Newsletter October 2, 2025
cte.utah.edu

For faculty in higher education, the need for productivity is a driving force.  Productivity means  different things for people in different roles across the academy, but the common thread is that we tend to look at semester breaks as a time to catch up on work. This means that we forgo the purpose of semester breaks in general — to rest and recharge before returning for the rest of the semester.  Jolley (2024) found that students in field experiences who took at least one rest day per week returned with reduced levels of anxiety, mentioned the challenges of their field experiences less, and made fewer references to group dynamics. Students were physically and mentally recharged and many linked their rest to more productive group experiences after the break. 

If we give our students a break, why don’t we take one ourselves? Franco et al. (2021) talked about the importance of work-life balance in the well-being of faculty in higher education. Next week, during fall break, I encourage instructors to take some time to step away from the monitor and keyboard. Take a walk or go for a drive — the fall colors are at their peak right now. Go out for coffee or lunch with a friend (and don’t talk about work). Go to a movie. Take a nap. Whatever a break looks like to you, consider it self-care that is critical for your mental and physical health, for your productivity, and for your ability to do your best job with your students when you return in mid-October. 

In the last couple of newsletters, we discussed the April 2026 deadline for state and federal government agencies to ensure their web content (including courses) meet Web Content Accessibility GuidelineWeb Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). CTE staff put together a workshop on what you need to do as an instructor to ensure that your course meets those guidelines. As indicated in the screenshot from the workshop below, your course WCAG checklist includes: 

We also encourage you to register for and attend the workshop hosted by Digital Learning Technologies on Canvas and PDF Accessibility on October 28 from 12-1 via Zoom. 

 

CTE has prepared an Anonymous Midterm Course Feedback Survey that can be imported directly into your Canvas course — you can use it as is or edit it to add your own questions. Once imported and published, all you have to do is alert your students that it is there. If possible, give them time to do it in class to achieve maximum response rates. Then after your feedback window has closed, take some time to discuss your findings with your students and talk about what changes you can implement, and when, and why. 

CTE workshops are open to all instructors, postdocs and grad students on campus. Please register with unid@utah.edu  

The University of Utah community is invited to attend a virtual AI Forum at noon on Wednesday, October 15, to hear updates from the AI Office and ask questions about AI use at the U.

Registration is required—RSVP for the Zoom webinar. 

Forums typically follow this format: 

These forums are typically held every other month. AI Office Hours are held every other week. The office also holds virtual monthly meetings, called AI Community of Practice, featuring short presentations from university researchers using AI. View all upcoming events. 

If you have an urgent question not covered by the FAQ page or answered elsewhere on ai.utah.edu, please submit it via the support form (university login required). 

CTE is proud to offer a 15-credit graduate certificate in Teaching in Higher Education. The certificate consists of 4 online semester-based courses taught through CTE, as well as one elective.

Interested in learning more? Check out the certificate page.

This year, we will be offering two elective courses:

This year’s Center For Science and Mathematics Education Exchange series will explore the evolving role of AI in education. Each session will be held from 12:00–1:00 PM in CSC 206. 

The exchange series is an opportunity for colleagues in the College of Science and the College of Education to talk about ongoing issues of teaching and learning. The series is not limited to STEM scholars - everyone is welcome!

Please mark your calendars for the following dates:

1 hour Trainings are divided by 30 minutes for a Canvas related tool, followed by 30 minutes for an Adobe related tool.

14-Oct Gradebook, Speedgrader/Adobe Firefly

21-Oct Poll Everywhere/Adobe Express AI

28-Oct Canvas Accessibility/PDF Accessibility

4-Nov AI: Google Gemini/Student Adobe Portfolios

11-Nov Zoom Recording & Breakouts/Express Collab.

18-Nov Lucid Chart-Mind Mapping/Express D

2-Dec Import for Spring Semester/Adobe Assnmt

9-Dec Feedback Fruits/Adobe Express Holiday Fun

Free, but registration is required using this link: https://utah.zoom.us/meeting/register/-tmCu_trSIWNmffmJI8Eqw#/registration

 

Feedback Fruits Trainings

Canvas Learning Tools

Feedback Fruits seamlessly integrates with Canvas to make learning interactive through engaging feedback, collaboration, and reflection.

Zoom Training

Date: October 3, 2025
Time: 1:00 – 1:50 PM (MT)

Explore how Feedback Fruits can improve peer learning, student engagement, and meaningful feedback in your Canvas course.

This session will introduce templates and use cases for collaborative, reflective assignments.

Register for the Zoom session

In-Person Workshop

Date: October 16, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 PM (MT)
Location: Room 1140, Faculty Center, J. Willard Marriott Library

Get hands-on support with setting up your own Feedback Fruits assignments, creating groups, managing peer reviews, and using rubrics.

Register for the In-Person session

 

Learn more: digitallearning.utah.edu

Faculty Benefits Include:

The Office invites University of Utah tenure-line and career-line faculty to apply to serve as mentors for SPUR 2026 (May 18-July 31,2026). Deadline for faculty applications: October 3, 2025

Visit: our.utah.edu/spur for more information.

University  Teaching Grants

 October 3, January 26, and March 6

Calvin S. and JeNeal N. Hatch Prize in Teaching

October 13

John R Park Teaching Fellowship

November 10

Community Engaged Teaching and Scholarship Award

November 10

Early Career Teaching Award

December 5