No images? Click here
Sheridan Newsletter
November 2026
News from the Center
Connect With Us on LinkedIn!
We're pleased to announce that the Sheridan Center now has a presence on LinkedIn! We will be using the Sheridan Center page to share information about our events, services, and resources; job postings; and the latest in teaching and learning research. Please consider ‘following’ us – we have some great content posted!
Announcing the No AI Teaching Summit
Thursday, January 21, 2027, 10 am - 2pm
SciLi 720
Register Here
This summit is designed to bring instructors considering and committed to 'no AI' teaching together to explore questions and methods for teaching without AI. The summit will consist of a panel of Brown instructors, a workshop on approaches and strategies for effective no AI teaching, and discussions and working time. All instructors at Brown (professors, lecturers, postdocs, and graduate student instructors) are welcome, regardless of whether or not they've committed to a no AI approach in their courses. Lunch provided. Please feel free to check out the full breadth of our offerings related to Teaching with AI in Mind on our website.
Call for Applications
Apply Now: Sheridan Course Design Seminar
During this semester-long seminar, participants are guided through an integrated course design process to develop a syllabus, signature assignments, and teaching strategies for a semester-long course. As participants move through the five modules of the seminar, they engage with colleagues from a variety of disciplines workshopping their course plans with one another. Registration is open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have successfully completed the Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I). The application is open now and closes on December 4, 2026; space is limited. For more information and to apply, please visit our Sheridan Course Design Seminar application form.
Fall Programs
STEM Ed Fridays
Select Fridays, Noon - 1:00 pm
SciLi 720 and Zoom
Register
Are you interested in discussing STEM education at Brown? STEM Ed Friday is a vibrant learning community where STEM instructors and staff members share ideas, experiences, and challenges related to STEM education. Please register for an upcoming session.
English Language Support Workshops for Multilingual Graduate Writers
From Sources to Synthesis: Building Your Own Argument in a Literature Review
Tuesday, November 10, 12-1:15 pm
Zoom
Register by November 6
A strong literature review does far more than summarize previous studies, as it strategically positions your research within an ongoing scholarly conversation. However, many graduate writers struggle to move past “source reporting” (e.g., Smith said X, Jones found Y) to show why their work matters. This literature review workshop introduces proven rhetorical moves used in scholarly literature reviews to establish research gaps and frame your contribution. You will learn how subtle shifts in reporting verbs (e.g., claims vs. demonstrates vs. suggests) and citation placement can highlight your critical stance and keep your voice (not your sources) at the center of your paper.
CIRTL@Brown Fall Local Learning Community
Once monthly on Tuesdays at noon
Register here
The CIRTL@Brown Local Learning Community is an opportunity for participants in CIRTL (Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning), and/or for those who wish to be involved in CIRTL. Graduate students and postdocs at Brown are invited to come together to discuss unique topics and build skills in navigating teaching, learning, and professional development. As part of your participation in the CIRTL@Brown community, you will be eligible to receive your CIRTL Associate certificate.
The learning community will meet monthly on the following upcoming dates:
November 17th, 12:00pm
Teaching@Brown: New Faculty Brownbags
November 18, Noon - 1:00 pm
SciLi 720
Register here
New to teaching at Brown? Bring your lunch and your questions to an informal conversation with Sheridan Center colleagues. Each session, a Sheridan staff member will open the conversation with a few brief ideas on a focused topic, but most of the time will be available for general discussion about teaching at Brown. Whether you’re puzzling over the Open Curriculum, wondering how to handle grading, trying to get students to talk in your seminar discussions, or just want to compare notes with other new faculty, come ready to ask, share, and troubleshoot. No preparation needed, and drop-ins are welcome. See the Fall semester schedule below. Help us plan ahead by registering here.
November 18, Noon-1:00, Sciences Library (SciLi) 720. Topic: ‘Supporting Multilingual Writers’ (with Anne Kerkian, Associate Director for English Language Support)
Join the 14-Day Graduate Writing Challenge!
Online (asynchronous) with optional in-person gatherings
November 30 - December 14
Register by November 16
Are you a graduate student hoping to make progress on a writing project? Join the 14-Day Writing Challenge! Hosted by the Writing Center, the Fall challenge will run from November 30-December 14. Participation will be virtual with optional in-person gatherings. The challenge helps writers meet their writing goals by providing community support and accountability. Participants will be asked to share their writing goals with other participants, do their best to write for at least 30 minutes per day during the challenge, post their progress at the end of each daily writing session (participants pick their own writing session times), and cheer on other participants as they try to meet their writing goals. Space is limited; register here by November 16. For more information, email graduate_writing@brown.edu.
Brown Learning Collaborative
The Brown Learning Collaborative provides opportunities for undergraduate fellows to collaborate with faculty and peer partners in key academic areas: Data Science, Problem Solving, and Writing.
Writing
Fellows
Writing Fellow Faculty Partner Applications Now Open
Are you interested in having Writing Fellows in your Spring 2027 course? Writing Fellows are trained peer tutors who provide one-on-one writing support in courses across the curriculum. In a ‘fellowed’ course, Writing Fellows comment on students' written drafts and hold individual conferences with students, where they discuss revision strategies. Faculty who partner with the program also receive support on how to integrate draft writing into their course designs.
The program’s interactive, collegial approach reinforces the conviction that writing is a communicative process best accomplished in active dialogue with other people. If you are interested in hosting Writing Fellows in a Spring 2027 course, please submit the Writing Fellows Faculty Partner Application here by 11:59pm EDT on Tuesday, November 24th. Questions? Please email writingfellows@brown.edu.
Problem-Solving
Fellows
Improve Your Teaching with a Problem-Solving Fellow!
Are you a UTA, tutor, or professor who wants a student perspective on your teaching? Sign up for a Problem-Solving Fellow (PSF) Teaching Consultation! PSFs are undergraduate students trained to give feedback on any and all elements of teaching or assisting in teaching a course. If you are looking to increase the effectiveness of your assignments, lecturing, or general teaching strategies, consider reaching out! Each consultation is confidential, personalized, and led from a student-based perspective. Please fill out our interest form to get started. Questions? Please contact psf@brown.edu.
The PSFs are also working on projects related to faculty, staff, and advisor perceptions of S/NC; Brown STEM cultures from a student perspective; and making sense of new educational environments.
Asynchronous Resources and Programs
English Language Support: Self-Paced Modules for Academic and Professional Communication
A series of asynchronous modules is available for supporting international-identifying and multilingual learners’ academic and professional communication in the U.S.-specific context. These self-paced modules cover key communicative strategies, including effective email writing, professional communication for job search and networking, navigating advisor-advisee interactions and critical AI Literacy for multilingual academic writers. Register to gain access to all modules using this Asynchronous English Language Support Request Form. Participants will be added to the English Language Resource Google Group and receive a link to the resource site. For questions, please contact Dr. Joy Liu at joy_s_liu@brown.edu.
CIRTL Network Fall Programming
The CIRTL Network has announced its fall courses, workshops, and events! Registration opens on a staggered basis, and you can now submit this form to request a just-in-time reminder as soon as registration opens for something you are interested in. This fall's programming covers teaching fundamentals, focused topics in teaching and learning (including assessment, design, accessibility, and AI), and academic job market preparation. In addition, you have access to more than ten self-paced opportunities. Completion of programming can make you eligible to receive a CIRTL Associate certificate. For questions, please contact Dr. Logan Gin (logan_gin@brown.edu).
Creating a Teaching Portfolio
This online, self-paced Canvas workshop from the Sheridan Center guides participants through the process of writing a teaching statement and creating a teaching portfolio. For more information and to register, visit the Teaching Portfolio program website.
Faculty Guide Spotlight: Effective Feedback
When done well, instructor feedback can have a powerful effect on student learning; when done poorly, it can backfire. Read our faculty guide to learn about the various targets of feedback, their impact on learning, and the traits that make feedback useful.
Planning Resource: Sheridan Calendars
Interested in knowing when Sheridan Center programs typically run during the year? Please see the calendars below.
