CRTLE NEWSLETTER

NEWS 123, January 14, 2026

As we move into the launch of the semester, CRTLE continues to focus on sustainable, faculty-centered approaches to teaching excellence. We support innovation while remaining attentive to workload, modality, and long-term impact. We look forward to collaborating with faculty and units across campus in ways that are thoughtful, strategic, and scalable with broad reach. Please let us know how we can support you with your teaching journey!

Contact us at: CRTLE@uta.edu and visit our website.

Join CRTLE and OIT in the Technology Test Kitchen!

Step into an interactive space where faculty can explore digital tools and learn practical strategies for integrating technology into their teaching.

Starting this month, participate in five months of hands-on sessions featuring technology “recipes” you can practice and take back to your courses. Sessions will be held at Trinity Hall, OIT Helpdesk, first-floor lobby, with breakout sessions in Rooms 112 and 105 from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM. Each session is 30 minutes long, with additional time available for practice and exploration as needed.

Empower students to showcase academic and professional achievements using Adobe Express. In this hands-on, faculty-focused workshop, you’ll learn how to integrate Adobe Express into portfolio-based assignments that foster creativity, multimodal communication, and real-world skills. Explore AI-supported design strategies, review ready-to-use templates, and leave with adaptable assignment ideas. Bring your own device and access Adobe Express before the session.

Reimagine your syllabus as an engaging, accessible gateway into your course. This session introduces faculty to multimodal syllabus design using Adobe Express, offering tools and approaches to visually highlight key information, enhance clarity, and support diverse learners. You’ll experiment with templates, explore best practices for visual communication in teaching materials, and walk away with a refreshed syllabus ready to energize your students from day one. Access Adobe Express before the workshop.

Join us for the January Faculty Voices session!

Wednesday, January 21

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Trinity Hall, Room 105 or via Microsoft Teams

This hybrid session shares practical, research-based strategies to increase student attention and engagement in distraction-rich classrooms. Faculty will gain immediately usable tools to foster active, inclusive learning across disciplines.

Friday, January 23

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Microsoft Teams

This training helps faculty develop practical skills for conducting constructive peer observations, giving meaningful feedback, and supporting ongoing improvement in teaching.

Dr. Peggy Semingson, Associate Professor and Interim Director of the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence (CRTLE) at UT Arlington, is pictured here with UT System Chancellor Dr. John M. Zerwas at the recent UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers induction ceremony. Dr. Semingson was formally recognized as a member of the Academy for her sustained leadership and impact in teaching excellence, faculty development, and digital and online pedagogy. Link to PRESS RELEASE

As a national leader in public higher education, the president of the University of Texas at Arlington remains deeply committed to strengthening the Dallas–Fort Worth region through meaningful, reciprocal community partnerships. This commitment has been formally recognized by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, which has awarded UTA the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement.

“Institutions that center community engagement play a vital role in addressing today’s most pressing societal challenges,” said Cammie Jones-Friedrichs, director of the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. “UTA’s application demonstrated exceptional alignment among mission, leadership, resources, and practice, as well as exemplary institutionalized approaches to community engagement. We are proud to recognize this work.”

Join the Center for Service Learning!

Thursday, January 29

4:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Trinity Hall, Room 104

Join us for a fun social and networking event! This is an opportunity to reunite with or build relationships with service-learning faculty and community agencies, share ideas, learn about new programs and initiatives, ask questions, or catch up.

Open to UTA Faculty/Staff and Community Nonprofit Agencies

Check out CRTLE’s updated Accessibility Resources page: a concise, faculty‑friendly hub that brings together the most important tools, workflows, and easy guidance for making your courses more accessible. The page centralizes quick‑start steps (like running your Ally Course Report), tips for fixing high‑impact materials, and links to key supports such as TidyUP, the OIT Accessibility Toolkit, and campus training opportunities. It’s a true one‑stop shop to help you prioritize student‑visible improvements, ensure legal compliance, and streamline your accessibility workflow for the semester. Link: CRTLE Accessibility Resources

Explore a new way to prepare for teaching and engage students using LinkedIn Learning’s AI Role-Play feature. In the latest Pedagogy Next blog post we highlight how faculty can use AI-powered simulations to practice real-world teaching scenarios and design reflective, skills-based student assignments. This emerging tool represents a growing shift toward AI-enhanced experiential learning in higher education.

Read the post: Using LinkedIn Learning’s AI Role-Play Tool to Enhance Teaching and Student Learning

Calling for IRB Mentor Fellows

The Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence (CRTLE) and the Office of Regulatory Services (ORS) invite applications for two Fellowship positions as part of a new, joint IRB Mentoring Initiative. This new role is designed specifically to enhance faculty development in mentoring by supporting students conducting human subjects research by guiding them through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process with clarity, empathy, and consistency.

Duration: 1 semester (Fall and Spring), eligible for renewal

Weekly Time Commitment: 3-4 hours per week

Stipend: $2,500 per semester [paid at the end of the semester]

Start Date: January 26, 2026

Proposal Due (Extended Deadline): January 31, 2026 (5:00 pm).

Open Education Research & Planning Mini-Grant!

The UTA Libraries is offering a $350 mini-grant to support faculty in researching OER and open materials for your courses. Through three collaborative workshops this spring, you will explore what exists in your field, gain practical evaluation skills, and publish your findings in a Landscape Brief that supports your teaching practice.

Time commitment: 12 hours total (Feb-April 2026)

What you'll receive: $350 stipend and four Trailblazers educator badges

Apply by: January 31, 2026.

How can the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence support you!

The CRTLE team is here to support and inspire your teaching—from exploring new strategies and redesigning courses to integrating AI and digital tools. Share your questions, ideas, or requests using the form below, and a member of our team will follow up to connect you with the support you need. We look forward to working with you!

Did you miss a CRTLE Session? 

Don't worry! We have recaps of all CRTLE Sessions on our blog!

PEDAGOGY NEXT

Visit the CRTLE website for Updates on Event and Access to Our Many Teaching Resources: https://www.uta.edu/administration/crtle 

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST - CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON TEACHING AND LEARNING EXCELLENCE
PEGGY SEMINGSON, PH.D., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND INTERIM DIRECTOR
SUSAN DEQUEANT, M.ED., ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR SERVICE LEARNING
BETH FLEENER, PH.D., SENIOR TEACHING INNOVATION RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
NAKESHA BROWN, M.ED., COORDINATOR II, SPECIAL PROGRAMS