In this edition of the Pew FTLC Newsletter:

Innovate by going back to fundamentals. It was such a pleasure to host the 32nd Annual Fall Conference on Teaching and Learning a few weeks ago. Being in community with so many of you was a needed reminder of the magic (and art) of in-person gatherings and the kinds of insights that chance hallway conversations can bring. On the Fall Conference site, you can view the recording of Tracie Addy’s lovely keynote and browse the materials generously shared by faculty and staff presenters. I have been present for the last 18 Fall Conferences and what never ceases to delight and inspire me is the depth of innovative teaching practices and thoughtful approaches to working with students that take place at Grand Valley. The impactful teaching carried out by our amazing colleagues never goes out of style.  

The (higher ed) news is replete with stories lately about how the best way to prepare students for an AI-enabled world is through a liberal education. Yes. I do feel I have been beating this drum fairly often and encouraging us to strengthen what we know works to foster learning. In lieu of sharing a bunch of new articles/sites, I instead invite you to review the resources I have shared recently on these topics. Our newsletter archive is accessible on the Pew FTLC homepage. As I review, themes that emerge among these resources include slowing down, making space, being clear, building relationships, giving grace, challenging assumptions, prioritizing care, and leaning on evidence-based practices. One new resource I will share is a newly created Pew FTLC Teaching Guide page: Smart glasses and wearable AI-assisted technologies in learning spaces. It includes a brief backgrounder and sample syllabus language.  

Extending grace. We work hard in the Pew FTLC to be accurate, timely, and helpful. As it relates to the digital realm, we are not alone in navigating broken links as result of CMS5 website upgrades, changing unit names and titles based on recent restructurings within multiple Divisions, and making adjustments based on these new structures as well as current budget realities. I ask that you extend grace not only to the folks in the Pew FTLC, but our colleagues across the university. Staff, faculty, and students who support your work are also working with limited resources and new systems/structures. I am reminded of the Kindness Cards campaign from a few years ago that was born out of a need for greater attention to the way we treat one another. Times are not easy, I will freely admit. I am comforted, though, when I keep in mind that we are all “just humans.” 

Digital accessibility corner. In alignment with the Digital Literacy Initiative, I offer here the third installment in support of the why and the what of our goals for digital accessibility. As always, don’t forget the Digital Accessibility Committee resource page. Let’s talk about Presentations. I learned a lot from this Microsoft PowerPoint Accessibility guide. Did you know that a screen reader reads slide elements in the order they were added to the slide and not the order in which they appear? I didn’t. The built-in Accessibility Checker can help you find and correct any reading order issues. Oh, and you thought that Slide Layouts were there to help make your slides jazzier? Well, yes, but layouts have preset reading orders that are screen-reader friendly. Now THAT is what we mean by universal design.  

I also really like the guidance from the Irish organization, AHEAD, that provides clear and simple presentation accessibility practices using the terribly clever acronym, SLIDE. If you are using Google Slides, much of the same advice holds. However, one thing to keep in mind is the manner in which you share slides. Providing a direct link is best, downloading and sharing as a PowerPoint file is the next best, and making a PDF to share, is, well, problematic. We’ll address PDFs next time. Lastly, I have seen so many text-heavy slide presentations lately that I can’t help but extol the cognitive and inclusive virtues of the assertion-evidence model of slide design. The simplest Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach truly is to show less text and resist the temptation to use bulleted lists. More to come soon on the topic of Universal Design for Learning. 

Deep breath, everyone. You’ve got this.  

-Christine Rener, Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning  

Carve out time to focus on your writing goals in a structured, supportive environment and join the Fall Remote Writing Challenge.

We’re hosting 1.5-hour writing sessions on Zoom on the Thursdays below from 2:00 - 3:30PM. Register for one, a few, or all of the dates. Each session includes 15 minutes for introductions and goal-setting, 1 hour of focused writing time, and 15 minutes to share successes and reflections.

Whether you're working on articles, scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), book chapters, professional documents, syllabi, or other writing projects, these sessions provide accountability and momentum to help you make progress. We’ll provide a quiet, distraction-free space. Writing can feel solitary, but with a supportive community, the process becomes more motivating, productive, and even fun! All faculty and staff are welcome. 

For dates and information on our writing challenges, visit the Faculty Writing Challenges webpage.

Looking for a way to connect with other faculty or staff this year? Searching for a community of colleagues to learn with? Hoping to refresh your teaching techniques or evidence-based practices? Join a Learning Community!

Learning Communities (LCs) are small, faculty- and staff-led groups that gather around a shared topic for a semester or two. These communities create space for collaboration, new kinds of learning, and the opportunity to meet people across campus. New Fall LCs are being added frequently, and below are just a few of the LCs that are currently open and accepting new members.

Apply online via our Grants System today!

If you’ve got an idea—or just the start of one—we invite you to propose a Fall 2026 LC or Year-Long LC. Submit a Letter of Intent by September 11 using our online form. If you're wondering what’s possible, browse our Past LCs webpage for inspiration from years past. And, if you want to check out our current LCs, visit our Current Learning Communities webpage.

Seeking some immediate guidance on preparing for the Fall semester? Look no further than our Teaching Guides. A few topics that are likely top of mind:

Visit our Teaching Guides webpage to see the full list of resources available. These guides provide instructional materials for faculty of all levels and disciplines. Each page is devoted to topical evidence-based teaching strategies, explanations of learning principles, and take-and-try resources to support your professional development. 

Interested in joining a faculty mentoring community this year?

Our Faculty Mentoring Communities program isn’t quite ready yet for registration — it should be live in early September BUT, you can make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity by completing our Mentoring Community Interest form. All faculty who complete this form will be alerted once the registration goes LIVE and will be sent the direct link to register. 

Our Faculty Mentoring Program offers structured meeting opportunities to gather with colleagues and explore the multiple sources of guidance and connection available at GVSU for professional growth and development. There are mentoring communities for faculty in their first year of teaching and mentoring communities for veteran faculty members. Participants consistently report mentoring communities to be grounding, supportive, and inspiring. Check out last year’s list of mentoring communities by visiting our Mentoring Community webpage—this year’s lineup will likely be very similar. 

Interested in leading a Faculty Mentoring Community this year? Fill out our Mentor Interest form today!

CCESS2026 "Ways of Knowing in Climate Change Education"

October 14-15, 2026

The Climate Change Education Solutions Summit (CCESS) is an annual, multi-disciplinary international conference hosted by Grand Valley State University. CCESS serves as a forum for all students, faculty, staff, and community partners on solution-oriented place-based transdisciplinary climate education rooted in community action, innovation, and collaboration.

The GVSU 8th Annual Climate Change Education Solutions Summit (CCESS 2026) "Ways of Knowing in Climate Change Education" will be held October 14–15, 2026 in Russel H. Kirkhof Center on GVSU Valley Campus and online. Registration for CCESS2026 is free and is open to everyone on a first-come first-served basis with in-person space being limited to 320 participants. Register today to secure your access.

GVSU Teach-In

November 10-11, 2026

The “GVSU Teach-In: Lifelong Learning toward Educational Equity and Action” is a campus-wide, student-centered learning experience dedicated to advancing educational equity across the university. Bringing together students, faculty, and staff, the Teach-In creates opportunities to explore how educational equity shapes teaching, learning, research, and practice across disciplines, including technology, healthcare, engineering, business, the arts, and beyond.

Submit a proposal to participant in Teach-In presentations. We particularly solicit collaborative student/faculty/staff/community teams that involve educational frameworks for opening dialogues on inequality, systems of oppression, social justice and liberation in the format of workshops and other engaged pedagogies.  Please keep in mind that a GVSU Teach-In session is practical, participatory and action-oriented. We especially encourage topical contributions with an intersectional framework (considering interconnections of racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, xenophobia, etc.), and sessions that integrate faculty, staff, and students as co-creators.

Submission Deadline: Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 11:59PM