University of Wisconsin–Madison

Include Engage Challenge

Collaborations to transform undergraduate courses

Launched in 2024, Include Engage Challenge (IEC) is a CTLM initiative to partner with UW–Madison academic departments on making big changes that enhance learning in undergraduate courses.

IEC provides funding and staff expertise to support instructors as they engage in course transformation, over a multi-year period.  Course transformations offer comprehensive, sustainable changes to course designs and instructional practices.

Individual instructors and instructional teams collaborate with educational professionals from CTLM and across campus. While instructors – in concert with their departments – determine the focus and goals of the transformation, every course that moves through IEC will:

  • Design inclusive, transparent, and relevant learning environments that empower students for community, life, and work.
  • Test and adopt effective and purposeful learning and teaching practices.
  • Integrate feedback into courses in order to support and sustain continual improvement in teaching and student learning.
  • Realize departmental and disciplinary goals for improving student learning.
Photo of Andrew Lokuta
“Change is scary. (In IEC) you’re not going to be thrown in the deep end all alone. You’ve got people right next to you, helping you, and you’re going to get there. It’s going to be wonderful.”
Andrew Lokuta, Anatomy & Physiology Director, Department of Kinesiology

IEC supports substantial, sustainable improvements

Each project moves through five phases over 2 to 3 years:

The 5 phases of IEC are: Explore, envision, design and build, teach and refine, and sustain.

Frequently asked questions

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101-funded undergraduate courses are eligible.

While no two IEC projects are the same, often departments pursue course transformation to:

  • Redesign an existing course to align curriculum with student preparation and program goals.
  • Adopt new content, teaching strategies, and/or technology to change the learning experience in existing courses in substantive ways.
  • Provide a more unified delivery of a curriculum by instructors across multiple sections of a course.
  • Adapt a course to changing instructional models (e.g. loss of TA support).
  • Remove learning barriers to improve course outcomes for all students.

IEC connects departments with the breadth of CTLM resources, including:

  • Full or partial funding for summer salary and/or teaching backfill for instructors
  • A team of experts comprised of a dedicated consultant and instructional designer, media designers, and others
  • A project assistant or teaching assistant
  • Supplies to support course transformation activities

By participating in IEC, a department can:

  • Gain access to funding and development resources.
  • Achieve department and course teaching and learning goals.
  • Engage departmental stakeholders with new opportunities and a deeper understanding of how teaching and learning is happening.
  • Study the student experience in an existing course through a review of institutional data, teaching observations, and student feedback.
  • Demonstrate expertise and leadership in undergraduate education across campus and in the discipline.

Get started

Submit the interest form to start a conversation with us about a potential IEC project.

Submit interest form