Getting ready for the fall semester, August retreats, course design, and new faculty programs!
Center for Teaching workshop

Center for Teaching Newsletter: Summer 2024

Supporting excellence in teaching and learning at Iowa  

Welcome to the summer edition of the Center for Teaching newsletter!

This issue includes information about our August retreats, resources to help instructors prepare for fall, opportunities for early career faculty and new teaching assistants, and recent accomplishments by our Center for Teaching staff. 

As we look forward to the upcoming academic year, we're preparing to host a pair of August retreats with evidence-based strategies that can help you with your courses this fall. 

  • Inclusive Syllabus Design Retreat
    Monday, Aug. 12, 1 - 3:30 p.m. in 2520D University Capitol Centre
    Dive into strategies for developing welcoming and learner-centered syllabi and making syllabus materials more transparent and inclusive. This retreat includes dedicated work time for personalizing and refining your syllabus drafts.
    Register online

  • Transparent Assignment Design Retreat
    Thursday, Aug. 15, 1 - 3:30 p.m. in 2520D University Capitol Centre
    Learn how to leverage the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework to design assignments that improve student learning experiences and create more equitable courses. This retreat includes dedicated work time to plan assignments.  
    Register online

These casual retreats offer not just expert guidance but also a chance to collaborate and innovate with colleagues in a supportive setting. For more details, visit our events page.

Gear Up for the Fall Semester

Jumpstart your fall semester prep with resources from the Center for Teaching. Whether you're crafting a syllabus, considering the role of AI in your courses, or thinking about how to engage your students, we've got you covered. Explore detailed guides, request a one-on-one teaching consultation, or join a faculty community. Visit our website to discover all the ways we can support you this fall.

New Faculty Teaching Resources and Support

Do you have new early career faculty members joining your department? The Center for Teaching is dedicated to supporting early career faculty as they begin their teaching journey at Iowa. From the Handbook for Teaching Excellence to personalized teaching consultations, we offer several tools and resources designed to help new faculty thrive.

New TA Orientation is Thursday, Aug. 22

The Center for Teaching will host New TA Orientation (NTAO) 2024 from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Aug. 22. This virtual session is designed to help graduate students feel more confident and prepared for their first teaching assignment. Participants will discuss lesson planning, learn more about inclusive teaching, and engage in workshops led by experienced TAs from across the university. Anyone who registers will also gain access to an ICON site with useful information and resources for new TAs.

Celebrating Our Team's Achievements

We're delighted to spotlight some recent achievements by members of our Center for Teaching team! 

Assistant Provost for Teaching & Learning and Director Anna Flaming was honored at the 2024 International Consortium for Educational Development conference with the 2022 International Journal for Academic Development Article of the Year Award for an article she co-authored, "Embracing Complexity: an inclusive framework for the scholarship of educational development."

Anna has also been named Assistant Editor of To Improve the Academy: a Journal of Educational Development. To Improve the Academy is the flagship peer-reviewed publication of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education and is focused on faculty, graduate and professional student, instructional, professional, and organizational development.

Associate Director Sara Nasrollahian has been elected to the Core Committee (Advisory Board) of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education. The POD Network is North America’s largest educational development community supporting over 1,700 members across nearly 1,300 centers for teaching and learning.

Sara was also co-editor of a new journal issue on “Exploring SoTL’s Transdisciplinary Potential” in Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal. Transformative Dialogues is a forum for conversations intended to foster the improvement of teaching and learning in post-secondary education.

Student Partner Lorena Perales and Assistant Director Anastasia Williams were recently featured on the Think UDL podcast, discussing the dynamic role of students in educational development and the creation and impact of Iowa’s Students as Partners program.

Our next newsletter is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 21. If you have suggestions for the newsletter or would like to provide us with feedback, email teaching@uiowa.edu.

Help us reach more people who support excellence in teaching and learning at Iowa! Please consider sharing our newsletter sign-up form with a friend or colleague. 
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.