It’s peak season for midterm evaluations and formative observations. Schedule yours now! Don’t miss the time-sensitive deadlines for CTE grants and the Knox Award, claim your Lilly Conference scholarship, and explore the new issue of the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching.

Upcoming Events

Follow this link to see our new hub for upcoming workshops and events with the CTE. This webpage will be updated regularly, so keep an eye out for offerings and opportunities that interest you. 

Upcoming Deadlines

The purpose of the CTE-IGNITE (Incorporating Generative AI With Novel Ideas for Teaching Excellence) grants is to encourage scholarly teaching around the opportunities and challenges presented by Generative AI. There are 3 levels of grants available. 

Submit a CTE major teaching project grant proposal ($3,000). These grants encourage curricular and pedagogical innovations that result in more engaged and improved student learning. Innovations may be at the course, department, division, and/or university levels. 

Deadline: October 19, 2026

This award was established by Miami alumnus E. Phillips Knox, a 1968 graduate, to recognize creative, innovative, and engaging teaching methods at the undergraduate level. 

News and Information

The new issue of the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching (Vol. 37.4, 2026) includes eight articles on the teaching and learning topics of peer mentoring, instructional humor, student belonging, AI support for instructors, and more. It features a study by Miami’s Kayleigh Gregory (Family Studies and Social Work) and colleagues! Note: You must be on campus or logged in via VPN to access the Journal.

Did you know that Miami University hosts a national scholarly conference on effective teaching? The 45th Original Lilly Conference on College Teaching takes place November 19-21 at Armstrong Student Center on the Oxford campus. Here is what makes Lilly so valuable in the eyes of former attendees:

“This was my first time at the Original Lilly Conference, and I could not believe the positive energy just floating around. It reinvigorated my love for teaching and learning.”

“The emphasis on interaction and community made it different from other conferences.”

“The experiential way of delivering the topics was fantastic.”

“The level of engagement and the tangible ideas I leave with make this conference stand out.”

“The conference is genuine and authentic to its purpose to support and advance teaching and learning from colleagues interested in evidence-based strategies.”

The Lilly program features three days of sessions with more than 100 presenters, including plenaries by Christine Harrington, Miami’s own Heidi McKee and Dennis Cheatham, and Lynn Meade. Come engage and celebrate a shared passion for student learning with colleagues from Miami and across the U.S. while learning strategies you can put to work in your own teaching. See the link below to learn how to attend Lilly for FREE! (Please wait to register until you receive word on your application from LillyCon@MiamiOH.edu.)

Spots for these two highly rated services are almost gone. A CTE Faculty Teaching Associate (FTA) will engage in a supportive conversation with you to help you maximize your students’ learning. Plan now to request one (or both)!

Help pilot an AI coaching tool that supports students in writing more useful Bare Bones Questioning (similar to Stop/Start/Continue) midcourse feedback. A short, AI-guided conversation prompts students to revise their initial responses to provide more thoughtful reflection on what is—and is not—helping them learn. The AI then summarizes their ideas. This work is part of a research project on AI-assisted metacognitive coaching. To try it with your class this term, please indicate your interest.

This Faculty Focus article argues that rigor and empathy need not be mutually exclusive. It encourages instructors to make four practical shifts in teaching that will transform their role from “gatekeeper” to “waymaker.”

The alternative assessment methods described in this Faculty Focus article—exam retakes, minimum grading, ungraded homework, and specifications grading—foster a culture that values growth and learning and reflect the accountability practices of the professional world students are to enter.  

AI changes what it means for a student to complete an assessment independently, and that means it’s worth revisiting how our assessments are designed. This self-guided activity, developed by OneHE and Quality Matters, guides instructors through a structured process for reviewing and redesigning assessments to be more robust in an AI-enabled world by rethinking what we’re actually asking students to demonstrate.

Opportunities From Our Partners

Wednesday, October 14, 2:30-4:30 pm 

Via Zoom:

https://miamioh.zoom.us/j/81714944321?pwd=biogIHhLzreI4YFkBrNHutjIhgTGMn.1 

Meeting ID: 817 1494 4321

Passcode: 584696

OR

In-person in King Library 112B

Have questions about using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies in your teaching? Bring your questions and course materials to discuss with Dr. Bree Kirsch, Head of Learning & Engagement, Miami University Libraries. Dr. Kirsch's dissertation focused on UDL implementation in higher education, and she recently designed a CTE book club on the UDL book Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone by Tobin and Behling. Join via Zoom or stop by in-person at King Library Room 112B anytime between 2:30-4:30 pm.

Register now for the 11th Annual Access For All: Accessibility Symposium that will be held on Friday, October 23rd. This free one-day event is open to anyone at Miami who wants to learn how to make our community more welcoming and accessible for all. Highlights include sessions on universal design in study abroad, cognitive load research in note-taking technology, and practical hands-on training in Canvas Studio. Register before October 15 to secure a complimentary lunch. You are welcome to register and attend only the sessions that fit your schedule.

Center for Teaching Excellence

317 Laws Hall

513-529-9266