Center for Teaching and Learning Blog

A Brief Look at the Accessible Tech Challenge

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The Accessible Tech Logo

As we return to Michigan Tech for the Spring semester, the Center for Teaching and Learning would like to invite you to our newest program: The Accessible Tech Challenge.

The CTL has been focusing recently on ways to increase accessibility in online courses to ensure that every Husky has the best opportunity possible as they take on new courses. In addition, upcoming changes to the ADA Title II web accessibility rule are making accessibility in online instruction more important than ever before. To help you navigate the challenges of online accessibility and create a community of practice around overcoming these challenges, the CTL has created the Accessible Tech Challenge.

The challenge, simply put, is to get the Ally score of one of your classes above 85% before April 13th, 2026. It can be any course shell, if it is active in the Spring 2026 semester. And what is a challenge without a reward? If you meet that 85% threshold for your course, then you win a Yeti travel mug, branded with the official Accessible Tech Challenge logo. Plus bragging rights, and the satisfaction of knowing that your course is better prepared for all of our students.

From January 15th, through April 1st, we will be hosting a series of events to support you in this challenge. Every 2 weeks we will cover a topic to help you, using our “5+2” roadmap to accessibility. This gives you 2 weeks to address each of these issues at your own pace, and on your own schedule, improving your accessibility without an overwhelming sprint. Please note that attendance to these sessions is not mandatory for participation or winning. All you have to do is sign up and put in the work. These sessions are here to let you share tips with other faculty members, get support from your accessibility experts in the CTL, and to provide a scheduled time to focus on the objectives.

The event schedule is as follows:

  • January 15: Kickoff Lunch and Learn (how to tidy up course shells to improve Ally score, how to view your Ally Accessibility Report, and an introduction to the Challenge).
  • January 28: Headings Working Session
  • February 10: Image Descriptions Working Session
  • February 25: Tables Working Session
  • March 17: Lists and Links Working Session
  • April 1: Color Working Session
  • April 17: CTL Open House (prize handout and come meet with CTL members about your course while you grab a snack!)

You can use our sign-up form to apply for the challenge, and register for the Lunch and Learn via LibCal. We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions about the challenge, please reach out to the CTL.

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CTL Accessible Tech Challenge: Working Sessions

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Join us for an Accessible Tech Challenge Working Session, a practical, hands-on opportunity to strengthen the accessibility of your digital course materials. Each session focuses on one key skill area, explains why it matters for students, and gives you dedicated time to work on your own content and get real-time guidance from campus digital accessibility experts.

For All Sessions:

Where: Library Room 243

Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (CTL staff will be available from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to continue working with individual attendees)

Accommodation requests can be made on the registration screen, by emailing ctl@mtu.edu, or by calling (906) 487-3000.

Topic for January 28th:  Headings

Clear, consistent headings help students understand the structure of your content and make navigation more efficient for assistive technology users. In this session, you’ll learn how to apply proper heading levels in Canvas and document editors to create materials that are easier to navigate and more usable for all learners.  
Register today to reserve your spot https://mtu.libcal.com/event/15778874 and bring your laptop to work on content you’d like to improve.

Topic for February 10th:  Image Descriptions

Alternative text provides essential access for students who need help interpreting the meaning of course images due to a disability or technical limitation.  This session guides you through writing effective descriptions for photos, charts, diagrams, and other course visuals, with examples and tips for different image types.  
Register today to reserve your spot https://mtu.libcal.com/event/15778925 and bring your laptop to work on content you’d like to improve.

Topic for February 25th:  Tables

Well-structured tables help students grasp relationships in your content and ensure that assistive technology can interpret the information accurately. In this session you’ll learn how to create accessible tables by adding captions, headers, and scope attributes that support learning for all your students.  
Register today to reserve your spot https://mtu.libcal.com/event/15778946 and bring your laptop to work on content you’d like to improve.

Topic for March 17th:  Color

Color choice directly affects readability, contrast, and the ability of all students—including those with low vision or color vision deficiency—to interpret course materials. This session will cover how to choose accessible colors, avoid color-only meaning cues, and use free software tools to ensure accessibility and usability. Register today to reserve your spot https://mtu.libcal.com/event/15837615 and bring your laptop to work on content you’d like to improve.

Topic for April 1st:  Lists and Links

Properly structured lists and descriptive hyperlinks make your content easier to navigate and understand, especially for students using assistive technology. In this session, you’ll explore how to create semantic lists and write descriptive link text that effectively communicates destination and intent. 

Register today to reserve your spot https://mtu.libcal.com/event/15778956 and bring your laptop to work on content you’d like to improve.

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CTL Accessible Tech Challenge Kick-Off Lunch & Learn

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When: January 15, 12:00-1:00

Where: MUB

Join the CTL’s accessibility team as we launch the Spring 2026 Accessible Tech Challenge—a supportive and friendly competition designed to help instructors improve the accessibility and usability of their course materials.

This kick-off luncheon will introduce the challenge structure, outline the accessibility target for participants, and share strategies to help you make steady progress throughout the semester. We’ll also demonstrate how to use Canvas tools to locate outdated or unused content and review the Ally accessibility report to help you identify, prioritize, and address accessibility issues efficiently.

To support continued momentum, we’ll be hosting bi-weekly working sessions throughout the semester, each focused on a specific accessibility topic such as headings, image descriptions, tables, color contrast, and links and lists. These sessions will offer hands-on help so you can work directly on your own course materials with guidance from the CTL team.

All instructors who reach the challenge’s accessibility target will receive a nice prize as a thank-you for helping ensure students can access course materials in ways that work for them.

Whether you’re just getting started or refining existing content, the Accessible Tech Challenge provides community, accountability, and practical tools to help you make meaningful progress.

Register at: https://mtu.libcal.com/event/15572338Accommodation requests can be made on the registration screen, by emailing ctl@mtu.edu, or by calling (906) 487-3000.

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Pearson homework platform notice – Scheduled Maintenance Work

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IMPORTANT NOTICE TO INSTRUCTORS FROM PEARSON:

October 18, 2025 maintenance information

On Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 1:00am to 9:00am ET the following products will be unavailable:

· Mastering / Modified Mastering courses: You and your students will be unable to access Mastering courses for the entire maintenance window. This includes those courses integrated with an LMS.

· Students will not be able to register for or enroll in any of these courses.

· Instructors will be unable to create new or copy existing courses.

· A maintenance notification will appear at login or when users try to access these courses.

· Revel: You and your students will be unable to access your Revel courses for the entire maintenance window. This impacts all courses, including those integrated with learning management systems like Blackboard, Canvas, Brightspace by D2L, and Moodle.

· Students will not be able to register for or enroll in any Revel courses.

· Instructors will be unable to create new or copy existing Revel courses.

· A maintenance notification will appear at login or when users try to access these courses.

· Content downloaded to the mobile app before maintenance starts will be available.

· Learning Catalytics: You and your students will be unable to access this tool during the maintenance window.

The following products will remain as available, however customers may experience disruptions during the maintenance window due to infrastructure maintenance:

· XL MyLab, MathXL for School, and Mastering Platform Update courses: You and your students will be able to access XL MyLab, MathXL for School, and Mastering Platform Update courses for the entire maintenance window.

o IMPORTANT NOTE: Mastering Platform Update instructors may experience assignment copy and course copy issues during the maintenance window.

· Pearson+: Customers will be able to access Pearson+ for the entire maintenance window. A maintenance notification will appear at login.

· StatCrunch: You and your students will be able to access this tool during the maintenance window.

· IMPORTANT NOTE: While these products will remain available, customers may still experience disruptions during the maintenance window due to infrastructure maintenance. Please avoid any critical assessment activity during this Maintenance.

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Grading and Assessment

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This fall the Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning is offering a faculty book club where we will read Specifications Grading by Linda Nilson. This book club is intended to spark discussion about grading and assessment practices and strategies for using grading and assessment to support student learning and communicate student achievement.

Grading and Assessment

What is the difference between grading and assessment? Are they the same thing? According to the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation, “the goal of grading is to evaluate individual students’ learning and performance;” whereas “the goal of assessment is to improve student learning” (What is the difference between assessment and grading). When grading and assessment are aligned, they can support student learning and growth as well as provide information about student proficiency at the end of a course.

Assessment

It’s important for faculty to include many opportunities for assessment in their courses. This gives both faculty and students insight into what and how well students are learning. Based on the results of assessments, faculty may decide to change their teaching strategies, course assignments, and/or exam questions. Based on the results of assessments, students may decide to change their study strategies, note-taking habits, and/or class participation. Assessment results may also help faculty and students begin a conversation about how to improve teaching and learning in a specific course.

Grading

Grading can be a challenging part of teaching, but, when grading and assessment are aligned, grading can become less challenging. Ideally, grades should indicate what students know and can do within the scope of the course that students have completed. Assessment results can help students adjust their learning strategies so that they gain more knowledge and skills during a course, which should improve their course grade. However, it can be challenging to connect course assessments with a final course grade in ways that meaningfully communicate student knowledge and skill levels.

In Specifications Grading, Nilson (2015) suggests that faculty consider revising their grading systems to ensure that their systems:

  • “Uphold high academic standards” (p. 9)
  • “Reflect student learning outcomes” (p. 9)
  • “Motivate students to learn” (p. 10)
  • “Motivate students to excel” (p. 10)
  • “Discourage cheating” (p. 10)
  • “Reduce student stress” (p. 10)
  • “Make students feel responsible for their grades” (p. 11)
  • “Minimize conflict between faculty and students” (p. 11)
  • “Save faculty time” (p. 11)
  • “Give students feedback they will use” (p. 12)

If you would like to learn about Nilson’s ideas for how to do this, please register and join us for the Fall 2025 Faculty Book Club. Participants will receive a copy of the book.

References

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation. (n.d.). What is the difference between assessment and grading? Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/grading-assessment.html

Nilson, L. B. (2015). Specifications grading: Restoring rigor, motivating students, and saving faculty time. Routledge.

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How may I best help you?

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The beginning of the semester can bring a lot of stress and be overwhelming! To better help you and be available for teaching technology and application consults, starting Fall ’25 term I am rolling out a Consult Calendar to schedule a time to consult with me which can either be in-person (in a classroom or our CTL office suite) or through Zoom.

An additional way to contact me is to email elearning@mtu.edu with as much information as possible about your issue and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

As well, a new Introduction to Tech Teaching Tools – The Basics Canvas course has been created! This Canvas course covers the basics of Canvas and is self-enrolled; the course will eventually contain content for teaching applications supported by the CTL.

Thank you and have a great Fall ’25 semester!

– Sully

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Building An Interactive Online Course Using DesignPLUS

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Looking to make your online course more interactive and engaging? Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn how to use DesignPLUS to build an interactive online course. We’ll show you practical strategies and guide you through follow-along activities so you can start using these tools right away! Just be sure to bring your laptop.

When: Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Location:  Van Pelt/Opie Library Room 243
Registration is required.

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2025 CTL Instructional Awards Announced

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The Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) congratulates the following 2025 Deans’ Teaching Showcase members who have been selected to receive 2025 CTL Instructional Awards.  

  • Innovative or Out of Class Teaching: Paul Goetsch (Biological Sciences)
  • Large Class Teaching: Shane Oberloier (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
  • Curriculum Development and Assessment: Laura Kasson Fiss (Pavlis Honors College, Humanities)

This year’s recipients will share brief presentations on the work that earned them their teaching awards at a CTL Lunch and Learn event on Tuesday, September 9, at 12:00 PM in the MUB Ballroom. Each will receive formal recognition and a cash award. 

Please register in advance to attend the luncheon.

The CTL would also like to thank previous instructional award recipients who were instrumental in the selection process.

We’re looking for nominations for the 2026 Deans’ Teaching Showcase during spring semester. Please consider suggesting (to your dean or chair) instructors who have made exceptional contributions in curriculum development, assessment, innovative or out-of-class teaching, or large class teaching.

Contact the CTL (ctl@mtu.edu) for more information or to request accommodations for meal attendance.

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Coffee Chats with the CTL – Connect, Share, Inspire

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Take a break and join the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Thursday Sept. 4th from 3:30–4:30 p.m. in Library 243 for our biweekly Coffee Chats!

Enjoy a complimentary beverage from Velodrome as you connect with colleagues from across campus in a relaxed, informal setting. These sessions offer an open space to:

  • Share teaching ideas
  • Learn from one another
  • Collaborate and build community

No agenda. No presentations. Just rich conversation and meaningful connections.

              September 4th Topic: Tips and Tricks for a Great Semester!

We’ll kick off the series by sharing strategies, tools and insights to help set the tone for a successful and engaging semester!

Come as you are—whether you’re looking for inspiration, support, or simply a warm drink and good company. We’d love to see you there!

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CTL Kickoff Coffee Chat – Building Communities of Practice

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Hosted by the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Tuesday, August 19 | 10 a.m.-11 a.m. |  Outside of Velodrome -look for the orange conversation flag!

Start the semester with a warm beverage and a fresh perspective on teaching!

Join us for a special kickoff event to launch our Fall Coffee Chat series. This session will introduce the concept of Communities of Practice—informal, supportive groups where educators can connect, collaborate, and grow together.

What to Expect:

  •  A complimentary beverage from Velodrome
  • A pre-reflection activity to spark ideas and self-discovery
  • Opportunities to find like-minded colleagues and shared teaching interests
  •  A preview of the Fall Coffee Chat schedule—both formal and informal sessions
  •  Highlights of other CTL events and offerings this semester

Whether you’re new to teaching or a seasoned educator, this is a great chance to connect, reflect, and kick off the semester with energy and community.

No RSVP needed—just bring your curiosity and your coffee cup!

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