CATE Catalog
Fall 2025
These are the events, services, and programs offered in Fall 2025 to UIC instructors.
We welcome full and part-time faculty, staff, graduate students, and postdocs to join CATE at any of our offerings.
EVENTS n SERVICES
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UIC instructors participate in a CATE workshop.
EVENTS
- Weekly Workshops – CATE hosts weekly workshops on timely, evidence-supported teaching practices. Workshops will be offered either on Zoom or face-to-face in our Teaching Excellence Building. Find a Fall workshop.
- Short Course – Short courses are three consecutive 50-minute sessions on a teaching and learning topic. CATE is offering 3 short courses this semester: Developing Students’ AI Literacies, Revealing the Hidden Curriculum, and Teaching Through Relationships.
- Book Discussion – CATE is hosting an asynchronous book discussion, facilitated through Perusall. Participants will explore fresh perspectives on academic integrity and actionable insights for teaching in the age of AI. Learn more about The Opposite of Cheating: A Socially-Annotated Book Discussion.
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SERVICES
- CATE in the Colleges – Our team understands that teaching and learning can often look different from college to college, and even among departments in the same college. We are dedicated to working with departments or colleges directly to consult on the unique needs of units. Find your college’s CATE team member to begin the conversation.
- Mid-Semester Student Feedback – Research across higher education consistently finds that mid-course feedback can produce meaningful, timely improvements in teaching performance, student motivation, student engagement, and end-of-course evaluations. In a new offering for UIC instructors, CATE is launching a pilot program to facilitate brief midterm surveys of students for interested faculty. Read more about this feedback process.
- Consultations – Reach out to our staff for a consultation on whatever teaching and learning topic you choose. Our team provides high-quality, confidential consultations and follows the Ethical Guidelines for Educational Developers in support of our UIC teaching community. Complete a consultation request form.
- Teaching Guides – These guides are popular introductions to evidence-based teaching practices, providing practical guidance on how to implement techniques in different disciplines, course sizes, and course modalities. Instructors love our teaching guides for their attention to research and easy-to-adopt practices. Find a CATE teaching guide.
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PROGRAMS
- Peer Observation Protocol Development Program (POPD) – This year-long program supports department and/or college workgroups who are seeking to improve or create peer observation protocols for their unit. Learn more about POPD and how we can support your efforts.
- Inclusive Education Scholars Certificate Program (IESCP)– Developed in collaboration with the Office of Equity and Diversity, this semester-long program helps UIC instructors support student success and well-being through the development of an inclusive classroom. Learn more about the IESCP and complete the registration form by August 22, 2025 to join an IESCP cohort for Fall.
- Equity-Minded Course Design – CATE offers a fully-online course design program in Blackboard, which faculty can complete on their timeline. Based on the principles of the Norton Guide to Equity-Minded Teaching, the course will guide faculty through the processes of designing a course that centers equity and engages faculty in creating significant learning experiences for students. There is no enrollment deadline. Learn more about the Equity-Minded Course Design program and enroll.
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A participant in CATE’s programs gives information to another interested instructor.
GRADUATE STUDENT AND POSTDOC OFFERINGS:
GRADUATE STUDENT AND POSTDOC OFFERINGS
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- New TA Orientation – This orientation consists of asynchronous videos, TA guides, and workshops and is designed to introduce new graduate TAs to the role of being a TA at UIC, develop practical teaching skills, and meet other new and experienced TAs. This year we will offer a number of in-person workshop opportunities on the afternoon of Thursday, August 21. Learn more about New TA Orientation.
- TA Workshops – These workshops are designed to support UIC graduate TAs in their varied roles and duties. Workshops are facilitated by experienced graduate TAs, CATE staff, and campus partners and are held in person and via Zoom beginning the week of August 18 and throughout the beginning of the semester. Learn more and register for TA workshops.
- Teaching Assistant Resources and Guides – We have resources to help support TAs in their teaching at UIC, including a series of TA Guides, which were developed by experienced TAs. Check out our TA Resources.
- Consultations – Request a one-on-one consultation for yourself, or request training or support on behalf of TAs in your department or program. Use this form to request a TA Consultation.
- Tea and Teaching: A Series for Graduate TAs – Monthly meetings for graduate students to connect with peers, sip warm beverages, and discuss key aspects of teaching and life as a graduate teaching assistant. Conversation topics will include navigating teaching at UIC, fostering student engagement and inclusion, supporting your own well-being as a student and instructor, and professional development. These monthly meetings occur on Wednesdays from 3-4:30 pm in the Teaching Excellence Building room 201. All UIC graduate students and teaching assistants are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be provided at the session. Learn more about Tea and Teaching.
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- GC 591: Introduction to College-Level Teaching for Graduate TAs – Offered in partnership with the Graduate College, this 2-credit course provides essential training for new and returning graduate TAs to lead, engage, and support their students with confidence. Grad students will learn student-centered, evidence-based teaching strategies, discuss troubleshooting classroom scenarios, reflect on their teaching practices, and cultivate a supportive community to share their successes. The course meets on-campus Thursdays from 3:30 pm – 5:20 pm. To register, search for CRN: 49519. Learn more about how this course can impact your TA experience.
- Inclusive Education Scholars Certificate Program (IESCP) – Developed in collaboration with the Office of Equity and Diversity, this semester-long program helps UIC instructors support student success and well-being through the development of an inclusive classroom. Graduate students are encouraged to join one of our Fall 2025 cohorts. Learn more about IESCP and complete the IESCP registration form by August 22, 2025 to join a graduate student and postdoc cohort.
- Foundations of College Instruction (FOCI) – This 3-course campus certificate is offered through the Graduate College in partnership with CATE and can appear on an official transcript. Students learn foundational knowledge in education research that supports effective, equity-minded college teaching, and they develop a teaching statement, course syllabus, and teaching portfolio they can use in their teaching at UIC and on the job market. The first course in the series, GC 592: Foundations of College Instruction is offered this Fall, and meets on-campus Tuesdays from 3:30-5:20pm. To register, search for CRN: 41200. Learn more about the campus certificate in the Foundations of College Instruction.
- CIRTL at UIC – UIC is a member institution of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning Network, which provides professional development – certificate opportunities and national online programming – for graduate students and postdocs that prepares them to implement effective teaching practices for diverse audiences. Participation in most of the programs in this catalog, online programs and events through the CIRTL Network, and UIC departmental teaching courses count towards certification. Read more about CIRTL opportunities for our graduate students and postdocs.