Welcome to the weekly UTLC Newsletter supporting teaching and learning at UNCG:
Week of May 6, 2025
|
This is our last newsletter for the semester! We hope everyone had a wonderful semester, that everyone has a restful summer - however restful looks for you - and if you are teaching and planning this summer, please remember that the UTLC is here all summer for consultation, brainstorming, and support! Email utlc@uncg.edu or refer to our online consultation resources.
|
|
|
Teaching Tips: No Reason to Reinvent the Wheel |
|
|
Thank you to Dr. Laura Gonzalez with Integrative Community Studies for authoring this week's teaching tips!
At UNCG, we have students who come from a wide variety of academic and demographic backgrounds and we do not all learn the same way. Here are some ideas borrowed from the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) Toolkit from Dickinson College that could help us in our work as instructors.
How can we reduce barriers to learning in our classroom materials, including texts, articles, videos, syllabus, assignments and presentation slides? We can consider our multiple ways of learning and accessibility needs and try to provide multiple access points to our course materials.
-
In addition to the written syllabus, could you create a video tour or screencast of the key point, or make your written syllabus more visually engaging? Here is one example from University of California Urvine.
-
Could you use a syllabus quiz to encourage students to digest the content in small groups and then teach it back to each other?
- Do you know how to use Panopto to create captions for your presentations?
-
Can you ensure that any readings you provide are compatible with screen readers so that students can see/hear the content? More tips can be found here.
How can we enhance our classroom activities so that all students can participate in the learning experiences? Think about ways to lower distraction, increase engagement, and open the doors for more students to access the learning experience.
-
Set up some familiar routines so that students know what is about to happen in class and can prepare their minds for learning. For example, you could always open with a quick review from the last class and a preview of the day’s topic. Or you could always close with a “2 minute exit ticket” where students can write down what was clear and what remains confusing from the class that day.
- Allow several ways for students to ask questions, such as raising hands, writing on index cards, or using online chat or shared docs.
-
Provide time and space for reflection during class, so that content can be processed by a variety of learners. You can include both verbal and non-verbal reflections, and even visual reflection! For example, Padlet is one tool that allows for visual collaboration.
-
Consider offering exemplars with feedback so students understand what to keep doing and what to improve, and thus feel less anxious about graded assignments. For example, you could show students a paragraph from a past essay assignment that was exemplary, and one that had room for growth, and then ask them to identify the strengths of each in groups.
The toolkit from Dickinson College also has suggestions for grading or assessing learning with a UDL lens, if you are interested in that. Please try one of the ideas above, if you have not already, and let us know how it went. We could feature you in a future newsletter!
|
|
|
Please don't forget to join us if you register for the AI conference this coming Monday, May 12! More information and reminders will be coming out in an email today as well.
|
|
|
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 on May 14 (8:30AM - 4PM) 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. A light breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided. Registration closes today at 5pm!
|
|
|
Are you teaching a Civics and Community Class in Fall 2025? Are you teaching a MAC class in one of the other 10 competencies and want to share ideas and explore ways to enhance your class? Join us on May 19th for a day of MAC training and discussion. Sign up to attend the workshop here. Registration for in person closes at 5pm today; registration to listen online closes Friday May 16 at 5pm.
From 9:00-12:00PM we will focus on the new Civics and Community competency. Hear from fellow faculty that have experience teaching the Foundations of American Democracy documents and work collaboratively with colleagues to finalize your plans for fall.
From 1:00-3:00PM you can join facilitated breakout groups discussing different competencies in MAC and providing a space for discussion and community development.
Feel free to attend part or all of the day!
|
|
|
Course Accessibility Checklists and Support
|
Updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that all campus digital content (public facing websites, digital course materials, digital campus resources – including campus trainings) meet the WCAG 2.1 (level A and level AA) standards for accessibility by spring 2026.
UNCG has several campus resources that you can utilize now to make the transition easier, with more tools and resources on the way.
|
|
|
FACULTY ENGAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT
|
|
|
Upcoming Events, Trainings, and Workshops
|
|
|
MAY
14
8:30AM AM - 4:00 PM
|
|
In the First Institute
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. Register at the link above!
|
|
|
|
MAC Institute
Are you teaching a Civics and Community Class in Fall 2025? Are you teaching a MAC class in one of the other 10 competencies and want to share ideas and explore ways to enhance your class? Join us on May 19th for a day of MAC training and discussion. Sign up to attend the workshop on May 19th at this form.
|
|
|
|
|
Accessibility Incubator Day 1
The UTLC and campus partners will offer a Course Retrofit Incubator May 22 -23, 2025. As a one-stop option for instructors, this event will provide guidance and support as you retrofit your current courses to meet accessibility guidelines. Bring your course and we will bring the technical support (and snacks!!). Register at the link above! Location and precise times TBD.
|
|
|
|
Accessibility Incubator Day 2
The UTLC and campus partners will offer a Course Retrofit Incubator May 22 -23, 2025. As a one-stop option for instructors, this event will provide guidance and support as you retrofit your current courses to meet accessibility guidelines. Bring your course and we will bring the technical support (and snacks!!). Register at the link above! Location and precise times TBD.
|
|
|
TEACHING EVALUATION PILOT
UNCG is administering a pilot of a new teaching evaluation system. The pilot and the current system (Class Climate) will run in parallel for two years; when the Class Climate contract expires, administration will make a decision about which or neither system to keep.
Anthology uses research validated common questions, along with offering units the chance to add custom questions. It’s mobile friendly, which may increase response rates. You can see more information here: Evaluation of Teaching Pilot Project.pptx
If you are interested in participating in the Summer or Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 Cohorts, please click the button below to fill out the interest form.
|
|
|
Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
1100 West Market St., Suite 100F None | Greensboro, NC 27412 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
| | |
|
|
