Teaching Orientation
Each summer, the Teaching Center offers a three-part new instructor teaching orientation as part of New Faculty Orientation, which is organized in collaboration with Faculty Affairs in the Office of the Provost. This teaching orientation serves all new University of Rochester instructors of any faculty rank (i.e., from adjunct through tenured professor). In addition, instructors who did not attend in previous years are also welcome to attend these three teaching sessions.
These three sessions are designed to be an easy and efficient way for instructors to get ready to teach. The content is designed for in-person courses enrolling multiple students, but most sections are also relevant to those teaching in one-on-one or online contexts.
Parts one and two can be done in one four-hour block or in two two-hour blocks on Zoom. They occur earlier in the summer so that instructors have essential information for designing courses in advance of fall semester.
Part three is a half-day, in-person event in late August. It covers just-in-time information for teaching courses and documenting teaching effectiveness.
Session Overview
Part one: on Zoom, July 30, 2026, 9:00 am - 11:00 am; August 3, 2026, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Introduction to learner-centered teaching
- Syllabus overview and template
- Teaching policies and compliance
- Writing student learning outcomes
Part two: on Zoom, July 30, 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm; August 3, 2026, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm; August 4, 2026, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
- Introduction to backward course design
- Designing effective assessments
- Learner-centered feedback and messaging
- Developing engaging learning activities
- Introduction to blackboard and instructional software
Part three: in-person, tentatively 8 am to 1 pm, August 24, 2026
- Breakfast
- Teaching an Effective First Day of Class
- Generative AI
- Creating a Sustainable Teaching Practice
- Documenting Your Teaching Effectiveness
- Faculty Panel: Leveraging Teaching Professional Development for Your Career
- Teaching Support Resources
- Lunch
- 1 to 2 pm: Optional Open Session for Adjunct Questions (note: faculty on one-year or longer contracts will proceed to other University of Rochester programming from 1 pm to 5:30 pm)