2026 Week Zero

Syllabus Template & Conveying Course Information
The WCU syllabus template provides a consistent foundation for every course. In this session, we’ll walk through the template, demonstrate how to submit it to the syllabus repository, and discuss best practices for sharing your syllabus and other essential course information through Canvas.

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. 

Student Engagement Techniques
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.

Designing Assignments That Showcase Human Learning
In this session, participants will use Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning as a framework to redesign an assignment that emphasizes meaningful human learning. Through guided activities and peer discussion, instructors will evaluate an existing assignment and identify ways to make students’ thinking, decision-making, and growth more visible. Participants will leave with practical strategies and a revised assignment that promotes engagement and deeper learning.

Syllabus Template & Conveying Course Information
The WCU syllabus template provides a consistent foundation for every course. In this session, we’ll walk through the template, demonstrate how to submit it to the syllabus repository, and discuss best practices for sharing your syllabus and other essential course information through Canvas.

Intro to Canvas
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. 

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.

Communication in Canvas
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. 

Your Canvas Homepage: Setting the Tone from Day One
Your Canvas homepage is more than a landing page, it reflects you as an instructor and sets the foundation for your students’ learning experience, whether your course is in-person, online, or hybrid. Your homepage is often their first impression. A clear, welcoming homepage helps students feel confident and ready to learn; a cluttered or confusing one can leave them frustrated and disengaged. Discover different ways to build and customize your Canvas homepage. We will explore homepage layouts, design best practices, and simple strategies for creating a welcoming, organized, and easy-to-navigate starting point for your students.

Technology Petting Zoo
Enhance your projects and assignments with help from I.T.! Explore specialized equipment, training opportunities, and support for students and faculty alike!

Trauma-Informed Teaching: Strategies for Application
In this interactive workshop, participants will explore trauma-informed care principles and identify practical strategies for supporting student wellness in classroom settings.