic relationships, and courageous leadership. One interactive keynote exercise encouraged participants to reflect on where they carry stress and introduced simple wellness strategies, including yoga poses that can be incorporated during those "need a reset" moments.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the experience was connecting with others who are passionate about making a difference and sharing evidence-based approaches to meeting the needs of diverse learners. Dr. Shuley returned with new perspectives, practical strategies, and renewed energy that will be incorporated into both on-campus and asynchronous courses at Mayville State University.
