CTE Quarterly Newsletter

Message from the Director

Dear USC Educators,

As we welcome a new academic year, I am reminded that excellence in teaching is built not through a single event or initiative, but through a sustained commitment to learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement. This issue of the CTE Newsletter reflects that commitment in action.

This summer has been an exciting one for the Center for Teaching Excellence. We launched our inaugural Teaching Week in partnership with the Division of Information Technology, introduced the new GenAI Design Studio, celebrated faculty who completed our Foundations of Online Teaching, Teaching with Artificial Intelligence, and Reflective Teaching Practices for Medical Educators programs, and continued expanding resources to support high-quality teaching across all instructional modalities.

The enthusiasm of our faculty has been especially encouraging. More than 350 instructors registered for Teaching Week, demonstrating a shared commitment to preparing for the semester and exploring new strategies to enhance student learning. That same spirit is evident in the many faculty and graduate instructors who continue to invest their time in professional development, instructional innovation, and reflective teaching practice.

As you read through this issue, I hope you'll discover opportunities to engage with the CTE throughout the coming year. Whether you're interested in strengthening your online course design, thoughtfully integrating generative AI into your teaching, participating in an upcoming short course, or joining us for Oktoberbest, our goal remains the same: to provide practical, evidence-informed support that helps you create meaningful learning experiences for your students.

Thank you for your dedication to teaching and for the care you bring to your students every day. We look forward to partnering with you throughout the semester and continuing to build a culture of teaching excellence across the University of South Carolina.

I wish you a successful and rewarding start to the fall semester.

Sincerely,

Matt E. Thatcher, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Teaching Excellence

Teaching Week Begins the Fall Semester

with Strong Participation

The inaugural Teaching Week, presented by the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the Division of Information Technology (DoIT), has attracted more than 350 instructor registrations for live virtual sessions designed to support fall course preparation. Throughout the week, instructors are exploring topics including student engagement, course design, Blackboard Ultra, digital accessibility, instructional technology, and teaching resources that strengthen student success.

The enthusiastic response highlights faculty's commitment to continuous improvement and student success. The CTE will continue offering workshops and teaching resources throughout Teaching Week and the academic year to help instructors enhance student learning.

Explore CTE Workshops

Faculty Orientation Programs

Welcome Instructors This Fall

As the fall semester begins, the CTE offers orientation programs designed to help instructors start the year with confidence. Whether you're joining USC as a new full-time faculty member or teaching as an adjunct instructor, these programs introduce participants to teaching resources, instructional technologies, campus services, and colleagues who can support their success throughout the year. Each orientation is tailored to the unique needs of its audience while highlighting the many resources available through the CTE and across the university.

Adjunct Faculty Orientation (August 17)

New Faculty Orientation (August 28)

Prepare for the

Provost's Online Course Quality Review Initiative

As the university continues implementing the Provost’s Online Course Quality Review Initiative, the CTE offers a variety of resources to help faculty prepare for course reviews while strengthening the quality of their online courses. Whether your course is scheduled for review this year or in the future, these resources can support every stage of course design and continuous improvement.

Faculty can explore the Quality Standards for Online Courses (QSOC), partner with CTE instructional designers, use the Faculty Readiness Checklist, and access personalized AI-powered feedback through Coach Q. By engaging with these resources early in the course development process, instructors can streamline the review experience, enhance student engagement and accessibility, and create high-quality online learning experiences.

Explore Online Quality Review Resources

New GenAI Design Studio

Supports Intentional Course Design

Seventeen educators participated in the inaugural GenAI Design Studio this summer, exploring practical and intentional ways to integrate generative AI into teaching. Participants revised assignments, assessments, syllabus policies, and learning activities while collaborating with AI educators and campus experts. The program concluded with faculty leaving with course materials ready to implement in upcoming semesters.

Learn about CTE's AI Programs

Enhance Your Course with the

Online Course Quality Coach (Coach Q)

Whether you're developing a new course or refreshing an existing one, Coach Q provides personalized AI-powered feedback to help improve syllabi, assignments, rubrics, discussions, and other course materials. Available through USC ChatGPT EDU, Coach Q can also help faculty prepare for online course quality reviews and identify CTE resources that support effective course design.

Try Coach Q

Join Us for Oktoberbest 2026

Registration is now open for Oktoberbest 2026, the CTE's annual symposium celebrating excellence in teaching and learning. This year's symposium will feature USC alumna Dr. Megan L. "Meg" Mittelstadt, Assistant Vice President for Learning Initiatives and Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Georgia, as the keynote speaker.

In her keynote, From Research to Recipe: Active Learning for Student Success, Dr. Mittelstadt will share practical strategies for creating engaging learning experiences through active learning. Faculty, graduate teaching assistants, and staff are invited to join colleagues from across the university on Friday, October 23, for a day of interactive sessions, collaboration, and professional learning.

Interested in sharing your own teaching innovations? Proposal submissions for interactive sessions are being accepted through August 21.

Submit an Oktoberbest Proposal by August 21

Strengthen Your Leadership in Course Design

Ready to take a leadership role in advancing teaching and learning? The Leadership in Course Design short course helps faculty build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead course design initiatives within their departments and academic programs.

Participants explore evidence-based approaches to course design, alignment of learning outcomes, assessments, and instructional materials, while developing practical strategies for mentoring colleagues, facilitating curriculum conversations, and supporting continuous course improvement.

Applications for the next cohort are due August 28, 2026. The program runs September 8 – October 12, 2026.

Apply for the Leadership in Course Design Cohort

Faculty Spotlight: Improving the Student Experience

How can small changes make a big difference in online learning? In this faculty spotlight, Leslie Hendrix, Clinical Professor of Management Science, shares how participating in the Provost's Online Course Quality Review Initiative helped her gather student feedback, reduce barriers to learning, and improve the overall student experience in her online course.

Read how thoughtful course design - and support from the CTE - led to meaningful improvements for students.

Learn More: Leslie Hendrix

Faculty Complete Foundations of Online Teaching Course

Congratulations to the faculty who completed the Summer 2026 Foundations of Online Teaching (FOOT) short course. Over four weeks, participants strengthened their online teaching and course design skills through evidence-based practices and individualized feedback.

Join us in recognizing this summer's FOOT completers and celebrating their commitment to high-quality online teaching.

Meet the Summer 2026 FOOT Completers

Faculty Complete RTPforME Program

Congratulations to the faculty who recently completed the Summer 2026 Reflective Teaching Practices for Medical Educators (RTPforME) program. Through this six-week professional development experience, participants strengthened their teaching through evidence-based practices, reflection, and practical application.

Join us in recognizing this year's RTPforME completers and celebrating their commitment to excellence in health professions education.

Meet the RTPforMe Completers

Celebrating Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching

The CTE proudly recognizes the recipients of the 2025–2026 Graduate Student Teaching Awards. These outstanding graduate instructors and teaching assistants were honored for their dedication to teaching, meaningful contributions to student learning, and commitment to continuous professional growth.

Learn more about this year's recipients and the experiences that have shaped their teaching.

Meet the Award Recipients

Faculty Complete

Teaching with AI Cohort

Congratulations to the faculty who recently completed the Spring 2026 Teaching with Artificial Intelligence cohort. Participants explored practical, responsible approaches to integrating generative AI into teaching and earned Auburn University's AUAI Experimenter badge.

Join us in recognizing this year's cohort and celebrating their commitment to innovative, student-centered teaching.

Meet the AI Cohort

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