News, Events, Annual Report

Call for Proposals by 4/19: Teaching and Learning Strategies (TLS) Program

The TLS program provides us the opportunity to come together as a teacher-scholar community to deepen, diversify, and innovate our instructional practices. The program offers an engaging, collegial campus-wide forum to share teaching, learning, and assessment methods, exchange ideas, get inspired, affirmed, and plan for the new academic year. We invite you to contribute your teaching expertise by facilitating an interactive session or leading a topic-based small group discussion. Sessions are 50 minutes in length. Submit your proposal online by Friday, April 19.

Program details and e-mail for questions/clarification

Meet Our Graduate Assistant

We welcome Ms. Mary Xu, graduate student in communication, to our team: “Building on my undergraduate degree in public relations and advertising, I am pursuing a master's degree specializing in these fields. My aspirations lie in starting a career in PR within the realms of fashion and entertainment. I am a powerhouse of creative energy, with tremendous organization skills, and a collaborative spirit. I bring strong communication and presentation skills, combined with a proficiency in digital communication, to the graduate assistant position and I’m looking forward to contributing to the team.”

Villanova Textbook Access Program 

Details and FAQs for students and faculty
Communication from Craig Wheeland, Senior Vice Provost for Academics, 2/19/24

Update on A.I. at Villanova University   

Teaching in the Age of A.I. Selected general and Villanova University resources
VITALITY: Strategies to consider if you suspect A.I. misuse in your course (2/24)

Communication from Randy Weinstein, Vice Provost for Teaching & Learning (VPTL) on 1/3/2024: Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) has emerged as a transformative force profoundly influencing our daily lives.  It is becoming increasingly prevalent and...

Villanova's Next Generation Learning Management System  

Introducing Villanova's next generation learning management system (LMS), D2L Brightspace, a mobile-friendly LMS that supports modern pedagogical practices and teaching innovation. Villanova is building its Brightspace system and has started a website that shares timelines and pertinent information.

LMS Selection Update, VPTL communication, 10/23

VITALITY: VITAL Teaching Ideas with Focus on Mental Health

This two-part series highlights the importance of making mental health visible in their teaching and the steps faculty can take to make this a reality in their courses. It also offers sample dialogue that faculty might use to support students' mental well-being.

Part I: Making Mental Health Visible in Class
Part II: Talking with Students About Mental Health in Class

Access past VITALITY issues

Teaching Podcasts

Social Learning Amplified: Brings candid conversations with educators who are finding new ways to engage students inside and outside the class. Each episode will give you real-life examples and practical strategies you can put into practice in your own courses. Hosted by Eric Mazur, internationally recognized educational innovator in Social Learning and Peer Instruction.

Dead Ideas in Teaching and Learning: Guests share discoveries of “dead ideas”—ideas that are not true but that are often widely believed and embedded in the pedagogical choices we make. Hosted by Catherine Ross, CTL, Columbia University

Faculty Focus Live: Offers research-based teaching tips to boost your creativity and motivation hosted by Magna Publications. Current episode: Class adjurned: The importance of ending well 

Intentional Teaching with Derek Bruff: Aimed at faculty to help them develop foundational teaching skills and explore new ideas in teaching.

Tea for Teaching: Series of discussions of innovative and effective practices in teaching and learning. Hosted by State University of New York at Oswego.

Teaching in Higher Ed: Explores the art and science of being more effective at facilitating learning. Hosted by B. Stachowiak, Vangard University, CA.

On Cultivating Student Engagement in Higher Ed: Features faculty and course designers using creative approaches to enhance students' learning experiences and turn engagement "ON".  Hosted by Dr. Kathryn Berkow, University of Delaware.

Student Support Services

Faculty can now find all student support services on our campus unified on one website focused on supporting and elevating students, and assisting them in applying their learning through a multitude of academic services to support students in their academic success, wellbeing, and post-graduate careers. 

How to Make Your Teaching More Inclusive, Chronicle of Higher Education

Want to reach all of your students? This guide considers how faculty can provide a learning environment and engage in communication that reaches all of their students. The teaching resource introduces key principles of Inclusive Teaching, offers ways to interact inclusively with students, provides approaches to Inclusive Course Design, and suggests ways to evaluate your inclusive teaching methods. Link to article.

Self-Paced, Online Program: Making Your Course Accessible in LMS

As you are aware, accessibility is a critical factor in students' success. How can you check and ensure that your course materials are accessible? What do you need to consider? We invite you to take this online self-paced program, Making Your Course Accessible in LMS. Co-developed by VITAL and LSS, the program establishes the legal framework for accessibility in education, articulates why we need to address accessibility issues proactively in our courses, and demonstrates how to create ADA-compliant courses in LMS. Please click on course enrollment to enroll in this online program offered in Bridge. 
Link to more details

Villanova Policy Library

The Villanova Policy Library (VPL) assists faculty, staff and students in better understanding the many University policies and procedures. The University Compliance Office continues to feature compliance-related policies. For example, the Academic Integrity Policy sets expectations for honest academic work and provides for equitable administrative procedures to address suspected violations of Villanova’s Code of Academic Integrity. Access VPL through MyNova.

Innovative Teaching at Villanova 

Link to Innovative Teaching site