Welcome to our March 2026 Newsletter! |
A few weeks ago, I had an unexpectedly free Friday evening. I thought of two friends I hadn’t seen in a while, and took the chance to text, “I know this is super last minute, but is anyone free for dinner tonight?” To my delight, they were both available and we made plans to meet for dinner. Because we had a lot of catching up to do, we chose a restaurant with a casual atmosphere, the kind where you order at the counter and no one cares how long you sit at your table after you’re done eating. And good thing we did, because we stayed until closing time.
As we hugged goodbye in the parking lot, one of my friends, who retired a couple of years ago, told us, “I was so glad to get your text, I was feeling a little lonely. Don’t get me wrong—I am loving retirement, but you’re both so busy at work, and I don’t want to bug you. And the news right now really has me down. I can’t tell you how much this meant to reconnect tonight.” She wasn’t alone in that sentiment; each of us had our spirits lifted by the hours spent talking and laughing.
The experience made me think of a check-in question I sometimes use in meetings and workshops: “Who is someone you owe a thank you to, and why?” All sorts of lovely examples emerge as people recount small actions or favors that had a big impact on them: a colleague who shared a great class activity, a staff member who solved a tricky administrative conundrum, a mentor who offered timely encouragement, a neighbor who shared the bounty from their fruit tree. As people share their responses, many are inspired to follow up with a quick email, a phone call, or office visit just to say thanks.
Our profession is centered on relationships and learning, and we often talk about the importance of fostering belonging for students. Yet, having that same sense of connection matters just as much for us. I invite you to reflect on whether there is someone in your professional or personal circle who might be feeling unseen or disconnected right now. In fact, could that person be you? Spring break offers us the opportunity to slow down and pause, resetting our attention and energy before the final stretch of the semester. Perhaps one small intention to carry into that time is to reach out to someone not for a meeting or a task, but simply to reconnect. You might be surprised how much that gesture means to them and to you.
Sincerely,
Magdalena L. Barrera
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
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Updates from the Center for Faculty Excellence and Teaching Innovation |
Are you already thinking about designing your summer and/or fall courses? Are you interested in learning some basic HTML code to create inviting home pages that help your students navigate your Canvas-based courses? During this online workshop, participants will explore tools that they already have at their disposal such as MS PowerPoint to create image buttons and other online tools to assist in building your Canvas Home Pages.
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Creating a Collaborative Digital Whiteboard Break through the "lecture wall" with Lucidspark — a dynamic digital whiteboard that makes real-time collaboration possible whether you're teaching in-person or online. This workshop covers a range of practical applications, from icebreaker activities and knowledge checks to group discussions and deep text analysis. You'll also learn how to use built-in AI tools, breakout boards, and facilitator controls to guide student participation.
In addition, the session explores how interactive timelines, concept mapping, and visual templates can help students connect ideas and build meaningful understanding over time. Register today to join us on April 1 at 11:00 AM.
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Join CFETI’s SJSU Online Videographers, Trevor Merrill and Khoa Chau, for a hands-on, in-person workshop to learn and practice proven techniques for the modern digital classroom using the tools you already have available. The workshop, which is open to all faculty, will take place Thursday, April 2 (2:00pm-3:30pm).
To register for this workshop, complete this form. Please note that space is very limited and registrations will be processed in the order they are received.
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Are you interested in exploring useful strategies for implementing inclusive and collaborative hybrid meetings and classes? Join CFETI for a hybrid workshop to learn about steps you can take before, during, and after meetings to ensure an engaging experience for yourself and your participants.
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Join ren Williams (CFETI Faculty in Residence & Senior Lecturer, Communication Studies) and Nancy Park (Lecturer, Communication Studies) on April 28 for a hands-on workshop focused on developing confidence and an engaging presence in the classroom. Participants will learn and practice techniques and strategies they can deploy in any classroom setting.
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As you reflect on your own teaching context, consider how process-based visibility tools like Turnitin Clarity might support transparency, student learning, and constructive conversations about AI use.
If you are interested in piloting Clarity, scheduling a consultation, or continuing the discussion, please fill out the Spring 26 SJSU Turnitin Clarity Pilot Interest Form by March 22 11:59 PM.
Additional Resources
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The Universal Design Online content Inspection Tool (UDOIT) is integrated into Canvas and scans your course content, generates a list of accessibility issues and provides guidance on how to correct them. Let’s work together to address the accessibility and inclusivity issues in our Canvas curriculum. It will benefit all students!
Suggested workflow: To save time, use TidyUp to remove unused or duplicate Canvas content. Then run UDOIT to remediate only those files that are being used in the course.
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Panopto’s video quizzes help you increase student engagement while supporting Universal Design for Learning Guidelines by offering multiple means of representation and action and expression. In addition, Panopto’s automatic captions require only minimal edits to reach 100% accessibility. And once the captions are corrected, students can use the transcripts to review and navigate the course content in another format.
Want to learn more? Explore the guides linked below and contact cfeti@sjsu.edu with any questions.
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AI Training and Resources
Explore which SJSU Library research databases have integrated AI capabilities. This list identifies where these features appear across SJSU Library databases and what to know about their use.
Google AI for Education Accelerator – Faculty Pilot Opportunity
San José State University has been accepted into the Google AI for Education Accelerator, providing free access to Coursera training for Google AI Professional Certificates and Career Certificates that support foundational and applied AI skills development.
As part of a student-centered rollout, a limited number of faculty will be invited to participate in a pilot cohort this semester to explore how these resources may inform teaching and curriculum development.
This opportunity is intended for faculty who are:
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- Developing or exploring AI-related courses or certificate pathways
- Interested in how selected training may support course design and student learning
- Willing to engage with key modules and contribute brief reflections on instructional relevance
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Because access is limited and licenses are shared across the university, participation will be application-based. Selected faculty will receive time-bound access and help inform future course- and program-level integration.
Interested faculty are invited to submit a short application outlining intended instructional use by March 31. For questions, please contact yingjie.liu@sjsu.edu.
AI Events
AI Detectors, Academic Integrity, and Trust: A Conversation and Collaborative Exploration
March 24 | 12:00pm-2:00pm | MLK 225
As AI tools become embedded in everyday academic work, faculty face growing questions about AI detection, reliability, equity, and trust. This interactive convening features a brief overview of how AI detectors work, a faculty panel on classroom practices, and collaborative time to draft syllabus language, assessment strategies, student-centered AI practices and more. Join colleagues for informed dialogue and practical takeaways you can use right away.
Please fill in the registration form.
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April 27 | 10:00am–12:00pm | MLK Digital Humanities Center
The Colleges of Humanities and Arts and Social Sciences will host a joint event exploring how AI is reshaping teaching, learning, and trust among faculty and students in the classroom. The conversation will highlight emerging challenges and share strategies for navigating pedagogy in an AI-mediated academic landscape.
Teaching with AI Faculty Showcase
A campus showcase and conversation on teaching and learning with AI
April 30 | 12:00–3:00 PM | MLK AI Center (1st floor)
Are you teaching with AI or redesigning elements of your course in response to generative AI?
We invite faculty to share examples of how they are integrating AI into learning experiences, assignments, assessments, or classroom practice. The Teaching with AI Faculty Showcase will highlight thoughtful, ethical, and student-centered approaches to AI across disciplines.
Structured as a campus conference-style event, the showcase will feature digital poster presentations where faculty share examples of their teaching practices and engage in informal conversation with colleagues. The event will also include exploratory AI tool demonstrations and opportunities to exchange ideas with peers from across campus.
Whether you are actively experimenting with AI or simply beginning to explore its possibilities, we welcome contributions at all stages. If feasible, presenters are encouraged to invite one student collaborator to attend and share perspective on the learning experience.
All presenters will receive a certificate recognizing their contribution to campus teaching and learning innovation. Selected examples will also be featured on the CFETI AI Resources site and highlighted in an upcoming faculty newsletter.
To present: Submit a short description of your example (and, if available, a sample assignment or artifact) by April 15.
To attend (both presenter and participants): Please complete the Showcase event registration form by April 15.
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March
25: Cumulative Evaluations: Department level evaluations sent to faculty
30: Annual Evaluations: Send college level evaluations to faculty
30: Spring Recess Starts
31: Campus Closed
April
3: Last Day of Spring Recess
3: Cumulative Evaluations: Optional response to department due
16: RTP Final Department Level Summary(ies) sent to Faculty
28: Mini Review: college level evaluation sent to candidates
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Do you have a story, highlight, reading, or tip that you would like to share in this newsletter?
Please reach out anytime to faculty-success@sjsu.edu
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Jennifer Redd, Ph.D.
Senior Director, Teaching Innovation
408-924-2734
Yingjie Liu, Ph.D.
Director of Digital Learning Strategies
408-924-2433
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