Center for Advancing Student Learning (CASL)

Looking for ways to engage students in class, whether in person or online? Try these different engagement techniques including spokesperson shuffle, a low-preparation active learning technique that can be implemented in less than five minutes and adapted to virtually any course; pre-group work survey to explore how students actually work; spider web discussion which ensures every student participates in a discussion; or a jigsaw activity which is a silent, pass the paper activity for engaging every student.. 

UWM is taking part in OPID's 2026–27  Common Read, and you're invited. Together with colleagues across the UW System, we'll be reading The Norton Guide to AI-Aware Teaching by Annette Vee, Marc Watkins, and Derek Bruff (W. W. Norton). The group kicks off in October, and participants will set the meeting schedule together. The book is free, the coffee is free, and conversation will be lively. Interested? Register here!

Review this Instructor Guide to Academic Progress Reports to learn how to use Navigate360 to help students receive additional support or individualized attention and identify areas of mid-semester course adjustments to foster student success.

Improve PDF Accessibility with DocAccess: UWM instructors and students can now take advantage of DocAccess, a tool designed to create accessible web (HTML) versions of PDFs. UWM has licensed DocAccess for one year. Students can access a more accessible version of PDFs while instructors may use the opportunity to improve and replace older PDFs. DocAccess is available in Canvas and UWM.edu for one year, but is not generally available from inside the Canvas mobile apps. If there are questions about DocAccess, contact the UWM Help Desk.

Please note the textbook and technology selection deadlines for Winterim 2027 submissions are due October 12, 2026 and Spring 2027 courses are due by Nov. 10. Review the guide to textbook and course content selection for more information.

At September’s Active Teaching Lab, David Delgado highlighted new capabilities in UWM’s Copilot Chat, including improved interactive exercises, presentation and document drafting, and access to more powerful AI models. He also noted that AI is increasingly embedded in everyday tools such as Outlook, Adobe Creative Suite, and Google applications. The discussion then shifted to how educators can ensure meaningful learning in an AI-enabled world and help students critically evaluate AI-generated content. 

How do you use AI for editing without losing your own voice? At September's AI Club, postdoctoral fellow Chandika Rani Ganesh Babu demonstrated how she uses Grammarly to adapt her writing to American academic norms. Grammarly lives inside the programs Chandika already uses to write and lets her accept or reject changes one at a time, rather than comparing blocks of rewritten text. Chandika shared how she readily accepts fixes to spelling and punctuation, but often rejects "clarity" edits that flatten the precision her scholarly writing requires. The conversation that followed focused on how to teach students to evaluate AI suggestions deliberately, so AI polishes their writing without erasing their voice or doing their thinking. 

Student Success through Community Engagement and Experiential Learning

Participate in this campus-wide symposium to explore and elevate community engaged teaching, scholarship, and research, especially as these practices relate to student success. Explore the agenda and register. 

Presented by: The College of Letters and Science, Urban Studies Program, Center for 21st Century Studies, and The Center for Student Experience and Talent

UWM’s Online Program Council (OPC) is a monthly gathering of faculty, staff, and administrators engaged in the planning, development, and delivery of online degree and certificate programs. As a community of practice, OPC provides opportunities to share best practices in online teaching and learning, exchange information on topics such as student support, faculty development, technology, marketing, and recruitment, and connect with colleagues across campus. Whether you are involved in an existing online program or exploring new opportunities, OPC offers a collaborative space for networking, peer support, and the sharing of expertise. Meetings are open to all members of the UWM community interested in online education.

How can we boost engagement and encourage more students to contribute, especially in a large class? In our October Active Teaching Lab, Joseph O’Halloran will share how he uses Vevox in his 60-plus-student physics course. Through live polls, in-class graded quizzes, and anonymous questions, Vevox gives students multiple ways to participate, test their understanding, and ask for clarification. Joe found that these options led to greater participation, including more questions from students who might not otherwise raise their hands. Register here!

Need help making your course materials digitally accessible? Join our open Digital Accessibility Support Hours, offered in partnership with the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC). These in-person or Zoom room drop-in sessions provide instructors with dedicated 1:1 support to review course content, documents, presentations, PDFs, multimedia, and other teaching materials for accessibility. Bring your laptop and any materials you would like to work on, and we will help you identify barriers, apply best practices, and improve access for learners. Whether you have a quick question or need hands-on assistance, stop by at any time during support hours and leave with practical solutions and increased confidence in creating inclusive learning experiences.

Join our monthly AI Club, an open and welcoming space for anyone interested in artificial intelligence. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced AI user, you are welcome to join at any time and connect with a community of curious, supportive peers. Participants are encouraged to share projects, exchange ideas, ask questions, and learn from one another. Bring your questions, share what you're working on, get feedback, and collaborate with others to troubleshoot challenges and solve real-world problems.

If you’re interested in learning more about how AI is being used on campus, join us on October 16 for our next AI Club. We’ll explore Zoom’s built-in AI features, and continue our collaborative discussion of AI. All UWM faculty, staff, and students are welcome. Click here to learn more!

As you navigate your first semester at UWM, join us for this monthly community of practice designed for new faculty and instructional academic staff. These informal gatherings provide space to share experiences, troubleshoot teaching and learning challenges, exchange ideas with colleagues, and learn from one another in real time. Each session will also highlight important upcoming milestones, resources, and responsibilities to help you stay prepared and confident throughout the semester. Connect, collaborate, and build your teaching toolkit while growing your professional network across campus.

How AI is reshaping Wisconsin’s workforce and what employers, educators and policymakers need to do next.

Join UW-Milwaukee’s School of Continuing Education for an important discussion about the future of Wisconsin’s workforce, innovation ecosystem and economic growth.

Lunch & Learn: Supporting Student Mental Health and Well-Being

Join us for a Lunch & Learn focused on supporting student mental health and well-being in the classroom. A representative from CASL will share insights into the challenges students face and strategies that can help foster belonging, resilience, and success. A representative from SHAW will then highlight campus resources, available supports, and practical tips for recognizing and responding to student needs. The session will conclude with an interactive discussion where attendees can explore how these ideas might be applied in their own courses and learning environments. Bring your lunch, listen and learn during the first portion, then stay to connect, share experiences, and engage in conversation with colleagues.

Join us for our monthly ACUE Community Check-In, where participants from all three grant cohorts come together to connect, reflect, and learn from one another. This ongoing session provides a space to share insights from the ACUE coursework, discuss progress and successes, and explore challenges encountered along the way. Participants are encouraged to highlight strategies and practices they have implemented in their classrooms or professional settings and reflect on their impact. Together, we will celebrate achievements, exchange ideas, and strengthen our learning community as we continue advancing effective teaching practices through the ACUE training experience.

Whether you're teaching your first online course, supporting instruction as a TA, or have years of experience designing and delivering online learning, the Online Teaching Community of Practice is a space to connect, collaborate, and grow. Open to all instructors and teaching assistants engaged in online teaching, this monthly community brings together colleagues to discuss real challenges, exchange ideas, and discover practical solutions that improve the online teaching learning experience.

Center for Advancing Student Learning (CASL)
414-229-4319
2033 E. Hartford Ave., B50
Milwaukee, WI 53211