New self-paced AI training courses launch

Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) has launched a new set of Artificial Intelligence Training Courses to help Purdue instructors and staff use AI confidently and responsibly in their day-to-day work. The four self-paced courses cover AI policy and ethics, approved tools, and practical ways to apply AI to teaching, research, and administrative tasks. 

TLT built the courses in collaboration with Purdue’s Center for Instructional Excellence, Purdue Libraries, and Purdue Information and Technology’s AI and Automation team, keeping the content grounded in the tools and policies in use across campus. And because the professional development courses are built to be updated as guidance and tools change, they will stay current as AI keeps evolving. 

These courses offer an excellent opportunity for instructors to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving field of AI, and find practical solutions to help save time and resources. Courses are available in Brightspace and are brief by design — offered in 30-minute to one-hour formats — so they fit into a busy week. 

Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Technologies, Jason Fish, is ready for instructors and staff to jump in and learn from these courses. “These courses are packed with practical, high-value content that faculty and staff can apply immediately, all in a short format built for busy schedules,” Fish explained.

All four courses are available now in Brightspace. See the AI Teaching Resources webpage to enroll.

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Purdue launches Simple Syllabus in Brightspace: FA26 instructors-of-record use it to post public-/student-facing syllabi

Purdue has launched Simple Syllabus as the university‑supported, system-wide syllabus management system for Fall 2026 courses. Integrated directly within the Brightspace learning management system, this new tool streamlines syllabus creation and updates while preserving instructor control over course content, structure, and tone. The platform helps reduce duplicated effort related to institutional information and student- versus public-facing viewing. It also offers flexibility in design while providing a built-in accessibility checker.  

Each instructor-of-record of a credit-bearing course will develop and publish a Fall 2026 course syllabus using the Simple Syllabus tool. Each participating campus – Purdue Fort Wayne, Purdue Indianapolis and West Lafayette, and Purdue Northwest – has its own syllabus template, designed in collaboration with instructors from that campus.  

The template includes required components, some of which are auto populated from Purdue’s systems to provide consistent information across platforms. Some of these required components will meet Indiana State Law HEA 1001, which asserts “A faculty member shall prepare and post on the institution’s website a syllabus for each course the faculty member is teaching.” Other components are required and pre-populated with Purdue policies specific to each campus.

Completing and posting a syllabus using Simple Syllabus in the Brightspace course will automatically provide both public- and student-facing versions. Students and others enrolled in a Brightspace course will see the student-facing version under the Syllabus tab. The public-facing versions of all syllabi posted across the university are viewable by anyone at the Purdue University – Simple Syllabus repository.

The implementation of Simple Syllabus does not affect department processes in the development and/or review of syllabi at Purdue Indianapolis and West Lafayette locations or at Purdue Northwest. Departments and instructors will continue with their own internal processes before each instructor-of-record posts their course syllabus in Simple Syllabus. Purdue Fort Wayne will follow the processes outlined in the updated OAA Memorandum 25-03.

The Fall 2026 launch of Simple Syllabus is the culmination of the phased implementation announced in May. Training, documentation, and campus-based support are available at each participating campus (see details below).  

For technical questions, contact Purdue University Information Technology. For questions about the Simple Syllabus implementation on your campus, contact:   

Purdue Fort Wayne 

• See the CELT Simple Syllabus Resources page for the instructor guide, training recording, general FAAs, and upcoming training. 

• Contact Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, celt@pfw.edu. 

Purdue Indianapolis and West Lafayette 

• See Purdue Simple Syllabus Guidelines – Innovative Learning for general FAQs, Purdue Simple Syllabus template tips & examples  – Innovative Learning for guidance on each template component, and Simple Syllabus – Innovative Learning for technical guidance, training, and workshops. 

• Contact Innovative Learning, InnovativeLearningTeam@purdue.edu   

Purdue Northwest 

• Contact the Center for the Faculty Excellence, cfe@pnw.edu   

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Fall 2026 Teaching & Learning reading group to discuss Designing Impactful College Courses

The Center for Instructional Excellence (CIE) invites instructors to join Purdue’s teaching and learning reading groups this semester. These reading groups bring together faculty from Indianapolis and West Lafayette in small groups to discuss how recent books about teaching, learning, and the classroom may inform what they do. 

Our book selection for the Fall 2026 semester is Designing Impactful College Courses: Applying Self-Determination Theory to Unleash the Potential of Autonomy-Supportive Learning by CIE’s Emily M. Bonem, Daniel Guberman, and Chantal Levesque-Bristol. The book is available through Purdue Libraries.

Participants will read and discuss the book over four sessions throughout the semester. Sessions will be held both in West Lafayette and virtually through Teams on the second week of each month. Participants can choose their date and location according to their schedules for each week:

• Thursdays, 3-4 p.m. Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12, and Dec. 10, on the West Lafayette campus

• Fridays, 1-2 p.m. Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13, and Dec. 11, virtually through Teams 

Those who would like to participate during Fall 2026 should fill out an online questionnaire by Friday, Aug.28, providing information about interest and availability.

Those who cannot make it this semester but are interested in faculty reading and learning communities, or who have suggestions for future books/topics, should contact Annika Kraft at arkraft@purdue.edu.

CIE is a member of Innovative Learning, a hub approach to connect Purdue instructors in Indianapolis and West Lafayette, 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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