UA News

The University Teaching Center provides a service to familiarize faculty with new classroom technology and, for new faculty, the center offers a new faculty orientation.

Students don't return for the fall semester until Aug. 24, but campus will be a busy place next week as new and returning faculty members get ready for their first day of school.

On Monday, the 70 new members of The University of Arizona faculty will be attending an orientation just for them. They'll learn about promotion and tenure, fair use and copyright instruction, the UA code of conduct, information on classroom instruction and more. Also on the agenda are tours of the Integrated Learning Center, the Main Library and the Disability Resource Center, plus lunch with Provost Meredith Hay.

The orientation "is an excellent opportunity for an overview of resources available and a great opportunity to meet key people and faculty at the UA," said Kyla Macario, a professor of practice who works in the University Teaching Center, which coordinates the event. 

The center also will hold one-on-one demonstrations next week to help returning faculty learn to use classroom technology they have not used before.

"The demonstration can help you become familiar with any technology available in the classroom and they can help you troubleshoot any problems you may have before you are standing in front of a full classroom," Macario said. "The demonstration also allows you the opportunity to bring any technology you want to use in the classroom and ask how to use it. As an instructor, I've found it to be a tremendous help."

Many faculty members will be teaching in classrooms with equipment they have never used or renovated classrooms with new technology, said Ron Landis, supervisor of equipment services at the University Teaching Center.

"They may be teaching in the same room they taught last semester but there now may be new equipment they can use which will help them in their instruction," he said.

Faculty hoping to attend demonstrations during the week before classes are urged to book early.

"We are available throughout the year to provide assistance, but want to devote this uninterrupted time for their convenience," Landis said.

The demonstrations take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour with time allowed for the instructors to practice using the multimedia technologies.

During the school year, new and returning faculty are invited to come back to the University Teaching Center for free professional development workshops.

"Whether you are new to the UA or returning faculty, the UTC can help you connect with key people and resources that will help make your teaching experience run smoothly," Macario said.