Welcome toInnovative Learning

Instructors: apply for CIE SoTL Fellowship by Feb. 27

The Center for Instructional Excellence (CIE) invites instructors at Purdue’s West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations to apply for the 2026-2028 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Fellowship Program.

The SoTL Fellowship Program is a two-year fellowship which includes an online six-week faculty learning community in this summer in which SoTL fellows design a SoTL project, as well as a monthly community of practice that provides support while fellows conduct their SoTL research.

The resources an ongoing support can be invaluable in initiating and sustaining inquiry into teaching practices with the goal of improving student learning. “As a SoTL Fellow, I built a strong foundation in conducting high-quality research that meaningfully engages students as stakeholders and strengthens the impact of instructional practice,” said LaMonica Williams, clinical assistant professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and Educational Studies in the College of Education.

“The fellowship fostered sustained dialogue with colleagues across disciplines, deepening our collective support for student learning,” Williams explained. “Most importantly, it created space to explore questions that matter to my practice and to think more deeply and intentionally about learning in my field.”

“[The CIE SoTL Fellowship program] created space to explore questions that matter to my practice and to think more deeply and intentionally about learning in my field.”
— LaMonica Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education

In addition to incorporating their research into instructional strategies for their courses, SoTL Fellows have also presented their projects at a variety of academic assemblies, including the SoTL Summit, the SoTL Commons Conference, the Lilly Conferences and many other discipline-specific conferences.

“The SoTL Fellowship program offered me a supportive sense of community. I was able to meet faculty from across the university and learn about incredible work that is being performed here at Purdue,” said Krystal Hans, assistant professor of forensic entomology and director of Forensic Science in the College of Agriculture. “This fellowship also provided me opportunities to present my work at the Teaching and Learning Festival and share my project with colleagues from numerous departments. Even after completing the fellowship, I still receive invitations and updates regarding SoTL opportunities. I’m truly grateful for this experience and the mentorship that I’ve received from this program.”

“I was able to meet faculty from across the university and learn about incredible work that is being performed here at Purdue.”
— Krystal Hans, Assistant Professor, College of Agriculture

Clinical Professor Megan Purcell said the fellowship community of practice provides the structure and support to pursue teaching and learning research. “The SoTL Fellowship Program provided both the support and the dedicated time in my schedule to pursue a project that had been on my mind for many years,” said Purcell, who is the Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs program coordinator in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. “The professional learning community fostered through collaboration with CIE staff and faculty from across the university was both encouraging and productive, creating shared accountability and helping us move our work forward.”

“The SoTL Fellowship Program provided both the support and the dedicated time in my schedule to pursue a project that had been on my mind for many years.”
— Megan Purcell, Clinical Professor, College of Health and Human Services

More information about the fellowship is available on the SoTL Fellowship webpage.

Applicants for the SoTL Fellowship program should complete this online application by Fri., Feb. 27. SoTL Fellows will be notified of their acceptance by Fri., March 27.

Questions may be directed to Emily Bonem, CIE assistant director of SoTL, ebonem@purdue.edu.

CIE is a member of Innovative Learning, Purdue’s hub approach to connect West Lafayette and Indianapolis instructors to the resources they need to engage students, develop courses in any instructional modality, and enhance learning across the University. Other members include Libraries and the School of Information Studies and Purdue University Online. To learn more, visit www.purdue.edu/innovativelearning or email InnovativeLearningTeam@purdue.edu.

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ADA Title II Instructor Resource Recommendations

The April 24th ADA instructional materials compliance deadline is approaching, and instructors across the Purdue system are actively preparing their course materials to meet updated accessibility requirements. 

Purdue has developed supportive resources designed to help you feel confident and equipped as you update your content. Below are key resources available—along with firsthand feedback from instructors who’ve used them. 

Accessibility Drop‑In Sessions 

These live, open‑door help sessions allow you to bring your questions, your files, your concerns—big or small—and receive immediate support from the ADA Drop-In Team. Drop‑ins are ideal if you’re unsure where to start, want a quick accessibility check, or need guidance specific to your materials. 

“I attended a drop-in session with some major concerns about making sure my class readings are ADA compliant. The session was incredibly helpful, even calming, on a number of fronts. I highly recommend them to anyone with concerns.” 
— Keith Shimko, Professor of Political Science, Purdue West Lafayette 

Brightspace Accessibility Course 

This structured, self‑paced course walks you through the essentials of accessible course design using examples, checklists, and hands‑on practice. If you want a clear, manageable pathway to ensure your materials align with updated guidelines, this course provides exactly that. 

“The Brightspace accessibility course provides clear, practical guidance that can be applied immediately to course materials. With the volume of accessibility-related emails we receive, the Brightspace course provides me the opportunity to follow a manageable, structured path to ensure my course content meets accessibility guidelines.” 
— Kristin Barker, Clinical Assistant Professor of Human Services, Purdue Fort Wayne 

Accessibility Workshops 

These online workshops provide a big‑picture overview of what the new accessibility mandate requires, why it matters, and how instructors can efficiently create accessible materials. They are especially helpful if you want a stronger foundation for understanding what needs to happen before April 24th. 

“The system accessibility workshop provided a basic overview of what the accessibility mandate means so I had a better understanding of how I need to revise my courses. While I realize that it will be a lot of work, I now feel more supported and know where to go for support and resources.” 
— Heather Bowers, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, Purdue Northwest 

Now is the perfect time to tap into these resources and take the next step toward full accessibility readiness. Explore these resources today to assist with your instructional materials for ADA compliance. For the latest updates, training opportunities, and support, visit the Instructional Material ADA Readiness Webpage. 

For further questions and support at your campus, contact: 

• Purdue West Lafayette and Indianapolis: Innovative Learning, InnovativeLearningTeam@purdue.edu 
• Purdue Fort Wayne:  
  • For questions or resources on accessibility: Digital Accessibility Taskforce  
  • For questions about this Purdue system project: Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, celt@pfw.edu 
  • For questions about the law: Contact the Office for Civil Rights Compliance at civilrights@pfw.edu  
• Purdue Northwest:  
  • For resources on accessibility: Accessibility at PNW    
  • For questions: Center for the Faculty Excellence, cfe@pnw.edu  
• Purdue Global: Center for Teaching and Learning, askctl@purdueglobal.edu 

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Purdue Announces Vendor Demonstration Recordings – Feedback Needed by Jan. 30

As part of Purdue University’s system-wide initiative to support instructors as they transition their course materials in alignment with the new digital accessibility standards issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Purdue conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a digital content remediation tool that will be integrated into Brightspace and assist instructors in identifying and correcting accessibility issues in instructional materials.  

Recordings of the vendor demonstrations are now available for viewing on the Instructional Material ADA Readiness webpage. 

Faculty, instructors, and staff across all Purdue campuses are encouraged to watch the recordings and provide feedback. Your input is essential to ensure the selected solution meets the needs of our diverse teaching environments.

Each demonstration session is approximately one hour and 30 minutes long and showcases the features and capabilities of the proposed remediation tools. Your feedback will help guide the final selection process and ensure Purdue instructors have the best resources available. 

Register for ADA deep-dive workshops 

To further support instructors as they prepare for ADA updates, Purdue is offering deep-dive workshop sessions that will provide guidance on accessible documents, address common challenges, and offer practical strategies for updating instructional materials. All instructors, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend one or more of the following workshops: 

• Tues., Jan. 20, 2-3 p.m. ET
• Mon., Jan. 26, 1-2 p.m. ET (Rescheduled for Mon. Feb. 2nd, 3-4 p.m. ET)
• Wed., Jan. 28, 10-11 a.m. ET

Each workshop will cover similar topics, so you may choose the date and time that best fits your schedule. These sessions are open to all Purdue campuses. Please register in advance using the links on the Instructional Material ADA Readiness webpage . 

For further questions and support at your campus, contact:

• Purdue West Lafayette and Indianapolis: Innovative Learning, InnovativeLearningTeam@purdue.edu
• Purdue Fort Wayne:
  • For questions or resources on accessibility: Digital Accessibility Taskforce
  • For questions about this Purdue system project: Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, celt@pfw.edu
  • For questions about the law: Contact the Office for Civil Rights Compliance at civilrights@pfw.edu
• Purdue Northwest:
  • For resources on accessibility: Accessibility at PNW
  • For questions: Center for the Faculty Excellence, cfe@pnw.edu
• Purdue Global: Center for Teaching and Learning, askctl@purdueglobal.edu

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