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

Welcome to the weekly UTLC Newsletter

Week of September 23, 2025

Teaching Tips: Midterm Grades

Midterm grades are required in all undergraduate courses and are due by Friday, September 26, at 11:59 PM. Grades are entered in UNCGenie with step-by-step submission instructions available. 

Providing students with information on how and why midterm grades matter is an important part of the process. New Student Transitions & First Year Experience created a Midterms Matter resource that can help shape conversations with students. In addition, contextualizing mid-term grades for your students is helpful:

Remind students that this grade is just a snapshot of their current performance in the class.
- If they're doing well, but let up on what they're doing, then their grade may decline. On the other hand, if they're doing well and continue to let that success motivate them, they may continue to do well. The midterm grade is just a picture of the right now.
- If their grade is not where they would like it to be, they should contact you about what they can do to improve. They can also seek out campus resources such as the Communications Lab, the Academic Achievement Center, or the STEM Help Center. Students may need encouragement to seek out help (Fong et al 2023).
Remind students that a grade is not a value judgement or a judgement on them as a person; it is a measurement of their current performance in the class versus assignment and syllabus standards.
Anyone can do well in a class if they put forth the effort and seek out assistance as needed! Encouragement is part of developing growth mindsets in students, which are essential for learning.

Thank you for providing this essential feedback to our students!

ITS Training Resources

ITS will offer two special trainings in October in collaboration with the Dean of Students Office.

October 8, 11 AM - 12 PM (virtual): Using Canvas and CARE to Support Students Experiencing Distress

This session will give instructors actionable steps to connect students with care and manage academic flexibilities in Canvas.

October 27, 12 - 1 PM (EUC Azalea): Lunch and Learn: Addressing and Reducing Grading Bias

This session will share information about DOS resources and highlight and demonstrate features within Canvas that reduce the risk of bias in grading, such as how to turn on anonymized and randomized grading, and how to build a rubric in Canvas and grade with rubrics in Speed Grader.

JOIN the UNCG GTA Network

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.

What can you expect at GTA Network Events:

Fresh Ideas & Teaching Tips – Explore new strategies, tools, and approaches to elevate your teaching practice.
Real-Time Demos – Get walk-throughs on essential processes like submitting grades, using Canvas tools, and more.
Timely Updates – Stay informed about important UNCG events, deadlines, and teaching-related resources.
Safe Space for Sharing – Bring your questions, wins, and challenges. This is a judgment-free zone where your voice matters.
Campus Connections – Learn how to collaborate with key support offices and student services across campus.

Save the DATE for upcoming meetings (2pm-3pm on Teams):

September 22
October 6
October 20

November 3
November 17
December 1

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

Flu Vaccines Are Here!

Get your flu shot today. Call 336.334.4086 to schedule your shot. Covered by most insurances.

The flu vaccine is now available at Student Health Services.

Dedicated Flu Clinic for Students: Runs from September 29 to October 9

Dedicated Flu Clinic for Faculty & Staff: Week of October 6

Don’t wait — students, faculty, and staff are welcome to get their flu shot anytime!

New Resources for You

Free Subscription to The Teaching Professor from Magna Publications

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:

Planning and designing courses
Promoting academic integrity
Increasing student engagement
Responding to course evaluations and feedback
Developing effective activities and assignments

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

Access to Quick Teaching Workshops with Magna Publications

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.

Access via Canvas Today!

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.

Teaching Evaluation Pilot

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 Cohorts, please click the button below to fill out the interest form.

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

Anthology Pilot Interest Form

Faculty Engagement & Development Opportunities

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

Ongoing Opportunities

Self-Paced Training Options| Online, research-based workshops cover a range of essential topics.
UNCG Libraries Webinars | Research and Application Webinar Series (Spring 2024 recordings) | Zotero Webinar Series (recordings)
New to Teaching | Access this Canvas site to learn about how students learn, preparing for class, grading, office hours, engagement, active learning, and more.
Safe and Trans Zone Training on Canvas | Enroll in this self-paced online course to complete Safe Zone 1.0, 2.0, and Trans Zone if you cannot attend an in-person workshop.
Web Accessibility 101 | This asynchronous, self-paced course focuses on the fundamentals of making online content accessible.

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.

Subscribe to our email list.