As we enter a new month, the Teaching and Learning Center is excited to share events and resources available to our UCLA instructional community. Applications are open through April 4 for our Tier 3 Education Innovation Grants. The TLC’s new Tier 3 catalyst grant will provide funding to support new ways of engaging students in innovative instruction. Funding applications are open until Friday, April 4, 2025. Learn more about requirements and apply for funding on the TLC website.
Also, watch for an update in the coming days from Vice Provost Erin Sanders O’Leary regarding the call for nominations for our annual Distinguished Teaching Awards.
Resources
Our Bruin community continues to be impacted by the destruction of L.A. County wildfires. Many are also concerned about new federal policies that affect our institution, colleagues, and students. The TLC remains committed to supporting instructors during this challenging time. We’ve updated our maintaining instructional continuity page to provide guidance and support to instructors who may be facing personal struggles while managing their courses.
Additionally, if you are able to and would like to help those affected by the wildfires, UCLA Newsroom has compiled a list of ways you can help.
Maintaining Instructional Continuity
Events
10 + 10 Pop-up Series
The TLC’s educational developers and designers offer a series of 10-minute pop-up sessions on course design, teaching, learning, and learning assessment topics — followed by 10 minutes of Q&A. Join us on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. during winter quarter. For more information and the schedule of topics, visit the 10+10 Pop-up Series page on the TLC website.
February 4–Communicating Naturally in Pre-recorded Video Lectures
February 11–Using the HET Framework for Inspiration and Self-Reflection
February 25–Looking Ahead to Spring Quarter
Assisting Distressed and Distressing Students
(Rescheduled)
1–2 p.m., February 5 | Zoom
Karen Minero (Case Management Services) will present about how to identify students in need of assistance; what resources are available to students; how to approach students in distress and assist them in getting connected with resources; emergency procedures; and how to reach professional staff for consultation regarding distressed or distressing students. This training was co-created by CAPS/RISE and Case Management Services. All instructors, TAs, postdocs, and instructional support staff are welcome to attend.
Inclusive Teaching in a Time of Increased Demands
Noon–1:30 p.m., February 6 | Powell 186
As we continue to deal with multiple challenges, including the LA County wildfires, new federal policies, and the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, greater demands have been placed on instructors in the classroom. This case-based workshop will define inclusive teaching and discuss its centrality to “good” teaching across disciplines; highlight impactful inclusive teaching strategies; and identify how to implement inclusive practices in the classroom given time, resources, and other constraints instructors may face.
Facilitation Strategies for Engaging in Unpracticed Conversations
Noon–2 p.m., February 12 | Powell 186
This workshop is held in partnership with the Center for Education Innovation & Learning in the Sciences (CEILS)
Participants in this workshop will identify and discuss strategies for facilitating unpracticed conversations about racism and other topics that can feel challenging to navigate. They will then apply these strategies to a case study example to practice facilitation with their peers and have an opportunity to discuss challenges and solutions. Finally, participants will commit to an action they would like to take in the next three months to improve their facilitation skills, with the option of CEILS and TLC support and follow up.
Creating Accessible Digital Course Materials
Noon–1 p.m., February 20 | Powell 186
Participants in this workshop will gain an understanding of the critical difference between access and accommodations in the context of learning environments. We will then focus on concrete, easy-to-implement strategies for creating accessible digital content, including documents and videos for Bruin Learn course sites, to support the needs of all learners.
Empowered Teaching
Building Resilient Instructor/TA Teams
Noon–1:30 p.m., February 25 | Powell 186
This workshop is open to both instructor/TA teaching teams as well as individual instructors and TAs
This care-based workshop will explore professional norms for team teaching. Participants will reflect on their teaching team status and will practice both perspective-taking across roles and applying best practices for team development. To encourage authentic conversations, participants will first be separated by role before having an opportunity to talk with the whole group about the concrete steps instructors and TAs can take to establish effective teaching teams.
Bring Your Own Syllabus
Co-working and Consultation Session
2–4 p.m., February 26 | Zoom
Are you looking to refresh, rewrite, or rethink your syllabus? Are you designing a new course and want to learn about best practices for syllabus design? Participants in this co-working session will look at example syllabi, consider best practices for student-centered and inclusive syllabus design, and peer review each other’s materials. Come for conversation and community-building with fellow instructors and TLC consultants.