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Faculty are invited to express interest in participating in the Scholarly Writing for Faculty Success pilot, a spring 2026 program facilitated by Cristina Santamaría Graff, faculty fellow for Scholarly Writing for Faculty Success.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost, this pilot is designed to support sustained scholarly writing through weekly structure, protected focus time, and a shared writing community. The program builds on the Provost’s Faculty Success efforts, which began in 2025 with the Mentoring for Faculty Success program and responds to faculty-identified needs for professional development and scholarly support.
The Spring 2026 pilot will begin in early February and will be open to full-time faculty across ranks. The semester-long program will include weekly facilitated writing blocks and is capped at 25 participants. The program is intended to support scholarly writing related to grant activity and promotion and tenure. Participants should expect to attend weekly writing sessions; final details regarding whether sessions will be in person or hybrid are still being determined.
Faculty who are interested in learning more or being considered for the Spring 2026 pilot are invited to complete a short interest form by January 30, 2026.
Questions about the program may be directed to Teresa Sosa.
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Featured Webinar
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Join the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Journal Club
Faculty across all IU campuses—whether new to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) or experienced scholars—are invited to join the Spring 2026 SoTL Journal Club. The virtual journal club, which will meet three times in spring, will explore SoTL research on student success and course completion, offering participants’ practical ideas to strengthen teaching, advance their SoTL work, and support their promotion and tenure success.
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Featured Resource
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Guide to Making Your Assignments More Transparent
Transparent assignments, which clearly state purpose, tasks, and criteria for success, reduce confusion, boost motivation, improve student success and learning outcomes. Make your assignments clearer and more effective with our step-by-step guide. View the guide and connect with a CTL consultant for feedback on your draft.
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A Professor’s Framework for Meaningful, Joyful, and Sustainable Work
How can instructors make academic work meaningful, joyful, and sustainable while supporting student success? In this Faculty Focus article on faculty development and well-being, Julie Sochacki shares her five-pillar framework and practical strategies for each pillar: emotional resilience, physical well-being, stress management, meaningful living, and time and energy protection. When instructors care for themselves intentionally, they create the capacity to show up fully for students and colleagues—thriving educators foster thriving classrooms.
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Final Reminder: Post Your Spring Syllabus
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Course syllabi in must be posted in Canvas due to Indiana state law and per IU policy ACA-85: Syllabus. For quick tips and guidance, visit our FAQ's.
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Extended Reality Initiative Faculty Fellows Grant
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The Extended Reality Initiative (XRI) Faculty Fellows Grant provides faculty with technical and instructional support and funds to implement Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality assignments, projects, or activities into their courses with the goal of improving student learning outcomes and success at IU. A total of 10 grants of $1000 each will be awarded. XRI grant proposal submission is now open, and proposals are due Friday, January 30, at 5 p.m.
Learn more and submit a proposal.
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Accessibility: Webinars and Quick Tips
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Accessibility Webinar Series
Indiana University is committed to fostering inclusive learning environments, and accessibility is a key part of that mission. This webinar series is designed to help faculty and staff understand the tools and resources available at IU to make digital course materials more accessible. Register for each event to learn practical steps you can take now to make your materials more inclusive and enhance the learning experience for all students.
Accessibility Webinar Series Registration Page
Accessibility Drop-in Office Hours
The way we share materials online is changing this spring with Title II accessibility rules. We’ve set up easy, drop-in office hours on Zoom to help answer your quick accessibility questions. Drop in to get quick tips on how to update your Canvas site, check your video captions, describe your images, and more! If you’d like in-depth accessibility assistance, email the CTL to schedule a longer consultation.
Drop into the Zoom room every Thursday afternoon between 1 and 3 p.m.
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Discover the Faculty Crossing
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Did you know? The Faculty Crossing is your dedicated space for scholarship and collaboration. Open whenever the University Library is open, this space is designed to help you focus, connect, and recharge.
Enjoy complimentary coffee and access to technology, including a computer station for meetings or presentation preparation. Whether you’re grading assignments, refining your syllabus, or meeting with colleagues, the Faculty Crossing supports your work.
Visit us in University Library, first floor near the elevators, in room 1125M.
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Online TA Orientation
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Orientation for IU Indianapolis graduate student teaching assistants is now available online. This self-paced course provides essential teaching strategies for all course formats, prepares TAs to support student success, and fulfills the TA Orientation requirement. Encourage TAs in your department to enroll in the online orientation.
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Announcing the 2026 Plater-Moore Symposium: Assessment for Engaged Learning
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The IU Indianapolis Center for Teaching and Learning announces this year’s Plater‑Moore Symposium, taking place Friday, April 3, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This annual event brings together educators from across campus to explore timely and transformative themes in teaching and learning.
This year’s symposium will center on the role of assessment in strengthening engaged learning practices. Sessions will highlight how instructors and academic programs design and use assessment strategies to deepen understanding of student learning, adapt teaching approaches, and support meaningful, continuous improvement.
While the work of assessment inevitably intersects with accreditation expectations, the symposium will keep its focus squarely on teaching, learning, and discipline‑specific practice—emphasizing assessment as a scholarly, reflective, and empowering part of educators’ work.
The 2026 Plater‑Moore Symposium is designed to:
- Support Student Success: Showcase ways that intentional assessment practices inform instructional decision‑making and contribute directly to student engagement and achievement.
- Encourage Experimentation: Inspire instructors and programs to revisit existing practices and explore new methods for designing and assessing learning.
- Foster Cross‑Disciplinary Learning: Provide opportunities for educators from across departments and schools to learn from one another’s effective approaches.
- Reframe Assessment: Shift the narrative from compliance and reporting to assessment as a tool for insight, curiosity, and continuous enhancement of learning.
- Strengthen Practice: Highlight practical, discipline‑specific examples of aligned course and program design that lead to usable, meaningful evidence of student learning.
Register
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CTL Workshops and Webinars
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Monday, January 26 | 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. | Online - Recorded video Register » Organizer: Learning Technologies Faculty Fellow Programs and Presenter: Sarah Herpst
Use the tools you already have. Learn how Word, PowerPoint, and PDFs can help you create accessible course documents—with tips tailored to your discipline.
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Wednesday, January 28 | 1 - 2:30 p.m. | Online - Zoom Register » Organizer: DEPI and Presenter: April Law
Feeling curious about Generative AI (GenAI) but a little unsure where to begin? This session introduces the basics in a friendly, approachable way—perfect for beginners and anyone who feels nervous about diving in. Learn what GenAI is, explore simple tools you can use right away, and discover how these technologies can make your work easier. No jargon, no pressure—just a supportive space to start your GenAI journey.
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Thursday, January 29 | 1 - 2:30 p.m. | Online - Teams Register » Organizer: Hope Kaser and Presenter: Willie Miller
With the full implementation of Elements @ IU for faculty activity reporting, join us for this workshop designed to help you get comfortable with the platform and ensure you’re ready to complete your review and evaluation. In this workshop you can expect to learn how to navigate the evaluation and review exercises in Elements. You’ll also receive an overview of the evaluation exercises in Elements and relevant information about completing reviews. Also held on Monday, February 2.
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Tuesday, February 3 | 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon | Online - Zoom Register » Organizer: Thomas Longshore and Presenters: Terence Govender and Thomas Longshore
Discover how Generative AI (GenAI) agents can transform workflows and enhance student engagement in this interactive session.
You will learn how GenAI agents can be adapted to meet the unique needs of instructors. If you’re looking to enrich your students’ learning experiences using IU-approved GenAI tools, this session will provide practical insights, tips, and inspiration.
A basic familiarity with GenAI and prompting is helpful but not required. Instructors who are just getting started and those ready to move beyond the basics are welcome. We’ll include dedicated work time for hands-on agent creation. If you’d like to take advantage of this activity, having access to a computer will help you get the most out of it. Explore how GenAI can support innovative teaching and learning at IU.
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Tuesday, February 17 | 11 - 11:30 a.m. | Online - Microsoft Teams Register » Organizer: IU eTexts and Presenter: Katelin Carlton
Want to limit barriers to student success, promote engagement with your required course materials, and reduce costs for students? IU eTexts can help! Join this webinar to learn the basics of the IU eTexts Initiative, discover the many benefits of using digital materials ordered through the Initiative, and learn how to place an order for summer or fall 2026.
Other available sessions: 2–2:30 p.m., or 7–7:30 p.m.
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Wednesday, February 18 | 11 - 11:30 a.m. | Online - Microsoft Teams Register » Organizer: IU eTexts and Presenter: Katelin Carlton
Need to order digital course materials for summer or fall 2026 classes? Join this webinar to learn how to place your order in the IU eTexts Portal.
Other available sessions: 2–2:30 p.m., or 7–7:30 p.m.
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Monday, March 23 | 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. | Online - Zoom Register » Organizer: Learning Technologies Faculty Fellow Programs and Presenters: Sarah Herpst and Michael Mace
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) encourages us to create flexible, inclusive learning environments that meet the needs of all students. In this session, we’ll explore how Anthology Ally can help you apply UDL principles in your Canvas course by improving the accessibility of your course.
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Tuesday, February 24 | 1 - 2 p.m. | Online - Zoom Register » Organizer: Thomas Longshore and Presenter: Thomas Longshore
Looking for ways to save time and simplify grading handwritten work or bubble sheet exams? This session will show you how to make grading more efficient and consistent with Gradescope.
You’ll learn how to:
- Set up assignments in your Canvas course
- Use bubble sheets effectively
- Leverage Gradescope’s AI-assisted grading for consistent feedback
Whether you teach large classes or just want to streamline your workflow, this demo offers practical tips and a clear roadmap to get started.
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Wednesday, February 25 | 1 - 2 p.m. | Online - Zoom Register » Organizer: DEPI and Presenter: Various
In the context of AI, “gems” are personalized, customized versions of the Gemini AI assistant—purpose-built assistants designed to handle specific tasks. By pre-loading these tools with your specific instructions, rubrics, or preferences, you create a "gem" that performs a specialized function reliably, saving you time and ensuring consistency across your teaching and administrative work. This dynamic session will feature 12-minute breakout rooms, where you can explore four practical “gems”.
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Apply to the Global Teaching and Learning Academy
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IU faculty are invited to join the Global Teaching and Learning Academy, a multi-campus cohort advancing IU 2030’s focus on student-centered, globally engaged learning. Benefits include instructional design support, a $750 stipend, and the Global Learning for IU Educators Certificate. Applications due Monday, February 1. Learn more and apply.
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PRAC Assessment Grant Proposals Due February 17
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The Program Review and Assessment Committee (PRAC) funds assessment grants that advance innovative, transformative, and student- and learning-centered approaches and improved practice in assessment or program review. PRAC Assessment Grant proposals are due on Tuesday, February 17. Learn more and submit a proposal.
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Call for Proposals: 2026 Assessment Institute
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The Assessment Institute in Indianapolis—the nation’s oldest and largest event focused on improving higher education—will be held Sunday, October 18, through Tuesday, October 20, at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown.
Submit a proposal for the 2026 program by the priority deadline of Friday, March 6. To learn more, watch a recording and view presentation slides from the proposal development information session.
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