Western Carolina University logo with Coulter Faculty Commons

CFC Announces New Universal Design for Learning Course

by | Sep 29, 2025 | Accessibility, Blog, Canvas, Faculty Development Workshop, Learning Community, Professional Development, UDL

We’re excited to introduce our upcoming course on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an approach that expands how we think about creating a barrier-free classroom and beyond. 

Universal Design (UD) centers on a simple yet powerful concept: creating products and environments that work for the widest possible range of users, regardless of age, ability, or background. Originally developed by a collaborative team of architects, product designers, and engineers, UD is built on seven foundational principles that guide accessible design thinking. 

What is UDL? 

In educational settings, these principles evolved into Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a comprehensive framework for developing course materials and courses that serve every learner. UDL recognizes that students bring diverse backgrounds and abilities, to the classroom. By designing with this diversity of learners in mind from the outset through its three principles engagement, representation, and action and expression, instructors can create more effective learning experiences for everyone. 

This proactive approach doesn’t replace the need for individual accommodations when students require them; rather, it operates on a fundamental principle: when instructors design inclusively from the beginning, this design naturally addresses many accessibility needs while enhancing the experience for all learners. 

Join us in exploring how UDL principles can transform your approach to creating truly equitable learning environments. 

Announcing Our New Universal Design for Learning Course 

We will kick off our first cohort for our new 4-week asynchronous Canvas course on UDL on Monday, November 3. This course is ideal for instructors who want to learn more about the fundamentals of UDL and want to learn together and from colleagues on campus.  

Register for the UDL course

We Recommend: Teach Students How To Learn

by | Sep 26, 2025 | Blog, We Recommend

The Science of Learning Meets the Art of Teaching

October 2025

Recommended by Anabel Livengood, Senior Educational Developer  

One book that I keep going back to and have been recommending to faculty for years is Saundra McGuire’s Teach Students How To Learn. My copy is highlighted, scribbled in, and has oh so many earmarks. Her book became an instant classic for a reason – she explores the importance of how we, as instructors, can have an even bigger impact on our students’ lives that goes beyond the content knowledge and the skills we want to teach. Originally written ten years ago, McGuire (a chemistry professor) provides actionable strategies on how and when in the semester you can (and should) incorporate lessons that help students to develop metacognitive strategies that will make them more proficient lifelong learners – and keep them motivated along the way.

Book cover of "Teach Students HOW to Learn" and headshot of Saundra McGuire.

McGuire, S. Y. (2023). Teach students how to learn: Strategies you can incorporate into any course to improve student metacognition, study skills, and motivation. 

The suggestions in her book cover a wide range of topics:   

  • identifying where and how students formed their current study habits,  
  • developing a growth mindset that embraces challenges and mistakes as learning opportunities,  
  • teaching students specific strategies for reading textbooks effectively,  
  • showing students how to approach and work through assignments systematically, 
  • creating study groups that follow the proven study cycle method,  
  • connecting course content to Bloom’s taxonomy levels,  
  • understanding different teaching styles and how they affect student learning,  
  • as well as developing strategies for underprepared students by adapting teaching methods to meet varying skill levels and backgrounds. 

While Saundra McGuire’s tips were written from the perspective of teaching STEM courses, lessons learned apply to all courses. If you have ever asked yourself, “How can I support my students’ learning?”, this book is for you!  

To access the full collection of teaching-related recommendations, visit CFC’s We Recommend.

SoTL Scholar Feature: Geraldine Riouff

by | Sep 26, 2025 | Blog, Guest Post, Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The SoTL Scholar Feature highlights the work of WCU faculty participating in the SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) Academy, a program sponsored by the Coulter Faculty Commons.  
Headshot of Geraldine Riouff.
Our current SoTL Scholar Feature focuses on Geraldine Riouff, a faculty member in the Environmental Health Sciences program in the College of Health and Human Sciences.

Riouff has extensive experience in the Public Health field and has taught at WCU for 5 years. Her courses include Introduction to Public Health, Introduction to Global Health, Food Protection and Sanitation, and Institutional and Residential Environments. 

What started you on your SoTL journey?  

I became interested in SoTL because I haven’t had formal teaching training. I came from Public Health practice, and education was a big part of what I did. However, the student demographics were different. I wanted to have a resource for improving teaching techniques and have a way of following data to see where or how I could reach my students effectively and efficiently. 

 

How has joining the SoTL Academy impacted your work? 

The value of SoTL is the collaboration amongst peers and the mentorship that took place between the SoTL Faculty Fellows and SoTL Scholars. I had many ideas and bouncing them off others was powerful in deciding where my focus should land. In addition, the Institutional Review Board process can be challenging, and having a mentor was quite helpful in making this process seamless. 

 

What type of SoTL research are you conducting? 

The SoTL Project I landed on was evaluating curriculum to reflect the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) workplace competencies. I am striving for intentional academic practices that will help students transition into their desired career to be work-ready and life-long self-directed learners.  I hope that by doing this, they will be able to tie the content learned to practice and help them gain confidence in the work that they will be doing. 

 

Anything else you would like to share? 

Being a SoTL Scholar is important to me because I am a lifelong learner, and I want to lead by example.  Adjusting teaching practices to provide an equitable approach that enables all students to learn and grow their educational and professional interests is the value of SoTL. 

Want to Learn more about SoTL at WCU?
Check out the CFC’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) page

Canvas Training: New Course Accessibility Tools in Canvas

by | Sep 23, 2025 | Accessibility, Blog, Canvas, Faculty Development Workshop, Teaching with Technology

Would you like to make your course more available and accessible to your students?  

The Division of IT, in partnership with the Office of Accessibility Resources and the Office of the Provost, has made a new set of tools available in Canvas to help guide you to make your courses more accessible. This Accessibility Suite is already active in your Canvas courses, but if you’d like more training about how to get the best out of these tools, we urge you to register for this professional development opportunity.

Register even if you can’t attend, and we will make the recording available to you!

Register:

Friday, October 17, 10:30 am – WCU Online Accessibility Tools Update 2025 

Or

Thursday, November 6, 3:00 pm – WCU Online Accessibility Tools Update

Upcoming Fulbright Specialist Panel

by | Aug 29, 2025 | Blog, Professional Development, Research, Teaching and Learning, University Support

Want to Learn More About Fubright Opportunities?

Flyer for Fulbright Specialist Panel on Friday, September 12, 2025.

Friday, September 12 from 1:00-2:00 p.m.

Hunter Library 186 or Zoom

Panelists:

  • Wes Milner, Director of Global Engagement, WCU Fulbright Liaison
  • Chuck Thomas, Dean of Library Services
  • Marie-Line Germain, Professor of HR and Leadership

Drop-ins welcome, pre-registration preferred
Pre-Register at http://bit.ly/4oQ7ci3

Finding the Right Fulbright Program for You

By Yanjun Yan, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical Engineering, UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching Winner 2023, Fulbright U.S. Scholar 2021 

It is with mixed feelings that I write about this as the funding for Fulbright has been turbulent this year. The good news is that as of August 22, 2025, several Fulbright programs are among 28 programs at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to get their FY25 budget released and Congress has a 15-day period to fully approve them by early September. Meanwhile, a budget of $287.8 million was proposed for Fulbright programs in FY26. Unfortunately, 22 other programs at ECA may get their FY25 budget cut. The Fulbright-Hays Program was funded through the Department of Education and was cancelled in FY25. 

Despite the recent funding turmoil, Fulbright has been the flagship international exchange initiative since 1946. Every U.S. dollar invested in Fulbright leverages an additional 60 cents in funding from private sectors or other countries. People may not realize that there are various Fulbright programs for different stages in their careers. Fulbright programs in the FY26 budget proposal include: 

Fulbright programs require U.S. citizenship to be eligible. The most suitable programs for faculty are the U.S. Scholar (2-12 months) and/or the Specialist (2-6 weeks). I will provide some tips on the U.S. Scholar program below, and we will offer a panel on the Specialist program on Friday, September 12, 2025, in Hunter Library 186, 1:00-2:00 p.m. with Zoom option (pre-register at http://bit.ly/4oQ7ci3 but walk-ins are welcome).

Explore Fulbright Opportunities

For Fulbright U.S. Scholar program:  

  • The programs can be research, teaching, teaching/research, or professional. Some programs are set in one of the types, but other programs may allow you to choose the type. A Research-only grant is treated as a non-taxable fellowship, but if the grant is used to support teaching, even partially, it becomes taxable income. The monetary amount of the grant can vary depending on location and the number of awards. As reviewers, we have seen applications from community college faculty who identified an equivalent host abroad, or researchers who pioneered a research field. All applications were reviewed by the suitability of the project and the preparedness of the applicants, and none of them were at a disadvantage.  
  • The programs may last from 2 months to 12 months. Some programs are set in their durations, while others may allow you to choose the number of months. The FLEX option may allow one to split their stay into two segments, but not all programs have the FLEX feature. 
  • Many programs require an invitation letter from the host institution, but some are optional, and some prohibit you from submitting an invitation letter. If you do not have a connection beforehand, you may still find a program that suits you. 
  • For a country with sizable Fulbright programs, there is often a Fulbright Commission with dedicated staff to manage the programs. Or else, the U.S. embassy in that country is the contact and manager of the programs. They often organize cultural and academic events while you are there. During the application process, you can also reach out to IIE (the platform for Fulbright applications) staff or alums if you have a question. 
  • About 60% of the grants provide dependent support. While on-site, there can be mini grants for projects or travel grants for presentations. Every family’s situation is different. You may need to consider children’s education, spouse’s work relocation, and renting out your house or finding a house sitter and/or pet sitter. Most programs expect you to find a rental room locally and pay for it, although some programs may provide some lodging support, or the hosts may provide lodging. It’s okay to ask the local staff if there may be English schools for your children. 
  • Most programs are in a single country, but there may be programs involving two or more countries.  
  • There are two rounds of reviews, and some countries may call for an interview. The first round of reviews is in the U.S. based on merit and the decision may be released in late November. The second round of reviews is in the host country to make the match. The final decision can be awarded, rejected, being an alternative (if the awardee declines the offer, you will be awarded), or switched to a nearby country (if you agree). 
  • At WCU, you could sync up your Fulbright U.S. Scholar application (due around September 15) with the WCU Scholarly Development Assignment Program (SDAP) application (due around October 1), with approval from your Department Head and Dean, or reach out to the Provost’s Office for more guidance on the timing. 

As a Fulbright alum or a supporter of Fulbright, you are welcome to join the Fulbright Association (FBA). I have been on the NC FBA board since summer 2023, and we have organized several events such as a panel in Fall 2023 “Meet WCU Fulbrighters”, a panel in Spring 2024 on U.S. Scholar, and the upcoming panel on Specialist on Sep 12, 2025. If you’d like to encourage your students to consider Fulbright, please contact WCU ONIA (Office of National and International Awards) and watch out for the third annual WCU Fulbright Week events, expected in Spring 2026.