The Center for Teaching Excellence welcomes your suggestions for presenters and programming
aimed at improving teaching and learning at USC. Please share your thoughts. We’d
love to hear your ideas! Submit Professional Development Recommendation
Friday, May 8, 10:00am - 12:00pm - In-Person and Virtual
Modern AI systems can act as collaborative research assistants capable of literature
synthesis, hypothesis generation, data analysis, and grant development.
Conduct structured literature reviews efficiently
Support hypothesis exploration and experimental design
Assist in grant writing and proposal structuring
Enable data interpretation and visualization
Promote ethical and rigorous AI use in research
Ideal for: Faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research staff. Register
Friday, May 15, 10:00am - 12:00pm - In-Person and Virtual
Agentic AI can function as a scalable teaching partner supporting course design, content
generation, assessment, and personalized learning.
Assist in lecture preparation and materials creation
Develop adaptive assignments and assessments
Generate diverse explanations and examples
Support grading and feedback workflows
Establish responsible AI classroom policies
Ideal for: Faculty, lecturers, and instructional designers. Register
Friday, May 22, 10:00am - 12:00pm - In-Person and Virtual
Administrative staff can use agentic AI to automate tasks, improve communication,
and support decisions.
Automate email drafting and scheduling
Generate reports and summaries
Support workflow automation
Improve communications
Ensure responsible use with sensitive data
Ideal for: Administrative staff, coordinators, and leadership teams. Register
June 2026
Thursday, June 11, 1:00pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
This workshop familiarizes attendees with Blackboard Learn’s Ultra Course View. eLearning
Services will demonstrate how instructors can navigate a UCV course, communicate with
students, add content, find and utilize Blackboard tools, and grade assignments. Register
Tuesday, June 23, 10:00am - 11:30am - Webinar
This comprehensive 90-minute workshop introduces educators to using both Panopto and
Zoom within Blackboard Learn to create engaging, effective online learning experiences.
Participants will learn how to create and manage video content with Panopto, integrate
recordings seamlessly into their courses, and leverage Zoom for live virtual sessions.
The session will also cover scheduling and managing Zoom meetings, handling recordings,
and organizing video content for easy student access. Whether you are new to these
tools or looking to streamline your workflow, this training provides practical strategies
to enhance teaching and learning with integrated video and web conferencing solutions.Register
July 2026
Tuesday, July 7, 10:00am - 11:00am - Webinar
In this session you'll learn how to transform your Blackboard Learn Ultra course from
ordinary to extraordinary! Discover how best to organize your content to make your
course visually engaging and user-friendly and then take it a step further with customization
to add some pizazz. Whether you're looking to streamline your course structure, add
some creative touches, or both, this session will give you the tools to make your
course stand out. Register
Wednesday, July 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
This workshop familiarizes attendees with Blackboard Learn’s Ultra Course View. eLearning
Services will demonstrate how instructors can navigate a UCV course, communicate with
students, add content, find and utilize Blackboard tools, and grade assignments. Register
August 2026
Tuesday, August 4, 10:30am - 11:30am - Webinar
This workshop is designed for Blackboard users who are familiar with the new Ultra
Course View but want a more intensive look at the UCV Gradebook. In this 60-minute
session, a consultant from eLearning Services will share best practices and tips &
tricks for setting up a Gradebook that works for you, present a live demonstration,
and answer questions.Register
Monday, August 10, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
Why do you have a syllabus? Do your students even read the syllabus? In this session,
you will discuss the purpose of the syllabus and how it can support clear and organized
course design. You will identify USC-specific syllabus resources, including a template
and checklist, that can help communicate course expectations, policies, and student
responsibilities effectively.Register
Tuesday, August 11, 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Webinar
In this session, you will explore strategies for structuring your course for a strong
start and preparing students for success. You will examine content flow, pacing, and
alignment between outcomes and assessments to support a clear and organized learning
experience. Register
Tuesday, August 11, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for course design that prioritizes
accessibility and anticipates learners’ needs. In this session, you will become familiar
with UDL as a tool for course preparation and explore resources for increasing the
accessibility of course materials and learning activities.Register
Wednesday, August 12, 11:00am - 12:00pm - Webinar
In this session, you will identify strategies for creating a strong start to the semester
through day one planning, early engagement, active learning, and connections to resources
that support student success.Register
Wednesday, August 12, 3:30pm - 4:30pm - Webinar
Active learning doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. In this session, you
will explore active learning activities that take around 15 minutes or less and begin
building an engagement toolkit that can support student participation and interaction.Register
Thursday, August 13, 9:00am - 10:00am - Webinar
This workshop familiarizes attendees with Blackboard Learn’s Ultra Course View. eLearning
Services will demonstrate how instructors can navigate a UCV course, communicate with
students, add content, find and utilize Blackboard tools, and grade assignments. Register
Thursday, August 13, 10:30am - 11:30am - Webinar
This workshop is designed for Blackboard users who are familiar with the new Ultra
Course View but want a more intensive look at the UCV Gradebook. In this 60-minute
session, a consultant from eLearning Services will share best practices and tips &
tricks for setting up a Gradebook that works for you, present a live demonstration,
and answer questions.Register
Thursday, August 13, 1:00pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
In this session you'll learn how to transform your Blackboard Learn Ultra course from
ordinary to extraordinary! Discover how best to organize your content to make your
course visually engaging and user-friendly and then take it a step further with customization
to add some pizazz. Whether you're looking to streamline your course structure, add
some creative touches, or both, this session will give you the tools to make your
course stand out. Register
Thursday, August 13, 2:30pm - 4:00pm - Webinar
This comprehensive 90-minute workshop introduces educators to using both Panopto and
Zoom within Blackboard Learn to create engaging, effective online learning experiences.
Participants will learn how to create and manage video content with Panopto, integrate
recordings seamlessly into their courses, and leverage Zoom for live virtual sessions.
The session will also cover scheduling and managing Zoom meetings, handling recordings,
and organizing video content for easy student access. Whether you are new to these
tools or looking to streamline your workflow, this training provides practical strategies
to enhance teaching and learning with integrated video and web conferencing solutions.Register
Friday, August 14, 9:00am - 9:40am - Webinar
In this workshop, you will learn how to enhance your courses in Blackboard's Ultra
Course View. This session will guide you through setting accommodations for students,
making your content more accessible, and applying universal design best practices.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll be equipped with practical strategies to create
a more inclusive and effective learning environment for all students. Don't miss this
opportunity to make your courses better for everyone! Register
Friday, August 14, 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Webinar
This workshop familiarizes attendees with Blackboard Learn’s Ultra Course View. eLearning
Services will demonstrate how instructors can navigate a UCV course, communicate with
students, add content, find and utilize Blackboard tools, and grade assignments. Register
Friday, August 14, 2:00pm - 3:00pm - Webinar
iClicker Cloud is a mobile-optimized engagement platform designed to facilitate student,
educator, and institutional collaboration. iClicker Cloud includes both synchronous
and asynchronous options including polling, quizzing, and assignments. Integrated
right into Blackboard, iClicker can help instructors increase attendance and participation,
provide instant feedback and identify misconceptions in real time, regardless of class
size or the delivery method.Register
Monday, August 17, 11:00am - 12:00pm - Webinar
Did you know that there is a science behind learning names? Names are an important
part of identity and key to?establishing?rapport as you build your learning communities.
Facilitating learning names by everyone in your class increases a sense of belonging
and enhances opportunities for engagement. In this session, you will reflect on personal
and global naming conventions,?identify?cognitive challenges with learning names,
prioritize learning names as a pedagogy of care, and apply science of names to classroom
practices? Register