News

New knowledge base launch for developing asynchronous online courses

You have been asked to design a hybrid or online course, but now what? The process can feel overwhelming and time consuming, especially when the path forward isn’t clear. A new online hub and asynchronous course created by Purdue University Online will bridge that gap. It offers a convenient one-stop shop for resources — including best practices, articles, step-by-step guides, and a course for those new to online teaching — to help instructors in their journey of becoming confident and effective educators.

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AI Bytes returns with practical strategies for using AI in class

AI Bytes returns this fall with a new series of workshops designed to help Purdue instructors in Indianapolis and West Lafayette navigate the rapidly evolving world of generative artificial intelligence with greater confidence and purpose. 

Hosted by Consulting and Training, the Fall 2026 series begins Sept. 17 and will focus on practical questions instructors are encountering as AI becomes increasingly integrated into teaching, learning, and everyday work. These sessions will help participants develop strategies they can apply across platforms and situations.

This fall’s workshops will explore how to identify opportunities where AI can be useful; approach AI as an iterative problem-solving partner; make informed, policy-focused decisions about what information to share with AI tools; evaluate and verify AI-generated content; and consider the appropriate role of AI in teaching and student learning.

Each one-hour virtual session will combine practical examples, discussion, and strategies instructors can adapt to their own teaching and work. No advanced AI experience is required, and instructors are welcome to attend individual sessions or participate throughout the series.

• Session 1: I’m Stuck! Practical Strategies for Using AI Where it Matters Most, Thurs., Sept. 17, 1–2 p.m. 
  Register

• Session 2: Before You Ask AI: What to Share, What to Trust, and What to Verify, Wed., Oct. 21, 2–3 p.m., Register
• Session 3: How Much Help Is Too Much? Finding AI’s Place in Teaching and Learning, Nov. 19, 9-10 a.m., Register

Visit the AI Bytes webpage on the Innovative Learning website to explore session descriptions and register. Resources from past semesters are also available on the webpage.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore generative AI or looking for more intentional ways to use it, AI Bytes offers a place to experiment, ask questions and build practical strategies you can take back to your work. 

Consulting and Training is part of Purdue University Online, 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 the Center for Instructional Excellence and Libraries and the School of Information Studies.

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YuJa Panorama now available to all Purdue users for digital accessibility support

Purdue University has expanded access to YuJa Panorama, the university’s centrally supported digital accessibility remediation tool, making it available to Purdue instructors, staff and students at Purdue Indianapolis and West Lafayette , Purdue Northwest and Purdue Fort Wayne campuses beyond its integration within Brightspace. The expanded availability supports Purdue’s ongoing commitment to digital accessibility and helps users create remediated digital content across instructional, research and administrative environments.

While YuJa Panorama continues to support instructors directly within Brightspace, all instructors and staff can now use the platform to improve the accessibility of a broader range of digital content used throughout the university. Students at these campuses also have access to the tool, providing additional opportunities to create and share more accessible materials while building awareness of accessibility best practices.

Purdue instructors, staff, and students may log in directly to YuJa Panorama with the following steps:

1. Navigate to Purdue’s YuJa Panorama website.
2. Select SAML Single Sign-On in the drop-down menu and click the Sign In With SSO button.
3. Log in with your Purdue credentials to access your DocHub on the left-hand menu.
4. For additional information, getting started guides, and FAQs, visit the Purdue Yuja Panorama tool webpage. 

Originally selected through a Purdue system-wide evaluation process to support compliance with updated digital accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), YuJa Panorama provides tools to help identify and address common accessibility issues in digital materials. Through automated accessibility analysis and remediation support, users can receive actionable feedback related to document structure, heading organization, color contrast, alternative text and other accessibility best practices.

For more information, additional training opportunities, guidance and support resources access instructions and available resources, visit the YuJa Panorama support webpage and the Instructional Material ADA Readiness website.

Purdue Indianapolis and West Lafayette   

• For general resources, information, and support: Visit the YuJa Panorama website
• For in-depth questions, visit the Yuja Panorama Knowledge Base
• For technical support: Contact the Purdue Innovative Learning Team at InnovativeLearningTeam@purdue.edu
• For in-time one-on-one support: Attend a Daily Virtual Drop-In Help Session with the Innovative Learning Team.

Purdue University Northwest

• For general resources, information, and support: Visit the YuJa Panorama website
• For in-depth questions about the tool: Visit the Yuja Panorama Knowledge Base
• For technical support: Contact the PNW Customer Service Center at csc@pnw.edu
• For support with the digital accessibility of instructional materials: Contact the Instructional Accessibility Specialist, Melissa Maldonado at mamaldon@pnw.edu, or the Center for Faculty Excellence at cfe@pnw.edu

Purdue Fort Wayne

• For technical Brightspace support, please contact the Purdue Fort Wayne Help Desk.
• For questions about accessibility compliance and resources, please contact the Office for Civil Rights Compliance (OCRC): civilrights@pfw.edu.
• For accessibility concerns, please the Office for Civil Rights Compliance (OCRC): accessibility@pfw.edu.
• For pedagogical support related to accessible course design and instructional best practices, please contact CELT: celt@pfw.edu.

Purdue Global

• At this time, Purdue Global is not implementing a remediation tool. PG CTL and the Curriculum Team support accessibility through the Accessibility courses available at CTL Workshop Central and through our Curriculum Accessibility Team. PG Faculty should contact AskCTL with any accessibility questions.

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Watch for Teaching & Learning Technologies survey

The week of Mon., Sept. 14, all Purdue instructors teaching at the Indianapolis and West Lafayette locations will receive an email invitation to participate in a survey regarding the portfolio of tools Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) supports for instructors and students. The goal of the survey is to evaluate current offerings to measure instructor satisfaction, portfolio health, identify gaps, and ensure that our team is providing best-in-class experiences for our instructors and students at these locations.

In 2024 a similar survey provided data that is helping TLT drive excellence at scale. Three specific examples of tools added as a result of instructor feedback include: 

• Helping instructors prepare for new compliance standards by adding Panorama and Simple Syllabus to our tool kit to save instructors time and make compliance with ADA Title II easier.
• Investing in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that easily integrate with our tool kit by expanding Charlie, an AI-powered writing assistant, in all Circuit courses, continually adding relevant AI features to our current tools, and launching the pilot of Orbit, our newest chat bot tool. 
• Launching the Spatial Computing Hub to help instructors continue to innovate in new areas of technology and make it more accessible to the wider Purdue audience. 

Watch your Purdue email for the subject line “TLT survey” and consider participating. Your input is invaluable to the portfolio of tools that support teaching and learning. Questions may be emailed to TLT@purdue.edu.

Teaching and Learning Technologies is part of Purdue University Online, 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 the Center for Instructional Excellence and Libraries and the School of Information Studies.

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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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