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

Explore evidence-based strategies, tools, and support to enhance your teaching and foster student learning.

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.

Creative writing class

Roadmap for Teaching Success

This year-long roadmap of bite-sized activities is designed to help new instructors implement effective teaching strategies and set practical goals during their first two semesters.

A Spanish classroom at the University of Iowa

Documenting Teaching

Resources to help you thoughtfully document and present your teaching, from preparing teaching reviews to choosing artifacts to represent your work.

Recent Articles

Intellectual Empathy

Wednesday, September 10, 2025
In this special guest contribution, 2024-25 Graduate Teaching Fellow Kit Fynaardt (Mathematics) offers a reflection on his experiences as learner and as a teacher, highlighting the value of intellectual empathy.

What is SoTL?

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Events and Workshops

Designing Your SoTL Study

Friday, September 26, 2025 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Van Allen Hall
This interactive workshop offers expert guidance and dedicated time to explore strategies for designing and conducting a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study – a systematic, scholarly inquiry into student learning and instructional practices.

Scaffolding to Set Students Up for Success

Friday, October 10, 2025 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Virtual
This workshop offers practical approaches that build autonomy, metacognitive skills, and motivation. Participants will leave with strategies to support students through complex tasks while nurturing their ability to take ownership of their learning across various disciplines.

TILE Your Teaching

Friday, October 17, 2025 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Schaeffer Hall
Step into the student experience in this interactive TILE teaching demo. Participants will engage in collaborative, student-centered activities that showcase how TILE classrooms support active learning. After the demo, you'll explore how to incorporate TILE features into your own courses. All attendees will be enabled to schedule a TILE classroom through the Office of the Registrar.

Registration Deadline: CIRTL Teaching as Research Series

Friday, October 24, 2025 (all day)
Virtual
Graduate students and post-docs from all disciplines can register for this six-part series to learn about teaching as research, develop their own projects, and earn CIRTL Practitioner Level certification. Eligibility: CIRTL Associate Level (completed a graduate-level teaching-related course or five teaching-related workshops).
View more events

Stay Connected

Sign up for our newsletter to receive information about teaching resources and services each month.