Center for Teaching and Online Learning Faculty Professional Development Assessment and CWAs Canvas for Faculty Canvas for Students Instructional Support Newsletter Teaching Tools

Faculty Professional Development Newsletter

March 2026

Monthly Topic: The Canvas Iceberg Effect

The "Iceberg Effect" in Canvas reminds us that while Modules are the visible peak where students work, a massive amount of hidden data—files, old drafts, and outdated settings—lurks beneath the surface. To avoid digital clutter and sinking accessibility scores, faculty should avoid a "Copy All" approach. Instead, using Select Specific Content allows for a surgical migration, leaving behind redundant files and no-longer-used assignments. It is critical to remember that Ally scans all files, including unpublished ones; leaving "hidden" but inaccessible documents in your course will still drag down your overall accessibility score. This granular control is the most efficient way to ensure only the highest-quality, compliant materials move forward.

During the import, two technical steps are vital for a smooth start: unselecting "Outcomes" and adjusting dates. SPSCC provides pre-loaded, updated outcomes in new course shells; importing old ones creates redundant bloat. However, note that unselecting outcomes during import does not automatically remove archived outcomes already embedded in your rubrics; faculty must still update old rubrics with the new outcomes within the new course shell to ensure alignment. Furthermore, shifting dates to the current term prevents the gradebook from automatically assigning zeros to assignments that appear "overdue" the moment a student logs in. 

Once the import is finished, faculty must look beyond the modules to the Assignments tab. Here, they should verify that all items are correctly categorized into Assignment Groups, as misplaced items can drastically skew final grades in courses using weighted grading. Finally, a thorough check in Student View is the only way to catch unintended "published" items in the Syllabus or Grades sections before they cause student confusion. 

Essential Resources from Instructure 

Professional Development Opportunities

Put a hold on your calendar now for the Assessment, Teaching, and Learning (ATL) and WACC combined Online Conference happening April 29-May 1, 2026!

AI Essentials in Education (AI-Ed) 

AI Essentials in Education (AI-Ed), an asynchronous, self-paced, online Canvas course designed to equip faculty, staff, and administrators across our system with the knowledge and skills to integrate AI responsibly into teaching, learning, and campus services. If you have been wanting an AI course, this is a great one to take! Learn more at AI Essentials in Education (Public) and visit SBCTC’s eLearning Training Registration page to enroll. 

SBCTC Faculty AI Learning Series

Join SBCTC for monthly workshops to explore practical AI applications for teaching and learning. Each 60-minute Zoom session begins at 1:00 PM and will include presentation, exploration, and discussion. Register below for the sessions that best fit your interests and schedule.

For additional support with implementing and thinking about AI, review the Teaching with AI faculty guide.

Online Self-Paced Classes Offered by Clover Park

Clover Park has graciously extended an offer for SPSCC and all Washington Community College professors to join their professional development classes. Find out more at the CPTC Professional development website.  

DEI Events and Sessions

This list of DEI sessions qualifies for the tenure-track DEI training sessions requirement. Please reach out to Heather Maye with any questions. 

SBCTC On Demand DEI Workshops

If you would like to watch webinars and learn equity strategies to implement in your class here are two DEI approved options:  

Previous Newsletters

February 2026

Monthly Topic: Assessment and Outcomes Alignment

Assessment is one of the most powerful drivers of student learning in higher education and an integral component of teaching—not an add-on. When assessments are intentionally aligned across levels—Institutional Learning Outcomes, Program Learning Outcomes, and Course Learning Outcomes—they create a coherent learning pathway that supports student success from the classroom to the program and, ultimately, to broader institutional goals.  

To read more about why assessment alignment matters—and how it can significantly enhance student success—review "Aligning Assesments to Measure Student Learning."  

The ongoing development and evaluation of SPSCC’s College-Wide Abilities demonstrate that meaningful Institutional Learning Outcomes assessment requires sustained commitment, faculty ownership, and continuous refinement. SPSCC has built an assessment framework that not only measures student learning but also strengthens instructional practices through an institution-wide effort to align learning outcomes, support evidence-based decision-making, and enhance student success.  

You can read more about SPSCC’s CWA development and continual improvement in "Advancing Student Success Through Faculty-Driven Institutional Learning Outcome Assessment: SPSCC" 

Professional Development Opportunities

Put a hold on your calendar now for the Assessment, Teaching, and Learning (ATL) and WACC combined Online Conference happening April 29-May 1, 2026!

AI Essentials in Education (AI-Ed) 

AI Essentials in Education (AI-Ed), an asynchronous, self-paced, online Canvas course designed to equip faculty, staff, and administrators across our system with the knowledge and skills to integrate AI responsibly into teaching, learning, and campus services. If you have been wanting an AI course, this is a great one to take! Learn more at AI Essentials in Education (Public) and visit SBCTC’s eLearning Training Registration page to enroll. 

SBCTC Faculty AI Learning Series

Join SBCTC for monthly workshops to explore practical AI applications for teaching and learning. Each 60-minute Zoom session begins at 1:00 PM and will include presentation, exploration, and discussion. Register below for the sessions that best fit your interests and schedule.

For additional support with implementing and thinking about AI, review the Teaching with AI faculty guide.

Online Self-Paced Classes Offered by Clover Park

Clover Park has graciously extended an offer for SPSCC and all Washington Community College professors to join their professional development classes. Find out more at the CPTC Professional development website.  

DEI Events and Sessions

This list of DEI sessions qualifies for the tenure-track DEI training sessions requirement. Please reach out to Heather Maye with any questions. 

Identity Framework Workshop, Part 1

In this workshop, you will explore your identity in relation to internal dimensions, external dimensions, and organizational dimensions. We will also talk about student experience and how identities can influence and impact students.

  • When: February 10 from 2 pm – 3:30 pm
  • Location: Main Campus, Building 28 Room 106

SBCTC On Demand DEI Workshops

If you would like to watch webinars and learn equity strategies to implement in your class here are two DEI approved options:  

January 2026

Monthly Topic: Accessibility

Accessibility is when a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally integrated and equally effective manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use.  

Canvas has created a video on the 7 Pillars of Accessibility + Achieving Accessibility in Canvas | Instructure and Beyond Accessibility: How ReadSpeaker in Canvas Supports Every Learner | Instructure  

Reminder, when you use Universal Design for Learning (UDL), to create a course, it will be accessible from the very start. Learn more about UDL on the CAST website Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. It is important to keep us all thinking about the big takeaway which is to take on one thing at a time and have a growth mindset; which is the theme of the podcast episode, The Accessible Learning Experience, S02 E07: Inclusive Learning 365 - YouTube.   

Professional Development Opportunities

Put a hold on your calendar now for the Assessment, Teaching, and Learning (ATL) and WACC combined Online Conference happening April 29-May 1, 2026!

SBCTC launches training in AI Essentials in Education (AI-Ed) 

Announcing the launch of AI Essentials in Education (AI-Ed), an asynchronous, self-paced, online Canvas course designed to equip faculty, staff, and administrators across our system with the knowledge and skills to integrate AI responsibly into teaching, learning, and campus services. If you have been wanting an AI course, this is a great one to take! Learn more at AI Essentials in Education (Public) and visit SBCTC’s eLearning Training Registration page to enroll. 

SBCTC Faculty AI Learning Series

Join SBCTC for monthly workshops to explore practical AI applications for teaching and learning. Each 60-minute Zoom session begins at 1:00 PM and will include presentation, exploration, and discussion. Register below for the sessions that best fit your interests and schedule.

For additional support with implementing and thinking about AI, review the Teaching with AI faculty guide.

Online Self-Paced Classes Offered by Clover Park

Clover Park has graciously extended an offer for SPSCC and all Washington Community College professors to join their professional development classes. Find out more at the CPTC Professional development website.  

DEI Events and Sessions

This list of DEI sessions qualifies for the tenure-track DEI training sessions requirement. Please reach out to Heather Maye with any questions. 

SBCTC On Demand DEI Workshops

If you would like to watch webinars and learn equity strategies to implement in your class here are two DEI approved options:  

Martin Luther King Jr. Event  

  • When: January 16 7:30 p.m.  
  • Where: Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Main Stage (Olympia Campus, Building 21)

SPSCC invites the community to its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Event to honor Dr. King’s legacy and reflect on the ongoing work of equity and justice in our community. Marc Bamuthi Joseph, one of the nation’s most vital voices at the intersection of arts and social justice, will deliver a keynote titled “Socially Responsive and Responsible Community-Building.”

Admission to the event is free, and no tickets are required. 

December 2025

Monthly Topic: Equity Strategy - TILT

What does the CTOL love? TILT! When do we want to talk about TILT? Now! TILT stands for Transparency in Teaching and Learning. Increase engagement, equity, and student success by incorporating the TILT method in assignments and assessments in your classes. Creating even two transparent assignments using TILT in your class can boost success for your whole course! A study involving over 1,800 students across seven minority-serving institutions found that TILT led to medium-to-large improvements in GPA and retention rates for underrepresented groups. This is a proven teaching approach that takes minimal effort and provides maximum impact!

Find out more about TILT and see examples on how to TILT, too. Remember CTOL can help support you in adding TILT to your courses!  

SBCTC Faculty Development & Ensured Learning Updates Fall 2025  

Check out this Newsletter Faculty Development & Ensured Learning Updates on some great groups to participate in: New Faculty Institute redesign, AI Learning Series and resources, the combined ATL + WACC 2026 virtual conference, thriving communities of practice, and a renewed Guided Pathways focus on teaching and learning. Read to the bottom and you will see SPSCC was hailed as a college success story: "SPSCC exemplifies how faculty-led reform creates transformational change.” Your work is being recognized, and your impact goes beyond the walls (both physical and virtual) of your classroom! Thank you, to each and every one of you for being exceptional faculty and making a difference in the lives of our students! 

Chronicle of Higher Education - free subscription  

SPSCC Library has a new free subscription to the Chronicle of Higher Education for all SPSCC employees and students! It works on a similar model to the New York Times subscription, where you can activate your own account with your SPSCC email.  

The Chronicle of Higher Education has the nation's largest independent newsroom dedicated to covering colleges and universities with indispensable news and actionable insights on issues that matter.  

Professional Development Opportunities

Put a hold on your calendar now for the Assessment, Teaching, and Learning (ATL) and WACC combined Online Conference happening April 29-May 1, 2026!

SBCTC Faculty AI Learning Series

Join SBCTC for monthly workshops to explore practical AI applications for teaching and learning. Each 60-minute Zoom session begins at 1:00 PM and will include presentation, exploration, and discussion. Register below for the sessions that best fit your interests and schedule.

For additional support with implementing and thinking about AI, review the Teaching with AI faculty guide.

Online Self-Paced Classes Offered by Clover Park

Clover Park has graciously extended an offer for SPSCC and all Washington Community College professors to join their professional development classes. Find out more at the CPTC Professional development website.  

DEI Events and Sessions

This list of DEI sessions qualifies for the tenure-track DEI training sessions requirement. Please reach out to Heather Maye with any questions. 

SBCTC On Demand DEI Workshops

If you would like to watch webinars and learn equity strategies to implement in your class here are two DEI approved options:  

LUNCH & LEARN  

Bring your lunch, your questions, and your ideas to the DEIC! Join our community and engage in conversation as we learn together about the people and world around us. Students, staff, and faculty are invited. Led by Director of DEI Joe Aguilar (monthly/year-long).  

  • December 10th: Boundaries, When and How  

Location: DEIC (Bld. 27, 2nd floor) Time: 12pm - 1pm  

November 2025

Monthly Topic: Differentiated Instruction

What is differentiated instruction? Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching and learning that was introduced by Carol Ann Tomlinson in the 1990s. Differentiated instruction is grounded in the notion that all students are capable of learning, though not necessarily in the same way or at the same pace. It is an asset-based strategy that centers student equity, engagement, and success. Educators can differentiate their instruction through content (what students learn), process (how students learn content), product (how students demonstrate learning), and environment (learning conditions). Although differentiated instruction has been around for years in K–12 education, its value is increasingly being recognized in higher education—particularly in the context of online learning.

Resources to dive deeper into differentiated instruction

CTOL Grand Reopening

CTOL Grand Reopening is Wednesday, November 5 from 9 am to 4 pm Building 22, Room 181 – Drop in anytime to see the new space, enjoy snacks, and chat about teaching and learning! We look forward to seeing you there!

Professional Development Opportunities

Put a hold on your calendar now for the Assessment, Teaching, and Learning (ATL) and WACC combined Online Conference happening April 29-May 1, 2026!

SBCTC Faculty AI Learning Series

Join SBCTC for monthly workshops to explore practical AI applications for teaching and learning. Each 60-minute Zoom session begins at 1:00 PM and will include presentation, exploration, and discussion. Register below for the sessions that best fit your interests and schedule. If you cannot attend, register for just one session and after the session is over, you will be added to the Canvas class that will have recordings of the sessions and all the materials for each training in one place.

For additional support with implementing and thinking about AI, review the Teaching with AI faculty guide.

Online Self-Paced Classes Offered by Clover Park

Clover Park has graciously extended an offer for SPSCC and all Washington Community College professors to join their professional development classes. Find out more at the CPTC Professional development website.  

DEI Events and Sessions

This list of DEI sessions qualifies for the tenure-track DEI training sessions requirement. Please reach out to Heather Maye with any questions. 

SBCTC On Demand DEI Workshops

If you would like to watch webinars and learn equity strategies to implement in your class here are two DEI approved options:  

LUNCH & LEARN  

Bring your lunch, your questions, and your ideas to the DEIC! Join our community and engage in conversation as we learn together about the people and world around us. Students, staff, and faculty are invited. Led by Director of DEI Jasmin Faulk (monthly/year-long)  

  • November 19th: Code-switching, What and Why  
  • December 10th: Boundaries, When and How  

Location: DEIC (Bld. 27, 2nd floor) Time: 12pm - 1pm  

October 2025

Monthly Topic: CTOL's New Space

The Center for Teaching and Online Learning Lounge has been renovated, and we are ready to welcome faculty back to the space. This space features a classroom setup consistent with standard SPSCC classrooms, giving faculty the opportunity to explore and test instructional technology before using it in their own teaching. It also serves as a venue for CTOL professional development workshops, Communities of Practice, and faculty gatherings. If you would like to reserve the room, you can book it by emailing us at ctol@spscc.edu.

We will hold a grand reopening later in October; keep an eye out for an email invite on the date and time! 

Professional Development Opportunities

Hypothesis Introductory Workshop

Hypothesis allows students to annotate digital documents right in Canvas and this social annotation tool has been shown to increase engagement and learning opportunities. Come learn about this Canvas enabled tool to make your assignments more interactive. Register for the Introductory Hypothesis Workshop on October 15th, from 2pm-3pm!

SBCTC Faculty AI Learning Series

Join SBCTC for monthly workshops to explore practical AI applications for teaching and learning. Each 60-minute Zoom session begins at 1:00 PM and will include presentation, exploration, and discussion.  Register below for the sessions that best fit your interests and schedule. If you cannot attend, register for just one session and after the session is over, you will be added to the Canvas class that will have recordings of the sessions and all the materials for each training in one place. 

Online Class "Designing for Belonging: Student Success Strategies"

  • Dates: October 22, 2025 - January 4, 2026
  • Self-Paced Modules in Canvas: This course includes three self-paced online modules that will take approximately 6 hours to complete. This course includes Optional Practice Activities too.  
  • Who Should Attend: Anyone who is interested in learning more about effective strategies for promoting student success. Additionally, this course has some great resources for anyone looking to explore strategies to strengthen their teaching practice in the age of AI.
  • Facilitator: Dr. Ekaterina Stoops, Director for Teaching and Learning at Columbia Basin College
  • Registration is required. The registration deadline is October 19th or until max enrollment is reached.  

Online Self-Paced Classes Offered by Clover Park

Clover Park has graciously extended an offer for SPSCC and all Washington Community College professors to join their professional development classes. Find out more at the CPTC Professional development website.  

Courses offered include:
  • Inclusive Classrooms: UDL in Action
  • Applied AI in College Classrooms
  • Framework for Faculty and Student Success and more!  

Resources 

Canvas Support with Tips and Tricks!

As you are getting the quarter under way, here are some Canvas Tips and Tricks to help your class more efficient!

Generative AI Resources from SBCTC

Faculty Guide: Teaching With AI

This new comprehensive webpage provides resources for integrating AI into your teaching practice. The page progresses from the basics to more advanced considerations and includes a page of local and national resources. 

DEI Events and Sessions

This list of DEI sessions qualifies for the tenure-track DEI training sessions requirement. Please reach out to Heather Maye with any questions. 

SBCTC On Demand DEI Workshops

If you would like to watch webinars and learn equity strategies to implement in your class here are two DEI approved options:  

LUNCH & LEARN  

Bring your lunch, your questions, and your ideas to the DEIC! Join our community and engage in conversation as we learn together about the people and world around us. Students, staff, and faculty are invited. Led by Director of DEI Jasmin Faulk (monthly/year-long)  

  • October 15th: Conflict Resolution, How and When  
  • November 19th: Code-switching, What and Why  
  • December 10th: Boundaries, When and How  

Location: DEIC (Bld. 27, 2nd floor) Time: 12pm - 1pm  

September 2025

Monthly Topic: Welcome to Fall 2025!

As you are preparing to teach this quarter, keep in mind these great resources:

Professional Development Opportunities

Resources and Announcements

CTOL Updates

Changes at the Center for Teaching and Online Learning – We would like to welcome Vanessa Call to the CTOL as the Instructional Designer and Canvas Administrator. We are currently in the process of hiring an Assistive Technology Specialist. We will let you know once they join the team!

Communities of Practice

Sign up for Communities of Practice (CoP) before September 28! Here are the CoP descriptions and there is a link to the registration form at the top.

SBCTC Course Design Lab

Join SBCTC for state-wide support most Fridays for unstructured drop-in style lab time to chat about online course design, Canvas, and other Ed Tech tools and projects. Open to all faculty and staff at WA Career and Technical Colleges. Bring your online course design questions, teaching expertise, and Ed Tech tools, tips, and tricks to share. Instructional designers come chat, share, collaborate, or brainstorm with other instructional designers! See the WA State eLearning Council calendar to find dates and times.

Highlights in Teaching

AI in Teaching and Learning

From e-Learning Council and collected from SBCTC colleges:

Teaching with AI, Learning with AI, Syllabi Guidance, GEN AI Policies, AI Assignment Repository

DEI Events and Sessions

This list of DEI sessions qualifies for the tenure-track DEI training sessions requirement. Please reach out to Heather Maye with any questions. 

LUNCH & LEARN  

Bring your lunch, your questions, and your ideas to the DEIC! Join our community and engage in conversation as we learn together about the people and world around us. Students, staff, and faculty are invited. Led by Director of DEI Jasmin Faulk (monthly/year-long)  

  • October 15th: Conflict Resolution, How and When  
  • November 19th: Code-switching, What and Why  
  • December 10th: Boundaries, When and How  

Location: DEIC (Bld. 27, 2nd floor) Time: 12pm - 1pm  

Professional Development Opportunities 

CTOL Calendar of Events 

SBCTC statewide calendar of events 

SBCTC How to Use Open Education Resources (OER 101) Online 5/5 - 5/19 

Monthly Highlight – Alternative grading (AKA ungrading) 

Ungrading, contract grading, labor-based grading, there are a lot of different names and techniques for alternative grading. I went on a deep dive into alternative grading with some AI and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as well during my winter 25 quarter. I have talked to several people interested in my journey, and I would like to share some of the experiences I had, lessons I learned, and data I gathered.  

First off, if you are unfamiliar with alternative grading, I recommend you read these articles by leaders in ungrading, contract grading and alternative grading techniques:  

Here is a report I created about my Adventures in Ungrading that has areas about how I prepared the class content and syllabus, introduced the structure to students, navigated the challenges that came up, and feedback I got from the students throughout the class. A the end I reflect on what I would change and what went well. Please note you will need to log into your SPSCC Office 365 account because I am sharing student feedback, and you must be logged into your SPSCC account to access.  

SPSCC Diversity Events  

Lunch and Learn 

Uncomfortable Conversations 

Voices of Social Justice 

Professional Development Opportunities 

CTOL Calendar of Events 

Assessment, Teaching & Learning Conference April 29-May 1 

UDL Conference in July – in Washington D.C. July 22–23, 2025 

Monthly Highlight – Pressbooks 

Pressbooks is simple book production and content management system software based on WordPress technology. You can find and publish OER (Open Educational Resources) textbooks, online media collections, scholarly articles, syllabi, fiction and non-fiction books, white papers, and more in multiple formats. Books designed in Pressbooks also have integration with H5P activities, can be imported into Canvas, and can be customized to serve your own courses. As such, they can be a robust alternative to expensive textbooks. Check out some great information on getting started with Pressbooks. 

More OER resources are at Open Washington. Find a large collection of OER classes, books, images, simulations, and video and audio clips. If you want help with OER, reach out to Ryer Banta our OER Librarian. 

AI in Teaching and Learning 

From e-Learning Council and from SBCTC colleges: 

Teaching with AI, Learning with AI, Syllabi Guidance, GEN AI Policies, AI Assignment Repository 

SBCTC Resources 

English 101 Redesign and beyond 

Anti-racist writing assessments are a way to ensure students in English 101 courses are taught and assessed without negative racial bias.  

Antiracist Curriculum Initiative Repository of Artifacts  

ACI Curriculum Design 

Nontraditional Grading Resources -Antiracist Assessment 

Promising Practices webinar: Supporting Neurodiverse Learners! 

Monday, April 28th from 11 am – 12 pm (online) 

Monica Olsson (SBCTC) and Sara Gardner, director of the Neurodiversity Navigators program at Bellevue College, will share efforts to support neurodiverse learners. 

Register for the Webinar