News from CTL

The UT System is committed to faculty growth in teaching with ACUE microcredential courses. These courses offer a path to the prestigious Effective Teaching Certification, enhancing teaching skills and professional development for UT faculty.

Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful holiday break. In this January edition, we're excited to share a variety of pedagogy resources and programming to help you prepare for your spring semester courses and inspire your teaching journey.

The Center for Teaching and Learning continued its mission of fostering teaching excellence and innovation in 2024. Through a diverse range of programs and events, CTL supported faculty, instructors, and graduate students in enhancing their teaching practices, building inclusive classrooms, and exploring cutting-edge strategies for student engagement. Below is a look back at some of the highlights that defined this exceptional year.

During this last full week of classes, we know everyone has winter break in their sights. Join us on Dec. 11 for a moment to pause and celebrate. Read on for many spring semester opportunities for support and note that some of these have December signup deadlines. This edition concludes with our recently available spring semester programmer flyer.

Academic Affairs is offering two guides designed to support instructors' integration of generative AI (GenAI) tools in your courses. These resources aim to enhance your understanding and application of AI in teaching and learning, providing both theoretical insights and practical activities.

The UT System is committed to faculty growth in teaching with ACUE microcredential courses. These courses offer a path to the prestigious Effective Teaching Certification, enhancing teaching skills and professional development for UT faculty.

On November 1st, the CTL’s Initiative of Students as Partners in Research and Education (InSPiRE) team gave a well-received presentation at the Second Decoding the Disciplines conference at Indiana University Bloomington.

Even in this short month, the CTL team is offering a variety of opportunities to support your teaching practice. Get involved in the PTF program by submitting the intent form before Nov. 4 or a TxTU nomination before Nov. 12. In addition, there are sessions on AI, wellness, and accessibility. Finally, CTL is on LinkedIn! Please connect with us for the latest news and updates.

Texas Teach-Up (TxTU) invites instructors from all colleges to celebrate and reflect on teaching practices on February 25-26; any instructor can be nominated for observation, especially those trying new techniques or seeking recognition, by submitting a form by November 12.

This month’s Teaching Tips focuses on supporting civic engagement in the classroom as the election approaches. Encourage students to vote early, remind them that only Travis County-registered voters can vote on campus, and provide polling location details, as on-campus sites have changed. Offering non-partisan civic engagement opportunities like TX Votes for students who cannot vote. Create a safe space for discussions on election-related concerns, and look out for an upcoming resource from the Center for Teaching and Learning on promoting wellness during election seasons.