Resources and events to get ready for spring semester
Pre-semester Checklist
These 7 steps will help you get organized and ready to welcome your students. To save you time, each step links to campus resources.
Syllabus guide and template
Visit UW–Madison Syllabus Requirements & Resources for everything you need to create or update your syllabus.
Help with Canvas (and more)
DoIT’s Learn@UW team offers online workshops to assist you. New tools include Gradescope, New Quizzes, and TidyUp.
Pre-semester Teaching Institute – Jan. 14
Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or new to teaching, the Institute will give you focused time and expert assistance to prepare for the start of class.
Teaching at UW: Setting AI Expectations – Jan. 16
This session will help you refine your course AI policies and communicate them to students with confidence.
Helpful guides
Accessibility and Accommodations
- Use DoIT’s Course Material Accessibility Guide to ensure students can access your course content.
- Provide accommodations more effectively and efficiently using the Instructor Guide to Student Accommodations and the Limited Flexibility Accommodations Guide from the McBurney Disability Resource Center.
Generative AI in Teaching
Check out campus guiding principles, sample AI syllabus statements, and more.
Navigating Classroom Dynamics & Disruptions
Strategies for responding to a variety of situations that can arise while teaching.
Providing Flexibility to Students During Times of Disruption
Practical tips for anticipating and responding to student requests for flexibility during unexpected life events.
Teaching Together
Teaching Assistant Guide
For both new and returning TAs, this guide covers essential trainings, professional development, and more.
Resource for Instructors Working with TAs
Best practices, key considerations, and practical resources for working effectively and efficiently with teaching assistants.
Curricular resources
Go Big Read
Discussion guides, sample assignments and more focused on this year’s selection, “James.”
Libraries
Reserve course materials, add info to your Canvas course, request library instruction, and more.
Center for Campus History
Teaching guides on moments of discrimination and resistance at UW–Madison.
Communicating Across the Curriculum: Resources for High-Impact Teaching with Writing at UW-Madison
This sourcebook from Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) offers instructional materials for teaching with writing in disciplines across the curriculum, including examples from UW–Madison instructors
Cross-campus events
- March
- March 16Enhancing Online Education: Fostering Community micro-courseCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring9:00 AM, Online
- March 20Teaching at UW: Fostering Creativity & Risk-takingCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring12:00 PM, Online
- March 24
- March 25
- April
- April 10
- April 10Teaching at UW: Leveraging Questions for MetacognitionCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring12:00 PM, Online
- April 16
- April 172026 Undergraduate Symposium9:30 AM
- April 17Teaching at UW: From Copy/paste to Critical ThoughtCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring12:00 PM, Online
- April 23Spring Conference for Wisconsin EducatorsUniversities of Wisconsin Office of Professional and Instructional Development8:45 AM, Check T.I.T.U., Memorial Union
- April 24Spring Conference for Wisconsin EducatorsUniversities of Wisconsin Office of Professional and Instructional Development8:00 AM, Check T.I.T.U., Memorial Union
- April 24
- April 27
- April 30
- May
- May 142026 UW-Madison Teaching & Learning SymposiumCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring8:30 AM, Varsity Hall, Union South