News from CTL

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.

While it may not feel like October outside, we are approaching the midpoint of the semester. What is working for you so far? What challenges are present? There are many opportunities this month to help you move forward! We encourage you to invest in your teaching practice in one or two ways and help strengthen our teaching and learning community.

Read about how a good course design pairs activities and assessments with clear rubrics that relate student performance to the feedback and grade.

The 10th anniversary of the Provost's Teaching Fellows (PTF) program celebrates its decade-long impact on teaching excellence at UT Austin. The initiative, started by ten UT faculty members, continues to support innovative approaches to education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentorship across various departments. The special edition of "Teaching Tips" reflects on the program's legacy, highlighting key projects from current and past fellows and outlining the future direction of the program, which remains focused on fostering collaboration and educational innovation.

The emergence of generative AI has the potential to shape many aspect of teaching and learning in higher education. CTL has developed several resources and events to help faculty, instructors, and students explore the implications.

Academic Affairs will now administer awards specific to teaching. These new awards allow the UT community to recognize faculty member contributions toward our teaching, service, and learning missions. Currently, all awards are open, please find deadlines and nomination information below:

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is proud to announce the successful completion of the first RISE (Resources and Insights for Starting Educators) Program, a summer cohort experience designed to empower early-career faculty in their teaching.