Hi Friend of the CTE,   

Congratulations on completing a successful semester. Best wishes for grading finals, and Happy Holidays! The CTE News will return on January 6, 2026.

News and Information

January 8, 2026

320 Laws Hall

10:00 am - 1:00 pm (Lunch Included)

In this hands-on workshop, participants will (1) build prompts focused on evidence-based teaching strategies and teaching and learning scholarship; (2) practice prompt construction that can bolster the utility of GenAI for student learning; and (3) analyze outputs to determine how particular terms and scenarios affect the quality of instructional materials and assessments. Laptops are required.

In this two-part workshop we will explore the process for developing a classroom research project into a submission to a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) conference or journal. Participants will receive a copy of the book Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: A Guide to the Process, and How to Develop a Project From Start to Finish. Lunch will be provided both days.

Part 1: January 13, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, 320 Laws Hall

Part 2: January 15, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, 320 Laws Hall

(Part 1 attendance required)

January 20, 21, and 22, 2026 

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm each day

This 3-session workshop series is intended for mentors (faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars) who direct undergraduate researchers. The overall aim of the series is to support mentors in improving the quality of learning outcomes for their undergraduates engaged in scholarly activity. Each workshop is independent of the others. Attend one, two, or all three sessions. The learning outcomes for the series are as follows:

Session 1: Explore the role of learning outcomes for research skill development
Session 2: Design the research experiences to meet identified learning outcomes
Session 3: Examine mentoring as the development of the whole student

Looking to reduce stress and clear your mind before grading your students’ final exams or projects? Check out these uplifting podcasts from Faculty Focus.

Although students tend to resist cumulative final exams, the research shows these exams promote long-term learning. This Faculty Focus article provides validation for instructors’ use of cumulative exams—in particular, the knowledge that students are more likely to retain the skills they have learned after they finish the course.

This Faculty Focus article describes an “AI Teams” approach that invites students to engage AI from different perspectives, or roles, to clarify what is expected of them as users and foster greater AI fluency. 

Center for Teaching Excellence

317 Laws Hall

513-529-9266