The Faculty Inclusive Teaching Survey (FITS) Guidebook: Supporting Current and Future Faculty in Becoming Inclusive Instructors
2026-06-25 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Despite recent opposition to diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI), effective instructional methods that truly enable all students to succeed are still critical to the success of the U.S. STEM workforce. Inclusive teaching is instrumental in helping instructors reflectively examine how their identities intersect and interact with their students and how they can structure and implement their courses and teaching practices that will uplift and support all students to succeed. Inclusive teaching is about inviting all to enter a learning environment that is safe, inviting, and supportive and that produces learning, thus promoting ongoing persistence into STEM fields and careers.
This workshop will share and synthesize research results from the The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project (ISTP) into a practical, integrated FITS Guidebook that contains validated scales, resources, and recommendations to create reflective and inclusive practitioners that embrace ongoing growth and development. Participants will learn how to utilize the FITS Guidebook to support the development of inclusive instructors in your professional development programs by promoting reflective, relational, and strategic dimensions that are braided together to create ongoing, iterative growth for yourself and your participants. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

Developing iterative, reflective, and inclusive practitioners by engaging in deep, reflective prompts and peer-peer learning focused on ISTP research results
Examine the lived experiences of learners (e.g., students, faculty members) and campus constituents that impact and influence the development of inclusive instructors
Advance an inclusive teaching action plan

Instructors
Gina Frey, University of Utah
Kim Weaver, University of Utah
Lucas Hill, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Linden Higgins, University of Vermont
Workshop Schedule
This one-session online workshop meets in Zoom on Thursday, June 25th at 9pm-12am Gulf / 1-4pm Eastern / 12-3pm Central / 10am-1pm Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This workshops is geared towards faculty/future faculty developers that are interested in supporting the development of inclusive instructors in professional development programs.
Registration and Enrollment
REGISTER NOW
Registration opens on Monday, June 1st at 10am CT and closes on the day of the workshop. No cap.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu) who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Sending pre-session reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students (slides, activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants with an introductory, intermediate, or advanced learning experience.
This institute supports the following CIRTL learning goals at an intermediate level:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

UDL + AI Design Studio
2026-06-26 10:00 - 11:00
The UDL + AI Design Studio is a six-week redesign studio where instructors improve one real teaching challenge using Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—a widely recognized, research-grounded framework for designing learning experiences. While UDL is highly respected in higher education, it is often presented as a complex set of principles and strategies; this studio reframes it as a simple, practical WHY–WHAT–HOW design cycle that makes redesign manageable and actionable. AI functions as a design partner, helping instructors apply UDL more efficiently to refine activities and assessments with clarity and precision. By the end of this short course, participants will be prepared to:

Analyze a specific teaching challenge using baseline evidence to identify where students struggle and what factors are contributing to the problem
Apply the UDL Learning Design Cycle (WHY → WHAT → HOW), using AI as a design assistant to generate, refine, and stress-test UDL-informed design moves efficiently
Create a cohesive UDL + AI redesign package that strengthens student engagement, improves content clarity or access, and supports meaningful performance
Evaluate the redesign by developing a feasible implementation and evidence plan that identifies indicators of impact and next steps for refinement.

Instructors
V. Blue Lemay, Binghamton University
Kimberly Elsener, Binghamton University
Chris Cain, Mars Hill University
Course Schedule
This 6-week short course meets in Zoom on Fridays at 7-8pm Gulf / 11am-12pm Eastern / 10-11am Central / 8-9am Pacific/Arizona from June 26 to July 31.
Audience
This studio is designed for CIRTL participants who are currently teaching or supporting teaching in higher education (or expect to teach in the next academic term), including graduate students, postdocs, and early-career faculty. Participants should:

Have access to a real teaching context and be able to select one “teaching artifact” to redesign (e.g., an assignment, discussion activity, lesson plan, etc.)
Have access to an AI tool (institution-approved, if applicable) and have familiarity using it for general idea generation
Come with an open, learning-oriented mindset—prepared to experiment with AI as a support for instructional design rather than avoiding it altogether

No prior UDL training or advanced instructional design experience is required.
Workload
Participants should plan to spend approximately 90 minutes per week on asynchronous work, including short readings/videos, drafting components of their redesign, discussion participation, and peer feedback. Total estimated time commitment: 2–2.5 hours per week (live session + asynchronous work).
Registration and Enrollment
**At capacity and closed for registration as of Monday, June 8th**
Registration opens on Monday, June 8th at 10am CT. Cap: 15. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu) who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the course to support accessibility for all our students:

Sending pre-session reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students (slides, activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants with an introductory, intermediate, or advanced learning experience.
This institute supports the following CIRTL learning goals at an intermediate/advanced level:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

The Faculty Inclusive Teaching Survey (FITS) Guidebook: Growing as a Reflective and Iterative Inclusive Instructor
2026-06-30 12:00 - 13:30
Despite recent opposition to diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI), effective instructional methods that truly enable all students to succeed are still critical to the success of the U.S. STEM workforce. Inclusive teaching is instrumental in helping instructors reflectively examine how their identities intersect and interact with their students and how they can structure and implement their courses and teaching practices that will uplift and support all students to succeed. Inclusive teaching is about inviting all to enter a learning environment that is safe, inviting, and supportive and that produces learning, thus promoting ongoing persistence into STEM fields and careers.
This workshop will share and synthesize research results from the The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project (ISTP) into a practical, integrated FITS Guidebook that contains validated scales, resources, and recommendations to create reflective and inclusive practitioners that embrace ongoing growth and development. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

Develop as iterative, reflective, and inclusive practitioners by engaging in deep, reflective prompts and peer-peer learning focused on ISTP research results
Examine the lived experiences of learners (e.g., students, faculty members) and campus constituents that impact and influence the development of inclusive instructors
Advance an inclusive teaching action plan

Instructors
Kim Weaver, University of Utah
Lucas Hill, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Linden Higgins, University of Vermont
Workshop Schedule
This two-part online workshop meets in Zoom on Tuesday, June 30th and Wednesday, July 1st at 9-10:30pm Gulf / 1-2:30pm Eastern / 12-1:30pm Central / 10-11:30am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This workshop is designed for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who are interested in developing as iterative, reflective, and inclusive practitioners.
Registration and Enrollment
REGISTER NOW
Registration opens on Monday, June 8th at 10am CT and closes on the first day of the workshop. No cap.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu) who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Sending pre-session reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students (slides, activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants with an introductory, intermediate, or advanced learning experience.
This institute supports the following CIRTL learning goals at an intermediate level:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

Critical AI Literacy for Teachers and Students: Prompting, Evaluating, and Ethically Using Generative AI
2026-07-13 12:00 - 13:30
Surprised by how fast AI is developing, yet still cautious about trusting it? Already using AI but wondering how to encourage students to remain critical of its outputs? As generative AI reshapes the educational landscape, developing critical AI literacy becomes essential for responsible AI use and critical evaluation. This workshop series explores critical AI literacy across various disciplines, with particular focus on AI prompt literacy, critical evaluation of AI outputs, and ethical disclosure practices. Instead of seeing generative AI as a dominant tool, the workshop encourages participants to see themselves as active and independent decision makers in human-AI collaboration. In session 1, participants will engage in hands-on activities to iteratively refine prompts that align with their writing purposes and goals, critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, and draft counter-text to articulate the reasons for accepting, modifying, and rejecting AI outputs. In addition, participants will draft an AI use disclosure statement to maintain academic and professional integrity and transparency. In session 2, participants will reflect on and extend these strategies by adapting the workshop activities to their own teaching, research, or professional contexts. Through collaborative sharing and discussion, participants will explore how critical AI literacy practices can be applied in different disciplines and settings. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

Develop AI prompts with clear attention to purpose, audience, genre, and ethical boundaries
Critically evaluate AI outputs for accuracy, bias, assumptions, and alignment with disciplinary values
Decide when to accept, revise, or reject AI outputs and explain their reasoning through counter-text to maintain human agency.
Apply critical AI literacy strategies by adapting workshop activities, prompts, or evaluation approaches to their own contexts

Instructors
Ruonan Yang, The Ohio State University
Erin Mercurio, The Ohio State University
Workshop Schedule
This two-part online workshop meets in Zoom on Monday, July 13th at 9-10:30pm Gulf / 1-2:30pm Eastern / 12-1:30pm Central / 10-11:30am Pacific/Arizona and Monday, July 20th at 9-10pm Gulf / 1-2pm Eastern / 12-1pm Central / 10-11am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
Anyone with an interest in critical AI literacy is welcome to participate. Participants who have experience teaching as independent instructors may find it especially helpful, as it may be easier to adapt the workshop activities to their own teaching contexts.
Registration and Enrollment
**At capacity and closed for registration as of Monday, July 6th**
Registration opens on Monday, June 29th at 10am CT. Cap: 60. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu) who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Sending pre-session reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students (slides, activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants with an introductory, intermediate, or advanced learning experience.
This institute supports the following CIRTL learning goals at an introductory/intermediate level:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

Handling Difficult Dialogues In the Classroom
2026-07-15 10:00 - 11:15
Join us for a discussion about planning complex dialogues and handling difficult moments in the classroom, drawing from scholarly frameworks such as Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) and reflective teaching. By the end of this workshops, participants will be prepared to:

Consider common dynamics that arise when teaching sensitive topics
Integrate transparency, course guidelines, and other strategies into course context to help students engage with sensitive topics
Identify teaching tools to address difficult moments or unexpected student reactions during sensitive discussions.

Instructors
Katherine Beydler, University of Iowa
Darren Hoffman, University of Iowa
Allie Brandriet, University of Iowa
Workshop Schedule
This one-part online workshop meets in Zoom on Wednesday, July 15th at 7-8:15pm Gulf / 11am-12:15pm Eastern / 10-11:15am Central / 8-9:15am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This workshop is open to anyone interested in handling difficult dialogues in the classroom.
Registration and Enrollment
REGISTER NOW
Registration opens on Monday, June 22nd at 10am CT and closes on the first day of the workshop. No cap.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu) who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Sending pre-session reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students (slides, activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants with an introductory, intermediate, or advanced learning experience.
This institute supports the following CIRTL learning goals at an introductory/intermediate level:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

The College Classroom
2026-09-08 12:00 - 13:30 | Online in Zoom
Get an introduction to key learning principles and the basics of effective, evidence-based teaching practices in this 10-week course about teaching in the college classroom. This course will focus on developing inclusive, learner-centered approaches to teaching. Participants will explore the interconnectedness of learning objectives, assessment, and learning activities through both discussion of course materials and developing and practicing their own lesson plan. In this course, participants will

Explore inclusive, learner-centered teaching theories and practices
Read and discuss literature on effective teaching and learning
Apply evidence-based strategies to your teaching practice
Create connections between learning objectives, assessments, and learning activities in order to build and teach a lesson plan
Reflect on personal teaching values and decision making

Instructors
Beth Fleener, University of Texas at Arlington
Amanda Nolen, Georgia Tech
Tiffany Shoop, Virginia Tech
Course Schedule
This course meets in Zoom on Tuesdays, September 8 through November 10, at 9–10:30pm Gulf / 1–2:30pm Eastern / 12–1:30pm Central / 10–11:30am Pacific/Arizona.
**After November 1st, course meets at 10-11:30pm Gulf / 11am-12:30pm Arizona**
Audience
This course is designed first and foremost for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career faculty in STEM/SBE disciplines, but generally relevant to anyone looking to improve their foundational college-level teaching and learning skills and knowledge.
Registration & Enrollment
Request a registration reminder
Cap: 100. Registration opens on Monday, August 17th at 10am CT and will close once capacity is reached. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact David Larson (dlarson23@wisc.edu), who is supporting this course, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the course to support accessibility for all our students:

Using alt-text on images in reading materials
Sending weekly reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sending weekly reminders with missing assignments to students who have late work
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students via Moodle (slides, breakout group activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions
Sharing recordings from synchronous sessions
Allowing students to make up absences and submit work late with no penalty

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants with an introductory, intermediate, or advanced learning experience.
This course supports the following CIRTL learning goals at an introductory level:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.

Writing an Effective Teaching Philosophy Statement (Synchronous)
2026-09-14 15:00 - 16:30 | Online in Zoom
In this interactive two-part workshop participants will learn what a teaching philosophy statement is and how it’s used on the academic job market, discuss ideas and ask questions about your own statement, then draft a statement and refine it in a writing group of peers from your discipline. We will discuss elements of teaching statements, evidence of effective teaching tailored for different academic jobs, and strategies to get started or polish existing teaching statements. Participants from all disciplines will become better equipped and prepared to communicate their teaching practice through this workshop’s small group writing and feedback process. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Understand common components of a teaching philosophy statement
Identify their own teaching accomplishments, beliefs, and goals
Draft a teaching philosophy statement
Refine their work through peer review feedback

Instructors
Emily Potratz, University of Illinois, Chicago
Brian Rybarczyk, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Workshop Schedule
This two-session online workshop meets in Zoom on Monday, September 14 and 21 at 4-5:30pm Eastern / 3-4:30pm Central / 1-2:30pm Pacific/Arizona.
**This workshop meets on September 15 and 22 at 12-1:30am Gulf**
Audience
This workshop is designed first and foremost for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in STEM/SBE disciplines, but generally relevant to anyone looking to develop or refine their teaching statement.
Registration & Enrollment
Request a registration reminder
Cap: 50. Registration opens on Monday, August 31st at 10am CT. Enrollment will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis; registrants who are from CIRTL member institutions or CIRTL alumni will receive priority.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Kate Diamond (kdiamond3@wisc.edu), who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Using alt-text on images in reading materials
Sending pre-session reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students (slides, activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This workshop supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

Thinking Like a Search Committee: Packaging Your Experience for a Tenure Track Faculty Position
2026-09-23 11:00 - 12:00 | Online in Zoom
This workshop pulls back the curtain on the academic hiring process to help postdocs transition into tenure-track faculty roles. By viewing the hiring process through the eyes of a search committee, participants will learn exactly how their application materials are screened, scored, and short-listed. Attendees will gain actionable insights into committee processes and practices and learn how to strategically align their CVs, cover letters, and research statements with institutional expectations. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Identify search committee processes and practices that are unique to tenure-track faculty searches
Identify strategies to strengthen their application materials for tenure-track faculty positions
Anticipate institutional rubrics used by committees to evaluate departmental fit and future funding potential
Diagnose and correct common application red flags that lead to early elimination during the initial screening phase.

Instructors
Robin Macaluso, University of Texas at Arlington
Schedule
This one-session online event meets on Wednesday, September 23rd at 8-9pm Gulf / 12-1pm Eastern / 11am-12pm Central / 9-10am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This session is open to graduate students and postdocs from any discipline who are curious about the tenure-track faculty application process. Examples and language in the session will be geared towards STEM disciplines and postdoctoral experiences.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
This workshop has no cap, and registration opens on Monday, August 17th at 10am CT. Once registration opens, it will remain open until the day of the event.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This event supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.

Rethinking Assessment Design in the Age of AI: A Practical Framework
2026-09-30 10:00 - 11:15 | Online in Zoom
This interactive session introduces a practical framework for redesigning assessments in the age of AI by shifting the focus from answer generation to evidence, reasoning, decision-making, and reflection. Through examples from multiple disciplines, participants will explore practical strategies for redesigning existing assessments while maintaining alignment with course learning outcomes. The session includes live polls, guided reflection, and participant discussion, providing attendees with actionable ideas they can immediately apply in their own teaching. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

Identify opportunities to redesign assessments for deeper learning in the age of AI.
Apply a practical framework to redesign an assessment from your own teaching context.
Reflect on how assessment design can better promote evidence, reasoning, decision-making, and reflection in student learning.
Distinguish between answer-focused and thinking-focused assessments.

Instructors
Sami Mejri, Khalifa University
Asli Hassan, Khalifa University
Workshop Schedule
This one-session online workshop meets in Zoom on Wednesday, September 30th at 7-8:15pm Gulf / 11am-12:15pm Eastern / 10-11:15am Central / 8-9:15am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This workshop is for anyone interested in redesigning assessments in the age of AI by shifting the focus from answer generation to evidence, reasoning, decision-making, and reflection.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
No cap. Registration opens on Tuesday, September 8th at 10am CT and closes on the day of the workshop.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This workshop supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.

Real-World and Hands-On Learning: Learning-Centered Teaching Strategies for Student Success.
2026-10-02 10:00 - 11:30 | Online in Zoom
Discover the power of learning-centered teaching in this engaging, hands-on workshop. “Learning-centered” emphasizes the backward design process: starting with student learning outcomes. Teachers become “architects” or “designers” of learning environments aimed at achieving student learning outcomes. This approach does not neglect the needs and interests of the individual student but brings into focus what we want a student to be able to do and know after the experience. Participants will explore practical strategies that actively engage students, understand the “why” behind these approaches, and gain tools to immediately apply in their own teaching. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Explain real-world learning
Explain hands-on learning
Design an example for a learning experience (scenario, case study, problem, etc.) that is relevant to your discipline and enables real-world and hands-on learning.

Instructors
Barbara Berthold, University of Texas at Arlington
Schedule
This one-session online event meets on Friday, October 2nd at 7–8:30pm Gulf / 11–12:30pm Eastern / 10–11:30am Central / 8–9:30am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This session is relevant to anyone that wants to learn and apply “learning-centered” approaches in their own teaching.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
This workshop has no cap, and registration opens on Monday, August 17th at 10am CT. Once registration opens, it will remain open until the day of the event.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This event supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.

UDL + AI Design Studio
2026-10-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Online in Zoom
The UDL + AI Design Studio is a seven-week redesign studio where instructors improve one real teaching challenge using Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—a widely recognized, research-grounded framework for designing learning experiences. While UDL is highly respected in higher education, it is often presented as a complex set of principles and strategies; this studio reframes it as a simple, practical WHY–WHAT–HOW design cycle that makes redesign manageable and actionable. AI functions as a design partner, helping instructors apply UDL more efficiently to refine activities and assessments with clarity and precision. By the end of this short course, participants will be prepared to:

Analyze a specific teaching challenge using baseline evidence to identify where students struggle and what factors are contributing to the problem
Apply the UDL Learning Design Cycle (WHY → WHAT → HOW), using AI as a design assistant to generate, refine, and stress-test UDL-informed design moves efficiently
Create a cohesive UDL + AI redesign package that strengthens student engagement, improves content clarity or access, and supports meaningful performance
Evaluate the redesign by developing a feasible implementation and evidence plan that identifies indicators of impact and next steps for refinement.

Instructors
V. Blue Lemay, Binghamton University
Chris Cain, Mars Hill University
Course Schedule
This 7-week short course meets in Zoom on Fridays from October 9 to November 20 at 7-8pm Gulf / 11am-12pm Eastern / 10-11am Central / 8-9am Pacific/Arizona.
**After November 1st, course meets at 8-9pm Gulf / 9-10am Arizona**
Audience
This studio is designed for CIRTL participants who are currently teaching or supporting teaching in higher education (or expect to teach in the next academic term), including graduate students, postdocs, and early-career faculty. Participants should:

Have access to a real teaching context and be able to select one “teaching artifact” to redesign (e.g., an assignment, discussion activity, lesson plan, etc.)
Have access to an AI tool (institution-approved, if applicable) and have familiarity using it for general idea generation
Come with an open, learning-oriented mindset—prepared to experiment with AI as a support for instructional design rather than avoiding it altogether

No prior UDL training or advanced instructional design experience is required.
Workload
Participants should plan to spend approximately 90 minutes per week on asynchronous work, including short readings/videos, drafting components of their redesign, discussion participation, and peer feedback. Total estimated time commitment: 2–2.5 hours per week (live session + asynchronous work).
Registration and Enrollment
Request a registration reminder
Cap: 15. Registration applications open on Monday, September 21st at 10am CT, and applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once applications close, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu) who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the course to support accessibility for all our students:

Sending pre-session reminders with upcoming assignments to all students
Sharing materials for synchronous sessions with students (slides, activity instructions, etc.)
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals.
This course supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

A Student-Centered Approach to Plagiarism in the Age of Generative AI
2026-10-13 12:00 - 13:30 | Online in Zoom
Many instructors have struggled to address plagiarism in the rise of generative AI, but these technologies may simply be revealing long‑standing gaps in how students understand the work of learning. This two‑part workshop explores how transparency about the cognitive work required in assignments and how students perceive that work can strengthen assessment validity and reduce the reliance of AI in coursework. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Identify the current literature regarding why students plagiarize.
Discuss the differences between assessment security and assessment validity.
Examine a class assessment’s cognitive load, germane load, and extraneous cognitive load.
Revise a class assessment to improve its assessment validity and clarify the learning process.

Instructors
Teresa Hooper, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Chris Kilgore, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Workshop Schedule
This two-session online workshop meets in Zoom on Tuesday, October 13th and 14th at 9-10:30pm Gulf / 1-2:30pm Eastern / 12-1:30pm Central / 10-11:30am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This workshop is designed for anyone interested in teaching and learning developments. Graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and instructors actively designing or revising courses may find this workshop a valuable resource in plagiarism concerns, AI‑supported learning, or questions about assessment validity with the rise in Generative AI use.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
This workshop has no cap, and registration opens on Monday, September 21st at 10am CT. Once registration opens, it will remain open until the workshop begins on Tuesday, October 13th.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This course supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.

Designing Assignments with UDL: Supporting Student Emotional Capacity
2026-10-19 11:00 - 13:00 | Online in Zoom
Students’ ability to learn depends not only on what they know, but also on their ability to navigate frustration, uncertainty, feedback, and other emotional aspects of the learning process. In this two-session workshop, participants will explore how the design of course assignments can either encourage learning or create unnecessary emotional barriers to it, and develop concrete strategies for assignment design that help students direct their emotional resources toward successful learning rather than avoidable frustration.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) calls a student’s ability to navigate the emotional aspects of learning their emotional capacity. We will use three UDL Emotional Capacity considerations as a framework for understanding how assignment design can support or hinder student emotional capacity (by removing emotional barriers or introducing unnecessary ones, respectively), and as a guide for intentionally designing assignments that reduce common sources of frustration.
This workshop utilizes an object-based teaching and learning approach, allowing participants to engage with and learn directly from assignments from a wide range of disciplines. In the first session, participants will use authentic assignments as shared objects for observation, analysis, and discussion to uncover assumptions they may hold about students’ emotional capacity before connecting those observations and assumptions to the UDL framework and UDL informed assignment design strategies. At the end of this session participants will begin to redesign an assignment relevant to their discipline by using at least one of the assignment design strategies discussed in the session. In the second session, participants will explore action-oriented feedback as a tool for maintaining motivation and promoting growth, then participate in a structured peer-review process to refine their assignment revisions. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how assignment design influences students’ emotional experiences and concrete strategies for designing assignments that better support the emotional needs of learners. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

Discuss concrete strategies for promoting student emotional capacity through incorporating UDL considerations 8.5, and 9.1-3 in assignment design.
Design or revise an assignment to promote student emotional capacity through the incorporation of one or more of the UDL emotional capacity considerations.

Instructors
Lyla Hestand, The Ohio State University
Erin Mercurio, The Ohio State University
Workshop Schedule
This two-part online workshop meets in Zoom on Monday, October 19th and 26th at 8-10pm Gulf / 12-2pm Eastern / 11am-1pm Central / 9-11am Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
While every discipline has their own norms and conventions, the CAST UDL Guidelines – including the Emotional Capacity considerations we will focus on – are designed to be applicable regardless of domain. Emotional barriers to learning and strategies for circumventing them do not depend upon content. All graduate students are invited to attend, regardless of discipline or teaching experience.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
Cap: 70. Registration opens on Monday, October 5th at 10am CT and closes once capacity is reached. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This workshop supports the following CIRTL learning goal:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.

Teaching with Objects – An Eﬀective Teaching Method for Future Faculty
2026-10-27 13:00 - 14:30 | Online in Zoom
This interactive workshop is designed to equip graduate students and future faculty with the foundational skills and confidence to integrate object-based learning into their teaching across all disciplines. Moving beyond the misconception that object-based pedagogy is confined to art history or requires special expertise, this session introduces participants to the “See/Think/Wonder” framework—a versatile tool for facilitating evidence-based, student-centered discussion that can be applied in STEM, humanities, social sciences, and beyond. Participants will learn to design effective assignments, practice leading object-based discussions, and navigate campus resources and expert collaborations. The workshop emphasizes that effective teaching with objects relies not on the instructor’s pre-existing content knowledge, but on their skill as a facilitator of observation and critical inquiry—a transferable skill applicable to any classroom setting. Optional pre-reading materials and a simple framework guide will be provided in advance to ensure all participants can engage meaningfully, regardless of prior experience. This session is ideal for anyone looking to create more engaged, interdisciplinary, and experiential learning environments in their future classrooms. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

Articulate the core philosophy of object-based learning as a student-centered, evidence-based pedagogical approach applicable beyond the arts and humanities
Apply the “See/Think/Wonder” thinking routine to structure an object-based learning activity that fosters observation, interpretation, and questioning
Design a scaffolded discussion prompt that uses an object to advance a specific learning goal in their discipline

Instructors
Xiaoxia Zhang, Indiana University
Trevor Verrot, Indiana University
Workshop Schedule
This one-session online workshop meets in Zoom on Tuesday, October 27th at 10-11:30pm Gulf / 2-3:30pm Eastern / 1-2:30pm Central / 11am-12:30pm Pacific/Arizona.
Audience
This workshop is for graduate students and future faculty who are interested in integrating object-based learning into their teaching across all disciplines.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
Cap: 30. Registration opens on Monday, October 12th at 10am CT and closes once capacity is reached. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This workshop supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

Preparing Your Teaching Demo for a Job Interview
2026-10-29 12:00 - 13:30 | Online in Zoom
As part of the interview process for a faculty position, you may be asked to lead a teaching demonstration. In this interactive workshop, we’ll discuss ways to go into your teaching demo with preparedness, confidence, and adaptability. Participants will explore considerations related to their audience, factors affecting content, logistics (including technology), and teaching/learning interactions. Participants will also strategize ways to cope with unexpected challenges that could emerge during a teaching demo. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

Identify questions and decision points useful in preparing a teaching demo for a job interview.
Strategize ways to gather the information needed to effectively plan a teaching demo.
Generate strategies for dealing effectively with challenging situations that might emerge during a demo (e.g., logistical, technological, or interpersonal).

Instructors
Chas Brua, Pennsylvania State University
Beate Brunow, Pennsylvania State University
Workshop Schedule
This one-session online workshop meets in Zoom on Thursday, October 29th at 10-11:30pm Gulf / 1-2:30pm Eastern / 12-1:30pm Central / 11am-12:30pm Arizona / 10-11:30am Pacific.
Audience
This workshop is designed first and foremost for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in STEM/SBE disciplines, but generally relevant to anyone interested in an introduction to teaching demonstrations.
Registration and Enrollment
Request a registration reminder
Cap: 50. Registration opens on Monday, October 12th at 10am CT and closes once capacity is reached. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu) to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Sending pre-session reminders to all students
Sharing resources from synchronous sessions with students
Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This course supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

Exploring Teaching Careers at Research Universities with CIRTL Alumni
2026-11-02 11:00 - 12:00 | Online in Zoom
In this online panel, we’ll hear from CIRTL alumni who now work as teaching professors at research universities around the United States. Faculty members who primarily teach, rather than do research, have become increasingly important for delivering courses at research universities. Alumni will share what their jobs are like, how they became interested in teaching, how they ended up at research institutions and how they fit within their departments, and what growth and progression can look like in these types of career paths. Speakers TBD.
This is the first event in our four-part series “Exploring Career Paths with CIRTL Alumni.”
Event Schedule
This online event meets on Monday, November 2nd at 9-10pm Gulf / 12-1pm Eastern / 11am-12pm Central / 10-11am Arizona / 9-10am Pacific. This is the first event in our four-part series “Exploring Career Paths with CIRTL Alumni.”
Audience
This event is designed first and foremost for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers exploring potential career paths, but generally relevant to anyone interested in understanding career trajectories within academia and beyond.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
This event has no cap, and registration opens on Monday, August 17th at 10am CT. Once registration opens, it will remain open until the event begins on Monday, November 2nd.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact David Larson (dlarson23@wisc.edu), who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This event supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

Exploring Teaching Careers at Teaching Intensive Universities with CIRTL Alumni
2026-11-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Online in Zoom
In this online panel, we’ll hear from CIRTL alumni who now teach at liberal arts colleges. Most undergraduates in the United States are educated at liberal arts colleges and other non-research institutions like community colleges and specialized BS and MS universities, and the faculty who teach them frequently balance teaching, research, and mentorship as dynamic pieces of a rewarding career. Alumni will share what their jobs are like, how they became interested in teaching, what it was like to transition from the research-intensive R1 institutions they studied at to the smaller colleges and universities where they now work, and what growth and progression can look like in these types of career paths. Speakers TBD.
This is the second event in our four-part series “Exploring Career Paths with CIRTL Alumni.”
Event Schedule
This online event meets on Monday, November 9th at 9-10pm Gulf / 12-1pm Eastern / 11am-12pm Central / 10-11am Arizona / 9-10am Pacific. This is the second event in our four-part series “Exploring Career Paths with CIRTL Alumni.”
Audience
This event is designed first and foremost for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in STEM/SBE disciplines exploring potential career paths, but generally relevant to anyone interested in understanding career trajectories within academia and beyond.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
This event has no cap, and registration opens on Monday, August 17th at 10am CT. Once registration opens, it will remain open until the first event begins on Monday, November 2nd.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact David Larson (dlarson23@wisc.edu), who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This event supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.

Neuro-Affirming Course Design: Designing Courses with Neurodiversity In Mind
2026-11-12 12:00 - 14:00 | Online in Zoom
This event introduces a neuro-affirming approach to course design for graduate students and postdoctoral instructors. Participants will explore neurodiversity, examine how neurodivergent strengths and challenges shape learning, and identify elements of neuro‑affirming instruction. The event highlights practical strategies for creating neuro‑inclusive courses covering syllabus design, course organization, participation structures, and assignment creation and applies the UDL +1 method to help instructors make small, meaningful changes to support all learners. By the end of this event, participants will be able to:

Describe the tenets of a neurodiversity affirming instructional approach.
Explain how neurodiversity impacts learning.
Apply neuro-affirming instructional principles and strategies to course design.

Instructors
Melissa Tamas, Stanford University
Schedule
This one-session online event meets on Thursday, November 12th at 10pm-12am Gulf / 1-3pm Eastern / 12-2pm Central / 11am-1pm Arizona / 10am-12pm Pacific.
Audience
This event is designed for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers looking for an introduction to fundamental academic professional development topics.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
Cap: 75. Registration opens on Monday, October 26th at 10am CT and closes once capacity is reached. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This course supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.

Exploring Academic Careers Beyond the Professoriate with CIRTL Alumni in Centers for Teaching & Learning
2026-11-16 11:00 - 12:00 | Online in Zoom
In this online panel, we’ll hear from CIRTL alumni who hold STEM PhDs and work in centers for teaching and learning at research universities. Centers for teaching and learning are an increasingly common office in universities – providing evidence-based support and guidance to faculty and others with instructional responsibilities – and are one of many ways people with PhDs work within higher ed, but beyond the professoriate. Alumni will share what their jobs are like, how they became interested in this unique type of work, how their doctoral training prepared them for their roles, and what growth and progression can look like in these types of career paths.
This is the third event in our four-part series “Exploring Career Paths with CIRTL Alumni.”
Event Schedule
This online event meets on Monday, November 16thth at 9-10pm Gulf / 12-1pm Eastern / 11am-12pm Central / 10-11am Arizona / 9-10am Pacific. This is the third event in our four-part series “Exploring Career Paths with CIRTL Alumni.”
Audience
This event is designed first and foremost for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers interested in learning more about working in a center for teaching and learning, but generally relevant to anyone interested in understanding career trajectories within academia and beyond.
Registration
Request a registration reminder
This event has no cap, and registration opens on Monday, August 17th at 10am CT. Once registration opens, it will remain open until the first event begins on Monday, November 2nd.
Accessibility
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact David Larson (dlarson23@wisc.edu), who is supporting this workshop, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the workshop to support accessibility for all our students:

Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.
This event supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.
