This spring 2026 teaching circle will focus on integrating generative artificial intelligence into our instructional practices.  

Because disciplinary expertise is a critical component of effective generative AI use and AI tools have become ubiquitous, all courses have the opportunity to incorporate generative AI into their instruction.  Lessons can teach generative AI tool use or avoid AI tool use and instead focus on critical concerns.  All ideas related to generative AI are welcome. 

Schedule

All meetings are on Zoom.

Introductory Meeting, 2 pm, Wednesday, February 4

• Welcome, introductions, share ideas and AI resources
• Homework: pick an idea, conduct initial research on own or using provided resources

Second Meeting - Sharing Learning, 2 pm, Wednesday, February 25

• Participants share discoveries from their reading/research
• Homework: Draft a product

Third Meeting - Receiving Feedback, 2 pm, Wednesday, March 25

• Product progress check-in with peer review and feedback   
• Homework: finalize product   

Fourth Meeting - Celebration, 2 pm, Wednesday, April 15

• Presenting final product, reflection on the process, discussion of next steps 

Registration

To participate, please complete the Generative AI Teaching Circle registration form by Friday, January 30. For questions or additional information, please contact the TLC at tlc@wcupa.edu.  

This spring 2026 teaching circle will focus on exploring and implementing Hypothesis, a social annotation tool, to design activities and/or assignments that deepen student engagement with course readings and foster collaborative learning. 

Hypothesis is integrated directly into D2L, allowing instructors to create reading assignments that link directly to their gradebook from the Content section of any course. This initiative offers a hands-on opportunity to move beyond passive reading assignments. Participants will design and refine specific pedagogical strategies that leverage Hypothesis to enhance critical reading skills and facilitate peer interaction directly on texts or videos.   

Schedule

All meetings are on Zoom. 

Introductory Meeting, 2 pm, Wednesday, February 18

• Welcome, introductions, share ideas and AI resources
• Homework: pick an idea, conduct initial research on own or using provided resources

Second Meeting - Sharing Learning, 2 pm, Wednesday, March 4

• Participants share discoveries from their reading/research
• Homework: Draft a product

Third Meeting - Receiving Feedback, 2 pm, Wednesday, March 18

• Product progress check-in with peer review and feedback   
• Homework: finalize product   

Fourth Meeting - Celebration, 2 pm, Wednesday, April 1

• Presenting final product, reflection on the process, discussion of next steps 

Registration

To participate, please complete the Social Annotation Teaching Circle registration form by Friday, January 30. For questions or additional information, please contact the TLC at tlc@wcupa.edu.  

This Spring 2026 teaching circle will focus on creating accessible course material using a variety of tools and strategies.

Accessible course materials are fundamental to an inclusive learning experience. Participants will explore who benefits from digital accessibility and apply practical strategies for reviewing, remediating, and creating accessible documents, multimedia, and online content. 

Schedule

All meetings are on Zoom. Meeting times may be adjusted based on participant availability after the first meeting. 

Introductory Meeting, 10am, Thursday, February 12 (tentative)

• Welcome, introductions, share ideas and resources
• Homework: pick an idea, conduct initial research independently or using provided resources

Second Meeting - Sharing Learning

• Participants share discoveries from their reading/research
• Homework: Draft  product

Third Meeting - Receiving Feedback

• Product progress check-in with peer review and feedback   
• Homework: finalize product   

Fourth Meeting - Celebration

• Presenting final product, reflection on the process, discussion of next steps 

Registration

To participate, please complete the Creating Accessible Course Materials registration form by Friday, January 30. For questions or additional information, please contact the TLC at tlc@wcupa.edu.  

Student engagement through conversation is at the heart of active learning, yet it often feels elusive. We design classroom conversation activities hoping to spark critical thinking, only to wonder how well the students are engaging with ideas and with each other.  We invite you to join us as we explore how to structure, facilitate, and assess classroom conversations.  

This teaching circle is based on the premise that we learn best from each other. We will share our experiences with conversations in face-to-face, online, and hybrid teaching contexts. We will explore challenges we face, the strategies we have tried, and the insights we have gained along the way. There are no expert presenters in the circle; instead, we will learn together through our stories and collective experiences. We invite you to bring your activities, discussion prompts, and stories about what works (and what does not) in your teaching context.  

If you are curious about classroom conversations online, whether online, face-to-face or hybrid, this is a teaching circle for you. We welcome faculty from all disciplines and career stages. No expertise is required, just a willingness to learn with others, and an interest in making classroom conversations more meaningful for student learning.  

Schedule

Meeting times will be determined based on participant availability after registration. 

Registration

To participate, please complete the Classroom Conversations registration form by Friday, January 30. For questions or additional information, please contact the TLC at tlc@wcupa.edu.