Welcome to the Weekly UTLC Newsletter: Week of April 7, 2026 |
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Teaching Tips: VOISES Student Panel on AI |
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As AI becomes more present in students’ academic lives, many are navigating pressure, uncertainty, and questions about their own learning. Here are some tips students offered last week at our VOISES panel around AI:
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- Normalize Imperfection - Students discussed their anxiety about perfectionism and the pressure they feel to “sound smart.” Emphasize that you value the thought process over the perfect. Grade for ideas and share examples of “good enough” work.
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Build Relationships to Strengthen Academic Integrity - Students say they are more likely to use AI for busy work. They are less likely to rely on AI when they feel connected and engaged in the classroom and assignments. Invite questions and provide meaningful feedback to build trust and accountability.
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Address AI’s Impact on Learning Openly - Students mention they are already concerned about losing critical thinking, the “fun of learning”, and becoming dependent on AI. Create space for brief discussions, comparisons of AI vs. human responses, and reflection on learning.
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Insights from our VOISES student panel suggest that small, intentional choices can shape how, and whether students rely on AI. Connection, clarity, and transparency can go a long way in helping students stay engaged and rely more on their own thinking. If you’d like to go into a deeper dive into AI in the classroom, the UTLC is offering an AI Institute on May 11th.
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Open Office Hours with ITS |
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Open Office Hours with ITS: Learning Technology’s Instructional Design Team: Tuesdays 10am–12pm
Drop in for a conversation with an instructional designer! We can assist with course and assessment design, discuss teaching questions, and help with Canvas, Teams, and other learning technology.
No registration is needed; you can just join online.
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Tech Tips: How to Create Accessible Alt Text Using Copilot |
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Alt text helps to make images accessible to students who use screen readers or have images turned off. If you are a user of AI, you can use AI to write alt text that you can review and refine for accuracy and context. Here’s a quick step‑by‑step guide on how to use Copilot AI to create accessible alt text for images.
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Open Copilot using your UNCG account.
- Start a new chat.
- Select the Add image (+) button and upload the image you want to describe (or paste it directly into the chat).
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Enter a prompt such as: “Create concise, accessible alt text for this image following WCAG 2.1 guidelines. Describe only what is visible, avoid ‘image of,’ and keep it under 150 characters.”
- Review the alt text Copilot generates. Edit the description as needed to ensure it is accurate, relevant, and appropriate for the image’s purpose.
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Copy the final text and paste it into the Alt Text field of your image.
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Save the Date (please note the date change!): Spring Biergarten! |
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We had originally planned our Biergarten for Thursday, April 30. however, campus is a busy place in April! So, instead, please save the date for our Spring Biergarten, Wednesday, April 29, from 4 to 5pm! More details will be provided in the coming weeks.
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Save the Date: May Professional Development |
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May will feature several professional development opportunities! We will have more details about these events in the coming weeks, including exact times and locations, but we'd love to get on your calendar! Please save the date (and register) for the following:
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| AI Institute: May 11:
Join us for the 3rd Annual AI Institute! Are you curious about generative AI? Do you want to learn more about how AI is being used by students and your colleagues? Worried about the role AI plays in learning? Join the UTLC and campus partners for an interactive day with generative AI. Held in-person, the AI Institute offers the campus community an opportunity to come together to engage in critical dialogues, learn from one another, and explore emerging concepts for AI literacy.
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| In The First (Support for those teaching 100/200 level classes): May 12:
Are you teaching a 100/200 level course? A student’s first semester is critical to their academic success – courses that are “In the First!” inning of the academic career set up the whole game.
This daylong Institute focuses on the unique teaching needs of 100/200 level courses. Participants will learn more about our incoming students, how to prepare for their unique needs, and the tools available to you for supporting them.
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Accessibility Incubator: May 18 & 19:
In preparation for campus compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, join the UTLC and campus partners for a second offering of the accessibility retrofitting incubator. Bring your course and work directly with campus experts to ensure your courses are accessible and compliant for summer and fall 2026! We’ll bring the snacks.
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Faculty Engagement & Development Opportunities |
Check out these upcoming opportunities from the UTLC and other partners on campus. Additionally, the university workshop calendar has opportunities.
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- Self-Paced Training Options| Online, research-based workshops cover a range of essential topics.
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UNCG Libraries Webinars | Research and Application Webinar Series (Spring 2024 recordings) | Zotero Webinar Series (recordings)
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New to Teaching | Access this Canvas site to learn about how students learn, preparing for class, grading, office hours, engagement, active learning, and more.
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Safe and Trans Zone Training on Canvas | Enroll in this self-paced online course to complete Safe Zone 1.0, 2.0, and Trans Zone if you cannot attend an in-person workshop.
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Web Accessibility 101 | This asynchronous, self-paced course focuses on the fundamentals of making online content accessible.
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