The Center for Teaching advances teaching and learning excellence at Iowa and develops a collaborative university culture that supports, values, and rewards effective teaching.

The center is an advocate for evidence-based, reflective teaching and a leader in instructor professional development, responsible for sparking and shaping transformative conversations about teaching and learning on campus and beyond.

Our team collaborates with UI instructors; teaching assistants; department, collegiate, and university administrators; students; and campus partners to create structures and policies that enhance teaching and learning excellence.

The Center for Teaching partners with all campus community members who care about excellence in teaching and learning, including all instructors, administrators, and staff. 

Teaching Feedback

The Center for Teaching offers teaching consultations, classroom observations, and instructional feedback for individuals as well as departments. 

Early-Career Support

Initiatives and programs to support faculty and instructors during their first years of teaching include the Course Design Institute, Early Career Faculty Academy, and Early Career Faculty Community of Practice. 

Graduate Student Support

Resources and guidance to support graduate students and teaching assistants, including learning communities, mentorship programs, instructional teams, and more. 

Faculty Communities

Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) and Communities of Practice (CoPs) are convened and facilitated by faculty scholar-practitioners and contribute to teaching and learning excellence. 

Teaching Resources

Guidance on Teaching and Learning Topics

Center for Teaching staff have expertise in a wide range of teaching and learning topics.

On our website, you can find guidance on teaching and learning topics such as accessibility and universal design in learning (UDL), artificial intelligence, assessment, course design, inclusive teaching, self-evaluation, syllabus guidance, and scholarly teaching. 

Whether you are a teaching assistant or a department chair, our office is excited to engage with you on how we can support teaching excellence on campus. 

Visit our teaching topics page to explore articles, guidance, templates, and more.

Students studying outdoors at Iowa Memorial Union

Handbook for Teaching Excellence

Support to help instructors navigate their teaching roles and create meaningful learning experiences for their students. 

Becky Gonzalez teaches SPAN:3105 Linguistic Aspects of the Lusophone World in a TILE Classroom in Phillips Hall

Accessibility and UDL

Resources to develop flexible learning environments and more accessible teaching materials to meet the diverse needs of learners.

Recent Articles

Introducing the Center for Teaching’s 2024-25 Graduate Teaching Fellows

Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Each year, the Center for Teaching invites several Graduate Teaching Fellows to spend the year developing teaching skills and building a portfolio by collaborating on a range of pedagogical issues, while gaining experience in the field of educational development.

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): A Q&A with Sara Nasrollahian

Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Learn more about the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in our enlightening Q&A with Sara Nasrollahian, SoTL expert and associate director of the Center for Teaching. Sara shares more information about the SoTL Institute on Oct. 18 and offers insights on the impact of SoTL on teaching practices, its vital role in academic development, and how you can get involved in SoTL. 

A call for ‘practicing’ science!

Monday, August 19, 2024
In this reflective essay, which previews ideas he will share in a scholarly journal article he is in the process of writing, 2023-24 Graduate Teaching Fellow Vinay Bapu Ramesh reflects on the value of general education and how it is shaping his approach to teaching science to non-majors.

Events and Workshops

Designing Aligned Assignments in Experiential Education promotional image

Designing Aligned Assignments in Experiential Education

Friday, December 6, 2024 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Blank Honors Center
Join the Center for Teaching and the Pomerantz Career Center for an interactive retreat focused on developing assignments for experiential learning environments.
Rocklin Teaching and Learning Speaker Series: Dr. Bryan Dewsbury promotional image

Rocklin Teaching and Learning Speaker Series: Dr. Bryan Dewsbury

Thursday, January 16, 2025 10:00am to 12:00pm
Virtual
We will revisit a more comprehensive view of what is possible from a high-quality education experience. While subject matter expertise will always be important, college classrooms afford us an opportunity to engage the whole student in ways that prepares them to be respectful, engaged, and open-minded members of an evolving democracy. For this to happen we must define our teaching as an opportunity to walk students from their current state of readiness to a place where they can view and work...

Cultivating Success: International Teaching

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 3:00pm to 4:30pm
University Capitol Centre
Teaching in a new cultural environment can be both rewarding and challenging. This panel discussion is designed to share faculty expertise on how to address these issues. In this panel discussion, veteran faculty with successful teaching careers at the University of Iowa will share different pedagogical approaches and discuss ways to enrich classroom environments based on transnational knowledge and wide-ranging experiences to enhance students’ learning outcomes. The panel is also meant to...
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