TLC Newsletter

Open Calls and Invitations

ThingLink Pilot

ThingLink is a digital platform that enables educators to transform static images and virtual environments into interactive learning experiences. The platform allows faculty to deliver immersive content that recreates real-world professional settings and complex environments. Students can explore complex environments as they engage with embedded multimedia content to bridge the gap between theory and application. For example, students might navigate through food service operations, explore a surgical unit with embedded expert commentary, or tour public health facilities with specifications highlighted at key points and layered throughout the experience. The opportunities are endless.

CHS has procured a limited number of ThingLink licenses for faculty interested in piloting the platform in their courses for the Spring semester. Please complete the ThingLink Pilot Interest Form if you are interested in piloting ThingLink this semester. This pilot is open to all WCU faculty members, however priority will be given to interested CHS faculty. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Drass at jdrass@wcupa.edu. 

Contribute to the TLC Teaching Hub

Do you have a teaching strategy, reflection, tool, or methodology that you would like to share with your WCU colleagues? Want to share your SoTL research or repurpose a resource you've created? Pitch us ideas for posts you are interesting in contributing to the TLC Teaching Hub (aka the blog).  The Hub is also a great resource to explore as you think about how to update your syllabi for the coming semester.

Teaching Triangles: A Peer Observation Program

The Teaching Triangles program involves three faculty members in a triad who agree to visit each other’s classes over the semester and meet to discuss what they have learned about their own teaching from the observations. The process is non-evaluative, and the program is open to all WCU faculty, including adjuncts. Learn more about the program on our website or from our podcast, ODLI on Air. If you're interested, register online by Friday, January 30.

Spring Teaching Circle Opportunities: Semi-Structured Learning with Peers

A teaching circle is a group of faculty who collectively explore a teaching topic of interest and work together to create products reflecting their learning experience. They offer structure and accountability to help you improve your teaching practice. There are multiple teaching circle opportunities for the spring semester:

• Generative AI will focus on integrating (or not integrating) generative artificial intelligence into our instructional practices (Registration)
• Active Reading and Social Annotation with Hypothesis will explore and implement Hypothesis, a social annotation tool, to design activities and/or assignments that deepen student engagement with course readings and foster collaborative learning. (Registration)
• Creating Accessible Course Materials will investigate who benefits from digital accessibility and apply practical strategies for reviewing, remediating, and creating accessible documents, multimedia, and online content. (Registration)
• Classroom Conversations will delve into how to structure, facilitate, and assess classroom conversations to spark student engagement. (Registration)

To learn more about each circle and register to participate visit the TLC Professional Learning Communities webpage. Register by Friday, January 30.

Faculty Learning Communities

A Faculty Learning Community (FLC) provides faculty space to share ideas and strategies plus get support on a specified topic.  In the Spring semester there are three FLCs for faculty to join at any time: 

• Academic Freedom FLC serves as a support group and working group, as we share our experiences and concerns from inside and outside the classroom while developing concrete strategies and actions to take to better understand, nourish, and promote academic freedom within our university community. (Registration)
• Alternative Grading FLC is a group that promotes and shares experiences and details of alternative grading possibilities such as mastery grading, specifications grading, standards-based grading, and ungrading. (Registration)
• Teaching Diverse Communities FLC is designed specifically for instructors teaching courses that fulfill the Diverse Communities requirement. (Registration)

To learn more about each FLC and register to participate visit the TLC Professional Learning Communities webpage.

New Pilot Program: Class Consultations

A pilot program to empower faculty to enhance their teaching by requesting non-evaluative feedback on any instructional session, regardless of modality. Facilitated by the Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) staff, this voluntary program fosters reflective practice and continuous improvement. All feedback remains between the instructor and the TLC, ensuring a safe space for professional growth. Instructors requesting a class consultation commit 2 hours of their time to the process.

Process: Instructor requests a class consultation using the Qualtrics form. Instructor and consultant schedule necessary meetings and visits. Instructor meets with consultant for a pre-visit meeting. Class visit occurs. Instructor meets with consultant to debrief the class visit. In Spring 2026 this program is in a pilot phase where only tenured faculty may participate. Upon successful completion of the pilot, the intent is to open this program to all faculty. To learn more about the program and register for a consultation visit Class Consultations.

Apply for a CELT Grant

The Committee for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) invites proposals for Professional Development Funding to support cutting edge projects to improve student learning. CELT seeks to promote a variety of pedagogical strategies that actively engage students in learning and that will result in improved student learning. Up to four projects will be selected for funds up to $2,000 per project. These funds are to encourage the implementation of new and innovative projects that would not be possible without this financial support. We are particularly looking for projects that demonstrate:

1. Significance – projects that address major challenges and/or have the potential for considerable impact on student learning; and
2. Reach – projects that have the potential to reach large audiences and across departments and disciplines.

Ready to apply? Submit an application before Friday, February 13, 2026. Have questions about your CELT proposal? Drop in during CELT Tank Zoom consultation hours:

Date: Monday, January 26, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: Zoom

Date: Wednesday, February 4, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Zoom

CELT Spring Book Club

We invite you to join members of the Committee for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) for the 2026 spring book club where we will read and discuss Joy-Centered Pedagogy in Higher Education: Uplifting Teaching and Learning for All edited by Eileen Kogl Camfield. In a series of reflective essays and teaching stories, contributors explore how promoting joy shifts the learning focus from product to process and disrupts notions of rigor that suggest learning should hurt. Each chapter includes reflection questions to guide reader contemplation. Twice during the semester, we will meet to discuss the reading. There will be a virtual option and an in-person meeting option each time. Attend the option that works best for your schedule.  

Register online to indicate your preference for a physical book or an electronic copy and when you plan to attend discussion by Friday, January 30. Check the TLC website for more details.

Faculty Mentoring Reconnect Sessions

Date: Tuesday, February 3, and Wednesday February 4 
Location:  Francis Harvey Green Library Room 252

The Faculty Mentoring Committee is hosting Mentor/Mentee Reconnect sessions between 9:30 am and 2:00 pm each day. Mentoring pairs are encouraged to stop by anytime to reconnect with each other. It is an opportunity to check-in, set goals for the semester, ask questions, and have some social time. Members from the Faculty Mentoring Events Committee will be present to encourage and support collegial conversations and provide question prompts to promote the mentor and mentee relationship. Light refreshments will be available.  Please RSVP via this Qualtrics form.     

Call for Applications for TLC Faculty Associate, AY26-29

The Teaching and Learning Center is seeking applications for a Faculty Associate.

• Three-year term, July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2029
• 3 credit AWA per semester, while contributing 5-7 hours of work per week
• Apply by February 27, 2026 to tlc@wcupa.edu
• Submit statement of interest with CV no longer than 2 pages outlining relevant experience.

Please see full description and instructions. 

Celebration of Teaching Call for Proposals and Participation

Please save the date for Celebration of Teaching on Thursday, May 7.  The TLC invites proposals for two Celebration of Teaching events:

• 40-minute hands-on workshops (up to 4 selected)
• Teaching Excellence Showcase (up to 25 selected)

The proposal deadline is Saturday, February 28, notification of acceptance is in early March.  The submission method is the 2026 Celebration of Teaching Proposal Form (Qualtrics).  Details about each event type can be found on the Celebration of Teaching blog post or on the submission form.  

Spring Micro Courses Provided by PASSHE and ACUE

For a second year, Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) have partnered to provide access to the nationally recognized Certificate in Effective Online Teaching Practices (EOTP).  These evidence-based practices have been shown to increase student retention, strengthen belonging and achievement, close equity gaps.  PASSHE will have several Spring ACUE micro course offerings.

The EOTP pathway provides WCU faculty with an alternative option for DE certification or recertification. For DE certification, faculty must complete courses in the series along with the capstone module in the OFD program. For DE recertification, completion of courses in the series is sufficient. 

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Osborne at aosborne@passhe.edu.

Upcoming Events

Introduction to VoiceThread Workshop

VoiceThread is an interactive multimedia platform that allows users to create and share collaborative presentations and discussions that may incorporate images, documents, videos, and audio commentary. VoiceThread’s D2L Integration allows instructors to add VoiceThread Assignments to the Content section of their D2L Course Site that link to the Gradebook. This Spring, the Teaching and Learning Center will be hosting an Introduction to VoiceThread Workshop for WCU faculty interested in learning more about the tool.

Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Location: Online, via Zoom

If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact Jessica Drass at jdrass@wcupa.edu. Register for the Introduction to VoiceThread Workshop. 

Faculty Mentoring Program Promotion Panel

Thinking about going up for promotion? In the process and still have questions? Please join us for the Faculty Mentoring Committee's Promotion Panel.

Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026, 12:30 PM 
Location: Zoom

All faculty are welcome! Register here.

RECAP Conference

Please save the date for West Chester University's RECAP 2026 Conference on Thursday, May 14, 2026.  This year’s theme, Designing the Possible: Inclusive, Insight‑Driven, Immersive invites higher education professionals to share concrete practices that ensure belonging by design, leverage learning data responsibly, and thoughtfully engaging with immersive and AI-enhanced experiences through structured, evidence-based approaches.

We are currently accepting presentation proposals, due Friday, February 6, 2026. Visit the RECAP Website for the Call for Proposals form and additional conference details.

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