Back-to-School Teaching Resources for Faculty

As faculty and students alike return to campus for fall semester, the Center for Teaching and Learning offers these teaching resources to help faculty prepare for the new semester.

Draft your Syllabus

CTL offers multiple resources to help faculty develop a new syllabus or update an existing one.

• Syllabus Essentials (pdf)
• Policy Essentials (pdf)
• Georgia Tech Syllabus Template (MS Word)
• Attend the Syllabus Clinic at Fall Teaching Kick-off

University System of Georgia requires that all faculty must establish an AI policy and communicate it to students via the syllabus. For assistance crafting your AI policy, see “Student Use of Artificial Intelligence” in CTL’s Establishing Course Policies. In addition to multiple AI-in-education resources coming from CTL this fall, the USG offers a free, on-demand Guide to Generative AI Literacy course. This course is hosted through the USG system instance of D2L, which you can join using your GT SSO. The USG Student Guide to GenAI Literacy is included.

As announced by the Office of the Provost in June, instructors teaching Core IMPACTS courses this fall were instructed to upload an abbreviated syllabus to the new syllabus portal for public posting. All instructors will upload syllabi for summer and fall 2026 courses by April 1. These abbreviated syllabi should include:

• Course Prefix, Number, and Name (of Faculty and Course)
• Semester and Academic Year
• Course Description
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Course Materials Required to be Purchased (if applicable)
• Grading Policy
• Attendance Policy
• Academic Honesty/Integrity Statement
• Core IMPACTS Statements (if applicable)

Prep your Tech

Setting up your Canvas course is easy with the GT Canvas Course Template — and easier for students to navigate multiple courses with similar structures. Explore that resource and more at CTL’s Canvas Click-Off on August 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

According to Title II (ADA) revisions announced in 2024, all web material, including course materials posted in Canvas, must be ADA compliant by April 2026. The Canvas Course Template and this Canvas Course Accessibility Checklist can help you build compliant course materials that support all learners. For more information on Title II, attend CTL’s September 11 roundtable discussion.

Launch your Course

How can you use curiosity, community, learning, and expectations to capture student interest on the first day of class? Author James Lang offers advice for How to Teach a Good First Day of Class in this classic Chronicle of Higher Education article.

Meet with your TAs to clarify your expectations and their learning goals – this TA Checklist can help guide your conversation. UTAs and GTAs learn about grading, office hours, student well-being and more at TA Development Academy on Friday, August 15.

Georgia Tech holds academic freedom and freedom of expression as core to our mission. Read more about the Institute’s commitment through the Office of the Provost and Student Engagement and Well-Being. Attend the CTL workshop Turn Conflict into Conversation: Facilitating Respectful and Productive Dialogue on Thursday, August 14 at 10:00 a.m. to noon in Crosland 4160.

Cultivate your Teaching Community

CTL is on a mission to support excellence in teaching and learning across the Institute. Engage with us through our website, fresh programming, and classic faculty communities. We’re here for our students and for you.

Reach out to us at ctlhelp@gatech.edu.