Teaching Support
The Sacred Heart University Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) partners closely with SHU instructors in their ongoing professional development as excellent and equitable teachers. We provide support for all who teach at SHU, from those new to teaching to those with decades of teaching experience. We host consultations, workshops, learning communities, and events across modalities (in-person, hybrid, online) to accommodate the schedules of our full-time and part-time faculty who teach in-person and/or online. See below for an overview of our services and our internal CTL calendar for a list of upcoming events.
Consultations
Individual Consultations
All Sacred Heart instructors may request a confidential consultation with a CTL team member to discuss teaching strategies, course design, how to use the SHU syllabus template, engaging students, equitable and inclusive teaching practices and more. Inclusive teaching consultations are offered in collaboration with the Office for Inclusive Excellence.
Instructors may email ctl@sacredheart.edu for short questions, or schedule an appointment for an in-person or virtual consultation.
Departmental Consultations
Departments play key roles in the implementation of curricular priorities and developing supportive teaching cultures for their faculty. The CTL is available to partner with departments on developing a shared vision for course learning outcomes, aligning learning activities to learning objectives and assessments, offering tailored teaching workshops for individual departments, and more. Faculty and administrators can schedule an appointment for a departmental consultation.
Classroom Observations
Individual instructors may request a classroom observation from a CTL team member. CTL classroom observations are designed to be supportive and formative. They are intentionally non-evaluative and not connected to university tenure and promotion procedures. Instructors will meet with the CTL team member prior to the observation to identify areas upon which the instructor would appreciate feedback during the observation. The instructor and CTL team member will then meet again after the observation to debrief, share experiences, and consider next steps to further develop teaching practice. Instructors can schedule an appointment to plan a classroom observation.
Workshops
The CTL offers professional development for all Sacred Heart instructors via in-person and virtual workshops. Recent workshop topics have included engaging students through active learning, gathering mid-semester feedback, the theory and practice of accessible teaching, supporting student well-being, and more. Workshops are offered at various times and across modalities to accommodate the busy and varied schedules of our faculty. Refer to our most recent CTL email newsletters or our internal CTL calendar for a list of upcoming opportunities.
Departments and programs may also contact ctl@sacredheart.edu to request a tailored workshop for their faculty.
Faculty Learning Communities
CTL Learning Communities (LCs) are open to all SHU instructors (full-time and part-time faculty, staff and graduate students) interested in regularly discussing their teaching practice in community with their colleagues. LCs meet periodically throughout the semester (typically every 2-3 weeks) to engage in reading (e.g. a book or series of articles) related to teaching and to discuss how it informs their current practice. Example readings include What Inclusive Instructors Do by Tracie Addy et al. and Picture a Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning edited by José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson.
Our CTL LC participants frequently comment on the value of regularly reflecting on their teaching practice with colleagues from across disciplines and departments. Instructors who participate in an LC receive a free copy of the selected reading. SHU instructors interested in joining an LC should be on the lookout for CTL email newsletters for registration announcements.
New Faculty Academy
The New Faculty Academy (NFA) at Sacred Heart University is a required program for all new full-time faculty, and highly recommended for all new part-time faculty. The NFA orients new faculty to our community of teachers and scholars, our mission, and Sacred Heart’s roots in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and the liberal arts.
Faculty Peer Coaching
The Faculty Peer Coaching program pairs full-time faculty members to participate in reciprocal confidential classroom observations. Through pre- and post-observation discussions, faculty use the formative feedback to improve their teaching practices. As part of the observation process, faculty participate in a faculty cohort to hone their coaching skills and discuss effective teaching strategies. By sharing collective experiences, faculty not only learn additional ways to improve their instructional skills, but also develop professional relationships with and learn from colleagues across the university. More information can be found on the CTL Faculty Peer Coaching webpage.
Events & Symposia
The CTL hosts events and symposia throughout the year to promote excellent and equitable teaching practice. Sample events include our “Better than a Bot: Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” faculty panel (February 2023) and “Equity at the Heart of Teaching” university-wide symposium (October 2023) in collaboration with the Office for Inclusive Excellence.
The CTL also partners with other university units and initiatives to amplify teaching excellence opportunities. Examples include a Service Learning Info Session in collaboration with Community Engagement, as well as teaching grant info sessions (Open Educational Resources, Academics for Creative Teaching) in collaboration with Research & Sponsored Programs. The CTL also plays an integral role in New Faculty Orientation and Faculty Institutes in collaboration with the Office of the Provost.
EMERGE Teaching Grants
Research & Sponsored Programs (RSP) and the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) are delighted to collaborate to offer EMERGE (Exploring Methods of Education & Research to Grow & Excel) Grants for Research and Teaching. EMERGE Teaching Grants provide instructors with up to $500 to support innovations to current teaching practice, when other sources of funding are not available. All SHU faculty and staff with university teaching roles are eligible to apply* and may receive Teaching EMERGE funding once per academic year.
CTL Tech Studios
Our center on West Campus (West Building, 2nd floor) is home to our CTL Tech Studios, where faculty and staff can record instructional materials in our Podcast or Lightboard studios after a brief training. More information about our Podcast and Lightboard Studio can be found on our internal CTL support site.
The CTL also works collaboratively with SHU instructors and programs to develop instructional media, such as infographics, audio, videos, simulations, or materials in a third-party tool (e.g., Articulate Rise or Storyline). Instructors can email ctl@sacredheart.edu to request our assistance.
CTL Teaching Resources
Those with Sacred Heart University login credentials may access our internal CTL teaching resource site. Our internal SharePoint site includes instructional guidance and resources, a CTL Events calendar, “CTL News” - an archive of CTL email newsletters and announcements, and more.
CTL Faculty Fellows
The CTL proudly partners with SHU faculty to promote best practices in teaching and learning. Their collective efforts create spaces at SHU to meaningfully discuss teaching and learning best practices, to cultivate community and belonging among our instructors, and to promote an inclusive educational landscape for all our students.
Let's Learn Together!
The CTL is eager to work with SHU faculty, courses and programs who are looking for instructional design resources, assistance or support. Working together, we can increase student engagement and learning outcomes by enhancing our teaching and learning practices. We look forward to collaborating with you!