2025 Week Zero
Jump start your fall semester!
Introducing Week Zero – a series of practical, flexible workshops and events designed to help you prepare for the start of classes.
Whether you’re looking to refresh your Canvas skills, rework an assignment using the TILT framework, or explore new strategies for engagement, there’s something for everyone.
📅 Week Zero 2025: August 11-15
📍 Location: In-person at the CFC (Hunter Library 166); Virtual sessions on Zoom
Week Zero Schedule
Week Zero Schedule followed by a detailed description of each session below.
Monday, August 11
Assignment Day
TILT 101: Transparent Assignment Design | 9:00–10:00 [in-person]
TILT Make & Take: Hands-on Assignment Redesign | 10:30–12:30 [in-person]
TILT 2.0: Teaching Students How to Decode Assignments | 1:30-2:30 [Zoom]
Tuesday, August 12
Canvas Day
Canvas Basics: Getting Started with Your Course Site | 9:00–10:00 [in-person] – with Jonathan Wade, Senior Educational Technologist
Canvas Q&A Lab | 10:00–11:00 [in-person]
Communication in Canvas: Be Present, Be Heard | 1:00–1:45 [Zoom]
Grading in Canvas: SpeedGrader, Rubrics & Feedback | 2:00–2:45 [Zoom]
Thursday, August 14
Accessibility & Active Learning Day
Accessible by Design: Course Material Accessibility | 9:30–10:30 [in-person] – with Wesley Satterwhite, Director of OAR
Active Learning for In-Person Classes | 1:30–2:30 [in-person]
Active Learning in Any Modality | 3:00–4:00 [Zoom]
Friday, August 15
Coffee & Consults
Coffee & Consults: Drop-In Teaching Support | 9:00–11:00 [in-person]
TILT Session Descriptions
TILT 101: Transparent Assignment Design
Discover how small tweaks to assignment instructions can make a big impact. This session introduces the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework and guides you through crafting assignments that promote equity, clarity, and student success.
TILT Make & Take: Hands-on Assignment Redesign
Bring a current assignment and leave with a clearer, more transparent version. We’ll provide guidance so you can revise your materials in real time and get peer and facilitator feedback along the way.
TILT 2.0: Teaching Students How to Decode Assignments
Take TILT to the next level by helping students become more independent learners. Explore strategies and resources to teach students how to interpret and approach complex assignments with confidence.
Canvas Session Descriptions
Canvas Basics: Getting Started with Your Course Site
New to Canvas or need a refresher? This session walks you through the essentials of setting up your course, adding content, and organizing materials to help your students hit the ground running.
Canvas Q&A Lab: Optional Hands-on Time
Have a Canvas question or want to try something new with support nearby? This open lab is a flexible, drop-in session where you can explore features, troubleshoot issues, and get one-on-one help. Whether you’re polishing a page, setting up assignments, or customizing your gradebook, we’re here to assist while you work.
Communication in Canvas: Be Present, Be Heard
Stay connected with your students with built-in Canvas features. We’ll show you how to use announcements, feedback tools, the syllabus feature, and discussions to build an engaging and communicative course environment.
Grading in Canvas: SpeedGrader, Rubrics & Feedback Tools
Simplify your grading workflow while maximizing feedback quality. Learn how to use SpeedGrader, apply rubrics, record video comments, and manage your gradebook with ease.
Accessibility & Active Learning Session Descriptions
Accessible by Design: Course Material Accessibility
Make your course more inclusive from the start. Learn how to create materials that work for all learners, with practical tips on formatting, images, captions, meeting transcripts, documents, and the built-in Canvas Accessibility Checker. Small changes can make a big difference.
Active Learning for In-Person Classes
Looking to energize your classroom? Explore simple, research-backed strategies to get students thinking, talking, and engaging. You’ll leave with ready-to-use ideas and a renewed sense of what’s possible face-to-face.
Active Learning in Any Modality
Whether you teach online, hybrid, or in a flexible format, this session showcases active learning techniques that translate across environments. Discover tools and strategies to keep students interacting with content, and each other, wherever they are.
Coffee & Consults Description
Coffee & Consults: Drop-In Teaching & Tech Support
Have a question, challenge, or just want to brainstorm with someone? Stop by for informal, low-stakes support with teaching strategies, course design, or technology.