CTL Newsletter - December 2023

News + Updates

Slack Redesign

Slack is redesigning the look of its product and the placement of some of the tools. RIT will be getting this change on December 19, 2023. For a preview of the changes, review Slack Redesign Overview.

Connect with us if you would like to discuss the setup of your course workspaces in light of these changes.

Request a consultation

Attend a training

Call to Propose a Spring Teaching Circle

A teaching circle is a small group of faculty and teaching staff who come together for one term to discuss a teaching and learning topic that they can delve deeply into over several sessions. Facilitators may offer their circle in an on-campus space, via Zoom, or a combination.

Proposals due by January 2, 2024. Applicants will be notified on a rolling basis.

Submit a proposal

Help Article Knowledge Base

The Center for Teaching and Learning has a collection of Help articles available on Help.rit.edu to assist you with many questions and tasks related to our supported services and technologies.

You can search and browse our collection directly:

Visit: https://help.rit.edu
Click: Find Answers
Under the Knowledge Bases heading, select Center for Teaching and Learning.

Now you can browse our knowledge base articles or search them at the top of the listing.

CTL Knowledge Base Direct Link

Awards + Grants

Provost's Innovative Teaching Award

Nominations are open for the 2023-24 Provost’s Innovative Teaching Award. The Innovative Teaching Award recognizes a full-time RIT faculty member who uses technology to teach in effective and innovative ways that positively impact student learning.

Nominations will be accepted from students, faculty, and staff, and nominees may self-nominate.

Nominations must be submitted by 11:59 PM, Monday, December 18, 2023.

Recipients of this award will be recognized at the Annual Celebration of Teaching and Scholarship ceremony and will be presented with a framed certificate and $1,250 award.

Submit a nomination

Provost's Learning Innovation Grant

The 2024 Provost's Learning Innovation Grants program is now accepting proposals from full-time faculty for projects that enrich the student learning experience at RIT while supporting faculty scholarship and university priorities.

Project funding will range from $1,000-$5,000 that align with one of the following Learning Innovation grant types:

Generative AI in Teaching Focus Grants
Technology, the Arts, and Design Focus Grants
Active Learning Across All Course Modes Focus Grants
Exploration Grants

Applications must be received by 11:59 PM, Wednesday, February 28, 2024.

Submit an application

Classroom Reminders

Update your Laptops

This semester we have assisted a large number of faculty with critical updates that are needed on their laptops (both Mac and PC). By making sure your device is fully up to date, you will ensure your device is working optimally and ready to teach class. Devices that aren’t updated will often have issues with connecting to the Classroom AV Technology.

We encourage you to work with your department IT administrator or RIT's ITS to ensure your device is fully up to date.

Upcoming Events

To see our full list of events, and event descriptions visit our Events page.

Generative AI Series

JAN 10 Teaching with AI Showcase @ 2-4pm | Zoom
Leading RIT faculty will offer short practical demonstrations on how AI tools have been used to enhance their teaching practices. This showcase is a great opportunity for RIT faculty to sharpen their skills or learn something new through hands-on demos and live Q&A.

Teaching Strategies

JAN 9 Spring SHED Faculty Training @ 9-11am | SHED
Are you teaching in the SHED in the Spring semester? Hear from past SHED instructors, learn about teaching in the space, practice active learning “super sized”, and test out the technology and features of the rooms.

JAN 31 Conducting a Midterm Course Evaluation @ 12-1pm | Zoom
Gathering formative feedback early in the term gives insight into how students perceive your courses and allows you to adjust in time. Join us to discuss strategies for writing survey questions, interpreting feedback, acting upon the results, and reporting back to students.

May 14-16 Summer Institute on Teaching and Learning + AI Symposium
Mark your calendars for the return of the CTL's annual Summer Institute on Teaching and Learning! This year, Summer Institute will be offered in conjunction with the AI Symposium, with the theme of Teaching the 21st Century Student. Session tracks will include Helping Students Succeed, Engaging Learning Experience, Harnessing New Technologies, and Research on AI. Call for session proposals will go out in January 2024.

Teaching Tools

DEC 19 Zoom Ask Me Anything @ 10-11am | Zoom
Ask me anything about Zoom at RIT. We will cover existing, new and advanced features and how they can be used in a Zoom meeting or online class.

DEC 19 Strategies for Working in the Slack Redesign @ 11-11:30am | Zoom
Learn to create custom sections, use filters, and do channel cleanup in Slack.

JAN 4 Strategies for Working in the Slack Redesign @ 10-10:30am | Zoom
Learn to create custom sections, use filters, and do channel cleanup in Slack.

JAN 5 Zoom New ASL Interpreter Feature @ 12-12:30pm | Zoom
Zoom now allows for a specialized Sign Language Interpreter Role with dedicated video feed. Participants have a more flexible view of the interpreter during the meeting and in cloud recordings.

JAN 8 myCourses Ask Me Anything @ 2-3pm | Zoom
myCourses can be used to help your students be successful no matter the course mode. Bring your questions about using myCourses.

JAN 9 Panopto for Course Videos @ 3-4pm | Zoom
Learn about the benefits of using Panopto, how to get started with Panopto in your course, and some of the core features of Panopto.

Tool Tips

Grading In-Person Activities Consistently

You can use myCourses digital rubrics to grade an activity that occurred in person. This can help you evaluate work more efficiently, tally scores across criteria automatically, and push total grades to the myCourses gradebook automatically.

Learn More >

Questions - Need Help?

email us
ctl@rit.edu

visit us online
rit.edu/teaching

call us
475-2551

meet with us
rit.edu/teaching/consultations