What’s happening?
Honorlock – Update, January 22
On Thursday, January 22, from 7:00 a.m. (CST) until approximately 8:00 a.m., Honorlock will release a new update. This update includes the following enhancements.
- Cleaner results
- New flags
- More intuitive filtering
For full details about the update, click here.
Canvas – Two new opt-in features
Instructors may now choose to enable two new features in Canvas.
- Enhance Rubrics
- Performance and Usability Upgrades for SpeedGrader a.k.a. “Modernized SpeedGrader”
Both features are currently optional, and can be enabled on a course-by-course basis. For guidance on enabling Canvas features, click here.
Note: Instructure’s current plan is that these two features will be required by the end of September 2026.
Engage – Order dates set for summer & fall
The ordering periods for Engage, for summer and fall 2026, have been set.
- For summer: January 20 thru March 24
- For fall: March 17 thru May 12
Watch future issues of this newsletter for reminders and prompts.
TidyUP – Introducing!
On January 7, we launched the newest member of our Learn@UW suite of learning technologies: TidyUP. Another title from our friends at CidiLabs, TidyUP simplifies the process for identifying and removing content inside your Canvas courses. To get started, click here.
Learn@UW – “Demystifies AI” training this spring
Back by popular demand! In the first quarter of 2026, Learn@UW is delivering three sessions of “Learn@UW Demystifies AI: A workshop on AI Tools”.
During these sessions, we explore fundamental questions about artificial intelligence and demonstrate how to access UW–Madison’s supported generative AI tools.
See below for dates, times, and registration info.
Upcoming events
HelioCampus AC – Training – Results & Reporting
Instructors and HelioCampus AC administrators who want to pull student evaluation data out of HelioCampus AC are invited to attend one of these 30-minute remote sessions. We will cover the primary reports within HelioCampus AC, and the most common parameters used to sort and organize the information. No registration is necessary.
Top Hat – Office hours in January
In January, Top Hat is hosting four 90-minute Zoom sessions to help instructors set up and prepare Top Hat in their Canvas courses.
Dates and times are:
- Tuesday, January 20, between 10:00am – 11:30am ET
- Friday, January 23, between 2:00pm – 3:30pm ET
To register for one of these sessions, click here.
Learn@UW Demystifies AI
This hour-long, fully remote session provides an overview of artificial intelligence for employees of UW–Madison. All faculty and staff are invited to attend one of the following sessions.
Registration is required, and enrollment for each session has been capped at 100.
NEW! – Learn@UW Training Pops
[UPDATE: Training events scheduled for Friday, February 13, have been moved to Monday, February 16.]
Week of Monday, February 9
In February — three weeks after the semester begins — Learn@UW is offering 35 separate 30-minute training sessions. These are quick, targeted sessions addressing several elements of our suite of learning technologies: Canvas, Kaltura, Top Hat, Gradescope, Honorlock, Turnitin, UDOIT, and DesignPLUS.
We are calling them “pops”, because attendees can “pop in” and “pop out” as their schedules allow. Each session is intended to provide attendees with discrete take-away pieces of knowledge they can instantly apply to their instructional work.
Rather than list all 35 sessions here, we invite interested individuals to visit today.wisc.edu (filtered for “Learn@UW Online Training – Spring 2026”). No registration is necessary, and all sessions will be held in the same Zoom room.
For further details, contact learnuwsupport@wisc.edu.