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UT Dallas Center for Teaching and Learning Newsletter
August 2025, Issue 26
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 Dr. Karen Huxtable-Jester, CTL director
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Welcome to the Fall 2025 Semester!
Each academic year represents a fresh start, and that’s especially true this fall as we welcome Dr. Prabhas V. Moghe as the new president of UT Dallas. Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) staff were also pleased to assist the Office of Faculty Success in onboarding 80 new instructors at New Faculty Orientation.
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If you are among those new to UT Dallas, we encourage you to check out the CTL Instructor Handbook as well as the Office of Faculty Success’s step-by-step onboarding guide, which outlines key tasks and milestones to support a smooth transition into our community. We also invite you to explore the lineup of Faculty Success Events slated for 2025-2026.
Of course, many of us who have been at UT Dallas for years are seeking new ways to enhance our teaching, too. Effective pathways include ACUE courses, which share evidence-based strategies ready to be applied in the classroom. Applications are now open for “Fostering a Culture of Belonging,” which runs from Sept. 22 to Nov. 23.
If you’re not ready to commit to a full online course, we hope you’ll join us for one of the many one-hour workshops we have planned this semester, including a series on generative artificial intelligence (AI). As you’ll see below, we have a full slate of additional topics.
So, whether you are brand new to our campus or a seasoned veteran, we have something for you. Here’s to a great semester of learning — for our students and ourselves.
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CTL Fall Programming on AI in Teaching and Learning
Our first AI workshop of the academic year will take place at noon on Thursday, Sept. 4 when Provost’s Teaching Fellow Dr. Sarah E. Moore leads “AI and the Workforce: How Higher Ed Must Respond.” The session is part of the AI Faculty Development series, which will continue at the same time on the first Thursday of every month with topics ranging from “Getting Started with AI in Teaching and Learning” to “AI, Academic Integrity, and Classroom Ethics.”
Later that day at 4 p.m., Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham, an associate director in CTL, also will focus on AI during CTL Virtual Office Hours. This session will provide a forum to crowdsource ideas, questions and strategies with fellow instructors who are facing many of the same challenges. Together, we’ll consider three areas where AI is reshaping teaching practice: assignments, assessments and academic integrity. RSVP for CTL Virtual Office Hours.
Dr. Lanham will continue the conversation in a three-part series on “Teaching Online in the Age of AI” scheduled for Friday, Sept. 26 (1 p.m.), Thursday, Oct. 30 (4 p.m.) and Friday, Nov. 14 (1 p.m.).
We hope you’ll join us for one or more of these timely sessions.
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New UT System Series Explores the Value of Higher Education
In today’s world, questions about the value of higher education are becoming more common. To address these concerns and highlight the ways universities prepare students for life beyond the classroom, the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers and UT System Faculty Developers are launching a new mini-conference series, “Educating for Impact: Building World-Ready Students.”
The series will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 11 with a session led by Academy founding fellows Dr. Brent Iverson of UT Austin and Dr. Catherine Ross of UT Tyler. They will focus on how faculty across the UT System equip students with the skills, knowledge and perspectives needed to succeed in a complex world.
Held on the second Thursday of each month at 1 p.m. on Zoom, the series will continue through the fall with webinars focusing on cultural and social capital, analytical thinking and problem-solving, and creating global citizens. Look for an email invitation soon.
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Opportunities for TA Training, Development
The start of the academic year is a great time for teaching assistants (TAs) to strengthen their skills in the classroom. CTL offers the Graduate Teaching Certificate, which requires participants to complete several courses on teaching, attend a minimum number of workshops and events, receive feedback from faculty after a teaching observation, and complete a minimum number of semesters teaching. Enroll in the program.
For those looking to go further, the Advanced Graduate Teaching Certificate provides opportunities to engage in additional pedagogical coursework, workshops and activities that explore a variety of instructional approaches. To learn more about these certificates and other teaching certificates, visit the Teaching Certificates page.
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Calendar
Thursday, Sept. 4
“Teaching in the Age of AI: A Crowdsourcing Approach,” 4 to 5 p.m., Microsoft Teams — Facilitated by Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham, CTL associate director. AI has been described as “the wickedest and thorniest problem” to come to higher education in a generation. Faculty are being asked to rethink assignments, uphold academic integrity and prepare students for a future shaped by AI, often while still figuring out how these tools work. This session offers a space for crowdsourcing ideas, questions and strategies with fellow instructors who are facing many of the same challenges. RSVP for “Teaching in the Age of AI.”
“AI and the Workforce: How Higher Ed Must Respond,” noon to 12:45 p.m., Microsoft Teams — Are we preparing students for a workplace transformed by AI? As automation accelerates and generative tools reshape industries, higher education must respond with curricular and pedagogical innovation. Provost’s Teaching Fellow Dr. Sarah E. Moore will present this session. RSVP for “AI in the Workforce.”
Wednesday, Sept. 10
“Designing Course Content for All Learners: Accessibility Workshop,” 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., CTL Workspace (MC 2.404) — Facilitated by the eLearning Team and JSOM Online. This interactive workshop will help you make course materials more accessible and inclusive. Get hands-on support with your own documents, presentations and media, and learn how tools like Copilot and Ally can assist in course design. Bring your laptop and materials. RSVP by Sept. 9.
Thursday, Sept. 11
“Educating for Impact: Building World-Ready Students,” 1 p.m., Zoom — The UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers and UT System Faculty Developers are launching this new mini-conference series. The kickoff session, “What Is the Value of Higher Education? Future-Proofing Our Students,” will be led by Academy founding fellows Dr. Brent Iverson of UT Austin and Dr. Catherine Ross of UT Tyler, who will discuss how faculty across the UT System can help students develop the skills, knowledge, and perspectives needed to succeed in a complex world. RSVP by Sept. 10. Note: RSVPing will give you access to all eight sessions.
Friday, Sept. 26
“Teaching Online in the Age of AI: A Three-Part Series,” 1 to 2 p.m., Microsoft Teams — Facilitated by Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham, CTL associate director. This series is for faculty teaching hybrid or asynchronous online courses who are navigating the impact of generative AI. The first session, “Designing Assignments That Still Work,” will focus on strategies to promote original thinking and reduce AI shortcuts. RSVP by Sept. 25.
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