College Teaching Development Program
This College Teaching Development Program is open to all Purdue faculty, staff, post docs, and graduate students in West Lafayette, Indianapolis, and Purdue Polytechnic Statewide. We define teaching broadly (instructors of record, graduate teaching assistants, instructors of lab, recitation, discussion sections, etc.). This program is geared toward classroom instruction, but we welcome those in other contexts (e.g., mentoring, advising) to participate and translate your learning goals to your specific context. The program is offered by the Center for Instructional Excellence (CIE).
Certificate of Foundations in College Teaching
The Foundations Certificate provides an overview of central topics in college teaching. This program has an online, asynchronous structure. It consists of four main modules: Reflecting on Teaching & Learning, Defining and Assessing Student Learning, Creating a Learner-Centered Environment, and Becoming a Scholarly Teacher.
This program is designed to be cohort-based and is dependent upon participant engagement on discussion board threads as participants bring important knowledge and experience to this environment. Many past participants have found engaging with other instructors to be the most valuable part of this program. For more information on program details, read the Foundations Syllabus.
During Foundations, you will work toward the following goals:
- Recognize and reflect upon your own values related to teaching and learning.
- Recognize and describe the value of evidence-based approaches to teaching that facilitate student learning.
- Build community and discuss evidence-based teaching approaches with fellow participants.
- Consider implications of evidence-based approaches for your own teaching practices.
- Identify what else you want to know and resources to continue expanding your teaching knowledge and practices.
What a typical week will look like:
- Engage with content in each unit module.
- Share a short reflection in a small discussion group.
- Optional: Join facilitators for weekly Coffee Hour Discussions.
Registration Information:
The six-week, online program is delivered in a 100 percent asynchronous format. The Spring 2026 session runs Monday, January 26th through Friday, March 6th. Participants should plan to devote approximately three hours during each week of the program.
We are able to accept the first 50 registrants. We will have a waitlist once we reach that capacity. If you are unsure whether you will have availability to participate fully in the program, please defer to a semester you are able to participate; we offer this program each semester (Fall/Spring).