Thomas J. Tobin

@thomasjtobin

He, him. #ActuallyAutistic higher-ed quality author, speaker, scholar. Going Alt-Ac | UDL x3 | © Ninja | Evaluating Online Teaching +. Books/book me:

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Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· 28d

JUST 4 WEEKS TO GO! My new @oupress.bsky.social book, *UDL at Scale* will officially release on August 11. Read about 15 institutions who've actually done it. Want to host a book tour stop? DM me or see thomasjtobin.com. Please share this, & gift your campus leaders a copy. bit.ly/UDL_at_Scale

Book marketing image for *UDL at Scale: Whole-Campus Universal Design for Learning* by Thomas J. Tobin. Volume 9 in the "Teaching, Engaging, and Thriving in Higher Education" series from the University of Oklahoma Press. See https://bit.ly/UDL_at_Scale. Background image of a nebula in space, lit up in red and pink tones against a starry black sky.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Jul 13

Hello, friends & new followers. I'm glad you're here. You can expect that I will address inequity, lower barriers, call bullsh*t, celebrate marginalized voices, speak truth to power, simplify complex topics, question why we do what we do, & share cute animal vids/pics/memes.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Jul 7

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPERS! TOMORROW. FREE. ABSOLUTE BANGER SESSIONS. Okay, do I have your attention? Sign up NOW for the 100% free by-us-for-us-about-us educational developer conference. #VirtuallyGather26 The Virtual Gathering is July 8-10. Tell your friends, too! sites.google.com/view/virtual...

Text: "Leading with our values: creating connection in a time of upheaval. I'm presenting. July 8-10, 2026 via Zoom. #VirtuallyGather26. Fully virtual: accessibility first. Register now: https://bit.ly/VirtualGathering26-register

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Jun 10

Thank you, Shawn Smucker, for writing "Please Use AI." Read the whole piece (about 5 minutes) on Shawn's site: shawnsmucker.substack.com/p/please-use...

Be sure to use AI when making
your next, I don’t know, meal plan,
for example. Definitely do not call
your friend who loves to cook and ask her
for her favorite recipes or tips or ways
to save time making meals,
because you will end
up talking for longer than you had hoped,
hearing, perhaps, about her father’s cancer
diagnosis or how lonely she’s been or even
what she’s planted in her spring
garden and then lost with the early frost.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Jun 4

A huge thank you to the Postsecondary Disability Training Institute (PTI) organizers for such a useful and affirming event! Friends, if we connected in Portland, let's make time to chat soon.

Tom Tobin points to a graphic of a skull with a giant moustache eating pizza.

Tom Tobin and Emily Tarconish raise margaritas at a taco joint in Portland Maine.

Tom Tobin smiles in front of a neon sign shaped like a lobster.

Tom Tobin and Kirsten Behling smile for the camera.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 27

NEW PODCAST EP ON #UDL AT SCALE! Check out the Tea for Teaching episode "UDL at Scale," about my new book from @oupress.bsky.social! teaforteaching.com/447-udl-at-s... Big thanks to hosts @johnkane.bsky.social & @cyberthread.bsky.social. Wanna pre-order? www.oupress.com/978080619706...

Screen copy of Episode 447 of the *Tea for Teaching* podcast, with a vector image of a steaming mug of tea at the top. Text: "447. UDL at Scale: May 27, 2026. The Universal Design for Learning framework is often adopted by individual faculty for particular courses. In this episode, Tom Tobin joins us to discuss the potential benefits associated with an institution-wide adoption of this framework." Audio player controls at the bottom of the screen.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 21

A Thought, on Global Accessibility Awareness Day I’ve spent the last 30-plus years in just about every seat there is in higher education: undergraduate and graduate student, instructor, designer, system administrator, educational developer, conference director, unit leader. 1/

Tom Tobin stands on a stage in a blue suit, giving a keynote speech on "How to lower training and development barriers with universal design for learning."

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 20

Recruiters judge you from your profile photo. In a market this competitive, every small edge counts. That's why I use REAL HUMAN BEINGS and NOT CHEAP AI SLOP TOOLS to create my headshots and cartoon avatars. Support your local creative colleagues (mine are vjmstudios.com & www.ninjasketch.com).

Five head-shot photos of Tom Tobin in a suit and one cartoon caricature version of Tom (a white man with gray hair, glasses, and a giant black mustache), ranging from 2014 to 2024.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 15

Your #Friday moment of #Awesome is from @karencosta.bsky.social at www.karencostaspace.com. "Why and How I Use Video in My Online Teaching" is from 4 years ago, and evergreen. Take 30 minutes and learn concrete ways to humanize your online design & teaching. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFRI...

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 8

Your #Friday moment of #Awesome is . . . Christopher Hromalik and I have created a new crosswalk for applying #UDL in formal project management. Check out "Universal Design for Learning in Project Management." journals.imist.ma/index.php/IJ...

Screen shot of an article page for "Universal Design for Learning in Project Management" at The International Journal of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning. Authors Thomas J. Tobin and Christopher Hromalik.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 5

I WILL WORK FOR FREE Mar-Apr 2028. I'm a #Fulbright Specialist. I'm looking for a global partner institution who wants me to work for them March 1 - April 18, 2028. If your college, uni, or advocacy org needs an expert boost, let me know! fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/eligibility-...

Cartoon of Tom Tobin in front of a world map showing travel arrows from the US to various other countries. Text: Global friends, I’m a Fulbright Specialist March 1 - April 18, 2028! The U.S. government will pay for me to work with you for free! Want help with tech-mediated teaching, universal design for learning (UDL), observing & evaluating teaching? Call your country's Fulbright office to get started: bit.ly/TTFulbright

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 4

I am here for this wholesome content.

Tom Tobin and his orange cat Webster look into the camera in January 2026.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 4

#MayThe4thBeWithYou on this #StarWarsDay, and always.

Tom Tobin holds a Star Wars stormtrooper helmet in front of a backdrop of a hangar bay in a spaceship.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· May 1

Your #Friday moment of #Awesome is from Christine Moskell. Her chapter "Putting Coaching into Practice as Educational Developers" bridges coaching & teaching-center roles. Get *Transformative Coaching for Faculty & Staff in Higher Ed* & start connecting better. www.routledge.com/Transformati...

Book cover for Transformative Coaching for Faculty and Staff in Higher Education: Powerful Tools to Address Institutional Challenges. Edited By Karen Gonzalez Rice, Susan Hrach, Kathryn E. Linder, and Katherine S. Maynard. Image of the interior view of a pedestrian bridge with rainbow-colored roof elements.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 29

To the 650 people going to #ICED26 in Salamanca, Spain: Cone to our iced26.es workshop on June 24 at 12:45p: "How Educational Developers Can Use Community Power to Scale Universal Design Practices." Then enjoy tapas and fellowship on June 25. Wanna join us? Email me: thomasjtobin.phd@gmail.com.

Title slide for "How Educational Developers Can Use Community Power to Scale Universal Design Practices" from Lisa Padden, Thomas J. Tobin, Niamh Plunkett, and Maureen Haran, with photos of each person.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 28

FREE Online Equity Conference May 4-6! Hey, friends. Stop by the #FREE @peraltacolleges.bsky.social Online Equity Conference May 4-6, and learn with your colleagues. My May 5 keynote "Using #AI to Support #UDL" is also free. Join us and add your voice and ideas. sites.google.com/view/peralta...

Promo image for Peralta Online Equity Conference May 4-6, 2026. Image of Tom Tobin in a suit: a tall man with gray hair, glasses, and a giant black mustache. Text: Keynote Dr. Thomas J. Tobin, "How To Use Artificial Intelligence to Support Universal Design For Learning." May 5, 9am Pacific, 12p Eastern. Register for this free virtual event tiny.cc/peraltaequityconf.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 17

NEW PODCAST EP ON TEACHING CENTERS I enjoyed talking with DeElla Wiley for the @PODNetwork #CenteringCenters podcast recently [46:40]. "It Started as a Name on a Door" is the story of starting a teaching center with a university in the Philippines. Have a listen! open.spotify.com/episode/1fdc...

Screenshot of the "Centering Centers" podcast episode "It Started as a Name on a Door" with description "It Started as a Name on a Door with Thomas Tobin.
In this episode of Centering Centers, we talk with Thomas Tobin about what it means to build a teaching and learning center from the ground up and what happens when that work is shaped by listening, context, and collaboration. Drawing on his recent experience working with a university in the Philippines, Tom shares how a center can grow from “a name on a door” into something that actively supports teaching across an institution. Throughout the conversation, we explore how teaching extends beyond the classroom into everyday interactions across campus, why starting with what people are already doing well matters, and how small, immediate changes can lead to meaningful shifts in practice. We also talk about universal design for learning at scale, the challenges of defining and evaluating teaching, and what it looks like to design for the realities students actually experience."

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 16

Tucson, Arizona! Here for the @aacu.org #aacuclass2026 conference.

Tom Tobin smiles in front of a sign for the AAC&U CLASS conference.

Tom Tobin smiles in front of a giant cactus.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 15

Over the next 3 days, Tucson, Arizona will be imperceptibly but statistically more mustachioed. See you at the @aacu.org #AACUCLASS2026 conference, friends?

Title slide for "Sneaky Inclusive Design, or How to Be Inclusive when You Can't Say 'Inclusion.'" Image of a fussy baby resisting being fed by a spoon, inset image of Tom Tobin (a white man with gray hair, glasses, and a giant black mustache).

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 13

HELP 2 COLLEAGUES IN 15 MINUTES Instructors, do me a favor, please. Share what would help you provide disability accommodations. bit.ly/AHEAD26survey H/T to @liznorell.bsky.social & @lilliannave.bsky.social for doing this needed research. Respond & share with your colleagues, too. Thank you!

In a college classroom, a student in a wheelchair is handing in a piece of paper.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 9

Hey, friends. I enjoyed talking to @JustinShaffer about his work re-designing STEM courses & curricula. His card decks help departments talk about course design, & his services are grounded in evidence & research. Check him out, & invite him to your campus. www.recombinanteducation.com

Tom Tobin peers over a spread-out deck of conversation-prompt cards that he is holding.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 9

Dear Universe, Please arrange for the following 10 wins: Apr 7: Sabres & Canadiens Apr 11: Bruins & Blue Jackets Apr 12: Islanders Apr 13: Sabres & Red Wings Apr 14: Flyers Apr 15: Sabres & Rangers Thank you very much. Signed, A long-suffering born-in-Western-New-York fan

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 6

CAN'T SAY "D!VERS!TY" OR "!NCLU5!0N"? Join me on April 14 at 3p EDT for "The Art of Strategic Alignment: Supporting Enrollment & Persistence in Any Climate" for Innovative Educators. Use code web50 to save $50.00, too! www.innovativeeducators.org/products/the...

Title slide for "The Art of Strategic Alignment: Supporting Enrollment & Persistence in Any Climate" webinar, April 14, 2026 from Innovative Educators. With photo of Tom Tobin in a suit. Tom is a tall, smiling man with gray hair, glasses, and a giant black mustache.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Apr 4

This is like chocolate & peanut butter. Get 'em both. Jen Pusateri, @harvardpress.bsky.social: A Practical Guide to Teaching Neurodivergent College Students hep.gse.harvard.edu/979889557078... @flowerdarby.bsky.social, @oupress.bsky.social: The Joyful Online Teacher www.oupress.com/978080619653...

Tom Tobin peers gleefully over the covers of two books: *A Practical Guide to Teaching Neurodivergent College Students* and *The Joyful Online Teacher.*

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Mar 28

No kings.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Mar 25

If you're wondering where I'll be tomorrow, it's @ithacacollege.bsky.social, where I'll be the closing featured speaker for Ed Tech Day!

Tom Tobin smiles and points to an Ed Tech Day poster with his photo and presentation information on it.

Tom Tobin stands in front of a sign that says "we heart Ithaca," with Ithaca represented by a red star on a map of New York state.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Mar 20

Need a Speaker or Consultant? With 3 new books coming out, I'm proud to announce that I'm full-time now for research, speaking, & consulting. I'm booking Fall '26 - Spring '28 worldwide. See thomasjtobin.com. Thanks for getting in touch and for passing this along to your networks, too.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Mar 19

STILL SOME SEATS LEFT! Join me on March 24 at 3p EDT for "Using AI To Support Inclusive Learning Without Losing Rigor" for Innovative Educators. Use code web50 to save $50.00, too! www.innovativeeducators.org/products/usi...

Title slide for "Using AI To Support Inclusive Learning Without Losing Rigor" webinar, March 24, 2026 from Innovative Educators. With photo of Tom Tobin in a suit. Tom is a tall, smiling man with gray hair, glasses, and a giant black mustache.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Mar 18

UDL at Scale Pre-Orders Now OPEN! Pre-orders for my new @oupress.bsky.social book, *UDL at Scale,* are open at www.oupress.com/978080619706.... Get one for yourself . . . heck, at only $20, get one for your boss, too. Please share this to your networks, and thank you!

Book cover for *UDL at Scale: Whole-Campus Universal Design for Learning* by Thomas J. Tobin. Background of the book cover is a field of night-time stars with a large red nebula glowing in the center.

Thomas J. Tobin@thomasjtobin· Mar 11

NEW UDL BOOK Coming August 1! Okay, friends, I'm excited. *UDL at Scale* has a cover & an August 2026 release date. Watch for the @oupress.bsky.social pre-order web site to go live at the end of March. Who wants one? And who wants me to visit or give a webinar?