Plan Your Teaching with Pre-Semester Support
To support your preparation for Fall 2026, the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Division of Information Technology are offering a series of live, virtual sessions during the week before classes begin. These sessions are designed to help you prepare your courses, navigate key technologies, and start the semester with confidence.
Monday, August 10, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. - Webinar
Design a clear, effective syllabus using USC templates and resources to communicate
expectations and support student success. Register
Tuesday, August 11, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. - Webinar
Structure your course for a strong start by aligning learning outcomes, assessments,
and course flow. Register
Tuesday, August 11, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. - Webinar
Learn practical strategies to make course materials and activities more accessible
for all students using Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Register
Wednesday, August 12, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. - Webinar
Plan an engaging start to the semester with strategies for day one, early participation,
and connecting students to support services. Register
Wednesday, August 12, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. - Webinar
Use simple, time-efficient strategies to increase student participation and interaction
during class. Register
Thursday, August 13, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. - Webinar
Learn the basics of Blackboard, including navigation, communication, content creation,
tools, and grading. Register
Thursday, August 13, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. - Webinar
Explore best practices and advanced tips for setting up and managing the Blackboard
Ultra Gradebook. Register
Thursday, August 13, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. - Webinar
Learn how to organize and customize your Blackboard course to create a more engaging
and user-friendly experience. Register
Thursday, August 13, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. - Webinar
Discover how to use Panopto and Zoom within Blackboard to create, manage, and deliver
engaging video and live learning experiences. Register
Friday, August 14, 9:00 – 9:40 a.m. - Webinar
Learn how to improve accessibility and apply universal design principles in your Blackboard
Ultra course. Register
Friday, August 14, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. - Webinar
Learn the basics of Blackboard, including navigation, communication, content creation,
tools, and grading. Register
Friday, August 14, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. - Webinar
Learn how to use iClicker Cloud in Blackboard to increase student engagement through
polling, quizzing, and real-time feedback. Register
Monday, August 17, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. - Webinar
Apply research-based strategies for learning and using student names to build connection,
belonging, and engagement. Register