Western Carolina University logo with Coulter Faculty Commons

A Day Dedicated to Scholarly Teaching at WCU

by | Jul 1, 2026 | Blog, Event, Faculty Development Workshop, Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Pop quiz: What is scholarly teaching?  

A. Thinking about your work as an educator and talking about teaching and learning with colleagues. 
B. Consulting with an educational developer and other resources (newsletters, peer-reviewed research, blogs) about your teaching practice or student learning. 
C. Designing course elements that are evidence-informed.  
D. All of the above. 

If you chose D – All of the above – you are correct!

Flyer for the Coulter Faculty Commons’ Teacher-Scholar Inspiration Day, depicting a happy light bulb.

Want to know more? Check out the Teacher-Scholar Inspiration Day website for the full schedule!

Teacher-Scholar Inspiration Day, hosted by Coulter Faculty Commons on July 28, 2026, offers an opportunity to explore and engage in scholarly teaching. Participants will have a chance to reflect, re–energize and connect teaching with evidence–based inquiry that benefits students, faculty and instructional staff. 

Provost Starnes will welcome participants and Dr. Laura Cruz, Research Professor at Penn State University’s Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, will serve as the keynote speaker and facilitator for this professional development experience. Teacher-Scholar Inspiration Day also includes concurrent sessions around the following three tracks:

  • High-Impact Practices (HIPs) Made Practical: HIPs that Fit Your Course 
  • From One Course to the Next: Sustaining Student Learning Over Time 
  • Teaching Students to Think and Talk: Facilitating Meaningful Dialogue

Another highlight of the day will be a panel of WCU faculty members who will share reflections on their Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) journeys, highlighting their growth from early inquiry to deeper scholarly engagement.  

Unable to attend but interested in learning more? Watch Elon University’s SoTL vs. Scholarly Teaching video interview with renowned SoTL scholars, stop by Coulter Faculty Commons to chat with a member of the CFC team, or set up a time to meet with April Tallant that works with your schedule. 

Register for the 2026 Teacher-Scholar Day

Teacher–Scholar Inspiration Day

by | Apr 6, 2026 | Blog, Event, Faculty Development Workshop, Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

You are invited to attend Teacher–Scholar Inspiration Day, a one‑day gathering designed to energize your teaching, deepen student learning, and support your own well‑being as an educator. The event will take place on Tuesday, July 28, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM in Apodaca. Participants will receive a certificate of completion, a letter from the Coulter Faculty Commons, and a light breakfast and lunch. 

Through an engaging keynote delivered by Laura Cruz, faculty panel, interactive sessions, and collaborative conversations, participants will explore how small, intentional, evidence‑based shifts in teaching can make a meaningful difference for students and for ourselves. 

SoTL at WCU banya tree
Register for the 2026 Teacher-Scholar Day

The day emphasizes scholarly teaching: using curiosity, reflection, and research- informed practices to guide instructional choices. You’ll exchange ideas with colleagues, explore shared teaching challenges, and leave with practical inspiration you can carry into the year ahead. We’ll also have SoTL (the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) concurrent sessions as one possible pathway for turning teaching questions into collaborative inquiry. If you have never heard of  SoTL, are ready to begin planning a SoTL study, or your SoTL project is complete and you need help moving forward, we have you covered.  

All faculty, instructional staff, and graduate teaching assistants are welcome to attend and take away what is most meaningful for your teaching, your students, and your professional renewal. Come grounded in your current practice. Leave inspired, connected, and supported. 

Click.Craft.Connect

by | Mar 12, 2026 | Blog, Faculty Development Workshop, Learning Community, Online Learning, Teaching with Technology

Online Teaching Cohort Starts April 6

What if sharpening your online teaching skills also meant connecting with some of the most thoughtful instructors on campus? This April, the Coulter Faculty Commons is facilitating another cohort in its Excellence in Online Teaching Basics — a 4-week Canvas course that’s as much about community as it is about content.

Cat in a virtual meeting with other cats

Through 5 self-paced modules on Canvas, you’ll explore everything from the fundamentals of online learning to course design, student engagement, and beyond.

Each module takes just 1–2 hours to complete and the course includes 4 facilitated discussions where you can share your ideas with fellow instructors. 

Whether you’re brand new to teaching online or have a few semesters under your belt, this is your space to learn, reflect, and share what works.

Not sure if the EOT cohort is for you? Contact Scott Seagle at seaglej@wcu.edu to help you get started.

Register for the April 2026 EoT Cohort

From River Valleys to Mountain Peaks: Call for SITL Proposals

by | Feb 25, 2026 | Blog, Call for Papers, Faculty Development Workshop, Summer Institute for Teaching & Learning (SITL)

The Coulter Faculty Commons (CFC) invites faculty and staff to submit proposals for the 2026 Summer Institute for Teaching & Learning.

Under the theme River Valleys to Mountain Peaks: Expanding Our Teaching Horizons, this year’s institute celebrates the many pathways of teaching and learning at WCU. Just as our region’s landscape invites exploration and growth, we welcome sessions that highlight effective practices, creative innovations, and thoughtful reflections that support student success.

Call for Proposals flyer for SITL 2026 from the Coulter Faculty Commons, depicting a mountain and lake painting.

We look forward to learning with you as we explore new perspectives and expand our teaching horizons together.

At a Glance

📅 Dates: May 13 & 14, 2026, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm 

📍 Location: WCU Main Campus, Apodaca  

📝 Proposal Submission Deadline: April 1, 2026 

📩 Notice of Proposal Acceptance: April 15, 2026 

Ready to share your work?

Visit the 2026 SITL webpage for full details and submission guidelines.

Exploring GenAI Learning Series @WCU

by | Jan 24, 2026 | AI, Assessment, Blog, Educational Development, Faculty Development Workshop

Faculty, staff, and administrators are invited to participate in a new AI-focused professional learning series that explores how generative AI is reshaping teaching, learning, and everyday work in higher education. This collaborative series is being offered by Coulter Faculty Commons, Hunter Library, and IT.

The series features three sessions, including From Detection to Design: Rethinking Assignments with GenAI in Mind, Everyday GenAI at Work: Boosting Efficiency with Microsoft Copilot, and Evaluating AI Information for Reliability. Together, these workshops provide practical strategies, shared language, and campus-informed perspectives to help participants thoughtfully engage with AI tools while supporting effective pedagogy, responsible use, and institutional goals. 

From Detection to Design: Rethinking Assignments with GenAI in Mind

Friday, February 6 | 11:15 am – 12:45 pm 

In this workshop, instructors will explore how and why structural changes to assignments are essential in the age of generative AI (GenAI). Drawing on current research, the session emphasizes designing assessments that promote learning, integrity, and student engagement rather than attempting to “AI‑proof” coursework. 

Everyday GenAI at Work: Boosting Efficiency with Microsoft Copilot 

Friday, March 20 | 10:00 – 11:30 am

Discover how Microsoft Copilot can transform your daily workflow. This session will explore practical ways to integrate AI into routine tasks—drafting documents, summarizing content, analyzing data, and more. Learn tips and best practices to streamline processes, save time, and enhance productivity using Microsoft Copilot. Perfect for anyone looking to work smarter, not harder.

Evaluating AI Information for Reliability

Friday, April 17 | 1:00 – 2:00 pm

This session acknowledges the value of the (trained) human eye when working with new technologies, such as AI, to ensure that the information is accurate and reliable, and can therefore be used for some purpose/application (to make decisions, solve problems, etc.) without issue. The goal of the session is for participants to learn how to critically evaluate GenAI outputs to determine if the information can be trusted and used reliably, while enhancing our overall thinking skills. 

Register for AI Learning Series Session(s)

Back due to popular demand: AI Forum

by | Jan 9, 2026 | AI, Blog, Classroom, Educational Technology, Faculty Development Workshop

Using Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Teaching & Learning

Tuesday, January 27 | 3:30 – 5:00 pm
Hunter Library 156 (CFC) or via Zoom

You’re invited to an open forum for faculty across disciplines to share ideas, challenges, and best practices focused on uses of AI in the classroom. The forum will be structured into two parts. Part 1: Faculty will share ideas regarding how they are using generative AI for teaching innovation and to ease course administration burdens. Part 2: Faculty will share ideas for setting and maintaining clear expectations regarding ethical and responsible student use of AI and the impacts of AI on student learning processes. We will also reflect on how faculty and students can set competency-based learning goals that emphasize distinctive human skills. Come ready to share your ideas and to learn from and be inspired by others.

Register for "Using AI to Enhance Teaching & Learning"