Upcoming Programs & Events

Dates/Times: Tues, Sept. 8, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Richard Feldman, Multimedia Developer

Description:
Learn practical strategies for creating more accessible Word documents and PowerPoint presentations. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to design instructional materials that are easier for all students to access and use.

register for Accessible by Design

Dates/Times: Thurs, Sept. 17, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Ann Loomis, LMS Administrator

Description:
TBD

register for Turnitin in Canvas 

Dates/Times: Tues, Sept. 22, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Yajaira Garcia, Instructional Designer

Description:
This workshop introduces practical, active learning strategies that support student engagement and interaction. We’ll look at flexible techniques you can adapt to your own courses to make class time more interactive.

register for Active Learning for Engaged Classrooms

Dates/Times: Tues, Oct. 6, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Yajaira Garcia, Instructional Designer

Description:
Discover how Canvas New Analytics can help you monitor student engagement and provide timely support throughout the term. Participants will explore ways to use course data to identify potential barriers and reconnect students with learning opportunities.

register for Canvas Analytics for Early Student Support

Dates/Times: Tues, Nov. 17, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Yajaira Garcia, Instructional Designer

Description:
Explore practical strategies for creating a syllabus that is clear, welcoming, accessible, and supportive of student success. This workshop will highlight inclusive approaches to syllabus language, course expectations, organization, and student resources that help foster a sense of belonging from the start of the course.

register for Inclusive Syllabus: Effective Practices

Dates/Times: Thurs, Sept. 10, 12-12:45pm

Presenters:
Yajaira Garcia, Instructional Designer
Ann Loomis, LMS Coordinator

Description:
In this workshop, you will explore strategies for creating clear, consistent course modules, writing measurable learning outcomes, and aligning outcomes with learning activities and assessments.

register for Canavs Course Organization & Learning Outcomes

Dates/Times: Tues, Sept 29, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Donya Rahimi, Instructional Designer

Description:
Transparent assignments are a way to structure your assignments to make them clear and specific. Transparent assignments help students understand why they are completing an assignment, how it relates to their goals, what tasks to complete and how they will be assessed. Making your assignments transparent is helpful for students who may not be aware of the ‘hidden curriculum.’ We will also cover creating Assignments in Canvas.

register for Transparent Assignments & Assignment Collection

Dates/Times: Tues, Oct 13, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Yajaira Garcia, Instructional Designer

Description:
Learn how to create and manage online assessments using Canvas Quizzes. In this workshop, we will explore essential settings and question types, and demonstrate how Question Banks can help instructors organize, reuse, and randomize questions. Participants will leave with practical strategies for building efficient, student-friendly online assessments.

register for Online Testing (Quizzes)

Dates/Times: Tues, Oct 20, 12-12:45pm

Presenters: Toni Davis, Instructional Designer

Description:
Effective feedback helps students understand their progress and improve their work. This workshop explores research-informed strategies for providing meaningful, timely, and actionable feedback that supports student learning and guides improvement over time.

This workshop will go over SpeedGrader feedback, commenting, and grading features to help instructors provide timely, constructive feedback on student work.

register for Assignment Grading & Feedback (Speedgrader)

Dates/Times: Thurs, Dec 3, 12-12:45pm

Presenters: Ann Loomis, LMS Administrator

Description:
In this final workshop in the Canvas in Practice series, instructors will explore the finer points of calculating final grades in Canvas. Topics will include customizing the Grades page; configuring course- and Gradebook-level settings; choosing between points-based and weighted grading; applying automatic policies for missing and late submissions; incorporating extra credit; and addressing other common grading challenges.

register for Calculating Final Grades

Dates/Times: Tues, Sept. 15, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Donya Rahimi, Instructional Designer

Description:
Generative AI is rapidly changing education, but effective learning still depends on productive self-regulated learning (SRL). This workshop explores how faculty can leverage AI to strengthen—rather than replace—students' planning, monitoring, strategy use, and reflection. This session covers a four-phase model of self-regulated learning (SRL) and provides examples at each phase. We will explore how metacognitive strategies can be integrated into genAI use, and you will be provided with sample genAI prompts to encourage the use of SRL with students.

Please note this is not a technical workshop on how to create custom GPTs or AI tools.

register for Designing AI-Supported Self-Regulated Learning

Dates/Times: Thurs, Sept. 24, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: CPP Faculty from different disciplines

Description:
Join fellow faculty for an engaging showcase of how artificial intelligence is being used across their courses and disciplines. Presenters will share practical examples of how they are using AI to transform the ways students learn, engage with course material, and demonstrate their understanding. This session will offer participants new ideas and adaptable approaches for thoughtfully incorporating AI into their own teaching.

register for AI in the Classroom Showcase 

Dates/Times: Thurs, Oct. 8, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Erick Zelaya, Senior Multimedia Developer

Description:
Explore how custom GPTs can support teaching, learning, and productivity. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to design and create GPTs tailored to specific pedagogical goals, such as helping students practice course concepts, receive formative feedback, prepare for assessments, or navigate course resources.

register for GPTs for Teaching and Learning

Dates/Times: Thurs, Oct. 22, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Yajaira Garcia, Instructional Designer

Description:
Explore practical strategies for designing assignments that promote authentic student learning and encourage them to apply course concepts rather than relying on generative AI. Faculty will learn approaches that better capture students' thinking, reflection, and learning processes.

register for Authentic Assessment in the Age of AI

Dates/Times: Tues, Nov. 19, 12-12:45pm

Presenter: Marisela Chávez, Executive Director

Description:
Develop a generative AI policy that aligns with your course goals, teaching approach, and students’ learning needs. In this workshop, faculty will explore how to clearly communicate when, why, and how AI may be used in their courses, while leaving room for thoughtful flexibility. Participants will consider ways to explain the purpose behind their guidelines so students can make informed, responsible choices and engage with AI in ways that support meaningful learning.

register for Responsible AI: AI Policy for Your Course

Dates/Times: Mondays, 10-11:30am, Sept 14 to Dec 14, 2026

Facilitator: Dr. Gabriel Granco, Associate Professor of Geography

Description:
Would you like dedicated time and a supportive community to help you make progress on your scholarly writing this fall?

CAFE is offering a virtual scholarly writing community facilitated by Dr. Gabriel Granco, Associate Professor of Geography, who led the Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks group during Summer 2026. Faculty participants will meet regularly on Zoom to work on their writing, share progress, and support one another in reaching their writing goals.

Please register by Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

register for The Writing CAFE

Dates/Times: Mondays, 9-10:30am, Sept 28, Oct 26, Nov 23, and Dec 14, 2026

Facilitators: CAFE Faculty Associates: Dr. Gyasmine George-Williams and Dr. Marisol Diaz

Description:
CAFE invites faculty to apply for Teaching Toward Possibility, a four-session Faculty Learning Community designed for educators who want dedicated time to reflect on their teaching, learn with colleagues across disciplines, deepen their understanding of the students and communities we serve, and translate reflection into meaningful pedagogical practice.

Please apply by Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

apply for Teaching Toward Possibility

Getting classes ready

If lecturers want to begin preparing courses in Canvas before they have access to CPP’s Canvas, they can do so: Go to Instructure.com and sign up for a free teacher account. Build courses there, then when ready download the course package and upload it to CPP Canvas (CAFE Canvas team can help with this).

Using Canvas

• CAFE’s self-enrollable Introduction to Teaching with Canvas: A basic introduction for faculty who are new to using Canvas. Learn to maintain a current syllabus, maintain an up-to-date gradebook, communicate with students, and provide instructional materials that are accessible to students with disabilities. Requires CPP login.
• LinkedIn Learning “Learning Canvas”: A basic introduction for faculty who are new to using Canvas. Learn how to set up a class, add assignments, grade in Canvas, communicate with students, add multimedia, and leverage Canvas for student success. Requires CPP login or a LinkedIn Learning account.
• CAFE’s Canvas support page: Video playlists, tutorials, and CAFE contact information. Does not require CPP login.
• canvas@cpp.edu: Send a request for Canvas help or consultation; a member of CAFE will respond

Effective Teaching Strategies

• Getting Started: Basics of Course Design: No matter what format you are teaching in -- face to face, hybrid, synchronous, asynchronous, hyflex, or something else -- backwards design is the way to create an effective course.

Getting Help in General

• Everybody's Mentor: Lisa Kessler, CAFE faculty associate, provides individual, confidential consultation and coaching. Email Lisa to set up an appointment.
• Get help Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:00pm via CAFE’s Studio 6 at 909-869-3099

Format: Online via Canvas

Overview: The Fundamentals of Accessibility eCertificate will show you how to get started with incorporating best accessibility practices as an instructor at Cal Poly Pomona; certificate available for completion.

All students should have the joy of learning, the freedom to grow, and the benefits of education! Accessibility of course materials and Universal Design for Learning helps make that vision a reality. In this self-paced, self-enrollable, certificate course get background and practical strategies, and also develop empathy for the needs of all students.

self-enroll in Fundamentals of Accessibility

Format: Online via Canvas

Overview: This course will walk you through the basic steps for using Canvas to offer a good experience for your students.

If you're new to Canvas or you want a refresher on basics, the self-enroll Intro to Teaching with Canvas Course will allow you to walk through basic steps for using Canvas to offer a good experience for your students (and therefore an easier experience for you). Go to the course to self-enroll with your Cal Poly Pomona Bronco credentials.

self-enroll in Intro to Teaching with Canvas