What’s happening

Learn@UW – Checking for and reporting tool outages

Unfortunately, technology outages and service interruptions happen. As a reminder:

• When in doubt about the status of any Learn@UW-supported tool, check DoIT Outages and the Learn@UW News and Announcements page.
• If you experience an issue with a supported tool but don’t see it reflected on the above pages, please contact the DoIT Help Desk. An accumulation of tickets, routed through the Help Desk to Learn@UW, will help bring the issue to the foreground more quickly.

Engage – Ordering period for spring 2027

Instructors can use Engage to deliver eTexts and digital learning tools (DLTs) in their courses. The window for selecting these digital resources for spring 2027 courses is October 19-December 7. To review textbooks and other resources available through Engage, go to the Engage order tool and browse the catalog.

Upcoming events

HelioCampus AC training

In preparation for this semester’s course evaluation surveys, Learn@UW provides the following learning opportunities for all HelioCampus AC departmental administrator and their associates.

Creating Survey Forms (Templates)

• Monday, October 19, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Thursday, October 29, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Scheduling Surveys & Assigning Course Sections

• Tuesday, October 20, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Friday, October 30, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

HelioCampus AC – Q&A

• Monday, November 2, 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 12, 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• Monday, November 16, 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Turnitin webinars

Turnitin is hosting a webinar to address new features available through the updated Canvas integration, which is now available to UW–Madison instructors. This webinar introduces the workflow to access new features, multipart assignments, and Turnitin feedback tools.

• Thursday, October 15, 12:30 a.m. (CT)

This training is provided by the vendor and registration is required. Click the link above to register.

Top Hat training

The following training sessions are provided by the vendor.

What’s New With Top Hat? [in person, on campus]

Tuesday, October 6, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Computer Science Building, 3139ABC

This is a hands-on session highlighting Top Hat‘s newest capabilities, recent platform updates, and features designed to elevate learning and streamline teaching. Whether you want to modernize course materials, simplify lecture delivery, or boost student participation, this interactive session will guide you through practical tools you can implement right away.

Register at What’s New with Top Hat? registration form.

Top Hat Drop-In Office Hours [in person, on campus]

Wednesday, October 7, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Computer Science Building, 3139ABC

No registration necessary.

Inspiring Students to Do the Hard Work of Learning [Webinar]

October 28th, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (CT)

Jal Mehta, Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of In Search of Deeper Learning

How do we inspire students to invest in learning when motivation is low and AI makes it easier to sidestep the hard work? Harvard educator and author Jal Mehta will share how mastery, creativity, and identity can fuel deeper learning. Faculty will leave with strategies for sparking curiosity, encouraging deeper thinking, and helping students see themselves in their discipline.

Learn more and register.

Joyful Teaching in Every Class [On demand]

Flower Darby, author of Small Teaching Online and The Joyful Online Teacher

What does it take for students—and educators—to flourish? In this free, self-paced faculty development course, acclaimed educator and author Flower Darby explores the science of human flourishing and shares research-informed strategies for strengthening engagement, relationships, motivation, and well-being in online and in-person courses. This free 90-minute on-demand course includes a certificate for faculty development credit.

Learn more and register.

Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring

UW–Madison’s Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring is hosting a series of events this semester in a program titled Exploring AI in Teaching. These sessions provide opportunities for instructors and instructional support staff to hone their skills for both in-person and virtual classrooms, to discuss and explore emerging strategies, and to connect with colleagues. Below are the dates of the remaining sessions. Learn more and register for any or all of the sessions.

• Oct. 15 – Student Use Survey
• Oct. 27 – Making Space for Instructors’ Concerns
• Nov. 6 – The Messy Middle
• Nov. 16 – Supporting Diverse Learners
• Dec. 4 – Students Speak

Note: All sessions are remote except for October 27, which will be held in-person at Memorial Union.