Newsletter September 25, 2025
cte.utah.edu

Since ChatGPT went live in November 2022, I probably get at least one email a day asking a question about AI use in teaching and learning. The majority of those questions focus on AI use by students. The Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence has presented multiple workshops on AI  focusing on how to respond to student (mis)use of generative AI tools.  We’ve also posted a Student Guide to Using AI on our Teaching for AI website. Later this semester, on Nov. 3 from 11-12 via Zoom, we’re offering a workshop on Teaching Students to use AI Responsibly.

But what happens when instructors don’t engage in responsible AI Use? As we’ve even demonstrated in some of our own workshops, AI can be used to generate lessons, slides, assessments and more, saving hours of time for instructors. A recent article by in The NY Times about Instructors’ AI Use, though, suggested that students are not happy about instructors relying on AI as a teaching tool; some go so far to say that it is hypocritical given the limits instructors place on students. Schalke and Raimon (2025) found that AI disclosure actually erodes trust in the user. Positive attitudes about technology and AI  lessen but do not eliminate the AI disclosure effect. So what’s a busy instructor to do? In CTE, we typically recommend instructors think through the assessment design, grading, and feedback process before the course ever begins. Does AI play a critical role in the assessment design or grading process? If so, how and when and why? Has that role been validated against other non-AI sources? We recommend that instructors model AI use disclosure to their students — explain how you’re using it, under what circumstances, and how you know it’s valid.  If you’re using a UIT-approved AI-based tool to summarize student responses and provide feedback, we strongly recommend you disclose how and when that will be done, but we also want to make sure that an appropriate human is involved in evaluating the AI output before assigning grades. 

Last week’s newsletter discussed the April 2026 deadline for state and federal government agencies to ensure their web content (including courses) meets Web Content Accessibility GuidelineWeb Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). CTE staff have 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. 

 

Getting midterm course feedback can provide helpful information to instructors before the end of the semester. According to a dissertation by McGowan (2009), collecting that feedback and discussing it with your students can also help students improve their perception of their learning and impact subsequent end-of-semester feedback. As always, we recommend that when asking your students for feedback, make sure it is anonymous and optional. If you apply incentives (e.g., related to response rates), ensure that the entire class receives the incentive to maintain anonymity. 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 One-U Responsible Artificial Intelligence Initiative (One-U RAI) is accepting applications now through October 1 for faculty fellows, postdoctoral fellows, and distinguished visitors who work in at least one of the initiative’s thematic areas: environment, healthcare and wellness, and teaching and learning.

Faculty Fellows. Each year, One-U RAI names three to five faculty fellows representing some of the U’s top talent in responsible AI from across disciplines. Fellows receive an annual stipend to pursue responsible AI research tied to one or more of the thematic areas. Applications are reviewed annually, with a deadline of October 1, and awards last three years with opportunity for renewal. More information about applications and submission information can be found at: https://rai.utah.edu/apply-for-awards/

Postdoctoral Fellows and Distinguished Visitors One-U RAI also awards three to five postdoctoral fellowships each year based on project proposals aligned with at least one of the thematic areas. The program covers salary and benefits, including retirement, for two years. One-U RAI invites one to five prominent visitors from academia, government, or industry each year to stimulate discussion, build collaborations, and advance research around responsible AI. Activities and honorarium are tied to visit length, which could range from a few days to a year. Applications for these awards are reviewed periodically throughout the year. For more information, see: https://rai.utah.edu/apply-for-awards/

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:

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

30-Sep Quizzes, Question Banks/Adobe Podcast

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