Start the semester with confidence and coordination
The Pre-semester Teaching Institute (formerly Ready, Set, Teach!) is offered before the start of the spring and fall semesters. Whether you are teaching for the first time or returning, the institute will give you:
- Focused time to think about your teaching
- Ideas for new, evidence-based approaches you can apply right away
- Connections with teaching colleagues
Registration has closed for August 2025
What participants say
“The syllabus session helped me think about changes I can make to my syllabus to make it more clear and inclusive.”
“The group discussions facilitated learning in action … Great instructors, too!”
“I enjoyed interacting with the folks at my table. They shared a lot of experiences that enhanced my learning.”
Event program
8:30 a.m. Registration and light breakfast
9 a.m. Building connections and setting expectations – Mary Thompson, Ph.D., Senior Assessment Manager, Student Learning Assessment, and Julie Hunt Johnson, Ph.D., Program Manager, Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring
10:20 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. Low-stakes activities & assignments for deeper student engagement – Abby Letak, Ph.D.. Associate Director, Writing Across the Curriculum
12 p.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. Tour of Instructional Technologies (please continue eating…) – Cliff Cunningham, M.S., Learning Technologies Consultant & Trainer, Division of Information Technology (DoIT) Academic Technology (AT) – Learn@UW-Madison
1 p.m. Preparing yourself (and students) for productive class time – Lisa Jong, Ph.D., Senior Teaching and Learning Developer, CTLM, and Julie Hunt Johnson, Ph.D., Program Manager, CTLM
2:30 p.m. Closing and next steps
2:45 p.m. Optional: Meet 1:1 with a teaching and learning consultant – Join us after the event for a conversation with a member of UW-Madison’s instructional support staff community.
Meet the facilitators
Cliff Cunningham
Position title: Learning Technologies Consultant & Trainer (DoIT Academic Technology)
