Teaching & Learning Innovation (TLI) hosts several events throughout the academic year to provide professional development opportunities for all University of Tennessee faculty.
Calendar of Events, Spring 2026
Advance Your Scholarship at the 2-Day Writing Challenge
Tuesday, January 13 & Wednesday, January 14
9:00 am – 1:30 pm | Denbo Center (Cherokee Mills)
The 2-Day Writing Challenge on January 13–14 at the Denbo Center (Cherokee Mills). There will be structured writing time and opportunities for collaborative reflection and connection with colleagues across campus. This retreat offers faculty a dedicated, distraction-free space to make meaningful progress advancing their work.
Register by January 6 at tiny.utk.edu/WritingChallenge to connect with faculty in a supportive environment. Space is limited to 30 participants. Questions? Contact Amy Gilliland at amygill@utk.edu.
The event is sponsored by the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach is proud to collaborate with the Denbo Center for Humanities & the Arts, Teaching and Learning Innovation, and the Judith Anderson Herbert Writing Center.
Spring Syllabus Together: Design the Course You’ve Always Imagined through Community
Thursday, January 15, 2026
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | SU 169
Before the semester kicks into high gear, join fellow faculty for a collaborative afternoon. Spring Syllabus Together brings together three kinds of expertise:
- Faculty Consultants from Teaching & Learning Innovation
- Experts from OIT and Digital Learning
- Your faculty peers from across campus
*This is a drop-in event. No registration required.
*Hosted by TLI in collaboration with OIT & Digital Learning.
AI & Me: Navigating GenAI for Higher Education Faculty Series
Thursday, January 22, 2026
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Zoom
Teaching & Learning Innovation (TLI) is proud to partner with the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) on a workshop series as part of an initiative to advance AI literacy, instructional innovation, and the ethical use of GenAI in higher education.
*This series is funded by The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences’ “Elevate Your Work” grant, in collaboration with Teaching & Learning Innovation.
Faculty Appreciation Luncheon
Thursday, February 12
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Haslam Business Building, 501
Join us for our annual Faculty Appreciation Luncheon, where we recognize our faculty members’ hard work and dedication and express our gratitude for their contributions to our academic community.
Registration TBA
What brings us joy in teaching and learning? How can we create more of it across the educational experience? This year’s conference invites faculty, researchers, practitioners, students, and educational partners to reflect on and share the moments, practices, and ideas that make their work meaningful and energizing. We welcome proposals that explore teaching and learning as joyful, evolving practices, grounded in purpose and driven by care, curiosity, and innovation. We are interested in how joy informs and transforms your approach, whatever your role, context, or contribution to the educational experience. Join us as we reimagine education not just as a system or profession, but as a vibrant, human-centered pursuit, rich with purpose, connection, and possibility. Learn more about the ITLC ConferenceInnovative Teaching and Learning Conference
Teaching and Learning with Joy: Purpose, Connection, and Possibility
Thursday, March 26, 2026
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Zoom