Faculty may apply for the opportunity to become an Early Adopter and teach a course in Canvas during the spring term at Pitt. If you are interested in teaching a course using Canvas, you can apply on our website. Applications will close on Oct. 25 and those accepted will be notified by Nov. 1. Please note that opportunities are limited and spots will fill quickly.

Join the Mentoring Academy for its second session of the academic year on October 18: Aligning Expectations and Assessing Understanding. In this workshop, attendees will have an opportunity to discuss best practices for these mentoring competencies, with trained faculty facilitating the conversation. Register online to attend.

Gradescope, a popular grading software, is now available for all Pitt faculty and students at no cost. The software makes administering paper-based assessments much easier for instructors, while simultaneously providing students with quicker and more meaningful feedback on their work. Learn more about Gradescope and upcoming webinars on this software in our latest article.

The Office of the Provost and the Teaching Center are now accepting proposals from Pitt faculty for funding to assist in the redesign of large courses through the Course Incubator project. Funding will be provided to support initial planning and proposal development, as well as development and implementation activities. Pre-proposals are due on Nov. 4, 2019. The goal of the Course Incubator project is to radically redesign large enrollment classes to increase the success of our students. Three grants were awarded in 2018 for strategic changes to large enrollment courses for Chemistry, Biology, and Economics. For more information, visit the Course Incubator page.

The Provost’s Award for Diversity in the Curriculum recognizes faculty who have taught a modified course or revised curricula to strengthen diversity and inclusion, resulting in changes of impact. Any full-time or part-time Pitt faculty member who has participated in diversity initiatives at the University may apply for this award. Please encourage faculty who have embraced inclusive teaching practices to submit an application. The guidelines for the award and the application form are available on the Provost's Award for Diversity in the Curriculum web page, and the deadline for applications is October 18, 2019.

The first Teaching Partners meeting of the fall term is Monday, September 16, from noon to 1:30 p.m., in the University Club Gold Room. Lunch will be served. There is limited capacity so please RSVP if you plan to attend. Teaching Partners are the first to know about new resources and services available through the Teaching Center, and meet twice per term to engage in peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing. Even if you can’t attend the meeting, you can still join the Teaching Partners community. If you have any questions, contact us at teaching@pitt.edu.