The Center for Teaching Excellence welcomes your suggestions for presenters and programming aimed at improving teaching and learning at USC. Please share your thoughts. We’d love to hear your ideas! Submit Professional Development Recommendation
Webinar 
Monday, March 3, 10:05am - 11:20am - Webinar
Artificial Intelligence(AI) software programs such as ChatGPT powered by OpenAI have been created in an effort to enhance the human experience by eliminating barriers to access to information. AI is a tool that some equate to the creation of the calculator or the internet. This presentation will explain what Artificial Intelligence is as it pertains to its possible use in Higher Education by our students, faculty, and staff. We will also briefly discuss why students may be inclined to use programs like ChatGPT and how we can better adapt our course material to either incorporate the use of AI or make it nearly impossible to use on assignments in the first place. Ultimately, we believe that AI is not the end of Higher Education but, rather it's a new beginning.
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Fostering Proactive Learning Environments. Register
Monday, March 3, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
Enhance your teaching approach with innovative content creation and course design. This webinar offers educators practical insights into using Generative Artificial Intelligence to develop lectures, instructional materials, course structures tailored to the needs of 21st-century learners. From reimagining traditional content delivery methods to incorporating creativity and interactivity into materials and course frameworks, participants will explore innovative approaches that utilize the power of Generative AI. Discover how Generative AI can enhance engagement, foster deeper understanding, and inspire interest in your students.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
This is a required session for the Teaching and Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence digital badge. Register
Tuesday, March 4, 10:00am - 11:00am - Webinar
Extrinsic motivators, such as praise or tangible incentives, can be an effective way to motivate students to engage and perform well in your courses. Recognizing their accomplishments demonstrates your appreciation for their efforts. Using Achievements allows you to foster motivation and celebrate student participation in a meaningful way. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use Achievements in Blackboard to incentivize increased student engagement. Register
Tuesday, March 4, 2:50pm - 4:05pm - In-Person
In this introductory workshop, participants will learn how publishing models affect students’ abilities to access affordable course materials and how libraries can acquire learning resources for the classroom. Workshop facilitators will demonstrate how to use the library to provide affordable and equitable access to course materials through e-reserves, purchasing, video streaming, and open educational resources.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Teaching with the Library. Register
Wednesday, March 5, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
The Virtual Environments Community of Practice is planning ways to integrate virtual
reality, augmented reality and mixed reality into teaching and learning environments
at USC. Meetings are open to faculty, staff and students.
This month's meeting focuses on VR, Empathy, and Business Leadership with Deborah
Hazzard from the Darla Moore School of Business.
If you are interested in participating in the Virtual Environments CoP or would like to be on the email list for further information, please email Charles Andy Schumpert at schumpca@mailbox.sc.edu. RSVP
Thursday, March 6, 11:40am - 12:55pm - In-Person
Through Recovery Ally workshops, Gamecock Recovery strives to empower students, faculty and staff to make campus more supportive of students in recovery from substance use disorder. Learn to: confront myths and stigma about substance use disorder; use and model acts of allyship in everyday interactions; and identify, access, and direct people to recovery resources at USC.
The Recovery Ally workshop is presented in a flipped-classroom model that includes a self-paced video module as prework (estimated 20 minutes) and an in-person session. Please review the recorded content prior to your workshop session.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Mental Health and Well-being Competency. Register
Thursday, March 6, 1:00pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
Join us for the 3rd module of Career Champions. In this session we'll learn about the career competencies employers are looking for within our students and how to incorporate those into our academic lessons, student employment, internships, etc. You'll also know how to help students see these competencies within themselves and how to advocate their talents, abilities, and experiences.
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Integrative and Experiential Learning. Register
Friday, March 7, 1:00pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
This workshop familiarizes attendees with Blackboard Learn’s Ultra Course View. eLearning Services will demonstrate how instructors can navigate a UCV course, communicate with students, add content, find and utilize Blackboard tools, and grade assignments. Register
Monday, March 17, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View (UCV) is the newest version of the Blackboard Learning Management System. With new improvements being made monthly to Ultra Course View there are exciting changes which instructors may not have seen. This is a short presentation about the most recent updates that have occurred in Blackboard Ultra Course View and will include information on how to stay up to date on future improvements. Register
Monday, March 17, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
Engaging students through interactive and dynamic activities is essential for fostering a stimulating learning environment. In this webinar, educators will explore how to leverage Generative Artificial Intelligence to enhance their teaching practices and create impactful activities for 21st-century learners. From designing collaborative projects to incorporating AI-generated prompts and feedback, participants will discover innovative ways to integrate Generative AI into their instructional activities.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
This is a required session for the Teaching and Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence digital badge. Register
Tuesday, March 18, 10:05am - 11:20am - In-Person
Over 20% of USC students identify as first-generation (first-gen). With the launch of the First-Generation Center and First-Generation Living and Learning Community in fall 2024, a heightened emphasis has been placed on first-generation student success. This interactive session will present both national and USC-specific data, along with effective strategies and best practices for supporting first-generation students.
Enjoy a lively discussion with colleagues and students.
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Understanding USC Student Populations and Experiences. Register
Tuesday, March 18, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
Learning to identify, reflect upon, learn from, and engage with people who are different from ourselves is essential for fostering an effective mentoring relationship and a broader intellectual community. This workshop will help you increase your own understanding of inclusivity on mentor/mentee interactions, recognize the impact of conscious and unconscious preconceptions, biases, and prejudices, and identify concrete strategies for addressing issues of community and inclusivity.
This is an elective session for the Entering Mentoring certificate of completion. Register
Wednesday, March 19, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
This interactive session will explore the needs, demographics, and attitudes of today’s first-year students, both nationally and locally. Through a facilitated discussion and game show format, participants will learn more about the realities and needs of students entering college in 2024.
This workshop is a required session for a certificate of completion in Understanding USC Student Populations and Experiences. Register
Thursday, March 20, 10:00am - 11:00am - Webinar
Panopto is an all-in-one video management platform built into Blackboard Learn. In this session, attendees will learn how to create and manage video learning content in Panopto that can be easily integrated into Blackboard courses. Register
Thursday, March 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
Thursday, March 20, 2:50pm - 4:05pm - Webinar
The first half of the Support Zone training focuses on providing context for the necessity of faculty and staff being well-versed in recognizing and responding to students experiencing mental health distress. The facilitator will review definitions, national and local statistics about mental health in college students and discuss how stigma affects help-seeking behaviors. The facilitator will also discuss how COVID-19 has exacerbated the aforementioned issues. This session will also cover crisis support protocol, how to recognize signs of distress, warning signs of suicide, non-suicidal self-injury, and how to respond and intervene to a student of concern.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Mental Health and Well-being Competency. Register
Friday, March 21, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
The second half of the Support Zone training focuses on participants learning how
to refer students of concern experiencing varying levels of distress (mild, moderate
and severe), what to do if a student refuses a referral, how to maintain the students'
privacy, and how to follow-up with the student. This session includes role-plays and
other interactive activities to help participants practice their recently acquired
skills. The facilitator will also discuss the how responding to students of concern
affects faculty/staff mental health and how to respond accordingly.
This session includes a review of resources specific to faculty/staff needs and tips
on dealing with COVID-19 related stressors. Lastly, the facilitator will review campus
and community resources to ensure participants have a thorough understanding of what
is available to students and when to use each resource.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Mental Health and Well-being Competency. Register
Monday, March 24, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - In-Person
Want to try new immersive tech but just don't have the time to research the latest tools? Worried that you wouldn't even know where to begin or know how to incorporate it in thoughtful ways? The 'Try the Tools' series can help. Bring your ideas, try options available here at USC, and then consult on how these tools can work for you. Come out of curiosity and leave with new ideas and lesson plan options for adding innovation to your course. March offerings include table-top RPGS, Reacting to the Past role-playing games, video games, and more! Have a special request? Email Kristin Harrell for more information: kharrell@sc.edu. We're excited to help! Register
Monday, March 24, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
The Career Champions program was created to educate and empower campus faculty and staff on best practices to have career conversations with students. The learning outcomes for level two are as follows:
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Integrative and Experiential Learning. Register
Tuesday, March 25, 12:00pm - 1:30pm - Webinar
The Generative Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (GenAI CoP) at the University of South Carolina is a collaborative initiative designed to explore and discuss the implications of GenAI in higher education. This community brings together faculty, staff, and graduate students to share insights, strategies, and experiences related to the integration of GenAI across administration, research, teaching, and learning.
The GenAI CoP meets regularly to provide a platform for participants to:
We invite faculty, staff, and graduate students at the University of South Carolina to join us in this exciting initiative. Register
Wednesday, March 26, 11:00am - 12:30pm - In-Person
Are you equipped to provide accessible content that meets the needs of all your students? Come prepared - with your laptop (if possible) - to gain hands-on experience of applying digital accessibility best practices during this session.
This workshop will provide guidance for applying accessibility practices to your documents appropriately and how to prevent potential barriers people experience due to disabilities. An overview of disabilities and the challenges they cause will be provided including types of assistive technologies (AT) that help alleviate those challenges.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be touched on related to its part in developing accessible content. Integrated automated accessibility checkers of Microsoft and Blackboard platforms will also be covered. These automated tools can identify accessibility issues and provide guidance to resolve them.
Attend with curiosity to help lead toward innovative and inclusive content design strategies. Leave with a strong sense of applying accessibility best practices that opens the path of better experiences for all your students.
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Teaching Towards Inclusive Excellence. Register
Wednesday, March 26, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - Webinar
In this session we will discuss the academic misconduct trends we are seeing online and in person with our students. Additionally, we will discuss how to identify and address these common violations while maintaining a productive instructor/student relationship.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Fostering Proactive Learning Environments. Register
Thursday, March 27, 8:30am - 9:45am - In-Person
Learn to question your assumptions about what students know and explicitly identify the knowledge and skills you want them to acquire when completing library research assignments. [In this session, participants will explore common challenges students face when conducting library research and identify best practices for designing assignments that require or encourage the use of library resources. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about ways in which faculty can partner with librarians to support student success. By creating research assignments with specific learning outcomes that are clear to your students, you can improve the experience for everyone involved.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Teaching with the Library. Register
Friday, March 28, 9:00am - 1:30pm - In-Person
The University of South Carolina's First-Generation Symposium is an annual celebration of the experiences, successes, and unique needs of first-generation college students. Hosted by the Center for Teaching Excellence, this collaborative event is supported by the Graduation and Retention Network (GARNET), the First- Generation Center, the Office of Access and Opportunity, TRIO, and Horseshoe Catering. Join us for an inspiring day filled with engaging discussions, insightful data, and impactful stories. Register
Monday, March 31, 1:00pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
In this session you'll learn how to transform your Blackboard Ultra course from ordinary to extraordinary! Discover how best to organize your content to make your course visually engaging and user-friendly and then take it a step further with customization to add some pizazz. Whether you're looking to streamline your course structure, add some creative touches, or both, this session will give you the tools to make your course stand out. Register
Monday, March 31, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
Each major principle of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emphasizes learner agency, which relies on a sense of identity and psychological safety. In this workshop, we will explore how instructors can incorporate trauma-informed strategies into their instructional and curricular design to create more inclusive learning environments. Participants will engage with case studies and scenarios, while also reflecting on their own approaches to curriculum design. Register
Tuesday, April 1, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - In-Person
This interactive presentation educates participants on their rights at the University related to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. It will also apprise participants of the supports and options available to them through the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX. Additionally, this presentation will allow participants to explore strategies to intervene in situations where harm is happening and will encourage open, honest dialogue to empower them to treat members of our community with dignity and respect.
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Teaching Towards Inclusive Excellence. Register
Thursday, April 3, 10:05am - 11:20am - Webinar
Come develop a deeper understanding of inclusive excellence and why it is central not only to how we prepare students to lead, but also to how we engage all members of our USC community. Learn about the ways in which the Office of Access and Opportunity seeks to operationalize inclusive excellence, as well as how the office intends to use its equity and inclusion strategy to track the University's effectiveness.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Teaching Towards Inclusive Excellence. Register
Friday, April 4, 2:00pm - 3:30pm - In-Person
If you say “yeah!” or “certainly not!” or “maybe?” then come see if you're right! The session will start with a demonstration of source-grounded AI programs such as NotebookLM and how they can be adapted for the classroom. Then participants will test generative AI's capabilities for identifying genre, characters, and plot points of classic novels such as The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, and Frankenstein, among others. Original editions of these works will also be in the room.
There will be time for participants to share results, tweak prompts, and decide for themselves whether AI can (or CANNOT) rewrite the classics. Don't forget to bring a laptop! Please register to ensure we have space AND you can even request an original edition of a book not listed here.
For more information, you can contact Kristin Harrell (CTE) at kharrell@sc.edu or Jeanne Britton (RBSC) at jbritton@mailbox.sc.edu.
This session is a collaboration between Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections and the Center for Teaching Excellence “Try the Tools” series. Register
Monday, April 7, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View (UCV) is the newest version of the Blackboard Learning Management System. With new improvements being made monthly to Ultra Course View there are exciting changes which instructors may not have seen. This is a short presentation about the most recent updates that have occurred in Blackboard Ultra Course View and will include information on how to stay up to date on future improvements. Register
Monday, April 7, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
Assessments just got a major upgrade! This webinar explores how Generative Artificial Intelligence can transform your assessments from rote memorization exercises to engaging experiences that promote deeper learning. Discover how to generate assessments that align with your course learning outcomes to foster creativity, critical thinking, and personalized learning experiences.
This is a required session for the Teaching and Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence digital badge. Register
Tuesday, April 8, 11:45am - 1:00pm - In-Person
This Mutual Expectations discussion will focus on the benefits and practical steps that faculty/staff can take on developing meaningful professional relationships with one another. How students can approach faculty, why developing professional relationships matter, how this may be different than a mentor relationship and more. Join this fun discussion with fellow students and faculty over a free lunch!
RSVP is required.
Sponsored by the Carolina Experience and the Center for Teaching Excellence.
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Understanding USC Student Populations and Experiences. Register
Wednesday, April 9, 10:50am - 11:40am - Webinar
In an era where education is increasingly seen as a dynamic, interactive process, narrative pedagogy offers an innovative approach to teaching and learning that centers on the power of storytelling. This session will explore how integrating narrative techniques into educational practices can deepen student engagement, foster critical thinking, and create meaningful connections between learners and content. Register
Wednesday, April 9, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
The Virtual Environments Community of Practice is planning ways to integrate virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality into teaching and learning environments at USC. Meetings are open to faculty, staff and students. This month's meeting focuses on VR in Sports Marketing with Keshav Gupta from the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management.
If you are interested in participating in the Virtual Environments CoP or would like to be on the email list for further information, please email Charles Andy Schumpert at schumpca@mailbox.sc.edu. RSVP
Thursday, April 10, 10:00am - 11:30am - In-Person
Join us for the 3rd module of Career Champions. In this session we'll learn about the career competencies employers are looking for within our students and how to incorporate those into our academic lessons, student employment, internships, etc. You'll also know how to help students see these competencies within themselves and how to advocate their talents, abilities, and experiences.
This is an elective session for a certificate of completion in Integrative and Experiential Learning. Register
Thursday, April 10, 2:30pm - 3:30pm - Webinar
This workshop is designed for Blackboard users who are familiar with the new Ultra Course View but want a more intensive look at the UCV Gradebook. In this 60-minute session, a consultant from eLearning Services will share best practices and tips & tricks for setting up a Gradebook that works for you, present a live demonstration, and answer questions. Register
Friday, April 11, 12:00pm - 1:30pm - Webinar
A teaching philosophy statement provides a concise description of an instructor’s teaching approach, methods, and experience. Colleges and universities request a teaching philosophy statement from applicants for faculty positions, and some higher education institutions require one as part of the tenure and promotion consideration process.
What is your teaching philosophy? What should you write or include? What if you have limited teaching experience? This workshop will help you articulate your teaching philosophy in a concise, effective essay. We will discuss the statement’s purpose, different aspects of your teaching experiences that can be included, and best practices and strategies for composing the statement. This is a working webinar, requiring that you do some reflective writing in advance, so that the webinar itself can include individual writing, group discussion, and feedback. Participants will leave with an outline of their statement, written components, and guidance to continue crafting it.
This working webinar is designed for graduate students and postdocs who teach or are planning careers in academia after graduation. Students nearing the end of graduate school and preparing to apply for academic positions may find this workshop particularly helpful. Register
Monday, April 14, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
In this session you'll learn how to transform your Blackboard Ultra course from ordinary to extraordinary! Discover how best to organize your content to make your course visually engaging and user-friendly and then take it a step further with customization to add some pizazz. Whether you're looking to streamline your course structure, add some creative touches, or both, this session will give you the tools to make your course stand out. Register
Monday, April 14, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
A teaching philosophy statement provides a concise description of an instructor's perspective on teaching, student learning, methodologies, and implementation, and institutions typically request a teaching philosophy statement from applicants for faculty positions and as part of the tenure and promotion process.
What, then, is your teaching philosophy? What aspects should you reflect upon, write, or include? And how has the writing of this document changed as a result of ChatGPT, both in the document construction as well as your perspective on this fundamental shift in higher education? This will be a working webinar, where we will discuss strategies for composing the statement, incorporating time for theme development, group discussion and feedback, and ChatGPT prompt exploration. Participants will leave with a thematic outline of their statement, a draft of the opening paragraph, and guidelines to continue crafting it.
NOTE: For you and other participants to benefit the most in the time available, this webinar requires that you do some reflective writing in advance of the session.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
This is a required session for the Teaching and Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence digital badge. Register
Tuesday, April 15, 9:40am - 10:30am - Webinar
Engaging in conflict is challenging whether you are an experienced instructor or new to your role. A common strategy is to ignore the behavior due to our own discomfort, concern over retaliation or fear that our intervention may cause more harm or disruption. We will identify what our fears are about classroom disruption and use case study examples to practice strategies to stretch participants' comfort zones. This workshop will also explore Gerald Amada's research from Coping with Misconduct in the College Classroom and provide participants with tangible strategies to prevent and respectfully address disruptive behavior.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Fostering Proactive Learning Environments. Register
Tuesday, April 15, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
Reflecting upon your mentoring relationships is a vital part of becoming a more effective mentor. This is especially important immediately following a mentor-mentee training sequence like Entering Mentoring as it allows you to consider how to implement changes in your mentoring practice based on the training you have received. The ability and practice of reflecting on your mentoring at regular intervals is strongly encouraged.
This is a required session for the Entering Mentoring certificate of completion. Register
Wednesday, April 16, 2:20pm - 3:10pm - Webinar
The Resilience in the Classroom training is a 50-minute training that focuses on three major components of resilience:
Resilience is associated with academic success and psychological well-being. This session will help instructors identify how they can strengthen students' resilience and help them adapt to change and hardships by integrating these core competencies into their curriculum.
This is a required session for a certificate of completion in Mental Health and Well-being Competency. Register
Thursday, April 17, 10:00am - 11:00am - Webinar
Tuesday, April 22, 12:00pm - 1:30pm - In-Person
The Generative Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (GenAI CoP) at the University of South Carolina is a collaborative initiative designed to explore and discuss the implications of GenAI in higher education. This community brings together faculty, staff, and graduate students to share insights, strategies, and experiences related to the integration of GenAI across administration, research, teaching, and learning.
The GenAI CoP meets regularly to provide a platform for participants to:
We invite faculty, staff, and graduate students at the University of South Carolina to join us in this exciting initiative. Register
Tuesday, April 22, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a proactive approach to making course materials more accessible, but its principles can also enhance how students express their understanding of course content. In this workshop, we will explore strategies for engaging with students who may approach assessments in unexpected ways and how to design more inclusive assessments that allow for diverse demonstrations of learning. We will also focus on designing assessments efficiently, prioritizing student agency while minimizing instructor burnout. Register
Blackboard Learn Ultra Course View (UCV) is the latest version of Blackboard Learn. If you need assistance with UCV, attend webinars and presentations hosted by CTE Instructional Designers and eLearning Services Consultants.
CTE's professional development sessions empower educators to innovate and inspire. We record many of these workshops and post them on our YouTube Channel Video Archives.