In 1996, the Center for Teaching opened its doors in two retrofitted hotel rooms in the Iowa Memorial Union. Throughout its history, the center has been a thought leader and collaborator on many transformative projects at the University of Iowa, including:
- TILE (Transform, Interact, Learn, Engage) Program. More than 10 years since its inception, the faculty development component of TILE is internationally recognized for its support of instructors transforming teaching practices through lively interaction, student-centered active learning, and increased faculty/student engagement.
- Faculty Learning Communities. With the support of Center for Teaching staff, these faculty-led communities continue to expand and address new topics.
- Early Career Faculty Academy. Center for Teaching designed this program to support first-year, tenure-track assistant professors. By 2021, more than 175 faculty in 66 departments had participated in the Academy.
- Graduate Student Professional Development Program. The Center for Teaching continues to develop robust programming for graduate student instructors, including the Graduate Teaching Fellows program and New Teaching Assistant Orientation.
- Institutes. In addition to a variety of campus-wide workshops each semester, the Center for Teaching has launched popular institutes on service-learning, course design, and more.
- Handbook for Teaching Excellence. Our handbook has been shared with thousands of new UI instructors, and Center for Teaching staff shared a new 8th edition in fall 2022.
Videos: Reflecting on the Past
Listen to the Center’s four former directors (Jean Florman, 2009–2021; Norbert Pienta, 2005–2008; Wilfrid Nixon, 2002–2005; and Tom Rocklin, 1996–2002) reflect on: