Save the dates: Spring 2026 happenings

Feeling curious about Generative AI but a little unsure where to begin? This session is designed just for you! GenAI Jumpstart introduces the basics in a friendly, approachable way—perfect for beginners and anyone who feels nervous about diving in. Learn what GenAI is, explore simple tools you can use right away, and discover how these technologies can make your work easier. No jargon, no pressure—just a supportive space to start your GenAI journey.

This speed-dating-style event will include four short rounds. For each round, you can choose which IU-approved GenAI tool you would like to explore. In the next round, select a different tool. You're welcome to join the event at any time.

Learn more and register for GenAI Jumpstart here.

Students are more likely to persist when they believe their instructors notice their effort and respond to their progress.

In this session we will explore how learning analytics and purposeful feedback can communicate something powerful to students: that you are paying attention and that you expect them to succeed.

This webinar reframes analytics and feedback not as surveillance or coddling, but as tools of rigorous, evidence-based teaching. When used well, course data and timely feedback clarify expectations, reduce ambiguity, and help students take responsibility for their learning. We will examine practical strategies for using Canvas analytics to identify where students struggle, intervene effectively, and reinforce high academic standards.

Register for Teaching Gen Z here.

Anne Leftwich, associate vice president for Learning Technologies, will be the featured speaker at this Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching (FACET) webinar on the human-centered learning focus of IU's AI efforts.

Register for FACET Field Notes here.

The vision for this cross-disciplinary initiative centers on empowering faculty with the skills and resources to use learning analytics to enhance their teaching and evaluate the impact of their pedagogical interventions. Participating faculty receive a $500 stipend in their research accounts upon successful completion of the Learning Analytics program.

Participants will build a peer-community of faculty seeking to bolster their teaching practice using course-level learning analytics. Together, you'll explore ethical, equitable, and privacy-conscious data use; interpret course patterns and limits; and develop question-driven ways to use analytics to inform decisions.

Learn more and apply to be a fellow here.

We're seeking abstract proposals for a 2026 special issue: Learning Analytics in Higher Education: Actionable Insights for Teaching Practice. This issue seeks scholarship that moves learning analytics beyond prediction and description toward meaningful action.

Read the full JoTLT 2026 call for proposals here.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) encourages us to create flexible, inclusive learning environments that meet the needs of all students. In this session, we'll explore how Anthology Ally can help you apply UDL principles in your Canvas course by improving the accessibility of your course.

We'll walk through Ally's instructor-facing features—including the feedback panel and Course Report—and show how it checks for accessibility issues in your materials. You'll also learn how students can access alternative formats that support different learning preferences and needs. Whether you're new to Ally or looking to deepen your use, this session will help you make accessibility a seamless part of your course design.

Register for Getting Started with Ally here.

There are five webinars left in the spring GenAI webinar series:

• March 24, 2-3pm ET: AI/GenAI + Health and Medicine
• March 31, 2-3pm ET: AI/GenAI in the Social Sciences
• April 14, 2-3pm ET: AI/GenAI and the Research Landscape
• April 21, 2-3pm ET: Agentic AI & Emerging Possibilities
• April 28, 2-3pm: Preparing for the Next Wave: A Futures Orientation

Learn more and register for the GenAI Series here.

How do you keep students engaged through two-hour lectures in a content-heavy graduate program? How do you help students understand complex issues from multiple perspectives? In this session, you'll hear from IU instructors who turned to game-based learning to address these challenges.

Instructors from the Physician Assistant program at IU Indianapolis will share how they use quick games as brain breaks during lectures, creative activities for exam review, and a house system that builds community across cohorts. An instructor from Political Science and International Studies at IU Southeast will discuss role-playing simulations where students take on roles in realistic international scenarios and must negotiate and collaborate to reach solutions. Both will share what worked, what didn't, and practical strategies for bringing game-based learning into your own courses.

Register for the Teaching with Technology Faculty Showcase here.

Save the dates: May 20 at IU Bloomington and May 21 at IU Indianapolis (faculty from all campuses welcome!)

• Fun, community-building experience with hands-on exploration and play
• Learning tracks hosted by Learning Technologies Faculty Fellows
• Designed to equip faculty with practical, resource-informed strategies
• Come away with prototype-ready teaching assets for immediate use
• Try things out in IU maker spaces (Creator Commons and Idea Garden)

Stay tuned for more details via the Learning Technologies list and the Connected Professor Insider.