University of Utah logo with text below reading “Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence.” The background is black, and the logo is in red and white.
 

Newsletter August 20, 2026
cte.utah.edu

 
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Ready, Set, Fall Semester GOOOOO

Your syllabus is done and posted, and if you’re like me,  you’re now making last minute changes and updates to your Canvas course. We see a lot of Canvas setups over in CTE, and by far the ones that are most successful for both faculty and students include:

  • Syllabus that clearly outlines the objectives, requirements, readings, and calendar for the course. Bonus points if you add a link to a downloadable PDF version of the syllabus. 
  • Modules organized by week, with Pages that guide students through the objectives for the module, explanations of assignments, videos, links, readings, and more. 
  • Assignments with very clear instructions, deadlines, and rubrics. The rubrics help your students know what you’re looking for and how they’ll be graded, and they help you grade more fairly and efficiently. 
  • Content that is accessible for all readers, formats, and devices. Videos have captions and transcripts, images have alt-text, files have meaningful names, links are clear, and important content is highlighted with bold font instead of color. You can learn more about digital accessibility on our Accessibility Essentials page, and by signing up for the Canvas Accessibility Community of Practice. 
  • Student Resources that are linked right into the course. Whether you’re using UBOT, linking to the Student AI Guidelines, the Learning Center, or providing information about Student Affairs resources, create a central (and visible) spot for Student Resources in your Canvas course. 

If you have questions about pedagogy, you can set up an individual consultation with someone from CTE. If you have questions about educational technology (including features of Canvas), contact Digital Learning Technologies at classhelp@utah.edu

Guide showing where to get help at the University of Utah: Digital Learning Technologies for technology support and the Center for Teaching Excellence for teaching and pedagogy support.
 

Upcoming CTE Workshops

University of Utah Center for Teaching Excellence Fall Zoom Workshops flyer listing four workshops from September through October on course feedback, backward design, accessibility, and AI-supported active learning.
Sept 10th
Sept 16th
Oct 8th
Oct 29th
Flyer listing nine Zoom workshops in the Durable Skills Faculty Development Series, held from September through April at 10 a.m.
Sept
9
Sept 17
Oct
22
Nov
19
Dec 
2
 

Prepping Your Faculty Review File? New Student Course Feedback Reports Available

This semester, Student Course Feedback introduces a new Instructor Report designed to complement the familiar Section Report.

You can access your reports by logging in to the Student Course Feedback portal, where you can also monitor survey response rates, review survey dates, and access other course evaluation tools.

→ Log in to Student Course Feedback

While a Section Report summarizes student feedback for a single course offering, the Instructor Report brings together feedback across your teaching over the past five years. It is designed to help you identify longer-term patterns, recognize recurring strengths, and support reflection on your teaching over time.

Section Report
Feedback for one course section.

Instructor Report
A five-year view across your teaching.

To help you get started, we've created a few short guides:

Reading the Instructor Report: Understand the sections, metrics, and trends included in your Instructor Report. 

Reading the Section Report: Learn how to interpret results for an individual course section. 

Whether you're preparing a teaching portfolio, reviewing feedback from a recent semester, or simply looking for a broader view of your teaching, these resources can help you get the most from your reports.

 

Upcoming Event Impact on Campus Parking

The start of a new semester brings exciting events, and we expect campus to be buzzing on Thursday, Sept. 3, as the Utah Utes host their first football game of the season, taking on the Idaho Vandals.

With so many people on campus, we’re expecting heavy traffic and difficulty traveling, so please consider taking public transportation, particularly TRAX, that day and encouraging your students to do the same. 

Additional parking will be available, but if your classes or labs will be significantly impacted, remember that you have the flexibility to consider alternative instruction models, such as virtual classes. Please contact your supervisor if you have any questions.

 

Canvas Accessibility Community of Practice

Canvas Accessibility Community of Practice flyer.
Sign up here!
 

Digital Learning Technologies 

Join us for Accessibility Tech Tips Tuesday this fall! This semester’s series will focus on building practical skills for creating more accessible digital content. Through short, hands-on sessions, explore tools and strategies to help make your course materials easier to access, navigate, and use for all learners. Check out the schedule and drop in for the sessions that best support your work!

Fall 2026 Accessibility Tech Tips Tuesday schedule listing weekly Zoom sessions on digital accessibility topics from August 18 through December 8.
Register Here
 

Upcoming Funding Deadlines
  • University Distinguished Teaching Awards - Due 9/18/26
  • University Teaching Grants - Due 9/30/26, 1/25/27, and 3/5/27
  • Calvin S. and JeNeal N. Hatch Prize in Teaching - Due 10/12/26
  • John R. Park Teaching Fellowships - Due 10/12/26
  • Community Engaged Teaching and Scholarship Award - Due 10/12/16
  • Early Career Teaching Awards - Due 12/4/26
 
 
 

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