The Center for Teaching advances teaching and learning excellence at Iowa and develops a collaborative university culture that supports, values, and rewards effective teaching.

The center is an advocate for evidence-based, reflective teaching and a leader in instructor professional development, responsible for sparking and shaping transformative conversations about teaching and learning on campus and beyond.

Our team collaborates with UI instructors; teaching assistants; department, collegiate, and university administrators; students; and campus partners to create structures and policies that enhance teaching and learning excellence.

The Center for Teaching partners with all campus community members who care about excellence in teaching and learning, including all instructors, administrators, and staff. 

Teaching Feedback

The Center for Teaching offers teaching consultations, classroom observations, and instructional feedback for individuals as well as departments. 

Early-Career Support

Initiatives and programs to support faculty and instructors during their first years of teaching include the Course Design Institute, Early Career Faculty Academy, and Early Career Faculty Community of Practice. 

Graduate Student Support

Resources and guidance to support graduate students and teaching assistants, including learning communities, mentorship programs, instructional teams, and more. 

Faculty Communities

Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) and Communities of Practice (CoPs) are convened and facilitated by faculty scholar-practitioners and contribute to teaching and learning excellence. 

Teaching Resources

Explore evidence-based strategies, tools, and support to enhance your teaching and foster student learning.

Guidance on Teaching and Learning Topics

Center for Teaching staff have expertise in a wide range of teaching and learning topics.

On our website, you can find guidance on teaching and learning topics such as accessibility and universal design in learning (UDL), artificial intelligence, assessment, course design, inclusive teaching, self-evaluation, syllabus guidance, and scholarly teaching. 

Whether you are a teaching assistant or a department chair, our office is excited to engage with you on how we can support teaching excellence on campus. 

Visit our teaching topics page to explore articles, guidance, templates, and more.

Student desk with a book

Syllabus Design and Use

Tools and advice for instructors looking to craft syllabi that not only serve as effective teaching tools but also as bridges to connect with students. 

A Spanish classroom at the University of Iowa

Documenting Teaching

Resources to help you thoughtfully document and present your teaching, from preparing teaching reviews to choosing artifacts to represent your work.

Recent Articles

Students as Partners 2024-25 recap

Tuesday, May 6, 2025
As we complete the second year of Students as Partners at the University of Iowa, we are pleased to share a photo essay recapping a busy and successful academic year for the program. In addition to collaborating with instructors at Iowa and working with the Center for Teaching, student partners presented at numerous conferences across the country and hosted a cross-institutional visit with partners from Xavier University.

Thank you, Graduate Teaching Fellows!

Monday, May 5, 2025
As the 2024–2025 academic year comes to an end, the Center for Teaching would like to thank our graduate teaching fellows for their invaluable work.

Center for Teaching Staff Spotlight – Sara Nasrollahian

Monday, May 5, 2025
This is the fifth installment of our Staff Spotlight Series, which aims to introduce you to our team in the Center for Teaching. Sara Nasrollahian is an associate director in the Center for Teaching.

Events and Workshops

2025 Course Design Institute promotional image

2025 Course Design Institute

Monday, May 19 to Friday, May 23, 2025 (all day)
Applications for the Center for Teaching's Course Design Institute are due by Friday, March 28. Apply online. The Course Design Institute is a multi-day, in-person workshop for instructors who wish to design, redesign, or revise a course.  Instructors accepted into the institute will use evidence-based strategies to create equitable and integrated courses, align course learning goals with assessments and activities, and be able to demonstrate their course structure through their syllabus...
View more events

Stay Connected

Sign up for our newsletter to receive information about teaching resources and services each month.