Welcome to the Weekly UTLC Newsletter |
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Teaching Tips: Goal Setting |
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- Set SMART Teaching Goals - Use the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to clarify your intentions and how you’ll measure success. Instead of “improve my teaching,” try “pilot one new active-learning method in my Tuesday class by Week 6 and survey student feedback.”
- Break Goals into Macro and Micro Steps - Break big teaching improvements into tiny weekly steps. For example, if your macro goal is to increase student participation, your micro goals might be to try one interactive strategy per week and collect quick feedback.
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Focus on Impactful Classroom Experiences - When choosing what to change in your teaching, start small and targeted. You can first set a goal to test a new pedagogical tool or method in a single lecture or activity and observe student responses before wider adoption. Small or big, gradual changes can lead to impactful learning experiences.
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Reward Progress and Practice Self-Compassion - Reward yourself when you complete a teaching goal and be forgiving when things don’t go as planned. You don’t have to stick rigidly to a plan that isn’t working and you can always try again.
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We hope these tips are helpful in guiding to set intentional teaching goals for the semester. If you need additional support in brainstorming or creating your goals, please reach out and request a consultation. We hope this week is off to a great start!
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ITS is happy to announce a full slate of trainings to assist you this spring. There will be more to come, but please note the following to get us started:
Meet "Microsoft Education": Scheduling Classes with Microsoft Teams Meetings in Canvas
Jan 7, 3-4 PM
Jan 8, 11AM-12PM
CTRL+ALT+Access: Creating Accessible Canvas Content
Jan 8, 2-3 PM
Play Chess, Not Checkers: How to Leverage Canvas' Accessibility Checkers and Understand their Limits
Jan 9, 12-1 PM (Session to be immediately followed by ID Virtual Office Hours for consults, 1-3 PM)
Proactive Practices: Using Canvas and CARE to Support Students Experiencing Distress
Jan 29, 2-3 PM
Feb 25, 11AM - 12 PM
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We are pleased to share that the UTLC is now active on social media. We encourage you to follow us on Instagram (@utlc.uncg), Facebook (UNCG UTLC), and LinkedIn (University Teaching & Learning Commons) to stay informed about weekly teaching tips, upcoming events, and resources that support teaching and learning at UNCG.
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Open Office Hours with ITS |
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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.
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Spring 2026 Graduate Teaching Assistant Network Meetings |
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We are pleased to announce the Spring 2026 GTA Network dates! 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.
Meetings are all Mondays: January 23, February 9, February 23, March 23, April 6, and April 20 from 2 to 3pm.
You can access the MS Teams call through the GTA Network Teams Channel or .
If you have questions, please contact Judy Fowler at JAFOWLE3@uncg.edu.
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| 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:
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- Planning and designing courses
- Promoting academic integrity
- Increasing student engagement
- Responding to course evaluations and feedback
- Developing effective activities and assignments
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| 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.
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Faculty Engagement & Development Opportunities |
Check out these upcoming opportunities from the UTLC and other partners on campus. Additionally, the university workshop calendar has opportunities.
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- Self-Paced Training Options| Online, research-based workshops cover a range of essential topics.
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UNCG Libraries Webinars | Research and Application Webinar Series (Spring 2024 recordings) | Zotero Webinar Series (recordings)
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New to Teaching | Access this Canvas site to learn about how students learn, preparing for class, grading, office hours, engagement, active learning, and more.
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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.
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Web Accessibility 101 | This asynchronous, self-paced course focuses on the fundamentals of making online content accessible.
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