Teaching Guides   |   UTLC Events Calendar   |   Consultation Request   |   Newsletter Feedback   |   SoTL Library

Week of November 11, 2025

Have you been using papers, tests, and discussion forums for assessment and you're seeking new ideas? Are you looking for new ways to engage your students with content, but not sure where to start? Are you hoping new types of assignments will better connect to your SLOs? Our students have suggestions! Last semester, the UTLC spoke with students about meaningful assignments. We wanted to revisit what we learned as you're starting to think about spring class prep.

Trying a new assignment type can re-engage students and break up your routine as well, while creating richer learning outcomes. Also, providing different methods of assessment and giving students choices in assignments works towards Universal Design for Learning. The University of Connecticut has suggestions for alternative research assignments, and Southern Connecticut State University has ideas for creative English assignments that could be adapted to any field.  In addition, UTLC staff are always happy to review assignments and brainstorm creative solutions in consultation with you.

Your Spring 2026 (and Winter Term) Canvas course shells are now available in Canvas! If you do not see them on your dashboard under "Unpublished," check your "All Courses" under Courses. The Canvas course shells will only display for instructors officially listed as Instructors of Record in Banner. 

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.

In addition, the November tech training schedule is available! ITS has a lot of great training coming up, including "Refreshing Your Rubrics", the accessibility incubators, Creative Infographics, and more.

The Alumni Teaching Excellence Awards offered by the University Teaching and Learning Commons at University of North Carolina at Greensboro recognize and celebrate faculty members who demonstrate outstanding teaching, mentorship, and instructional innovation. Nominations are open to everyone, alumni, students, staff, and faculty alike, making this an inclusive opportunity to acknowledge educators who have made a meaningful impact. The awards include several categories (matched to faculty rank and appointment type) and provide a way to shine a light on those who elevate the learning experience through both traditional and blended/online formats. For full details on eligibility, nomination procedures, and past recipients, you can visit the official site. Nominations are accepted until Tuesday December 3, 2025.

This fall, ITS and the UTLC are pleased to announce that we will be offering the last day of accessibility incubator for the fall on this Friday Nov 14th! Bring your laptop and come to workshops and/or receive hands on help with course accessibility. You are welcome to drop in and out during the day as your schedule and needs allow, and we are taking walk-ins starting at 8:30 in the EUC Claxton room.

Introducing a new resource for Graduate Teaching Associates (GTAs) - the GTA Network. The GTA Network is open to all graduate teaching associates and is a space to connect, learn from colleagues, and receive collaborative support. 

Please find the meeting link at go.uncg.edu/gta.network. If you have questions, please contact Judy Fowler at JAFOWLE3@uncg.edu.

Magna Publications has a weekly newsletter with teaching tips, strategies, and the latest best practices of teaching offering approaches on a wide range of teaching topics, such as:

Visit go.UNCG.edu/TheTeachingProfessor and use your UNCG Email address to register.

Magna Publications offers a series of 20-minute and 40-minute workshops on teaching and learning topics from national experts in teaching and learning.

The UTLC has secured campus access to over 20 trainings on topics such as teaching effectiveness, generative AI, student engagement, course design, and much more.

The UTLC has additional new online resources available for you, including self-paced training options, resources for Generative AI, and teaching guides. We also have new syllabus resources up, including an updated syllabus template.

UNCG is pleased to be administering a pilot of a new teaching evaluation system, Anthology Evaluate.  Much of our feedback during the 2024/25 academic year was favorable, with users finding the system easy to use and the reporting to be accessible. 

Anthology uses research validated common questions; units can also add custom questions. The system mobile friendly and can be used in the classroom, which raised response rates for instructors who opted to do so this past year. Instructors and their heads have access to reporting one to two days after the close of the administration and can access their reports anytime they like online.

We are recruiting more pilot participants for this academic year! If you are interested in participating in the Spring 2026 Cohort, please click the button below to fill out the interest form.

If you have questions, please email the UTLC at utlc@uncg.edu.

Check out these upcoming opportunities from the UTLC and other partners on campus. Additionally, the university workshop calendar has opportunities.