Applications open for the Course Design Institute and Graduate Teaching Fellows, plus how to promote academic integrity and the value of collecting mid-semester feedback
Center for Teaching workshop

Center for Teaching Newsletter: February 2024

Supporting excellence in teaching and learning at Iowa  

Thank you for reading the Center for Teaching newsletter!

Our February edition includes guidance for gathering mid-semester feedback, information about our Graduate Teaching Fellows program, a new article about fostering academic integrity, and the link to apply for our 2024 Course Design Institute. 

Why should you consider collecting mid-semester feedback during your course? Asking your students about their learning experience before the end of the semester is one of the easiest ways to enhance your teaching, support student learning, and ensure you're on the right track with your class. 

Midterm feedback allows instructors to make timely adjustments while also engaging students to better understand their learning journey and create a more impactful learning environment. 

Learn more about some of the benefits of mid-semester feedback and how you can approach gathering feedback.  

Graduate Teaching Fellows Program

The Center for Teaching, thanks to support from the Graduate College, is expanding its Graduate Teaching Fellows program to welcome six participants for the 2024-2025 academic year. The expansion allows for more graduate students to develop their teaching skills, work on meaningful pedagogical projects, and prepare for diverse academic careers. The year-long, paid fellowship immerses participants in a cross-disciplinary learning community.

Applications are now open for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Fostering Academic Integrity

Center for Teaching staff share four principles to promote academic integrity and design integrity-minded learning environments. These principles can help instructors and administrators create learning spaces that support honest academic exploration and collaboration. For a deeper dive and practical strategies to implement them into your teaching practice, we encourage you to read the full article.

2024 Course Design Institute

Unlock the potential of your courses with the 2024 Course Design Institute! This intensive, multi-day workshop from May 20-24 is perfect for instructors looking to craft, refine, or update their course offerings. Dive into evidence-based strategies for how to create equitable and integrated learning experiences, align learning goals with assessments, and showcase your course structure. 

Application review starts April 5, 2024 – don't miss this opportunity to transform your teaching! 

Upcoming Events

Sparkshop: Teaching Strategies to Mitigate Student Burnout
February 21, Noon - 12:25 p.m. via Zoom
Join Graduate Teaching Fellow Jamie Kaminski (Ph.D. candidate, Psychological and Brain Sciences) to explore building classroom environments that foster students' well-being. Participants will be able to identify signs of burnout and integrate practical strategies to prevent burnout throughout their course.

Sparkshop: Three Strategies for Collecting Meaningful Student Feedback
March 6, Noon - 12:25 p.m. via Zoom
Interested in receiving meaningful feedback from students or discovering new ways to represent your teaching growth? Join this virtual sparkshop to discuss strategies for gathering and acting on midsemester feedback.

 
The University of Iowa

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the Center for Teaching in advance at 319-335-6048.