Workshop Wednesday: Improving Accessibility in Learning Materials (Mar. 6, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.)

Want to make your learning materials more accessible for your students? Meeting certain accessibility standards is not only required for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act but also a way to boost student success and engagement. Join CATL and Assistant Professor of Humanities, Kristopher Purzycki, on March 6th, 2024, from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. for a workshop on improving the accessibility of your course materials. Attendees will learn how to avoid common accessibility issues when creating and sharing digital content, such as PowerPoint presentations, PDFS, and Canvas materials. Attendees will also hear from experienced colleagues who will share their insights on how to implement accessibility in your syllabus and course design. Don’t miss this opportunity to improve your students’ learning experience through the benefits of accessible design. This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom. Register today to receive an Outlook calendar invitation with the Zoom link.

Upcoming Workshop Wednesdays

On the first Wednesday of February, March, and April, CATL will host a “Workshop Wednesday” event from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

  • Apr. 3 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Topic: Universal Design for Learning

Workshop Wednesday: Students’ Experiences at UWGB via Neurodiverse Viewpoints (Feb. 7, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.)

Although “neurodiverse” is an umbrella term that can refer to a wide variety of minds, there may be some overlap when it comes to the experiences, challenges, and triumphs that neurodiverse students encounter in higher ed. What are some common barriers these students face at UWGB and how can we help remove those barriers, or work with students to overcome them? What are some strengths and assets they bring to UWGB that we might be overlooking? Join us on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 3:30 p.m. as we explore these questions and more through a student panel on neurodiversity. All UWGB faculty and staff are invited and can attend either in person in the Christie Theatre or virtually via Zoom. Registration is not required, but if you are interested, we encourage you to sign up to receive an Outlook calendar invitation with the livestream link. This event is jointly sponsored by Assistant Vice Chancellor Stacie Christian and CATL.

Event Poster

Upcoming Workshop Wednesdays

On the first Wednesday of February, March, and April, CATL will host a “Workshop Wednesday” event from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

  • Mar. 6 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Topic: Accessibility
  • Apr. 3 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Topic: Universal Design for Learning

Workshop Wednesdays (Fall 2023)

New for Fall 2023, CATL will be hosting a “Workshop Wednesday” on the last Wednesday of each month from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

This Semester’s Workshop Wednesdays:

  • Sept. 27 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Engaging Students with Evidence-Based Activities
  • Oct. 25 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Cold Lunch & Hot Topics: Grading Practices and Efficiencies 
  • Nov. 29 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Career Infusion in Higher Education (Zoom link)

Engaging Students with Evidence-Based Activities (Sept. 27, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.)

Congratulations on surviving your first week of the Fall 2023 semester. Your students are engaged and motivated to learn, eager to jot down every word, and participate in every activity you assign. Or maybe not. If you find that your students have started drifting off or pulling out their phones instead of doing their work, it might be time to consider some engagement strategies.

While we wish we could wave a magic wand and increase the engagement of all our students, we know that’s not realistic. There are some activities, however, that can increase participation and general motivation over time. Want to know more? Join CATL for our first virtual ‘Workshop Wednesday’ of the year on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 3:30 p.m. where we will tackle this issue.

Cold Lunch & Hot Topics: Grading Practices and Efficiencies (Oct. 25, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.)

Share Your Best Grading Tips with CATL & Other Instructors!

Do you have any grading advice to offer to fellow instructors? CATL is soliciting recommendations for using the Canvas Gradebook, staying on top of grading, implementing alternative grading approaches, or making the most out of Canvas Rubrics and SpeedGrader. Send us your best tips by completing this survey.

Then join CATL, along with other UWGB instructors, for our next “Cold Lunch & Hot Topics” on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. in which we’ll share the tips you’ve submitted and host an informal discussion about grading practices and efficiencies. This hybrid event will be hosted on Zoom for those who want to join virtually and in person in the CATL conference room (Cofrin Library 405C).

Career Infusion in Higher Education (Nov. 29, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.)

CATL’s Workshop Wednesdays continue this month with a session on career infusion! Join CATL Director Kris Vespia for a brief presentation and open discussion about concrete ways instructors can infuse marketable skills and career information into their courses, including liberal arts and STEM fields. This virtual event will be hosted via Zoom on Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. You can register to receive an Outlook calendar reminder or simply drop in using the Zoom link.

Pre-Semester Workshops (Summer 2023)

Get ready to teach! CATL is offering a variety of pre-semester workshops to help instructors prepare their Fall 2023 courses. Each workshop will be held via Zoom.

If you would like to receive an Outlook invitation with the Zoom link, you can register. Registration is not required, feel free to drop in and meet the the CATL team!

Creating a Student-Friendly Syllabus (Friday, Aug. 25, 10:00 a.m. & Tuesday, Aug. 29, 1:00 p.m.)

One of the best ways to set a positive, welcoming tone for your class is with the syllabus. Join us for a one-hour session as we dive into UWGB’s syllabus requirements and go beyond them to consider characteristics of effective syllabi, including transparency, clear learning outcomes, welcoming language, and more.

Friday, Aug. 25: Zoom meeting link

Tuesday, Aug. 29: Zoom meeting link

Getting Started with Canvas: Building Your First Module (Friday, Aug. 25, 1:00 p.m. & Tuesday, Aug 29, 10:00 a.m.) 

New to Canvas and not sure where to start? In this one-hour workshop, we will walk you through the essentials for building your first module! Learn about the features you might need to prepare your class including pages, assignments, discussions, and quizzes.

Friday, Aug. 25: Zoom meeting link

Tuesday, Aug. 29: Zoom meeting link

Getting Your Canvas Gradebook Going  (Wednesday, Aug. 30, 10:00 a.m.) 

Maintaining an accurate gradebook in Canvas benefits students in any class modality. Bring your questions to this session as we explore the ins and outs of using the feature-rich Canvas gradebook.

Zoom meeting link

Building Relationships: Communicating With Your Students in Canvas (Wednesday, Aug. 30, 1:00 p.m.)

Join us as we discuss ways to build relationships and foster effective communication with students on Canvas. We’ll focus on ways to use Canvas to communicate with your students, establish a welcoming class community, and explore small ways to create a warm, inclusive class environment that promotes student engagement and belonging.

Zoom meeting link

Generative AI & Assessments (Wednesday, Aug. 30, 3:00 p.m.)

Join us as we discuss the implications of emerging AI products, and brainstorm creative, high quality, aligned, and feasible strategies for adapting course materials and assessments. We encourage you to bring your syllabus, learning outcomes, and assessment ideas to this workshop. View our blog post on the Generative AI & Assessment Workshop for more details and registration information.

Zoom meeting link 

Making Your Canvas Course Materials Accessible (Thursday, Aug. 31, 11:00 a.m.)

Do you have questions about course accessibility in Canvas? If so, please join our one-hour workshop to discuss the ins and outs of improving accessibility in your Canvas course. Learn how to effectively utilize the Canvas accessibility checker, leverage the power of UDOIT, and explore general accessibility tips tailored specifically for teaching with Canvas.

Zoom meeting link

Creating and Sharing Video Recordings with Kaltura My Media (Thursday, Aug. 31, 1:00 p.m.) 

Instructors at UWGB can use Kaltura My Media to create, upload, and share videos in Canvas courses. Join us for a one-hour session where we will cover how to create and share engaging instructional videos with Kaltura’s easy-to-use media tools and unlimited storage space.

Zoom meeting link

If you need accommodation for this virtual event, please contact CATL at CATL@uwgb.edu.

A colorful, geometric, and somewhat abstract illustration featuring buildings and streets covered with arrows, numbers, and the text "AI"

Generative AI and Assessments Workshop (June 28, July 18, Aug. 8, & Aug. 30, 2023)

Please join CATL for a virtual summer workshop focused on creating assessments in the age of generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT)! CATL facilitators will work with instructors to review their learning objectives, discuss the implications of emerging AI products, and brainstorm creative, high-quality, aligned, and feasible strategies for adapting course materials and assessments.

To participate in this virtual workshop, CATL asks that instructors bring a course syllabus with learning outcomes, ideas for at least two assessments for that course, and a willingness to engage in a reflective process that includes thinking about how generative AI technologies might impact those course materials. This workshop, “Generative AI and Assessments,” will occur three times throughout the summer months with more offerings to come in the fall. While registration is not required to attend, we encourage you to register today to receive a calendar reminder for the timeslot that works best for you!

Workshop Dates and Times:

All sessions are fully virtual and will meet via Microsoft Teams. Each workshop will be the same so please only sign up for one timeslot.

If you need accommodation for this virtual event, please contact CATL at CATL@uwgb.edu.

Register