Digital Learning and Teaching and Learning Innovation (TLI) are pleased to partner to offer the Introduction to Online Teaching Seminar for Graduate Students and Postdocs. This seminar is designed to introduce graduate students and postdocs to online course design and pedagogy as part of TLI’s Developing Future Faculty series. During this six-week course, participants will learn and apply principles and best practices associated with designing and developing an online course, including assessment strategies, student engagement techniques, content creation and accessibility, universal design for learning, and the use of Generative AI in teaching and learning. This seminar will include four synchronous workshops held on Zoom on Wednesdays from 2:30 – 4:00 PM EST. Participants are expected to attend at least three of the four scheduled workshops and complete all deliverables to earn their certificate of completion. Participants should expect to spend around 2-3 hours on weekly activities. The synchronous sessions are scheduled for the following dates: January 28, 2:30-4:00 p.m. ET February 4, 2:30-4:00 p.m. ET February 18, 2:30-4:00 p.m. ET March 4, 2:30-4:00 p.m. ET

Take your online teaching skills to the next level with our Advanced Online Course Delivery training! This facilitated, asynchronous four-week course offers in-depth insights into delivering online courses effectively. Learn advanced techniques for promoting student engagement, creating learning experiences, humanizing the online environment, and managing your course. Join us to master the art of online teaching and create a thriving learning experience for your students. This course is ideal for participants who have already completed the Online Teaching and Learning Certificate training. This course runs in Fall 2025 from November 10 to December 5.

This interactive session will explore how generative AI can be used as a learning partner to cultivate higher-order thinking and critical engagement in the classroom. Participants will engage in hands-on exercises and reflect on ways to integrate AI meaningfully into teaching. The session will also share insights from the “Thinking Critically with Generative AI” project, recently piloted at UTK, showcasing how effective AI integration can support student reasoning, higher order thinking, and critical reflection.  ============================================================================= Dr. Fatima Zahra is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is also the founder of Artificial Intelligence, Race, and Evaluation (AIRE) Lab based at UTK. Her work focuses on designing socially just, culturally responsive education and labor market interventions that leverage technology responsibly. At AIRE Lab, she and her team explore how artificial intelligence, evaluation, and policy can disrupt inequalities and expand opportunities for marginalized communities.

Gen Z is reshaping higher education with their digital fluency, fearless values, and desire for purpose-driven learning. Join UTK students and faculty as they explore Gen Z voices and innovative strategies for engaging students, creating caring learning environments, and leveraging emerging technologies for meaningful learning. ============================================================================= Brian Stevens is a Distinguished Lecturer in Business Analytics and Statistics and the Faculty Director for Technology Enhanced Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is passionate about making learning both fun and accessible by aligning teaching strategies with how newer generations engage with content. Brian integrates social media, gamification, and data-driven storytelling to connect with Gen Z learners in meaningful and memorable ways. His work bridges education and innovation, helping students thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world. Jada Walker is a proud University of Tennessee alum and 2025 Torchbearer graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Sport Management with a major in Sports Management and minors in Business Administration and Spanish. She is currently a Master’s student in Adult and Higher Education with a concentration in Intercollegiate Athletics Administration at the University of Oklahoma. While at UT, Jada was heavily involved in Greek Life, Division of Student Success, Enrollment Management, Athletics and more. Even beyond graduation, she remains committed to leaving UT better than she found it, beginning with championing student voices and fostering purpose-driven learning. Passionate about innovation, inclusion, and impact, Jada brings a Gen Z perspective to reimagining higher education through care, community, and emerging technology. Cat Cox is a UT alum & a first year master's student in the College of Education, Health, & Human Sciences-- working on her MS in Educational Administration with a concentration in Higher Education Administration. As a fully online master's student, she has a mission to create a more meaningful community among the distance education student population and promote areas of opportunity for students with disabilities both online and on-campus. During her time at UTK as a full-time staff member, Cat has focused on accessibility and transparency within higher education, which is why she is involved with the UT Promise Mentorship program, the FUTURE Program, as well as the newly created Staff Senate. This Brown Bag session came to life when Cat noticed that there was a lot of conversation about Gen-Z students and their learning habits, but rarely saw Gen-Z voices and stories being the focal point.

Digital Learning and UT Libraries invite UT staff and faculty to join our Fall Book Club series: “Teach to Be…” This four-part conversation explores critical digital pedagogy through short readings and rich discussion. Each session highlights an important theme: *Teach to Be Conscious *Teach to Be Liberatory *Teach to Be Feminist *Teach to Be Ethical With curated excerpts from key thinkers like Freire, hooks, Stommel, Carnoy, and UT’s own Dr. Enilda Romero-Hall. Join us for four live Zoom sessions and optional asynchronous conversations. Readings are free and provided online. Sign up and you will be sent the reading list and calendar invites with Zoom links for the following Thursdays: 12 – 1 p.m. ET: September 11, October 2, October 23, and November 13. More information: https://libguides.utk.edu/dlbookclub 

This is an instructor focused workshop and only faculty/staff or GTAs may enroll.

Digital Learning (DL) hosts a variety of tools designed to support instructors at every stage of their online teaching journey. Join DL’s Engaged Online Course Coordinator and learn how to leverage these tools to support quality online teaching and student success. Zoom link: https://tennessee.zoom.us/j/88556025183

Join Cris Emberton (Assistant Director of Interactive Learning Technologies) and Joy Oettel (Instructional Designer) for a presentation about a structured decision-making framework to guide instructional designers and faculty in selecting and creating effective interactive activities for online courses. Come learn about how to implement interactive learning into your course and see some great examples from UT online classes.

The future is bright for online education at UT. Join leaders from Digital Learning as they share the university’s vision for expanding access to high-quality education, provide updates on progress toward enrollment goals, and answer your questions about what’s ahead.

As online learning grows at UT Knoxville, we have the opportunity to better understand who our students are and how we can support them What insights can we glean from these students? What do we know about their stories, motivations, and goals? Join Amy Lambert, Director of Marketing Insights, and Perrin Anderson, Director of Earned Media in Digital Learning as we share insights from recent quantitative and qualitative studies on our online student population, providing us with rich detail that can further our collective strategies to support adult learners. Zoom: https://tennessee.zoom.us/j/88489246143

In response to popular demand and the rapidly evolving world of Generative AI (GenAI), Digital Learning is launching a GenAI-focused Community of Practice for UTK online instructors. This community will provide a space for faculty, staff, and instructors to come together, share their experiences using GenAI, and learn from one another. Whether you want to show how you’re using GenAI in creative ways or are simply curious about how others are incorporating it into their teaching and professional work, this is the place for you. Join DL staff and your peers to explore unique use cases, exchange ideas, and discover new possibilities. The main goal of this community is “show and tell.” Come prepared to share how you have used, or attempted to use GenAI, and hear from colleagues who are experimenting with GenAI. Each session lasts 45 minutes.

Grow your skills in online classroom management with our Online Course Delivery training, part of the Online Teaching and Learning Certificate Series. In this facilitated, asynchronous two-week course, you will be empowered to effectively teach online, addressing common challenges associated with online teaching. You will explore social presence and engagement strategies, leverage instructional technologies for better course management and communication, and strategies for providing meaningful feedback to foster student success. By the end of the course, you will be ready to teach an interactive, inclusive, and well-managed online course. This course runs from October 20 to 31.

Transform your online course(s) with our Online Course Design training, part of the Online Teaching and Learning Certification series. In this facilitated, asynchronous two-week course, you’ll master the Backward Design framework, craft clear learning outcomes, and practice developing assessments and learning activities with the assistance of Generative AI. Join us to apply these essential design principles to create impactful, well-structured online courses. This course will run from September 8 to 19.

Elevate your online courses with our Online Course Development training, part of the Online Teaching and Learning Certificate series. In this facilitated, asynchronous three-week course, you’ll explore practical strategies and tools to build a dynamic Canvas course that captivates and supports your students. Develop engaging materials that enhance the online learning experience with the assistance and expertise of an Instructional Designer from Digital Learning. Join us and transform your course content into an interactive and impactful journey for your students. This course runs from September 29 to October 17.

What makes a TED Talk memorable — and how can those same strategies elevate your lectures in the college classroom? In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore how the most engaging TED speakers communicate complex ideas with clarity, storytelling, and purpose — and how these same techniques can be adapted to higher education contexts. You will analyze key elements of effective talks, including structure, visual support, delivery style, and audience engagement. More importantly, you will translate those insights into practical strategies you can apply immediately to your own lecture videos for your asynchronous courses. By rethinking the way we craft a video lecture, we can improve student attention, understanding, and retention.

Online courses can sometimes feel disconnected, with students losing interest or struggling to stay engaged. One powerful way to overcome this challenge is through storytelling. In this 45-minute session, Tracey Aranzazu and Scarlett Lopez, Instructional Designers in Digital Learning, will explore how instructors can use story elements, such as a strong hook, challenge and tension, and meaningful resolution, to bring their course content to life. Participants will leave with practical strategies to make their teaching more engaging and to help students feel more connected in the online classroom.

Teaching with Generative AI is an introductory two-week, asynchronous course designed to help educators build practical skills for using generative AI tools in their teaching. In this course, you will explore the basics of Generative AI (GenAI), examine real-world examples of its use in education, and gain hands-on experience with tools that can support both teaching and learning. The course also addresses key ethical, privacy, and academic integrity considerations, helping you make informed decisions about incorporating AI in your courses. In addition, you will learn strategies for guiding students in the appropriate and responsible use of AI within academic contexts. This course runs from November 3 to 14.

This is an instructor focused workshop and only faculty/staff or GTAs may enroll.