CTE Quarterly Newsletter

Greetings from the Director

Dear Colleagues,

It has been a privilege and an honor to serve as the Interim Director at the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) since January 2024. I am excited to be part of such a dynamic and innovative community here at USC.

First and foremost, I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to each of you for your contributions to a successful Spring 2024 semester. Your dedication and hard work have had a tremendous impact on the academic success and well-being of our students.

As we transition into the summer months, I encourage you to take some time to rejuvenate and recharge. Whether it’s exploring new research avenues, engaging in professional development opportunities, or simply taking a well-deserved break, I hope you find time for self-reflection, self-care and relaxation.

In this newsletter, you’ll find a wealth of information and resources aimed at empowering educators to innovate teaching approaches and inspire student learning. From symposium highlights to grant opportunities to innovative initiatives like Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), there’s something for everyone to explore and engage.

I look forward to collaborating with each of you to advance our commitment to teaching excellence and student success.

Sincerely,

Matt E. Thatcher, Ph.D.

Interim Director

Center for Teaching Excellence

Thomas Cooper Library, Room L511

1322 Greene St.

Columbia, SC 29208

Phone: 803.777.8322

Email: cte@sc.edu

Website: sc.edu/cte

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) serves as the go-to hub for the development and sharing of teaching resources and best practices, championing an environment where all educators contribute to an inclusive, engaged, and student-centered learning experience.

The CTE’s Instructional Design team can help you prepare, design, develop, and deliver your face-to-face, online, or hybrid course. For personalized guidance from one of CTE's instructional designers, schedule a consultation.

Symposium Promotes First-Generation Student Success

The 2nd Annual Focus on First-Generation Symposium featured Dr. Darris R. Means, who shared insights and initiatives to promote the academic success and well-being of USC's first-generation students.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Opportunities and Resources

Ten faculty from various departments across the University were selected by the Office of the Provost and the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) for the Provost’s Inaugural AI Teaching Fellowship. Over 12 months, they'll integrate GenAI into course design, assess its impact on learning, and share findings. The CTE recommends including a GenAI policy in course syllabi to foster transparency, academic integrity, and student preparedness.

Grant Empowers GTAs to Enhance Student Learning

Since 2018, the Center for Teaching Excellence has offered a grant program to encourage and support Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) to develop instructional materials, modules, cross-curriculum assessments, online learning innovations, and other reusable resources to enhance undergraduate student learning at the University of South Carolina.

To date, 40 GTAs from diverse academic backgrounds have been awarded grants. For more information about the grant program and to explore the accomplishments of previous GTAs, visit GTA/IA Grantees’ Teaching Resources Provide New and Innovative Ways of Learning. If you know a GTA who could benefit from this grant opportunity, please share this information with them. If you are a GTA interested in creating exemplary and engaging student learning experiences, we encourage you to review the eligibility requirements and consider submitting an application! The application deadline is Friday, May 17, 2024.

Apply

Zoom and Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View (UCV) Inspire Educational Innovation

Discover enhanced educational tools with Zoom and Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View (UCV) at USC. Zoom offers seamless video conferencing, integrated with Blackboard, while UCV provides enhanced features. Fall 2024 courses in UCV are now available. Training sessions for UCV are provided by the CTE and eLearning Services to support educators in utilizing these tools for enhanced teaching and learning experiences.

Fostering Innovation: Recognizing Innovative Faculty

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) proudly recognizes Khalid Ballouli, Augustus Fountain, Katherine Ryker, Scott Smith, and Sarah Williams as recipients of the 2024 Garnet Apple Award for Teaching Innovation. Don't miss the opportunity to honor their achievements at the 2024 Oktoberbest: A Symposium on Teaching on October 25.

Preparing Future Faculty Program Recognizes Outstanding Graduate Student Achievements

The CTE congratulates 36 graduate students recognized by the Preparing Future Faculty Program (PFF) for their commitment to excellence in academia and beyond, highlighting a significant milestone in their professional journey at USC.

Oktoberbest: CTE’s Annual Teaching Symposium Celebrates 15 Years of Excellence

For its 15th consecutive year, the CTE will host Oktoberbest: A Symposium on Teaching on October 25, 2024. This annual event celebrates teaching excellence at USC, offering engaging professional development sessions that promote innovative teaching practices and facilitate meaningful connections among attendees. Dr. Sarah Rose Cavanagh, Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning at Simmons University's Center for Faculty Excellence and a Research Associate at Tufts University's Emotion, Brain, and Behavior Laboratory, will deliver a keynote presentation and gallery walk titled "Hope in a Time of Monsters: Supporting Faculty and Student Mental Health." USC faculty, instructors, and GTAs are encouraged to submit proposals for presentations at Oktoberbest. The deadline for proposal submission is Friday, September 6, 2024.

Learn More

Empower Your Teaching

with Handy Resources

As you embark on preparing your summer or Fall 2024 courses, make sure you have CTE’s resources at your fingertips. Here are a few to jumpstart your planning:

Syllabus Templates and Calendar Templates: Simplify your workload with CTE syllabus templates! Designed with ADA accessibility in mind, our templates feature sample statements aligned with Syllabus Best Practices [pdf] guidelines. Additionally, explore our Course Schedule Templates, complete with structured tables featuring Date, Topic, Assignment, and Due Today sections, all synced with important dates from the semester academic calendar.

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Quality Standards for Online Courses : The Quality Standards for Online Courses are based on nationally recognized benchmarks, covering Course Overview, Introduction, and Student Resources, Course Interactions, Instructional Design, Instructional Materials, and Accessibility and Usability.

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Importance of Providing Meaningful Student Feedback : Feedback, whether verbal, written, or gestural, plays a crucial role in improving student performance and behavior. Negative feedback can discourage student effort and achievement. Instructors hold the responsibility of cultivating student learning and delivering feedback in a manner that encourages growth.