A message from Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning Erin Sanders O’Leary
Winter can be a time to reflect and focus on the new beginnings we want to create in spring. This winter, the TLC has been doubling down on our investments in teaching innovation that we will cultivate and watch grow over the next several quarters.
Challenges and uncertainty require courage and innovation. The TLC remains committed to elevating teaching by collaborating with colleagues across campus. We are continuing to bring together dedicated instructors and campus partners to support instruction and improve student engagement in the classroom. Together, we are advancing teaching across UCLA by helping to transform students’ academic experiences and modernize classrooms and learning spaces.
The TLC has invested a significant portion of our budget back into programs and initiatives that have direct faculty impact. This includes underwriting creative and modern approaches to teaching through our Educational Innovation Grants program. We have awarded more than $1 million in funding to 400 recipients since launching the grants program in winter 2024. The resulting campuswide impact has helped transform more than 425 courses and enhance over 15,000 student learning experiences across 10 schools, five divisions, and 69 units.
Earlier this year, we called on our community to nominate instructors for the Distinguished Teaching Awards, one of the highest teaching honors at UCLA. We look forward to supporting our next cohort of honorees as they continue to elevate teaching through bold and impactful new undertakings in the classroom.
Read more about the ways we have been investing in and celebrating our champions of educational innovation during the winter quarter in the articles below.
As we continue to make these advancements together, I invite you to join us this spring at our inaugural UCLA Teaching Symposium: Adapting Instruction in the Age of AI. It will take place on Wednesday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features a keynote address from our renowned colleague Terence Tao. You can view the agenda and register for the Symposium. I hope to see you there.
Highlights from the Quarter
Scholarly Teaching Seminar Brings Personalized Learning Insights to High-Enrollment Course
This quarter’s talk walked through how instructors can create learning analytics tools that provide academic support to students at scale. Read the story
CUTF Course on LA Housing Guides Students Through Research on Policy Solutions
Ph.D. candidate Katherine Smock’s seminar guides undergraduates in connecting social science scholarship with ongoing debates around local housing policy. Read the story
Honors Students’ Courthouse Visit Highlights Experiential Learning Outcomes
Honors 50 students observed court proceedings at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse that informed their interest in future law careers. Read the story
Learning Pods Model Promotes Student Engagement in High-Enrollment Courses
Associate professor of teaching Jeff Maloy’s peer-based learning approach boosts student understanding through collaborative interaction. Read the story