Special Events
WORKSHOPS
Each semester, CITL offers workshops, special programs, and reading groups. Open to faculty and teaching assistants, many of these events count toward meeting the requirements of our teaching certificates. For information about an event, please check the CITL Calendar.
AI Workshops & Sessions
The Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning (CITL) is hosts the AI Horizons series at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Throughout this series, faculty and staff have the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops, guest talks, and conversations on how artificial intelligence (AI) impacts the future of education and beyond.
- AI Horizons Series: Attend an upcoming event
- Previous events and workshops (Summer of AI, Fall Into AI, and Spring Into AI) - Access here
PRE-SEMESTER TA TRAINING
Two campus-wide, pre-semester orientation programs for new Teaching Assistants (TAs) are held each August and January. Departments register their TAs for these programs; individual TAs cannot register themselves.
- The Graduate Academy for College Teaching prepares TAs for classroom teaching responsibilities (lecture, discussion, laboratory, or studio) by engaging them in interactive sessions about teaching strategies and resources. The program is designed as a conference with choices of sessions on foundational teaching topics, discipline-based teaching topics and language, culture, and diversity topics. Microteaching sessions provide TAs with a safe and constructive environment to practice their teaching skills.
- The Symposium on Grading & Office Hours is for those TAs who have non-classroom responsibilities. In large and small group sessions, TAs learn about effective and fair grading techniques and how to use office hours as an opportunity for good teaching and learning.
CONFERENCES
At CITL, we believe in the power of community to inspire and transform education. Our faculty events provide unique opportunities for educators to connect, share ideas, and explore the future of teaching and learning. Whether you’re looking to dive into the latest pedagogical innovations, explore cutting-edge technologies, or build meaningful partnerships, our events offer a place for growth, collaboration, and inspiration. CITL employees help to organize several annual conferences targeted to instructional staff and faculty:
The Annual Faculty Retreat has been reimagined as a year-long series of connected events designed to help faculty explore practical approaches to teaching and learning in a changing higher education landscape. Through conversations, workshops, and collaborative learning experiences, participants will engage with timely issues affecting our classrooms, students, and institutions while building connections with colleagues from across campus.
This year's theme, Adapting Teaching and Learning for a Changing Higher Education Landscape, will be explored through a series of events that build on one another throughout the academic year:
Faculty Retreat Gatherings
Community-centered gatherings that bring faculty together to build connections, reflect on shared experiences, and explore opportunities for growth and collaboration.
- Where We Begin: Building Community in Teaching and Learning
- Where We Continue: Celebrating Growth, Connections, and New Possibilities
Collaborative Sessions
Interactive discussions focused on timely challenges and opportunities in higher education, with an emphasis on dialogue, shared learning, and practical strategies.
- Responding to Current Events, Uncertainty, and Change
- Teaching Responsible Choices in an AI-Enabled World
- Information Literacy: Helping Students Navigate an Algorithmic World
Together, these events create space for reflection, dialogue, and the sharing of practical strategies that support both faculty and student success.
Learn more about the Faculty Retreat series and upcoming events.
The Reimagining the Classroom Symposium is an exciting event that explores the evolving relationship between physical classrooms, teaching methods, and emerging technologies. As we strive to create transformative learning experiences for our students, this symposium supports the university’s Strategic 150 goal by helping educators rethink how we design learning spaces to enhance student engagement and success.
At this symposium, you’ll have the chance to:
- Explore how the physical design of classrooms can impact learning outcomes.
- Learn about the latest technologies and teaching strategies that are reshaping modern classrooms.
- Engage in discussions about the future of teaching and how to create more flexible, student-centered learning environments.
What You’ll Experience:
- Thought-provoking presentations on the future of teaching and classroom design.
- Discussions on how to create learning spaces that support diverse teaching styles.
- Opportunities to see how emerging technologies can transform the way we teach.
Lincoln Legacy Teaching & Learning Conference (LLTLC). Formerly known as the Faculty Summer Institute (FSI), the Lincoln Legacy Teaching and Learning Community (LLTLC) is a long-standing tradition of excellence in education. Each May, educators and instructional technology professionals from across Illinois and beyond gather at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to explore innovative teaching practices and the smart use of educational technologies.
For over 25 years, this event has been a hub of inspiration, offering participants the chance to:
- Discover new pedagogies and technologies that can transform student learning.
- Engage in hands-on workshops and practical training.
- Connect with a vibrant community of educators passionate about advancing teaching excellence.
Join us as we continue this legacy, fostering a friendly, supportive environment where educators can learn, share, and grow together.
Why Attend?
- Learn from thought leaders in teaching and educational technology.
- Participate in hands-on, practical training that you can implement right away.
- Be part of a community dedicated to pushing the boundaries of teaching and learning.
Discourse Series
The Discourse Series is designed to help faculty navigate challenging yet essential conversations in academic spaces. Through interactive sessions and practical strategies, this series equips educators to foster inclusive dialogue, manage moments of tension, and guide students through complex topics with empathy and care.
In this series, we aim to:
- Explore how shared values and respectful disagreement can coexist in and beyond the classroom.
- Strengthen facilitation skills for open, thoughtful, and supportive conversations.
- Build a campus culture that promotes belonging and equity through dialogue.
Whether you’re addressing controversial issues or seeking to enhance your communication skills, the Discourse Series offers tools and techniques to create more inclusive learning environments. Participants can also earn the Inclusive Dialogue Facilitation Certificate, recognizing their commitment to fostering respectful and productive discourse.
How would you and your students benefit?
- Gain confidence and strategies for facilitating sensitive discussions.
- Help students develop critical thinking, listening, and engagement across differences.
- Create classrooms that support belonging, empathy, and resilience.