1 | Teaching at UCF
Guide to
Teaching at UCF
Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
Classroom Building 1, Room 207
407-823-3544
https://fctl.ucf.edu/
Revised 7/26/2024
See an online version of this book at
https://fctl.ucf.edu/teaching-at-ucf
Editors: Kevin Yee, Eric Main, Laurie Uttich, Liz Giltner
2 | Teaching at UCF
Table of Contents
Introduction ..........................................................................7
Recent Undergraduate Student Profile .................................. 8
First-Time in College (FTIC) Student Profile ........................ 8
Transfer Student Profile ...................................................... 8
SECTION I Getting Started at UCF: The Basics ........................ 10
Nuts and Bolts....................................................................... 10
ID Numbers and Sign-On Credentials ............................... 11
Parking .............................................................................. 11
UCF Alert ........................................................................... 12
Faculty ID Card .................................................................. 12
Faculty Email Account ....................................................... 13
Multi-Factor Authentication ............................................. 13
Workday ............................................................................ 13
myUCF Portal .................................................................... 13
Computer Access .............................................................. 14
Wireless Access ................................................................. 14
Knight Ride ........................................................................ 14
UCF Connect Centers ............................................................ 15
Parking Information .......................................................... 15
Building Access.................................................................. 15
On-Site Technology ........................................................... 16
UCF Regulations, Policies and Procedures, and Faculty
Responsibilities ..................................................................... 16
UCF Regulations and Policies ............................................ 16
FERPA—Student Privacy ................................................... 17
Sensitive Information ........................................................ 19
Password and Information Security .................................. 19
Accessible Course Materials ............................................. 21
Reporting Attendance ....................................................... 22
Faculty-Student Relationships .......................................... 25
Textbook and Instructional Materials Compliance ........... 25
Office Hours ...................................................................... 27
Class Cancellation ............................................................. 27
Campus Closure ................................................................ 28
Religious Observances ...................................................... 28
3 | Teaching at UCF
Final Exam Policy ............................................................... 29
Copyright Regulations and Course Materials ................... 29
What to Do in an Emergency ................................................ 31
Introduction ...................................................................... 31
UCF Police Annual Security and Fire Safety Guide ........... 31
Department of Security and Emergency Management .... 33
Classroom Preparedness .................................................. 33
Harmful Behavior .............................................................. 33
Medical Emergencies ........................................................ 35
Weather Emergency ......................................................... 36
Potential Emergencies in the Classroom .......................... 37
Active Shooter .................................................................. 39
UCF Alert ........................................................................... 40
Other Important Campus Policies ........................................ 40
Inclusion, Safety, and Disability Accommodation............. 40
Civil Discourse and Engagement ....................................... 42
Florida Sunshine Law ........................................................ 43
Sexual Harassment ........................................................... 43
Preventing Discrimination ................................................ 44
Ombuds Office .................................................................. 45
SECTION II Before the Semester Begins: Designing and
Preparing to Teach Your Course ....................................... 47
Advice on Planning Your Course ........................................... 47
Required Syllabus Components ............................................ 49
Final Exams ........................................................................... 50
Flexibility and Course Continuity .......................................... 51
Ordering Textbooks .............................................................. 51
Affordable Instructional Materials ....................................... 53
First Day ............................................................................ 54
Open Educational Resources ............................................ 54
Library-Sourced Materials ................................................ 55
Affordability Counts .......................................................... 55
Setting Up a Webcourse to Supplement Your Face-to-Face
Class (Webcourses@UCF) ..................................................... 55
Questions to Ask in Your Department .................................. 56
Accessing Class Rosters ........................................................ 58
Printing Photos of Your Students ......................................... 59
Emailing Your Students ......................................................... 59
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SECTION III During the Semester: Resources for Managing Your
Course............................................................................. 61
Working With Students ........................................................ 61
Referring Students for Counseling and Psychological
Assistance ......................................................................... 62
Making a Referral to CAPS ................................................ 64
UCF CARES: Identifying Students in Need ........................ 66
Accommodating Students with Disabilities ...................... 66
Inclusive Education Services ............................................. 69
Advising Students ................................................................. 70
Faculty Advisors ................................................................ 70
UCF Career Services .......................................................... 71
Promoting a Culture of Academic Integrity ...................... 72
Z Designation for Academic Misconduct .......................... 73
iThenticate ........................................................................ 74
Turnitin.com...................................................................... 74
Traumatic Events .............................................................. 75
Recording and Communicating Grades to Students During
the Semester ..................................................................... 76
Online Teaching .................................................................... 77
Requesting a Course ......................................................... 78
UCF Online ........................................................................ 78
Resources .......................................................................... 79
Professional Development ................................................ 79
SECTION IV At the End of the Semester: Posting Final Grades
and Reflecting on Your Teaching ...................................... 83
Posting Final Grades ............................................................. 83
Timeline ............................................................................ 83
Online Final Grade Form ................................................... 83
Import From Webcourses@UCF Into myUCF ................... 83
Incomplete Grades............................................................ 84
Changing Grades ............................................................... 85
For Further Assistance ...................................................... 86
Reflecting on Your Teaching ................................................. 86
Student Perception of Instruction .................................... 88
Faculty Perception of Instruction ..................................... 90
Retention of Student Records .............................................. 90
SECTION V Instructional Strategies ....................................... 91
5 | Teaching at UCF
Teaching Practices and Principles to Consider ..................... 91
Teaching for Student Success ............................................... 94
Direct Instruction .............................................................. 94
The Interactive Lecture ..................................................... 95
Leading Discussions .......................................................... 96
Writing for Learning .......................................................... 97
Guided Inquiry .................................................................. 98
Game-Based Learning ..................................................... 101
Learning in Groups .......................................................... 102
Teaching Metacognitive Skills ......................................... 103
High-Impact Institutional Practices .................................... 103
First-Year Seminars and Experiences (AAC&U) .............. 104
Common Intellectual Experiences (AAC&U) ................... 104
Learning Communities (AAC&U) ..................................... 105
Writing-Intensive Courses (AAC&U) ............................... 107
Collaborative Assignments and Projects (AAC&U) ......... 108
Undergraduate Research (AAC&U) ................................. 108
Global Learning (AAC&U) ................................................ 109
Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning (AAC&U) 109
Internships (AAC&U) ....................................................... 110
Capstone Courses and Projects (AAC&U) ....................... 110
SECTION VI Faculty Development and Support .................... 112
Technology Support ............................................................ 112
University-wide Technology ........................................... 112
College Support............................................................... 113
UCF Connect Centers ...................................................... 113
Faculty Resources ............................................................... 114
Center for Distributed Learning (CDL) ............................ 114
Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning ...................... 116
Faculty Excellence ........................................................... 116
Faculty Multimedia Center ............................................. 117
Faculty Senate ................................................................. 118
Ginsburg Ctr for Inclusion & Community Engagement .. 120
Military and Veteran Student Success ............................ 120
Office of Instructional Resources (OIR)........................... 121
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) ................................ 122
UCF Abroad ..................................................................... 122
UCF Global ...................................................................... 123
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University of Central Florida Libraries ............................ 124
University Compliance, Ethics, and Risk ......................... 131
United Faculty of Florida (AFT, Local 7463) .................... 133
SECTION VII Terminology and Abbreviations ....................... 135
7 | Teaching at UCF
Introduction
Kevin Yee, Ph.D.
Director, Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
The University of Central Florida is one of the largest and
fastest-growing institutions of higher education in the United
States and is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and
service. That commitment is evidenced in part by the
university’s significant investment in faculty development and
support in each of these areas. The contents of this book will
provide you with an overview of resources and policies that
pertain to many of your roles as a faculty member.
The Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
(also known as Faculty Center, or FCTL) is a unit in Faculty
Excellence within Academic Affairs and serves as a hub for
campus-wide faculty development opportunities. The center
was established by President John C. Hitt and Provost Gary
Whitehouse in 1997 at the request of faculty members, with a
vision of serving as “the model environment where scholars
innovate, invigorate, and explore the art of teaching and the
science of learning.” If you are considering trying out a new
technique in your class, hoping to conduct informal or formal
research about a teaching approach, or concerned about
increasing student success in your course or program, we are
here to support you and to help you find other useful resources
on campus and beyond.
Faculty Center services and activities include:
• Summer Faculty Development Institute (3-day event in
May)
• Holiday Retreat (one-day event in December)
• Knighted Faculty (the Faculty Center’s one-year cohort
for intensive training in teaching)
• Faculty development cohorts (book clubs, faculty
learning communities, and Teaching Squares peer
observations)
8 | Teaching at UCF
• Teaching and Learning Days (workshops on teaching
principles, engaging students, teaching with technology,
assessing student performance, and more)
• Training for adjunct faculty and graduate teaching
assistants
• Faculty writing clubs
• Individual consultations
• Teaching observations and departmental consultations
• Teaching and learning library
• Faculty work space
This guide is a living document that will change regularly in
conjunction with campus policies and faculty needs. The online
version is available at https://fctl.ucf.edu/. Be sure to contact
our office or the entities listed in the following pages if you have
questions about these topics or others not addressed in this
text. Whether you are a first-time instructor, a seasoned
veteran of the classroom, or something in between, you’ll find
useful information here that we hope will make your teaching
experience as successful and fulfilling as possible.
Recent Undergraduate Student Profile
First-Time in College (FTIC) Student Profile
UCF enrolled 7,626 new FTICs during the 2021–22 academic
year. A majority of FTIC students (94%) entered UCF during the
Summer or Fall 2021 terms. Approximately 91% of the 2021–22
FTICs were Florida residents. The average weighted high school
GPA for the 2021–22 incoming FTICs was a 4.14. 14% of the FTIC
cohort were first generation students, and 25% were identified
as Pell eligible.
Transfer Student Profile
Approximately 57% of the incoming 2021–22 cohort of UCF
undergraduates were transfer students (10,213 students).
Nearly all (97%) FCS transfers, and almost three quarters (74%)
of other transfers, entered as Florida residents.
9 | Teaching at UCF
About 83% of FCS transfers entered UCF in the 2021–22
academic year with an AA or AS degree. The average college
GPA among all incoming transfers in 2021–22 was a 3.19.
Approximately 33% of the transfer students were identified as
Pell eligible, and 22% were first generation students.
10 | Teaching at UCF
SECTION I
Getting Started at UCF: The Basics
Moving to a new campus or new position can be intimidating,
and the size and complexity of an organization like UCF can
make this transition particularly challenging. This chapter
provides you with basic information you’ll need as you’re
getting started, including nuts and bolts like logging on to
computer systems and getting technical assistance, policies
related to your responsibilities as a faculty member, and legal
matters that are relevant to teaching at UCF.
Nuts and Bolts
A Note to UCF Connect Center Faculty Members
In 2017, “UCF Regional Campuses” became “UCF Connect” to
reflect more accurately the mix of value-added services it
provides to students, faculty, and staff; colleges; and our
communities.
UCF Connect Center faculty, staff, and students are critical to
UCF’s success and mission. Some policies vary between UCF
Connect Centers because we are located on partner college
campuses, and it is not possible for us to address all policies for
every campus in a brief publication such as this. To find out
more about policies regarding campus-specific issues such as
office space, reimbursement for travel among campuses,
emergency procedures, parking, and student services available
on site, please reach out to your department chair or school
director and to contacts at your UCF Connect Center.
EASTERN REGION
WESTERN REGION
UCF Altamonte Springs
UCF Valencia East
UCF Cocoa/Palm Bay
UCF Valencia West
UCF Daytona Beach
UCF Valencia Osceola
UCF Sanford/Lake Mary
UCF Ocala
11 | Teaching at UCF
EASTERN REGION
WESTERN REGION
UCF South Lake/Leesburg
Lauren Miller, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Provost
Kim Hardy, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Provost
ID Numbers and Sign-On Credentials
You will be assigned two identifiers by your department:
• UCFID: a unique seven-digit identification number used
for record keeping in the HR, student, and financial
systems (this is identical to the EmplID, which may be
referenced on university forms and paperwork)
• NID (network ID): an identifier used for computer and
Wi-Fi sign-on, email access, and login to
Webcourses@UCF and the myUCF campus portal.
To reset your NID password, visit https://mynid.ucf.edu. You
will have the option to look up your account by using security
questions, to confirm via email, or to confirm via SMS.
Confirming via email prompts you to select the email address to
which you would like the verification code to be sent.
Confirming via SMS prompts you to enter the phone number to
which you would like the verification code to be sent. The
verification code is valid for one hour. Once you receive the
verification code, you can enter it, and you will be prompted to
change your password. You will receive an email confirming the
change.
Parking
• Orlando campus: Parking on campus requires a virtual
permit using your license plate number. In addition to
daily permits, you can purchase a 150-day permit or a
365-day permit. Register your vehicle online at
https://secure.parking.ucf.edu/ParkingPortal/ or in the
UCF Mobile App.
For issues with your permit, or for special-access
physical permits, please contact the Parking Office in
12 | Teaching at UCF
Parking Garage B (407-823-5814) or the Visitor
Information Center (407-823-2131).
UCF Alert
UCF Alert is a multimedia communications system that provides
timely and accurate information about emergency situations
that could impact the university. UCF Alert features several
communications tools, including emails, text messages, web
updates, social media, sirens, and more. During an emergency,
all or part of the system will be activated to provide you with
critical information regarding the incident.
You can verify your contact information registered with the UCF
Alert system using the following steps:
1. Go to https://workday.ucf.edu/
2. Click on “Employee Self Service” located on the left side of
the screen in the toolbar
3. Click on “Personal Information” located on the left side of the
screen in the toolbar
4. Click on “UCF Alert”
5. Fill out the information, including your email address,
cellphone number, and cellphone carrier
6. Click “Apply” to save the changes, then click “OK.”
Additional information on the UCF Alert system can be found at
https://police.ucf.edu/ucfalert.
UCF Connect Centers: Additional alerts may be available from
the state college partner institutions’ security offices that can
provide safety updates relevant to that institution.
Faculty ID Card
To acquire your faculty ID card, which you will need on a regular
basis, present your hire letter or contract at UCF Card Services
(https://ucfcard.ucf.edu/), located in the John T. Washington
Center. The UCF ID card includes such information as your
name, ISO number (the unique 16-digit number that can be
used for financial transactions like a debit or credit card), your
13 | Teaching at UCF
library number, your UCF ID number, and your role at the
university. You will need an ID card to use the library and for
other purposes, such as showing it to campus police if you need
to be admitted to your locked classroom or office.
Faculty Email Account
Most (but not all) departments on campus use Outlook
(Exchange) email, with the address format first.last@ucf.edu
(though you may change this default later). Your department
will create an email account for you. Once you have an account,
you can access email by configuring the Outlook client or by
using the web-based interface at https://webmail.ucf.edu.
If you have any questions about Outlook account requests,
contact the Service Desk (407-823-5117) or visit
https://ucf.service-now.com/ucfit for more information.
Multi-Factor Authentication
UCF employs multi-factor authentication (abbreviated MFA) to
provide secure access to most online systems. MFA requires an
additional layer of security beyond your password in order to
log in. For UCF, this means installing the Duo mobile app or
having an automated system call or text you to ensure that you
are the one logging in. You can find additional information and
instructions at https://infosec.ucf.edu/identity-
management/multi-factor-authentication/.
Workday
Many employee-facing electronic functions of the university are
accessible via Workday at https://workday.ucf.edu (you will sign
on with your NID and your NID password). In the menu to the
left are self-service areas for you as an employee (time-off
requests, paycheck, direct deposit, contact information,
benefits).
myUCF Portal
Other faculty-related electronic functions of the university are
accessible through the myUCF portal located at
14 | Teaching at UCF
https://my.ucf.edu/. On the menu to the left are self-service
areas for your instructional roles (official roster, submitting
grades at the end of the term, Faculty Webcourse Manager).
Computer Access
Your department technology support team will tell you how to
sign on to computers in your office. Computers in many offices
require login through the NET.UCF.EDU domain. You will use
your NID and NID password to log on to a computer that is
joined to the NET.UCF.EDU domain. Check with your
department representative for further assistance if your office
does not use the NET.UCF.EDU active directory domain for
authentication.
Wireless Access
Students and employees at UCF’s Orlando campus should
connect to “UCF_WPA2” for wireless service. Log in using your
NID and NID password. For UCF Connect Center wireless access,
please contact the IT Specialist at your campus location.
Knight Ride
Knight Ride is a partnership between the UCF Police and the
Student Government Association that offers safe, after-hours
transportation around campus. Knight Ride replaces UCFPD’s
safe escort program formerly known as SEPS.
Knight Ride runs every day from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. when classes
are in session and for extended hours during exam periods.
Service is not offered during university closures, such as
holidays and breaks between semesters, or on football game
days. Those who need special accommodations or who would
like a walking escort can call 407-823-2424 to reach a Knight
Ride dispatcher during those hours.
15 | Teaching at UCF
UCF Connect Centers
Parking Information
Campus
Details
Altamonte Springs
Permits are required
Free of cost for faculty
Directions for obtaining a permit will be provided
in a Fact and Information Sheet
Cocoa
Permits are required
Free of cost with a faculty ID; GTAs may need to
purchase ($40)
Can be obtained at the Security Office
Daytona
No permits are required, and parking is free
Sanford/Lake
Mary
Permits are required
Free of cost for faculty
Obtained at Security Office
South Lake
Permits are required
Free of cost for faculty
Obtained at Security Office
Valencia East
Permits are required
Free of cost for faculty
Obtained at Security Office
Valencia Osceola
Permits are required
Free of cost for faculty
Obtained at Security Office
Valencia West
Permits are required
Free of cost for faculty
Obtained at Security Office
Building Access
Campus
Details
Altamonte Springs
Rooms will be unlocked by security one hour prior
to the start of class
Cocoa
Instructors will be issued standard keys for their
classroom and office needs
Daytona
Rooms are opened prior to the beginning of class
by staff
Ocala
Rooms will be unlocked by security prior to the
start of class
Sanford/Lake
Rooms will be unlocked by security one hour prior
16 | Teaching at UCF
Mary
to the start of class
South Lake
Rooms will be unlocked by security prior to the
start of class
Valencia East
Key cards are issued by the Security Office
Specific access requests must be made for day,
evening, and weekends
Valencia Osceola
Faculty ID Badges specific to UCF/Valencia will be
issued through the security office and will serve as
an access card
Valencia West
Faculty ID Badges specific to UCF/Valencia will be
issued through the security office and will serve as
an access card
On-Site Technology
Campus
Details
Altamonte Springs
Log-in credentials for the console will be provided
in a Fact and Information sheet
Cocoa
Log-in credentials will be provided during the
initial training session. GTAs must contact the
office manager
Daytona
Classroom computers are left logged in for faculty
Sanford/Lake
Mary
Log-in credentials for the console will be provided
in a Fact and Information sheet
South Lake
Computer login will be provided in person by IT
staff or office manager prior to the first class
Valencia East
Login uses NID and NID password, with RFID\
before the NID
Valencia Osceola
Login uses NID and NID password, with RFID\
before the NID
Valencia West
Login uses NID and NID password, with RFID\
before the NID
UCF Regulations, Policies and Procedures,
and Faculty Responsibilities
UCF Regulations and Policies
University Regulations, available at http://regulations.ucf.edu/,
and University Policies, available at http://policies.ucf.edu/, list
the regulations and policies for all employees and students at
17 | Teaching at UCF
the university. Topics include the Grading Policy, Course Syllabi,
Final Exams, and the Make-Up Policy, among many others. To
stay abreast of policy changes, you can join the policy change
listserv at http://policies.ucf.edu/subscribe/subscribe.asp.
FERPA—Student Privacy
FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as
amended, protects the privacy of student educational records.
It gives students the right to review their educational records,
the right to request amendment to records they believe to be
inaccurate, and the right to limit disclosure of those records. An
institution’s failure to comply with FERPA could result in the
withholding of federal funds by the Department of Education.
As a faculty member, you will need to know the difference
between Directory Information and Personally Identifiable
Information or Educational Records. Directory Information
includes a student’s name, major, address, telephone number,
date of birth, attendance and enrollment status, degrees and
awards received, and sport information, and may generally be
disclosed, unless the student requests otherwise. Personally
Identifiable Information or Educational Records may not be
released to anyone but the student—and only then with the
proper identification. Personally Identifiable Information
includes the student’s social security number, student ID
numbers (UCFID and NID), ISO number (16-digit number on the
UCF ID Card), residency status, gender, religious preference,
race/ethnicity, and email address. Educational records include
grades/GPA, student’s class schedule, test scores, academic
standing, and academic transcripts.
There are several practical consequences of FERPA for faculty
members:
• You should not leave graded material (exams, papers,
etc.) in a public area for other students (or anyone else)
to see (please also see the section on protecting
restricted information on page 19)
18 | Teaching at UCF
• Do not post grades publicly in any way that includes
names or any part of ID numbers; instead, use the
Webcourses@UCF Gradebook for electronic grade
dissemination
• Take care to protect digital student records. Do not
store protected student information on a USB flash
drive or other device that is not password protected. If
a device containing protected information is lost or
stolen, report that information to your chair or director
and the UCF Information Security Officer immediately
• Do not pass around attendance sheets in class that
include student UCFIDs, which are to be kept private
• Do not ask students to provide social security numbers
for any purpose
• Do not use the telephone or email to provide
assignment or final grades to your students. Face-to-
face dissemination is required, unless you use the
officially sanctioned electronic means of
Webcourses@UCF. The communication of individual
comments and feedback via email, however, is
permitted
• Unless you have been given written permission by the
student to do so, do not discuss a student’s grades or
performance in class with anyone other than the
student or a UCF employee with an established
legitimate educational interest (information is required
to fulfill a specific professional responsibility).
The UCF Registrar’s Office maintains a website on FERPA:
http://www.registrar.ucf.edu/ferpa/. Faculty should visit this
site to become acquainted with FERPA.
Additionally, instructors must complete the online FERPA
training provided by the Registrar’s Office every two years.
Please visit http://registrar.ucf.edu/training to register.
19 | Teaching at UCF
Sensitive Information
UCF Regulation 3.045, Sensitive Information Disclosure, details
employee, student-worker, and affiliate duties to protect all
sensitive information acquired during the course of
employment or service to the university.
Sensitive information includes, but is not limited to, the
following categories:
• Personally identifiable student or parent information
• Financial information (including social security and
credit card numbers)
• Health information
• Certain contracts, research information, and alumni and
donor information
• Personnel information
• University financial information
• Computer passwords
• University proprietary information
• Any other information for which access, use, or
disclosure is not authorized by university regulation,
policy, or procedure.
Please review and familiarize yourself with UCF Regulation
3.045 at http://regulations.ucf.edu/docs/notices
/3.045SensitiveInformationFINALOct12_001.pdf.
Password and Information Security
Information technology policy is governed not only by the
university itself, but also by state and federal laws; therefore,
the policies of all these organizations may need to be strictly
adhered to should faculty wish to continue using the network.
Protect Restricted Information
Restricted information, as defined by university policy 4-008,
includes, but is not limited to, social security numbers, credit
card, debit card, ISO, and driver’s license numbers, biometric
data, medical records (ePHI), computer accounts, access codes,
20 | Teaching at UCF
passwords, grades, email addresses, photographs, and other
information protected by law or regulation.
Email is not appropriate for sending restricted information, as
most email providers do not provide encryption.
Additionally, as described in university policy 4-007, restricted
information is not to be stored on mobile devices or on third-
party internet cloud storage services. This restriction applies to
Google Drive, OneDrive, CrashPlan, Dropbox, iCloud, Box, and
other services where user information is stored in non-
university-affiliated data centers.
Physical Security
Physically protect restricted information and computing
resources by following these simple tips:
• Use password-protected screensavers
• Make sure no one is looking over your shoulder when
you enter your password
• Lock your doors when you leave your office
• Properly dispose of (e.g., shred) all documents that
contain restricted information when they are no longer
needed
• Never leave restricted information (employee or
student information) in plain view
• Store backup copies of important files in a safe location.
Password Security
• If it’s a dictionary word, it’s a bad password: Don't use
it.
• Use a mnemonic, such as the first letter of a song verse
or a phrase, while adding in numbers, symbols ($,%,*),
and UPPER/lowercase letters
• Change your password often. UCF standard is 60 days
• Never write down a password and never share accounts
• Do not give your password to anyone, not even the
Service Desk
• Never use your UCF NID password for non-UCF systems
21 | Teaching at UCF
• Avoid the “save my password/remember my password”
option on websites.
Accessible Course Materials
UCF is committed to providing all students with equitable access
in their academic and campus experiences. This commitment
includes encouraging accessible design in class activities,
physical spaces and policies from the outset. Classroom
accommodations are facilitated when necessary but should not
be seen as the desired outcome. UCF Student Accessibility
Services works with faculty members on a regular basis to
promote accessible course design and to facilitate academic
accommodations as needed, including extended time on tests,
note taking, and interpreting services. As more faculty members
innovate to incorporate web-based media into their online and
face-to-face classes, we must be diligent to ensure that
accessibility remains a top priority. Ultimately, the need for
accommodation is not dictated by one’s disability but rather by
the nature of the course and the extent to which it is design
with access in mind.
Faculty members are responsible for providing accessible
material for students in their courses. If you have questions
about materials in your course, please work with one or more of
the offices listed below to address the matter.
• Student Accessibility Services coordinates academic
accommodation efforts and can provide Braille
materials and electronic files for textbooks and can
create transcripts of recorded lectures and convert text-
based materials into accessible formats. Contact
Student Accessibility Services at 407-823-2371 or
• The Center for Distributed Learning assists faculty in
designing and developing accessible online course
materials. Course design information is available at
http://cdl.ucf.edu/accessibility. CDL has created two
tools inside Webcourses@UCF that assist with online
22 | Teaching at UCF
accessibility: UDOIT
(https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/accessibility/udoit/) and Quiz
Extensions
(https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/guides/quiz-
extensions/). Online faculty members are encouraged
to work directly with their assigned instructional
designers, which can be found at https://cdl.ucf.edu
/teach/resources/id-lookup-tool/. Contact Webcourses
Support with any questions or issues:
https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/.
• The Faculty Center can help faculty members create and
design course materials and teaching strategies that will
accommodate a wide range of differences among
students. The center offers workshops and one-on-one
consultations with faculty on best practices. Contact the
Faculty Center at 407-823-3544 or [email protected]u.
For more information about student accommodations or
accessibility within the classroom, please visit the Student
Accessibility Services website http://sas.sdes.ucf.edu/.
Additional questions should be directed to Adam Meyer,
Director of Student Accessibility Services, at 407-823-2371 or
Reporting Attendance
All faculty members must follow a process to support UCF’s
compliance with a federal financial aid regulation. In essence,
the regulation states that students who receive federal student
aid must be academically engaged in each course in which they
are enrolled. Without verification of this engagement, students
will not receive their aid.
The university must verify that every student enrolled in every
course at UCF has met this standard, and must be able to gather
that information as soon as possible but by no later than Friday
of the first week of each new semester.
UCF requires that faculty members use Canvas, our learning
management system (also known as Webcourses@UCF), to
23 | Teaching at UCF
record the required information. See https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach
/resources/financial-aid-requirement/ for details.
We recommend the following four-step process for handling the
requirement:
1. Add a statement to your syllabus explaining this policy.
Sample wording: Faculty members are required to
document students’ academic activity at the beginning
of each course. In order to document that you began
this course, please complete the following academic
activity by the end of the first week of classes, or as
soon as possible after adding the course. Failure to do
so may result in a delay in the disbursement of your
financial aid. (Then insert information about the activity
that students must complete. This could include any of
the activities listed in step 3 below.)
2. Access your Canvas course site following the directions
below. (The Center for Distributed Learning will create
Canvas “shells” for all courses 15 days prior to the
beginning of the semester (or 60, in the case of GEP
courses). If you have already created Canvas courses
through the Faculty Webcourse Manager, they will
remain unaffected.)
• Log in to myUCF (https://my.ucf.edu/) and click
the Online Course Tools tab. In the
Webcourses@UCF module, click the link
(https://webcourses.ucf.edu/) to access your
Canvas courses
• Access each course by selecting it in the
“Courses” drop-down menu at the top of the
page.
3. Create an assignment in Canvas that students must
complete during the first week of classes or as soon as
possible after they add the course. Any of the academic
activities listed below will meet this requirement:
• Auto-graded Canvas quiz (course pretest,
syllabus quiz, etc.; templates are available at
24 | Teaching at UCF
https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/resources/financial-
aid-requirement/assignments/)
• Scantron quiz graded by Testing Services
• Information Literacy Module (available at
http://infolit.ucf.edu)
• Experiential Learning Professional Skills module
(information regarding how to access the
Professional Skills module repository available
at https://explearning.ucf.edu/faculty/support-
for-faculty-and-colleges/)
• Course assignment (in many cases, the
assignment does not have to be graded during
the first week of classes but should be
submitted by that time by students; could
include a gradable—as opposed to non-
graded—discussion post, short essay,
worksheet, etc. For more information about
which types of gradable assignments must be
graded during the first week of classes—which
depends upon the grading scheme
implemented—please visit https://cdl.ucf.edu
/teach/resources/financial-aid-requirement/)
• Scores imported from a third-party system
(clicker or audience-response system, publisher
system, etc.).
The Center for Distributed Learning hosts a website
with detailed information about this process, including
how to add the elements above to your course. The URL
is https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/resources/financial-aid-
requirement/.
4. Publish your course by clicking “Publish” within each
course so that students can access it. For further
instructions, see https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/course
/semester-start-guide/#3.
25 | Teaching at UCF
UCF Here
UCF Here is a mobile attendance app for iOS and Android
devices developed by the Division of Digital Learning. Students
can use their smartphone to check into a class, and faculty can
manage and take attendance directly through
Webcourses@UCF. Even though UCF Here is designed to be
used in a classroom environment, faculty can take attendance in
live online sessions as well. For instructions on its use, see
https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/guides/ucf-here-
faculty-guide/.
Faculty-Student Relationships
Faculty are prohibited from pursuing or engaging in an amorous
relationship (whether casual or serious, short-term or long-
term) with any undergraduate student. An employee is also
prohibited from pursuing or engaging in an amorous
relationship with any graduate student under that employee’s
authority. According to UCF policy, pursuing or engaging in an
amorous relationship with any graduate student will limit the
employee’s ability to teach, mentor, advise, employ, and
promote the career of the student involved. See
https://compliance.ucf.edu/university-policies-on-amorous-
relationships-and-employment-of-relatives-july-2017/.
Textbook and Instructional Materials
Compliance
Florida law dictates that information about required and
recommended textbook and instructional materials must be
posted to students no fewer than 45 days before the start of
the semester. At UCF, we maintain compliance with this statute
by reporting adoptions for all course sections to the UCF
Bookstore no later than 60 days in advance. The fastest and
easiest way to submit textbook and instructional materials
adoptions is through the UCF Bookstore’s online book-request
system, Adoptions Insight Portal
(https://sso.bncollege.com/bes-
sp/bessso/saml/ucfedu/aip/logon).Upon logging in you will see
26 | Teaching at UCF
the courses you are assigned to teach and be able to adopt
required and recommended course materials. This platform
provides information about previously adopted materials,
resources for researching textbooks you may be considering,
and resources for searching for affordable options for your
courses. It’s always a good idea to check with the bookstore
near the beginning of the semester to make sure that your
books are available for students to purchase. Also, be sure to
keep your department informed about the books you’ve
ordered so they can answer students’ questions and confirm
department-wide compliance with the state-mandated
deadlines.
These policies and procedures apply to all course sections even
if they do not require students to purchase textbooks or
instructional materials.
Desk copies (free copies of the textbook for use by the faculty
member, often with answers to questions and teaching
suggestions) are typically provided through a campus
representative from the book publisher. One common method
for getting in touch with this person is to ask a colleague or your
department chair to email that representative with your name
and contact information, or you may order straight from the
publisher. Publisher policies vary. If you need a textbook
quickly, talk with your department chair or administrative
personnel about other options.
Additionally, if you plan to require students to purchase a
textbook or other instructional materials for a course you are
teaching that was written or co-written by you, or your relative,
where you anticipate receiving royalties from the purchase, you
will be required to report this in the online Report of Potential
Outside Activity, Employment, and Conflict of Interest and
Commitment Disclosure (AA-21) and explain the action you took
to mitigate the conflict of interest created. Mitigation actions
include offering the materials to UCF students at reduced or no
cost, or donating the royalties to a nonprofit organization.
27 | Teaching at UCF
Office Hours
Office hour policies vary among departments and schools, so
check with your chair or director to find out how many hours
you are expected to schedule, whether they need to be spread
out over a certain number of days in the week, if there are
restrictions on where they must be held, and if policies vary for
online courses. General campus practice typically suggests a
minimum of 1.5 office hours for each class you teach. It is
generally expected that faculty members who are teaching only
online will still hold office hours on campus in addition to
coming to campus regularly for faculty meetings and other
activities. Faculty members are required to list office hours on
their syllabi and to note that other times may be available by
appointment.
Class Cancellation
There is no required campuswide protocol for canceling a class
session, though care should be taken not to cancel a class
frequently during a semester or to move it online simply for
convenience. The modality (face-to-face versus online) of a
course is not subject to the instructor’s preference and should
not be changed from what is listed in the course catalog. An
individual class session can be canceled due to unforeseen
circumstances (for instance, if you become ill). Because there is
no centralized office to report this to, you should inform your
department as well as your students as soon as possible. As an
alternative to canceling the class outright when you are
attending a conference or have another planned absence, you
may wish to consider inviting a guest speaker from the UCF
Library staff who could talk about citations in your field or
database searches, a representative of the Student Academic
Resource Center who could discuss study skills with your
students, or a representative of Career Services who could
provide a career workshop or information session. Always let
your chair or director know if you are planning to cancel a class
for any reason. If you must cancel a UCF Connect Center class,
28 | Teaching at UCF
you must notify the administration for that location at your
earliest opportunity.
Campus Closure
Any closure of campus due to a hurricane or any other
emergency will be announced by the university with as much
advance notice as possible. University personnel will be notified
using the UCF Alert system. Personnel enrolled in UCF Alert can
expect to receive messages by email and SMS. The UCF home
page will also announce campus closures and other important
information about the event prompting the closure. To ensure
course continuity in the event of a closure, work with your
department chair to develop a plan for curricular adjustments
or alternate delivery systems. It is important to recognize that
the impact of weather emergencies may be different at UCF
Connect Centers. Be aware that hurricanes may create
scheduling and operational difficulties long before they arrive,
and there may be persistent effects for days.
Religious Observances
It is UCF’s practice to reasonably accommodate the religious
observances, practices, and beliefs of individuals with regard to
admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of
examinations and work assignments. The undergraduate and
graduate catalogs state that if an exam is scheduled on a
religious holiday, students may request to take the exam on a
different day and observe the holiday without penalty. Students
are expected to notify their instructor in advance if they intend
to observe a holy day of their religious faith that will result in an
absence from class. Note to faculty considering requests from
students: the period of observance may include reasonable
local travel time to a site for observance. It need not include
time for travel chosen personally for observance outside the
local area.
For those considering requests to accommodate religious
observances on workdays, please see the following document
29 | Teaching at UCF
on the UCF EO/AA website: http://www.eeo.ucf.edu
/documents/ReligiousAccommodationGuidelines.pdf.
Final Exam Policy
A final examination or alternative end-of-term assessment
should be given in each course that is taught. Regardless of the
type of mechanism employed for final assessment, or the
course modality, each faculty member must provide continuous
instruction for the full length of the semester, including the final
examination period. Visit http://exams.sdes.ucf.edu to see the
final examination schedule for the current semester. For full
policy details, go to https://policies.ucf.edu/documents/4-
400.pdf.
Copyright Regulations and Course Materials
Faculty members at UCF are to render their own judgment on
whether their course materials violate U.S. copyright law or fall
under the Fair Use doctrine. Section 107 of the Copyright Law
allows for the use of copyrighted works without the permission
of the copyright owner(s) for scholarly research, educational,
and other purposes. Infringements, once determined, may
result in individual liability. “Fair Use” is a slippery concept with
few rigid guidelines. UCF does not have a standard answer for
how much of a work can be duplicated without permission,
though many other universities suggest 10 to 15 percent as a
baseline. Categories to consider include the following:
• Purpose. Use of material is seldom “Fair Use” for a
commercial venture or when the user profits from
the use. Teaching, research, scholarship, and
criticism are uses often in line with “Fair Use”
• Nature. Unpublished and highly creative works can
seldom be used without permission under “Fair
Use,” whereas published works and factual/
nonfiction works more often may be used
• Amount. It is not considered “Fair Use” when a large
portion or the whole work is used, or when the
portion used is central to the entire work. “Fair
30 | Teaching at UCF
Use” is more likely when the portion is small and
not central to the work
• Effect. It is seldom considered “Fair Use” when the
use could replace or impair the sales of the
copyrighted work, when numerous copies are
made, when the use is made accessible publicly
(including the web without password protection),
or when the use is repeated and long-term. It is
more likely “Fair Use” when the user owns a
purchased copy, makes only one or few copies, has
no impact on the potential market for the
copyrighted work, and lacks a licensing
mechanism.
To date, there is no university-wide infrastructure for the
university to process and/or pay for copyright permissions.
Individual faculty members may check with their departments
or obtain permissions on an individual basis.
See the library’s guidelines for more information:
http://library.ucf.edu/about/policies/copyright/.
For additional information on other dimensions of copyright,
refer to University Regulation 2.033 Copyrights and Works:
http://regulations.ucf.edu/docs/notices/2033CopyrightsandWo
rksNov11FINAL_000.pdf.
The UCF Bookstore can create a coursepack for students
containing copyrighted materials; keep in mind that the
Bookstore requires significant lead time to secure permissions.
The permission price will be added to the cost of the coursepack
paid by students.
The library can also create print or digital reserves for courses.
For information about reserving library materials, see
http://library.ucf.edu/find/course-materials/.
At UCF Connect Centers, bookstore and library services are
provided by state college partners, as well as UCF Connect
Librarians assigned to most sites.
31 | Teaching at UCF
What to Do in an Emergency
Introduction
UCF functions like any community of like size, and all the people
who study, work, and live here deserve a safe and secure
environment. In some cases, the university also provides
shelter, resources, and assistance to the surrounding
community. In the event of a campus emergency, the university
provides alerts via text messages, emails, or other social media.
Be sure to opt in to receive alerts (see section “UCF Alert” on
page 12). When possible, these alerts will include details about
affected areas and suggested responses. Preparing ahead of
time for a possible emergency or classroom disruption will help
you respond more quickly and effectively should the need arise.
Additionally, you may find yourself on the front line of an
emergency and will need to have a plan for responding.
Consider including some recommendations in your syllabus or in
the course orientation for the benefit of your students; topics
might include evacuation routes, assembly locations, assisting
students with disabilities, and other campus resources. Also,
encourage your students to learn the best practices for
responding to emergencies and classroom disruptions. The
following sections include resources and suggestions for
developing your response plans.
UCF Police Annual Security and Fire Safety
Guide
The UCF Police Department’s Annual Security and Fire Safety
Guide (Annual Security Report) is published each year by
October 1st, and includes statistics from the previous three
calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on
campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or
controlled by the university, and on public property
immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.
The report also includes institutional policies concerning
campus security, such as alcohol and drug use, crime
prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, fire safety in
32 | Teaching at UCF
residence halls, and other matters. Fire statistics for on-campus
residential facilities can be found in the Main Campus and
Rosen College of Hospitality Management reports.
The reports for all campuses are available electronically via the
below links. Printed copies are also available in the lobby of the
UCF Police Department, located at 3610 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL
32816.
You can request a printed copy by sending an email to
[email protected] or by calling 407-823-4681.
Main Campus:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/MainCampus/
Rosen College of Hospitality Management:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/Rosen/
UCF College of Medicine:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/COM/
UCF Cocoa:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/Cocoa/
UCF Daytona Beach:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/Daytona/
UCF Leesburg:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/Leesburg/
UCF Ocala:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/Ocala/
UCF Palm Bay:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/PalmBay/
UCF Sanford/Lake Mary:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/SanfordLakeMary/
UCF South Lake:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/SouthLake/
UCF Valencia Osceola:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/ValenciaOsceola/
UCF Valencia West:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/ValenciaWest/
Florida Solar Energy Center:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/FSEC/
33 | Teaching at UCF
Executive Development Center:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/ExecDevCenter/
Center for Emerging Media:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/EmergingMedia/
UCF Altamonte Springs:
http://police.ucf.edu/SafetyGuide/AltamonteSprings/
Department of Security and Emergency
Management
The Department of Security and Emergency Management
maintains emergency plans for various disasters and
emergencies that may affect the university. These plans outline
preparedness, response, and recovery procedures for these
events, and highlight important protocols for the university
community to follow.
Classroom Preparedness
There are several tips for classroom preparedness. Please
familiarize yourself with the classroom features, surrounding
areas, and building features. When you enter the classroom,
establish if you can lock the doors, verify the locations of the
closest fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and automated external
defibrillators (AED), and identify the nearest exits and
evacuation assembly areas. The department also provides
Emergency Guides in all classrooms and laboratories located on
the main campus. These flip charts, located near the light switch
at the entrance to the room, provide you with the building and
room number and include a step-by-step guide to handling
various emergencies that you may encounter in the classroom,
including emergencies related to fire, weather, crime, and
health. For more information about emergency responses and
planning, see https://police.ucf.edu/emergencymanagement.
Harmful Behavior
If you feel that you are facing an immediate threat, call 911.
When dealing one-on-one with anyone displaying intimidating
or threatening behavior, you should relocate to a safe and/or
34 | Teaching at UCF
populated area if possible. It is a good idea to develop distress
words with your colleagues and make sure they are practiced.
Ask your chair or director about your unit’s approach to such
situations.
If there is a threat of immediate violence inside the classroom,
dismiss the class if possible and maintain your safety and that of
your students. Try to isolate the threat if possible; that is, do
what you can to place distance between the threatening person
and yourself and those with you. Put physical barriers like desks,
chairs, etc. between you and your assailant, and call 911 with as
much specific information about the assailant as possible.
In the case of a threat of immediate violence occurring outside
the classroom, first determine the nature of the threat.
Maintain the safety of yourself and your students as best you
can, and even consider evacuating the classroom in severe
situations.
If a student threatens violence in the future to himself or
herself, you can speak to the student in private, inform the
student of the services available at UCF Counseling and
Psychological Services, consult with UCF’s Counseling and
Psychological Services, file an Incident Report Form (available at
https://publicdocs.maxient.com/incidentreport.php?UnivofCent
ralFlorida), and/or monitor the student’s behavior. Consider
taking the QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention
Training that is available through Counseling and Psychological
Services.
If a student threatens violence in the future to you or other
people, take all suitable precautions for your own safety, and
contact the UCF Police Department at 407-823-5555. If you feel
the need to speak to the student, try to do so privately outside
the classroom. If you ask the student to come by your office,
inform the office staff of your action, keep the office door open,
and ask someone to either join you or be close by (the UCF
Police Department provides this service). You should then
inform the student about UCF Counseling and Psychological
35 | Teaching at UCF
Services, file an Incident Report Form, and monitor the
student’s behavior.
Medical Emergencies
There are several types of medical emergencies that may occur
in the classroom. From severe events such as cardiac arrest,
seizures, and allergic reactions to injuries such as cuts, bruises
or falls, it is important to be prepared to handle those situations
should they arise. Always be ready to call 911 in case of an
emergency. Make sure to inform 911 dispatchers about the
type of medical emergency and your location on campus,
including building and room number.
Always take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the
location of the building safety equipment, such as AEDs, first aid
kits, and fire extinguishers. Knowing where these items are
ahead of time allows quicker access in case of an emergency.
Remember AEDs may not be on the same floor as you, but there
are signs posted in the buildings notifying people of their
location. They are generally located by elevators or building
common areas. You can also sign up for the free PulsePoint app
on your smartphone at https://www.pulsepoint.org/. The app
provides the AED locations on campus and valuable instructions
for CPR and AEDs.
Here are some tips for a few types of situations that may occur
in the classroom. Please note these are not a substitute for
certification training. Always call 911 in case of a medical
emergency. If the person is responsive, make sure to obtain
consent from the individual before offering any assistance.
• If someone should suddenly collapse, do not hesitate
and call 911 immediately. Check the person for
responsiveness and breathing. Be ready to start CPR
and administer an AED.
• Signs of a severe allergic reaction include swelling and
difficulty breathing. If someone should have a severe
allergic reaction or asthma attack, you may help them
36 | Teaching at UCF
find any medication they may need, but you may not
administer any medication to that person. Monitor the
situation, keeping the person calm waiting for EMS to
arrive.
• If someone is having a seizure, make sure there is
nothing in the surrounding area that may cause injury.
Give them plenty of space and do not try to restrain
them. Monitor the situation and keep them
comfortable until help arrives.
To be fully prepared for any of these types of medical
emergencies, departments can arrange CPR, AED, and First Aid
certification courses through Environmental Health & Safety
(EHS). These courses will provide specific and hands-on training
on how to respond to these types of emergencies. More
information about the training is available on the EHS website:
http://www.ehs.ucf.edu/.
On-Campus AED Locations
Automated external defibrillators are located in buildings across
campus. For a list of all AED locations, see
https://ehs.ucf.edu/automated-external-defibrillator-aed-
locations
Weather Emergency
In the event of an immediate severe weather emergency near
campus, UCF will send alert emails and text messages with
details through the UCF Alert system. For example, according to
Emergency Management’s recommended procedures for
tornado warnings, everyone under a warning should stay
indoors and seek shelter in an interior room without windows.
It is important that you and your students know where a safe
location is in or near your classroom should a tornado warning
or other severe weather alert be issued.
If a hurricane is projected to affect UCF’s operations, ample
notice is generally communicated several days in advance in
various forms, including through email and on UCF’s main
37 | Teaching at UCF
website. As with more immediate threats, such as tornadoes, it
is important to know ahead of time what preparations should
be made for your class. You might consider dedicating some
space in your syllabus to establishing expectations for
emergency weather situations, including information about
keeping in touch and staying safe. In the event of a campus
closure due to weather, you will receive alerts. To ensure course
continuity during campus closures, work with your department
chair to develop a plan for curricular adjustments or alternate
delivery systems. It is important to recognize that the impact of
weather emergencies may be different at UCF Connect Centers.
Be aware that hurricanes may create scheduling and
operational difficulties long before they arrive, and there may
be persistent effects for days.
For more information about weather preparedness, visit
https://police.ucf.edu/preparedness. For information about
UCF’s Alert system, visit https://police.ucf.edu/ucfalert. General
information about hurricane preparedness is available at
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php.
Potential Emergencies in the Classroom
Faculty members have the right to control their classroom
environments in order to maintain a sense of safety, efficiency,
and effective decorum for their students and themselves.
Faculty may deny access to their classrooms to any person not
registered for the class, with the exception of university
administrators or persons providing services for students with
recognized disabilities (see “Accommodating Students with
Disabilities” in Section III).
If a student is disruptive in your class or is personally abusive,
you should take all suitable precautions for your own safety
and, if warranted, call 911. Otherwise, speak to the student
privately outside the classroom and do not allow the student to
return to class that day. If you ask the student to come by your
office, inform the office staff of your action, keep the office
door open, and ask someone to either join you or be close by
38 | Teaching at UCF
(the UCF Police Department provides this service). You should
inform the student about UCF Counseling and Psychological
Services and explain to the student the university’s progressive
disciplinary action process. The process is as follows:
• 1st incident: Speak to the student in private and inform
the student of progressive disciplinary action. Keep a
written record of the event for yourself
• 2nd incident: Notify the student in writing of your
action, file an Incident Report, and inform your
supervisor
• 3rd incident: Speak to your supervisor and someone in
your college or in the Office of Student Rights and
Responsibilities. Determine penalties or other
accommodation and notify the student
• 4th incident: University-level sanctions, including
possible suspension from the university.
When a student’s behavior or emotional state causes you
concern but is not disruptive, speak to the student after class
and inform the student of the services available. You may
decide to keep a written record of the incident for yourself in
case of future actions and file an Incident Report Form.
For further information on referring students for counseling and
psychological assistance, victim services, or accommodating
students with disabilities, see Section III and the following
resources. For building names and locations see
http://map.ucf.edu/.
Name of Office
Location
Academic Services
http://www.academicservices.ucf.edu/
MH 210
Counseling and Psychological Services
http://caps.sdes.ucf.edu/
CAPS
Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
https://fctl.ucf.edu/
CB1 207
Student Health Services
http://shs.sdes.ucf.edu/
HC 10
39 | Teaching at UCF
Name of Office
Location
Inclusive Education Services
http://ies.sdes.ucf.edu/
FC 185
Department of Emergency Management
https://police.ucf.edu/emergencymanagement
EOC bldg. 49
Office of Institutional Equity
http://oie.ucf.edu/
WD1 bldg. 38
suite 123
Ombuds Office
http://www.ombuds.ucf.edu/
MH 243
Student Conduct and Academic Integrity
https://scai.sdes.ucf.edu/
FC 7G suite
227
Student Accessibility Services
http://sas.sdes.ucf.edu/
FC 185
Student Rights & Responsibilities
http://osrr.sdes.ucf.edu/
FC 7G suite
227
UCF Drug-Free Policy
http://whps.sdes.ucf.edu/ucfdrugfreepolicy
RWC 111
UCF Police Department
http://police.ucf.edu/
UPD (Public
Safety
Building)
Victim Services
http://victimservices.ucf.edu/
UTWR 450
and JTWC 108
Active Shooter
If there is an active shooter situation, you have three options:
Run and Get Out, Hide, or Fight and Take Out. If you feel it is
safe to Run and Get Out, leave your location, and if there is an
accessible escape path, attempt to escape. Help others escape if
possible. Prevent individuals from entering the area where the
active shooter may be. Keep your hands visible for the police. If
leaving is not an option, then find a place to Hide. Proceed to a
room that can be locked. Close and lock all windows and doors.
Turn off all lights. Silence all cell phones. Barricade or block
doors with furniture, especially if your door cannot be locked.
Stay as hidden as possible. Have one person call 911, and
remain in place until police arrive and give the “All Clear.” Do
not respond to voice commands until you can verify with
40 | Teaching at UCF
certainty who is giving direction. The remaining option is to
Fight and Take Out. This depends on the situation and will be up
to you. Do what it takes to stay alive and save lives. If you must
confront a shooter, act as aggressively as possible; throw
improvised weapons (scissors, locks, chairs, plants, etc.), and
commit to your actions.
UCF Alert
UCF Alert will provide timely life safety notifications to your cell
phone and email address. Please remember to verify your
contact information for UCF Alert to remain aware of campus
incidents that may impact your safety!
To verify or update your UCF Alert information, follow these
instructions:
1) Go to https://getrave.com/login/ucf
2) Log in with your NID and NID password
3) If prompted, you must agree to the terms and
conditions to enroll in Alert communications
4) On the “My Account” tab, verify the information
including your e-mail address and mobile phone
number
5) Your UCF email address is listed by default; to add an
additional email address, click the “Add” button
6) To edit your mobile phone number, click the “Edit” icon
and follow all prompts for mobile phone verification
Other Important Campus Policies
Inclusion, Safety, and Disability Accommodation
Faculty members are encouraged to share the following
information about inclusion with their students through syllabi,
discussion in class sessions, and so on:
The University of Central Florida considers the inclusion of its
students, faculty, and staff to be a strength and critical to its
educational mission. UCF expects every member of the
university community to contribute to an inclusive and
41 | Teaching at UCF
respectful culture for all in its classrooms, work
environments, and at campus events. Dimensions of inclusion
can include sex, race, age, national origin, ethnicity, gender
identity and expression, intellectual and physical ability,
sexual orientation, income, faith and non-faith perspectives,
socio-economic class, political ideology, education, primary
language, family status, military experience, cognitive style,
and communication style. The individual intersection of these
experiences and characteristics must be valued in our
community.
Title IX prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual
misconduct, sexual violence, sexual harassment, and
retaliation. If you or someone you know has been harassed or
assaulted, you can find resources available to support the
victim, including confidential resources and information
concerning reporting options at https://letsbeclear.ucf.edu/
and http://cares.sdes.ucf.edu/.
If there are aspects of the design, instruction, and/or
experiences within this course that result in barriers to your
inclusion or accurate assessment of achievement, please
notify the instructor as soon as possible and/or contact
Student Accessibility Services.
For more information on inclusion, Title IX, accessibility, or
UCF’s complaint processes contact:
• Title IX – http://www.oie.ucf.edu,
http://osrr.sdes.ucf.edu/titleix, &
• Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action –
• Disability Accommodation – Student Accessibility
• Inclusion Training and Events –
www.diversity.ucf.edu
• University Compliance and Ethics –
http://compliance.ucf.edu/ &
complianceandethics@ucf.edu
• Ombuds Office – http://www.ombuds.ucf.edu
42 | Teaching at UCF
As an alternative to this statement or in addition to it, the
Student Accessibility Services’ Faculty Advisory Board has
discussed the importance of faculty having a welcoming and
inviting statement on the syllabus and through classroom
discussion. It is beneficial to have a clear statement that invites
and encourages any student to speak with the professor if the
student is experiencing challenges or barriers in the classroom.
Such a conversation may happen with or without a Course
Accessibility Letter from Student Accessibility Services (SAS) and
students may be referred to SAS as necessary. Please consider
using your own style and tone to convey this message.
When speaking with a student with a disability, please keep in
mind that the biggest barrier is often not the disability itself, but
rather the design of the course, the barriers within the course
and the social stigmas, biases and assumptions all too prevalent
in our culture. Common examples that SAS frequently works to
manage include:
• Use of videos in the classroom without captioning for
students who are deaf
• Visual materials not available in an accessible format for
students who are blind
• Burdensome processes for receiving extra time on
exams and quizzes, including pop quizzes
• Professors who unintentionally minimize a student’s
concern, speak to students in public places about their
accommodations or make assumptions about the
student’s ability to perform academically solely based
on disability information.
Civil Discourse and Engagement
Director: Justin Andrade
Contact: Justin.Andrad[email protected]
Website: http://sja.sdes.ucf.edu
The Office of Civil Discourse & Engagement (CDE) will promote
civil discourse within the UCF community and beyond, through
programming about different lived experiences and
43 | Teaching at UCF
perspectives. CDE is a part of the Ginsburg Center for Inclusion
and Community Engagement.
Florida Sunshine Law
The state of Florida has broad public-records laws that allow for
residents to request the right to access records made (or
received) by a government body, including our university. Many
written records fall into this category, including emails and
communications with students. Although some educational
records may be FERPA-protected, as a general rule, emails sent
from a university email address, or sent otherwise using
university equipment, could be publicly requested.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is defined
as influencing, offering to influence, or threatening the career,
pay, job, or academic progress of another person in exchange
for sexual favors, or deliberate or repeated offensive
comments, gestures, or physical contact of a sexual nature in a
work, work-related, or educational environment. Unwelcome
sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual
harassment when:
a. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or
implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s
employment or academic progress
b. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an
individual is used as the basis for employment or
academic decisions affecting such individual
c. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially
interfering with an individual’s work performance or
creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working
environment.
Any person who believes that he or she is being harassed or
otherwise subjected to illegal discrimination is encouraged to
consult with the Office of Institutional Equity.
44 | Teaching at UCF
Any faculty member who receives information indicating that a
student may have been subject to sexual harassment or other
forms of sex discrimination must report the information to the
director of the Office of Institutional Equity—even if the victim
specifically requests that the faculty member not make the
report. The director has the responsibility of investigating and
addressing sex discrimination on behalf of the university. The
director is required to honor a victim’s request for
confidentiality under most circumstances.
Faculty members should not begin or seek a sexual relationship
with any student. University policy prohibits sexual relationships
(even if consensual) between employee and student and
between supervisor and employee when that relationship
constitutes a conflict of interest, because the lines of power and
authority that exist between the parties may undermine
freedom of choice. A Faculty Senate Resolution states: “No
faculty member shall have an amorous relationship (consensual
or otherwise) with a student who is enrolled in a course being
taught by the faculty member or when academic work is being
supervised by the faculty member or when that faculty member
has or is likely to have academic responsibility over that student
at any time during that student’s tenure at UCF. No person in a
supervisory position shall have romantic or sexual relationships
with anyone that he or she evaluates.”
Preventing Discrimination
UCF’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) invites faculty and staff
members to update their discrimination-prevention knowledge
by completing an online training session. This online training
can be accessed at any time. UCF OIE has added new
information in several areas, including Title IX obligations
relating to students who experience sex discrimination including
sexual harassment.
The online training offers definitions and examples of prohibited
discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. The section
45 | Teaching at UCF
discussing harassment also describes how to assist student-
victims of sexual harassment, a new element of this course.
Following each section, participants will take an online quiz.
Scoring 70 percent or more allows participants to move to the
next section of the online workshop and then complete it.
The participant’s Learning Transcript record in Workday will
record successful completion of this training session. Follow
these directions to register for and complete the course:
1. Sign on to Workday at https://workday.ucf.edu/
2. From the Workday Global Navigation (left of
homepage), select “Learning”
3. Click “Discover”
4. Click “Browse Learning” button
5. In search box, type “UCFACT”
6. “UCF Actions-Web” will populate—select it
7. Click “Enroll” on next page
8. The Review page shows a box with two lessons—click
the “Submit” button at bottom
9. Click “Done.” You should receive an email from
Workday confirming your registration and providing
instructions for accessing the course in the Workday
system
10. To continue to the course immediately after registering,
click “Start Course”
11. Click “View External Link,” which takes you to
Webcourses. Log in with your NID and NID password if
necessary
12. Complete all sections and the self-test. A passing score
of 80% is required for successful completion.
Participants may call Marsha Kernica at 407-823-1336 with
questions about the registration process.
Ombuds Office
The Ombuds Office provides all members of the university
community an informal, independent, impartial, and
46 | Teaching at UCF
confidential resource that listens to concerns and facilitates
resolution of issues. Their website is http://ombuds.ucf.edu/.
This office will:
• Listen to complaints
• Clarify university policy
• Answer questions concerning appropriate channels
• Assist with problems not resolved by other offices
• Informally look into complaints
• Make referrals to individuals who can address concerns
• Help define options that are available
• Recommend changes to university policy, rules, or
procedures that are outdated, unclear, or ineffective
• Open avenues of communication and facilitate
conversations
• Offer a safe place to discuss concerns.
47 | Teaching at UCF
SECTION II
Before the Semester Begins: Designing
and Preparing to Teach Your Course
Some of the most important work of teaching takes place
before we ever meet our students (virtually or face-to-face) on
the first day of class. This is the time put into planning and
designing a course. Although it is critical to be flexible and
responsive to realities in and out of the classroom throughout
the semester, thoughtful and conscientious planning of course
details can minimize difficulties for both the students and the
instructor. We begin this section with an unofficial checklist for
this pre-semester phase of teaching—a list of things to keep in
mind as you develop your course plan and schedule. The section
is followed by other steps you’ll want to take as you prepare to
start the term, including ordering textbooks, setting up your
course website, and accessing class rosters.
Advice on Planning Your Course
• Make an effort to learn as much as you can about the
context in which you are teaching and your students are
learning as you plan your course. Per state regulation,
each baccalaureate degree program at UCF has an
Academic Learning Compact (ALC), a set of learning
outcomes in three specific areas: discipline-specific
knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors;
communication; and critical thinking. (See
https://oeas.ucf.edu/about/academiclearningcompacts)
. Get additional information about your ALCs from your
chair or director and ask about how the course you’re
teaching fits into the vision of your program, whether as
a prerequisite, core course, or elective. Ask if your
department has a “curriculum map”—a document that
indicates where each learning outcome in your program
will be introduced, emphasized, and reinforced. Broad
48 | Teaching at UCF
understanding of your program’s learning goals can
help you make good decisions about how to teach your
own course.
• Based on the information above, build class
assignments and assessments around meaningful and
measurable course outcomes to help students
understand the connections among individual class
activities and the broader goals of your class or
program. Speak with a consultant at the Faculty Center
if you want help with this process.
• Think carefully about how you weight the point values
of assignments in your course so that your grading
scheme reflects the relative importance placed on each
assignment as accurately as possible.
• Consider assigning web-based materials that are easily
accessible for all students at the beginning of the
semester. This can help you avoid having your schedule
thrown off because students can’t complete
assignments in the first couple of weeks due to lack of
access to ordered items, especially if you’re teaching a
class that is likely to involve significant numbers of
students who enroll at the last minute or if you’re not
sure if your books will be available at the beginning of
the term. Remember to order your books by the state-
and university-mandated deadlines (see page 51 for
more information).
• Pay attention to accessibility issues in all your course
materials. See sections in this book on providing ADA-
compliant materials to ensure that all your students can
access the information they need to succeed in your
course.
• Build a schedule that will realistically allow you to
provide consistent and meaningful feedback to your
students in any course, no matter the size, level, format,
or modality. Students need to know what they’re doing
well and where they need to make improvements. As
you plan your course schedule, consider building in
49 | Teaching at UCF
opportunities for significant formative assessments—
those that students can learn from along the way—as
well as summative assessments that lead to final
grades. If possible, develop your schedule so that you
will provide students with significant feedback prior to
the midsemester withdrawal deadline, so they can
make informed decisions about whether to stay
enrolled or try the course again another semester. This
is especially important for students who are struggling.
See Faculty Senate Resolution 2011-2012-1 for more
information: http://facultysenate.ucf.edu/resolutions
/2011_2012/index.asp#res1.
• Remember to carefully review the academic calendar
as you’re planning your course schedule. You’ll find it at
http://calendar.ucf.edu/. Scroll to the bottom to find a
list of holidays and pay attention to announcements
about other special events (like weeknight football
games) that may affect your meeting schedule. Review
the UCF policies about religious holidays and keep that
information in mind as you plan (see page 28 for more
information).
Required Syllabus Components
All courses at UCF are required to have a syllabus that must be
provided to students via Webcourses@UCF, regardless of
course modality. Some programs may require instructors of the
same course to use one common syllabus or to include common
elements (e.g., course outcomes, required materials). You can
obtain information about these policies from your chair or
director. UCF Policy 4-403.1 sets out required and
recommended components of a syllabus:
https://policies.ucf.edu/documents/4-403.pdf. Visit
https://fctl.ucf.edu/teaching-resources/course-design/syllabus/
for further details.
To comply with State requirements, UCF has moved to a third-
party tool in Webcourses called Simple Syllabus. This new tool is
50 | Teaching at UCF
required to function as the official syllabus for each class; thus,
there should no longer be PDF uploads of a syllabus document.
To learn more about Simple Syllabus and how to use it, visit the
Simple Syllabus page on the Provost’s website.
The Faculty Center hosts a page related to syllabus best
practices (such as which optional components you should
include in Simple Syllabus).
Core policies that apply to all UCF courses are embedded in
Simple Syllabus and cannot be edited. However, Simple Syllabus
also allows for course-specific policies (such as technology
policies, or policies on late work, etc), so we host a separate
page of possible optional policy statements for your syllabi.
We recommend that you also consider including the following:
• Detailed information about the academic integrity
standards and definitions for your specific course,
including issues such as self-plagiarism and group work
on homework and/or tests
• Information about campus resources students can turn
to if they need assistance in your course, including
Student Academic Resource Center services such as
Supplemental Instruction and academic tutoring, the
University Writing Center, and the Math Lab
• A statement on student decorum in your course that
encourages high-level discussions and discourages
disrespectful comments (racist, ageist, sexist, classist,
homophobic, or other offensive nature) that may occur
in class discussions or written documents
• Statements about attendance or class participation if
applicable.
Final Exams
All UCF classes are expected to meet during the assigned final
examination period, even if the course does not obviously lend
itself to a final exam. The final exam period is included in the
total hours of instruction required for the semester. Faculty
51 | Teaching at UCF
members are expected to provide an explanation of their final
assessment in each course syllabus, as well as to post the final
exam date and time on the syllabus at the beginning of the
semester.
Flexibility and Course Continuity
While it is generally best not to change course policies or
substantially modify the grading scheme after the semester has
begun, the schedule may change throughout the term, not only
for unforeseen emergencies or weather-related campus
closures, but also by instructor discretion in response to class
dynamics. Accordingly, it is advisable to state in the syllabus and
to remind students that the schedule is subject to change.
Sample statement: “This syllabus may be amended or
modified in any way upon notice; changes would most
likely affect the class schedule, so be sure to check the
Webcourses@UCF calendar and announcements
regularly or check with a classmate if you miss class.”
If you make substantive changes to your syllabus (beyond a
minor adjustment such as a due date), provide your department
with a revised copy for their records. Give students as much
notice as possible in writing when a change is coming in order to
promote a cohesive course experience. Ask your department
chair about any specific policies regarding revised or amended
syllabi.
Ordering Textbooks
All textbook and instructional materials adoptions at UCF must
be submitted to the UCF Bookstore (affiliated with Barnes &
Noble), even if materials are not required or they are available
elsewhere (such as online or through the UCF Libraries). Check
with your department if there is a central coordinator who
reports textbook and instructional materials adoptions. If not,
you may do it yourself: https://sso.bncollege.com/bes-
52 | Teaching at UCF
sp/bessso/saml/ucfedu/aip/logon. Follow the instructions
provided to submit the adoption for your courses. In order to
comply with UCF regulation, the bookstore needs adoptions for
all course sections even those not requiring textbooks or
instructional materials no later than 60 days prior to the start of
every term. UCF Connect Center instructors should check with
the administration at the Connect Center location concerning
the availability of providing books through the partner
institution’s bookstore.
If you need help deciding on a textbook, you may check with
your department for their recommendations. You may also wish
to develop a “coursepack” of photocopied material that you
want students to buy with their books, which can also be
accomplished through the UCF Bookstore. Per UCF Policy 4-
405.2, instructors of record must supply one copy of all
coursepacks to the UCF Bookstore prior to the start of class:
https://policies.ucf.edu/documents/4-405.pdf. Submit your
materials as early as possible; the processes of securing the
copyrights and producing the packet can be lengthy.
If you plan to require students to purchase a textbook or other
instructional material or coursepack for a course you are
teaching that was written or co-written by you, or your relative,
where you anticipate receiving royalties from the purchase, you
will be required to report this in the online Report of Potential
Outside Activity, Employment, and Conflict of Interest and
Commitment Disclosure (AA-21) and explain the action you took
to mitigate the conflict of interest created. Mitigation actions
include offering the materials to UCF students at reduced or no
cost, or donating the royalties to a non-profit organization.
It is a good idea to verify at your campus’s bookstore that your
course materials have arrived before the first day of class. Note
that the bookstore may not order enough books for each
student in the class; they use a formula when deciding how
many books to order based on your maximum enrollment. Keep
this in mind as you plan, and stay aware of other outlets
53 | Teaching at UCF
students can use for book purchases. In some cases, the
bookstore also makes textbook rentals available for students.
Affordable Instructional Materials
To improve access and encourage affordability, the Florida
statute on textbook and instructional materials affordability
advocates for the adoption of no-cost and low-cost instructional
materials by faculty whenever possible. At UCF, such resources
and efforts to improve access and affordability fall under the
Affordable Instructional Materials (AIM) Initiative:
https://provost.ucf.edu/initiatives/affordability.
Some UCF-supported approaches to implementing and
supporting AIM include adopting open educational resources to
replace both costly textbooks and access codes to homework
platforms / courseware; locating copyright-compliant, publicly
accessible course materials from trusted online collections; and
using library-sourced e-books as one-to-one replacements of
current textbooks.
For affordability information and initiatives at the university,
see https://provost.ucf.edu/initiatives/affordability/. The AIM
website at https://digitallearning.ucf.edu/ilab/aim/ provides an
overview of the various approaches to improving affordability,
and the UCF Libraries’ pages at https://library.ucf.edu/textbook-
affordability/ and https://guides.ucf.edu/OER each provide
resources for locating library-sourced materials and open
educational resources (OER).
For more information about AIM-related initiatives, refer to the
respective initiative web pages for an overview of the
collaborative effort (https://digitallearning.ucf.edu/ilab/aim/),
open educational resources and practices
(https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/oer-practices/), library-sourced
materials (https://library.ucf.edu/textbook-affordability/), and
First Day© (a Barnes & Noble program)
(https://customercare.bncollege.com/hc/en-
us/categories/360000142447-First-Day-Inclusive-Access-FAQs).
54 | Teaching at UCF
Each of the following four sections highlights a specific program
designed to support AIM at UCF and is adapted from “A little
background on UCF’s AIM Initiative...”
https://pressbooks.online.ucf.edu/aimidworkflows/front-
matter/introduction/ (by James Paradiso, Aimee deNoyelles,
John Raible, Denise Lowe, and Debra Luken)—made freely
available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
International License:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
First Day
Commercial publishers and other for-profit entities are working
with UCF to offer students discounts on digital educational
content and/or courseware solutions. Currently, the initiative is
focusing on implementing an inclusive access program through
the UCF Bookstore called First Day.
Faculty participating in inclusive access programs will have their
course materials available immediately to students during the
first week of classes at a discounted rate until the add/drop
deadline, at which time prices will revert to full retail cost
(decided on by publishers and the campus bookstore). Students
who opt-in to the First Day program will see the discounted
price charged to their student account after the add/drop
deadline.
Open Educational Resources
“Open Educational Resources (OER) are learning, teaching and
research materials in any format and medium that reside in the
public domain or are under copyright that have been released
under an open license, that permit no-cost access, re-use, re-
purpose, adaptation and redistribution by others.” See
https://www.unesco.org/en/open-educational-resources.
The Center for Distributed Learning and the UCF Libraries are
working collectively to support faculty and students in two
principal areas: adoption and creation/adaptation of OER.
55 | Teaching at UCF
Library-Sourced Materials
The UCF Libraries are working with faculty to identify library
eBooks available as one-to-one replacements of course texts
and resources. The library will check for eBook candidates that
allow unlimited users and offer favorable digital rights
management (DRM).
Affordability Counts
The Affordability Counts program, managed by Florida
International University (FIU) and accessible at
https://affordabilitycounts.org/, was created as a direct
response to the increasing costs of textbooks in higher
education. FIU Online’s team established the initiative to
recognize faculty who actively make changes to their courses in
an effort to advance course material affordability across state
universities and colleges.
UCF faculty who submit their low cost course materials for a
specific course to the publicly searchable database will also
receive a medallion to place inside their Webcourse or on the
course syllabus. Faculty whose course materials amount to less
than or equal to $20 per credit hour (per course) can apply for
the designation. See
https://digitallearning.ucf.edu/ilab/aim/affordability-counts
Setting Up a Webcourse to Supplement Your
Face-to-Face Class (Webcourses@UCF)
Webcourses@UCF is the learning management system at UCF.
At the minimum, faculty use this tool to host their syllabi online
and record academic activity in the first week of classes to
document student engagement. Other faculty members
integrate activities such as online quizzes, message boards,
learning modules, and grade reporting more deeply into their
courses.
56 | Teaching at UCF
The online component of your course is automatically created
10 days prior to the first day of the semester. If you would like it
before that date, you may use the Faculty Webcourse Manager
to request your course. Detailed instructions are provided on
the Webcourses@UCF Semester Checklist at https://cdl.ucf.edu
/teach/course/semester-start-guide/#1.
If you are using the course for academic engagement purposes,
be sure to publish your course before the first week of class so
students may complete the academic engagement assignment!
Students cannot see your course until it is published. Courses
are automatically published on the first day of the semester.
You can hide everything in your course except your Academic
Engagement. If you need technical assistance with
Webcourses@UCF, please contact Webcourses@UCF Support
(https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/),
webcourses@ucf.edu, or 407-823-0407.
If you wish to teach a class that has reduced seat time or is fully
online, formal training will be required. Speak with your
department chair or see the section starting on page 79 to learn
more about available faculty development.
Questions to Ask in Your Department
While many campus policies and procedures are universal,
there are sometimes significant differences among departments
and programs on campus. For that reason, you may wish to
inquire at your department about the following items:
1. Has my paperwork been sent to Human Resources?
(This is important because you cannot log in to the
portal at https://my.ucf.edu/ or
https://workday.ucf.edu until your paperwork is done
and a NID is created for you.)
2. Who in our department is responsible for PeopleSoft
permissions? (You may need their help accessing
myUCF and the class roster.)
57 | Teaching at UCF
3. If my NID isn’t active yet, who can print out my rosters
for me?
4. What is the login information for the instructor’s
computer in the classroom where I will be teaching? It is
typically your NID and NID password. Check with
support personnel at UCF Connect Centers for local
policies.
5. Will I be assigned a faculty mentor? How does our
department handle mentoring for new faculty?
6. Where can I find our department’s governance
documents, annual evaluation standards, and tenure
and promotion guidelines?
7. What is our department’s procedure for reporting sick
leave?
8. How many office hours per week should I hold?
9. Will I be issued keys for our department offices and/or
building?
10. What are the departmental policies regarding overrides
to fill a class beyond its standard enrollment cap?
11. How can I make photocopies for class?
12. Does our department or college provide instructional
supplies like dry-erase markers?
13. Do we use Scantrons in our department? If so, which
color? Where do we or our students get or buy them,
and how do we grade them? Is there a reader in the
department, or do we use the Test Scoring Services at
https://it.ucf.edu/our-services/test-scoring/?
14. Does our department have a document or website
explaining how my courses fit into the larger
curriculum? (You’ll want to pay particular attention to
curricular goals and to what extent your class includes
prerequisites or instills basic skills needed for courses
further in the curriculum.)
15. Will I “inherit” a syllabus for my class, or perhaps
several previous examples? Is it preferred that I
customize the syllabus or leave it as received?
16. Are there department-specific policies that should be in
every syllabus (e.g., about use of technology, Turnitin,
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etc.)? (See https://fctl.ucf.edu/teaching-
resources/course-design/syllabus-statements/ for
several examples of standardized policy statements.)
17. Does the department have a recommendation about
whether I should use plus/minus grading or flat
grading?
18. When are department faculty meetings? Am I expected
to attend?
19. Who does the textbook ordering for our department?
What are our internal deadlines?
20. Will I receive a physical inbox/mailbox in the
department?
21. Where can I find information about our department’s
travel approval and reimbursement procedures?
22. What is our department’s policy regarding teaching at
other universities or colleges while teaching at UCF?
Accessing Class Rosters
To download your class roster from myUCF, log in to the portal,
click on “Faculty/Advisor Self Service” near the top left, and click
on “Instructors.”
Next, select “View My Teaching Schedule.” The three-person
icon can be clicked to view the roster, and if you wish to
download for Excel, click on the link near the top right of the
roster. You may have to hold Ctrl on your keyboard as you click
the link to download (if that fails, you might have to configure
your browser to allow pop-ups at the my.ucf.edu domain).
If your NID is not yet set up or your assigned course is listed
with “Staff” as the instructor rather than your name, you may
have to ask someone in your department to print the roster for
you. You might also request that your chair ask someone in your
department to change the database so that you are listed as the
instructor of record and can access your own roster. It may also
be necessary to have Computer Services change your
59 | Teaching at UCF
permissions in PeopleSoft to the instructor role; if so, email
We recommend that you use the gradebook in
Webcourses@UCF to maintain grades during the semester;
however, if you maintain your gradebooks manually, take care
that they remain on secure devices. The university requires that
student records be protected against theft, especially when
placed on a notebook computer or a USB flash drive. See the
FERPA discussion in Section I of this book. Email
[email protected] for more information.
Printing Photos of Your Students
It is possible to view photos of students registered in your class
(the photos come from their student ID cards, which are stored
digitally). Some instructors like to print the page(s) of photos
and bring them along to class to help learn student names. To
print photos of your students:
1. Log in to Webcourses@UCF at
https://webcourses.ucf.edu
2. Click “Account” in the left-hand menu and then select
“Settings”
3. On the left-hand navigation menu, select “Class Photos”
4. Choose the class from your roster for which you would
like to print photos
5. Select “Print” at the top of the photo grid.
Emailing Your Students
It is possible to email your students directly from the roster
page at myUCF. Look under Faculty Self-Service > Instructors >
View My Teaching Schedule > [three-person-icon] (as described
above). Below the table of students are two green buttons. Click
“Notify All Students” to be taken to a page that lets you type in
a message (and cc your own email address). However, there is
no way to add attachments to this message. If you need to send
60 | Teaching at UCF
an attachment (such as your syllabus), you will need to
download the roster (see previous section) and copy/paste the
email addresses from Excel to your preferred email program
(such as Outlook).
61 | Teaching at UCF
SECTION III
During the Semester:
Resources for Managing Your
Course
This section will provide you with a summary of some basic
research about effective college teaching as well as resources
and procedures you may need throughout the semester. If at
any time during the term you face a challenge with which you
want or need assistance, remember to reach out to your
department chair or school director and/or to the Faculty
Center. In one-on-one consultations, we can help you think
through issues related to classroom management, teaching
approaches, and more. If you are concerned (or excited) about
something happening in your class and would like someone
from our office to observe a session and provide you with
confidential feedback, just ask. We can also bring a video
camera to record a session for your review. Or perhaps you just
want to connect with other faculty members to hear about their
experiences and debrief your own—in that case, you can attend
one of our workshops, teaching circles, or book clubs that take
place throughout the year. Check out the other campus
resources in Section V for more information about the support
available to you.
Working With Students
Below you’ll find information about working with students who
are facing some kind of difficulty that may have an impact on
their performance in your course. Several UCF offices provide
support for both you and the student in these situations. If you
see surprising or worrisome behaviors, or receive
communication that concerns you, let your chair or director
know and consider seeking assistance from one of the entities
listed below. If you want advice on how to handle a specific
student situation, contact the Faculty Center at any time.
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For a general overview of student-facing information and
resources, see Student Services at https://www.ucf.edu
/services/.
Referring Students for Counseling and
Psychological Assistance
As a faculty member who will see students regularly over a
period of time, you may be the first to notice a student’s decline
due to a mental health issue or personal problem that is causing
them to feel overwhelmed. There are periods during the
semester when some students may be particularly susceptible
to stress and anxiety related to academic pressures that can
trigger mental health issues. These issues, if left untreated, can
become more severe, even life threatening, and can impede a
student’s ability to be successful in the classroom. Many
students can be successful if there is early intervention from
you as a faculty member to connect them with mental health
services such as Counseling and Psychological Services at UCF.
We recognize, especially for those who are not mental health
professionals, that it can be difficult to know when to be
concerned about a student. Students who experience stress or a
sense of being overwhelmed may exhibit their problems in a
variety of ways. While there is no “template” for identifying a
distressed student, the following are some warning signs that
may indicate distress or a significant emotional problem.
• Marked nervousness, agitation, or irritability
• Inappropriately aggressive or abrasive behavior
• Excessive procrastination and/or poorly prepared work
• Marked decline in grades
• Pattern of infrequent class attendance, little or no work
completed
• Apparent depression or lack of energy
• Marked change in personal hygiene
• Withdrawal, indecisiveness, and/or confusion
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• Comments (written or verbal) that suggest thoughts
about harming oneself, or any threats to another
person
• Bizarre, alarming, and unusual statements, or evidence
that a student is engaging in dangerous behavior.
If you find that you are concerned about a student, it is
important to know that there are steps you can take and
resources available to support you. We encourage you to
speak directly to the student, if possible, and express your
concern. UCF CAPS offers an avatar-based training program
called Kognito that can help improve your skills on how to
talk to a student in distress (link on CAPS main website
page). We also want you to be aware of and seek
consultation from Counseling and Psychological Services.
• UCF CAPS staff are available to provide consultation
anytime from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through
Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday during the fall
and spring (open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer).
More information about CAPS can be found on their
website at http://caps.sdes.ucf.edu/
• The CAPS phone number is 407-823-2811
• There is a CAPS staff member available at the Rosen
College. This therapist can be reached by calling the
main number above
• To reach their after-hours crisis line, call the CAPS
number (407-823-2811) and press #5 to be connected
to a counselor
• For emergency situations, call the UCF Police
Department (911)
• If a student refuses to go to CAPS for an initial
assessment, and you are concerned about this student,
we encourage you to fill out a Student of Concern form
on the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities
(Student Care Services) website at http://scs.sdes.ucf.
edu/concern
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• If you need help navigating a situation, please call CAPS
at 407-823-2811 for a consultation
• There is more information about how to make a referral
to CAPS or a community provider at http://caps.sdes.
ucf.edu/resources/referrals/
• CAPS also has Therapist Assisted Online (TAO)
treatment, which is self-help for students who are
struggling with mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression,
but not so severe that it impairs their functioning. This
program can be helpful in giving some tools to manage
their distress.
Please also refer above to page 31 for campus emergency
procedures.
Making a Referral to CAPS
Faculty can have a positive influence on students. Many
students consider visiting CAPS only after it is suggested by their
instructor. A faculty member’s attitude about seeking
counseling can make a difference in a student’s seeking
professional help. One way of introducing the topic of a
counseling referral to a student is to summarize to him or her
what you understand to be the problem. For example, “You
sound very depressed about your relationship problems. I have
found that other students who felt that way have been helped
by talking to a professional at CAPS. How would you feel about
that?”
In speaking to the student about counseling, it is important to
keep in mind some of the negative reactions a student may
have to the idea and be ready to discuss them.
You can explain to the student that counseling is not for “crazy”
people (most students going to therapy have normal everyday
struggles in managing their personal or college life and
relationships), nor does it encourage dependency (counseling is
time-limited on campus). Counseling does provide a chance to
explore feelings and solve problems with the help of an
65 | Teaching at UCF
objective, sensitive, concerned listener, who is professionally
trained.
Once the student has agreed that counseling might be useful,
there are several possible steps to take, depending on the
student’s attitude and the urgency of the situation.
1. Discuss services that CAPS offers and encourage the
student to call
2. Explain that counseling is confidential and their file is
protected by law and does not become part of their
academic record
3. Offer to let the student call from your office right then,
so that a public commitment will be made
4. If needed, or if there is any risk of harm to self,
accompany the student to CAPS and provide the center
with any necessary information. The CAPS staff will
appreciate your calling ahead if the student is being
brought over or sent directly so that plans can be made
to have a counselor available. Due to confidentiality,
front desk or therapist may not be able to share any
information back to you without client written
permission, but you are allowed to share anything with
front desk or therapist
5. If the student shares any thoughts or feelings about
wanting to harm themselves or another person, please
call CAPS so that they can help you get the student to
their services
6. If a student refuses counseling, but you are still
concerned about the student’s safety, call care services
and/ or write a Student of Concern report (see Student
Care Services section on page 62).
Although students can feel ambivalent or afraid to start
counseling, many students feel comfortable after attending
their first session. Generally, unless there is some immediate
concern about the welfare of the student or other students, it is
better to try to maintain your relationship with the student
rather than to force a referral to CAPS. The idea can be brought
66 | Teaching at UCF
up again later if you continue to see a pattern of behavior. If
you have any questions, contact Karen Hofmann, Director of
Counseling and Psychological Services, at 407-823-2811 or
karen.hofmann@ucf.edu, or ask for the Administrator on Duty.
UCF CARES: Identifying Students in Need
The university has a process in place for students in distress or
students of concern. Please visit http://cares.sdes.ucf.edu/ or
http://scs.sdes.ucf.edu/ to learn more about the Student of
Concern process, what to look for, resources, and how to help.
The Student of Concern form allows students, staff, faculty, and
UCF community members to report concerning behavior
exhibited by a student. It is our goal to intervene before the
student reaches a crisis level. Examples of concerning behavior
include, but are not limited to, a student exhibiting behavior
significantly out of character, acting peculiar (in a way that
causes alarm), displaying unhealthy or dangerous patterns of
behavior, or continuing to seem distressed despite prior
referrals.
Once a Student of Concern report is filed, it is sent to the case
manager for review. The case manager will reach out to the
student of concern to assess what resources would be beneficial
to the student and collaboratively develop an action plan with
the student to reduce obstacles to their success at UCF.
To access an online faculty training program module with a brief
assessment, visit http://cares.sdes.ucf.edu/employee. The
purpose of this module is to provide faculty and staff with an
opportunity to learn more about identifying a student in
distress and making referrals.
To consult with the case manager about a possible student of
concern, call 407-823-5607 or email casemanager@ucf.edu.
Accommodating Students with Disabilities
Approximately 4–5% of students at UCF connect with Student
Accessibility Services every year. While a seeming small number,
these 4–5% of students are in 42–45% of courses offered every
67 | Teaching at UCF
semester and are taught by 75% of faculty teaching a course
each term. UCF as a collective entity is responsible for ensuring
access for disabled students. The primary goal should always to
be create environments with access in mind from the outset.
When necessary, accommodations may be warranted. The
purpose of accommodations is to address the limitations of the
environment where and when it is not accessible.
Accommodations do not specifically support the limitations of
the student.
The information below offers an introduction to some of the
policies and procedures that govern how faculty should handle
such situations. This information was provided by Student
Accessibility Services at http://sas.sdes.ucf.edu/, Ferrell
Commons 185, 407-823-2371.
Faculty and Student Responsibilities: Students with
disabilities bear the primary responsibility of notifying
the university about their requested accommodations.
Students may discuss concerns with professors. When
accommodations are necessary, it is often best for the
student to connect with SAS first. SAS assesses the
reasonableness of requests and facilitates
accommodations when necessary. Course Accessibility
Letters are emailed to faculty upon student approval.
Reasonable course accommodations include
recommendations in the accommodation letter and
may also include other means of access based on
professor ideas. The Course Accessibility Letter may not
100% align with the realities of the course design
because SAS does not know the nuances of the course
when each letter is emailed.
Faculty-Student Interactions: Dialogue between the
student and instructor is essential throughout the term.
The student’s own suggestions, based on prior
academic experiences, are valuable to facilitating
accessible course instruction and assessment. The
nature of the course is the biggest predictor in
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determining the need for various access and
accommodations. If professors have concerns about an
accommodation, please contact SAS before denying the
request so that all angles can be considered.
Accommodations, especially ones written on a Course
Accessibility Letter, should never be denied without first
speaking with SAS.
Course Requirements: As a general rule, students with
disabilities are expected to meet the same course
requirements as all other students with or without
accommodations. The purpose of accommodations,
when facilitated, is to ensure equal access. Student
success is never guaranteed and is never a reason to
facilitate an accommodation. Even if an accommodation
makes logical sense from a disability perspective,
accommodations are often considered unreasonable if
the accommodation fundamentally alters the course, its
learning outcomes, its core experiences or the manner
in which a student is assessed. Accommodations and
disability-related support never allow a free-for-all
where students can do as they please, such as attending
class only when desired or submitting assignments only
at times convenient for the student.
Testing and Evaluation: Depending on the disability,
various testing accommodations may be needed, such
as extended time, a test reader, a test scribe, a large-
print test, or technology to provide access (video print
enlarger or computer). Some faculty members utilize
the testing service provided by SAS to coordinate these
accommodations. Faculty members should apply the
same standards to students with disabilities that they
apply to other students in evaluating work and assigning
grades.
The SAS team is willing to collaborate and consult with faculty
members to determine the best way to remove barriers and
coordinate accommodations. Please note that the purpose of
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SAS is to advocate for an accessible educational experience. SAS
is not a student advocacy resource. To reach an accessible
educational experience outcome, SAS works with and supports
students and faculty in the academic environment.
Inclusive Education Services
In Fall 2015, UCF embraced its commitment to inclusion by
opening its doors to people with intellectual disabilities by
launching Inclusive Education Services (IES). IES offers a non-
degree college learning experience to students with intellectual
disabilities and is pleased to be one of approximately 16 similar
college programs in the state of Florida and an estimated 265
college experiences nationally.
IES is a unit within the Division of Student Development and
Enrollment Services (SDES) and operates in partnership with the
College of Community Innovation and Education. Upon
successful completion of a 42-unit curriculum, students earn a
Professional Services Credential through the Division of
Continuing Education. The credential provides students with the
opportunity to specialize in one of three concentrations:
Hospitality, Early Childhood Education, and Social Services.
These areas align with the highest job growth fastest hiring
industries in Central Florida based on recent employment
outlook data.
Each concentration within the Professional Services Credential
includes academic courses, including courses that the students
audit with degree-seeking UCF Students, on-campus work
experiences and a capstone community internship. At UCF,
students also have the opportunity to live on campus and to
participate in most student activities, opportunities and
resources, such as attending football games, working out at the
Recreation and Wellness Center, and participating in one of
UCF’s 700+ student clubs and organizations.
The purpose of the full campus experience is to promote the
participants' subsequent gainful employment in a vocational
area of interest. The ideal post-completion work opportunity
70 | Teaching at UCF
will offer the student greater opportunity and pay than would
have been possible without attending IES. National data
indicates that students with intellectual disabilities attending an
IES-type of experience are employed at a 40–45% rate, which is
higher than the current national average of 17–20%.
For more information about IES, please visit the website
http://ies.sdes.ucf.edu/. Additional questions should be
directed to Adam Meyer, Director of Inclusive Education
Services, at adam.[email protected].
Advising Students
Faculty Advisors
Faculty members are regularly asked to advise students on
planning a course of study. If you need access to the advising
functions in the myUCF Portal (under Faculty/Advisor Self
Service) and do not have them, speak with your department
chair.
Faculty roles as advisors may include:
• Sharing knowledge of the requirements of a program of
study and changes from recent years
• Sharing knowledge of careers available to students with
specific majors and minors
• Assisting students in yearly planning of course work
• Suggesting course substitutions (which must be approved
by program coordinators or directors)
• Being available for advising during peak hours
(orientation and registration periods)
• Recommending appropriate electives to prepare students
for graduate school or a career path.
In some departments and colleges, academic advising for
undergraduates is conducted primarily by professional advisors
(staff who may or may not be part of your department). Each
undergraduate student in a declared major has a college
advising office assignment, a list of which can be viewed at
71 | Teaching at UCF
https://academicsuccess.ucf.edu/ssa/advising-offices/#college-
advising. Each college has its own structure for how the
professional or faculty advisors in the schools and departments
will support students on their path to graduation. Undeclared
students, or those exploring majors, will work with the Knights
Major Exploration and Transition Center
(https://academicsuccess.ucf.edu/kmetc/). Additional support
for Student Athletes, University Honors, EXCEL, COMPASS, and
for students pursuing pre-health or pre-law is provided by
additional supplemental advising offices. Contact information
for advising offices can be accessed at https://academicsuccess
.ucf.edu/ssa/advising-offices/. If you have questions about
advising procedures or degree requirements, contact your
college advising office or department advisor for assistance.
Additional academic advising and student success resources can
be found on the Student Success and Advising (SSA) website at
https://academicsuccess.ucf.edu/ssa/. Student Success and
Advising centrally coordinates training and professional
development for the UCF advising community. SSA facilitates
streamlined communication on relevant resources, technology,
and data to support the advising community. High-quality and
consistent resources are created that support both academic
advisors and students.
UCF Career Services
Faculty members may refer students to Career Services for
additional resources and advising.
Career Services offers such resources as:
• Career counseling and assessments
• Career workshops and expos
• Résumé assistance and practice interviews
• Alumni mentoring
• Graduate school preparation.
Faculty members may also request a Career Services speaker to
conduct in-class workshops or information sessions as part of
Career Services Outreach, UCF’s cocurricular program designed
72 | Teaching at UCF
to bring professional development information to students in
their classrooms. Contact information can be found online:
http://career.ucf.edu/contact/ and faculty can request a
speaker by completing an online form: https://ucf.qualtrics.com
/jfe/form/SV_cu2haAStLj7BFA1.
Promoting a Culture of Academic Integrity
As members of the academic community, we are entrusted to
embody the principles and behaviors of ethical scholars and to
pass those on to our students. Academic integrity informs our
teaching, mentoring, research, and service. UCF is committed to
promoting a culture of academic integrity, and it is expected
that faculty, administrators, staff, and students will work
together to meet our personal, professional, and social
responsibilities.
To assist in the communication of our expectations, the UCF
Golden Rule addresses student rights and responsibilities and
informs faculty members about the processes related to
academic integrity and other types of student conduct
concerns. Students are bound by the Golden Rule, which
includes codes of conduct that extend even to off-campus and
after-hours activities. Some elements of the Golden Rule also
apply to faculty members, such as the requirement to report
academic dishonesty if you become aware of it. The full Golden
Rule can be read online at http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/.
The academic misconduct reporting form requires information
about the course, academic consequences issued by the
instructor, and a description of the incident. Student Conduct
and Academic Integrity will review each incident report
submitted and follow up with the instructor. As of Summer
2016, the form no longer includes the option “Documentation
Only” or “Initiate the Student Conduct Process.” Additionally, it
no longer requires signatures from the Dean, Chair, instructor,
and student. Student Conduct and Academic Integrity will
review each incident report submitted and follow-up with the
instructor. More information regarding the process for these
73 | Teaching at UCF
matters can be found at https://scai.sdes.ucf.edu/, or by calling
Student Conduct and Academic Integrity at 407-823-4638.
A number of actions can be taken in response to an incident of
academic dishonesty. Some include:
Academic Action, Taken by Instructor, Chair, or Dean of College
1. Loss of credit for specific assignment, exam, or project
2. Removal from course with a grade of F
Program Action
1. Probation with the program
2. Dismissal from the program
Conduct Review Action, Taken by Student Conduct and
Academic Integrity
1. Warning
2. Probation
3. Suspension (permanent conduct record with UCF)
4. Expulsion (permanent conduct record with UCF)
5. Z Designation
Z Designation for Academic Misconduct
For undergraduate students, incidents of academic misconduct
in a course will be noted by a grade preceded by the letter Z.
Thus, semester grades such as ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD, or ZF may appear
on student transcripts.
Please note that the Z designation is part of the Student
Conduct Process, which may include additional sanctions, such
as a disciplinary warning, disciplinary probation, disciplinary
suspension, or expulsion, but that the Student Conduct and
Academic Integrity must be involved when academic
misconduct is reported.
For information about the process, appeals, and ramifications of
the Z designation, visit http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/.
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iThenticate
The university requires all students submitting a thesis or
dissertation as part of their graduate degree requirements to
first submit their electronic documents through iThenticate for
advisement purposes and for review of originality. The thesis or
dissertation chair is responsible for scheduling this submission
to iThenticate and for reviewing the results from iThenticate
with the student’s advisory committee. The advisory committee
uses the results appropriately to assist the student in the
preparation of their thesis or dissertation.
Before the thesis or dissertation may be approved for final
submission to the university, the student’s committee chair
must indicate completion of the Review for Original Work
requirement (https://graduate.ucf.edu/graduate-
guide/advising-thesis-and-dissertation-students) by signing the
student’s Thesis and Dissertation Approval Form at Thesis and
Dissertation Services
(https://apps.graduate.ucf.edu/ETD_Student_Services/).
Turnitin.com
To assist instructors in deterring and detecting plagiarism in
their classes and in Honors Undergraduate Thesis projects, UCF
has purchased an institutional account with Turnitin, an online
system that instructors can use to quickly and easily compare
each student’s document to websites and many journals and
publications, as well as an extensive database of student papers
that grows with each submission. After submitting the paper or
asking a student to do so through the online system, an
instructor receives a report that states whether and how
another author’s work was used. Turnitin is already integrated
into the assignment tool within Webcourses. To enable Turnitin
for an assignment, edit the assignment settings and choose
“More Options.” If you need to create a Turnitin report for an
Honors Undergraduate Thesis or for uses outside of
Webcourses, staff at the Faculty Center are available to meet
with you to set up an account.
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Traumatic Events
Although rare, traumatic incidents (such as shootings,
bombings, or other violent acts) can occur during the semester,
and it is important for faculty to prepare for teaching after such
events. Significant research has been conducted on valued
practices for teaching in such situations. Experts suggest that
faculty members begin by acknowledging their own emotions,
gathering relevant information, and planning appropriate
classroom activities.
During class, it is recommended to model calm and controlled
behaviors, use gentle language, and maintain routines as much
as possible. However, faculty members should be prepared to
exercise flexibility by adjusting course schedules or by
temporarily limiting their expectations for student performance.
In addition, it may be useful to limit distractors by encouraging
students to engage in the lesson (instead of watching news
reports, texting their friends, or posting to social media). It is
likely that students will wish to discuss the event in class, so if
possible, prepare yourself by organizing a debriefing session in
which you provide accurate information and a space for
students to express their concerns. It is often useful to employ
active listening skills, but do not attempt to offer counseling
services to students. Instead, refer students to other campus
resources listed below. Last, take some time to review campus
safety policies and procedures so that you (and your class) are
prepared in the event of a traumatic incident.
Some campus resources available for traumatic events include
the following:
• UCF Emergency Management
(https://police.ucf.edu/emergencymanagement)
407-882-7111
• UCF Alert
(https://police.ucf.edu/ucfalert) 407-882-7111
• UCF Police Department
(http://police.ucf.edu/) 407-823-5555
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• UCF Victim Services
(http://victimservices.ucf.edu/) 407-823-2425
• UCF Health Services
(http://shs.sdes.ucf.edu/) 407-823-2701
• UCF RESTORES (https://ucfrestores.com/) 407-823-3910
and Psychology Clinic
(https://sciences.ucf.edu/psychology/psychclinic/) 407-
823-4348
• UCF Counseling and Psychological Services
(http://caps.sdes.ucf.edu/services) 407-823-2811
• UCF Student of Concern process and form
(http://scs.sdes.ucf.edu/concern) 407-823-5607.
Recording and Communicating Grades to
Students During the Semester
For posting grades for assignments, quizzes, exams, and so forth
during the semester, instructors are encouraged to use the
Webcourses@UCF Gradebook. This tool is secure and FERPA-
compliant, and allows students to see only their own records.
Important Features
• If you elect to use Test Scoring Services to process
Scantron tests (note: this is not required, especially if
your department has a Scantron machine), the Scantron
results will be uploaded automatically to your
Webcourses@UCF section. You will then need to log in
to your section and “unmute” the Gradebook column
that contains the Scantron results so that students can
see their grades
• You can upload other grading events yourself or edit
and adjust individual grades online
• Official rosters auto-populate the Webcourses@UCF
Gradebook; you will not be able to add or delete
students in your course
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• It is possible to upload and download grades and
grading events to and from the Gradebook using
comma-delimited (.csv) files.
The Webcourses@UCF Gradebook communicates unofficial
grades to students. The process for recording final grades is
described in Section IV.
Test Scoring Services
Instructors may use the free ScanTron scoring services from UCF
IT if they are utilizing the raspberry-colored ScanTrons (which
must have the UCF logo on it) in their classes. Test results will
be automatically uploaded to Webcourses@UCF, with a
turnaround time of no more than two days. Visit the Test
Scoring Services website for information and required forms:
https://it.ucf.edu/our-services/test-scoring/.
Online Teaching
Online teaching at UCF is administered by the Center for
Distributed Learning (CDL). There are three primary online
teaching strategies, each indicated by course modality codes:
fully online asynchronous instruction (W modality), mixed
online instruction (M or RS modalities), and fully online video-
based instruction (V modality). The RS modality is an M
derivative with in-person class meetings limited to no more
than 20% of the class time. Additionally, the M, RS, and V
modalities are further distinguished by the presence of course
attributes. The Live attribute indicates that the online
instruction will be primarily synchronous video class meetings,
and the Flexible attribute indicates asynchronous instruction
without scheduled class meetings. See “Types of Courses at
UCF” at https://cdl.ucf.edu/modalities/ for the full definition of
UCF course modalities and attributes. In 2023-2024, modality
codes of MR, ML, RL and VL were added. Essentially, the L code
is to indicate that the modality includes livestreams, which
means synchronous, scheduled online class video meetings.
More information on current and future modality coding, and
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the credentials required to teach in those modalities is available
at https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/professional-
development/credentials/. CDL provides training, credentialing,
and support for faculty seeking to teach in the web-based or
video modalities.
CDL also provides support for the development and delivery of
personalized adaptive learning (PAL) technologies within
courses in both online and face-to-face modalities. PAL delivery
platforms, such as RealizeIt, provide tools to assess and
recognize existing student competencies, and to provide
customized assistance to address knowledge gaps that students
might demonstrate. PAL course sections have a PAL attribute in
Peoplesoft and are part of the class schedule so students are
informed of the adaptive course features.
Requesting a Course
The Webcourses@UCF course section for most UCF courses is
automatically created 15 days prior to the first day of the
semester. You may request your Webcourses@UCF section
earlier by using the Faculty Webcourse Manager (FWM) in
myUCF. If you have not met the training/credentialing
requirements for the course modality (e.g., IDL6543 for W and
M mode courses), your course(s) will not be automatically
created and you will be unable to request them. For assistance
in using FWM, visit https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/course/semester-
start-guide/. Contact Webcourses@UCF Support for help or
with any questions: [email protected] or 407-823-0407.
UCF Online
CDL is the founder of the UCF Online initiative. UCF Online
offers dozens of degree and certificate programs that can be
completed online. Students in a UCF Online program may be
enrolled in any of UCF’s online courses but may not enroll in
campus classes with scheduled face-to-face meetings. They are
exempt from some campus-based fees and are restricted from
the corresponding campus-based services such as the
Recreation and Wellness center and Student Health Services.
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UCF Online students do have access to all academic and support
services such as financial aid, advising, library services, and
career services. UCF Online students also have the support of a
dedicated staff of success coaches specifically trained and
enabled to meet the needs of students without regular access
to UCF’s physical campuses. If you are to teach a fully online
class, you are likely to have both campus-based and UCF Online
students enrolled in the same sections. See
https://www.ucf.edu/online/ for more information. The UCF
Online status of students is visible in your class roster.
Resources
• Center for Distributed Learning, http://cdl.ucf.edu/,
407-823-4910
• Webcourses@UCF Support, webcourses@ucf.edu,
407-823-0407 (technical support)
• Webcourses@UCF Support documentation,
https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/
• Teach Online, https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/ – Resources
for online faculty
• CDL Services, https://cdl.ucf.edu/services/
• Distributed Learning Guidelines and Credentialing,
https://cdl.ucf.edu/about/cdl/distributed-learning-
guidelines/
Professional Development
CDL offers several types of professional development and
training (see https://cdl.ucf.edu/prof-dev/).
Essentials of Webcourses@UCF – Essentials of
Webcourses@UCF is a self-paced, just-in-time online
training course for anyone who wishes to learn the tools
and functionality of the university’s learning
management system (LMS), Canvas by Instructure. This
comprehensive professional development course
consists of a series of interactive tutorials on how to use
Webcourses@UCF. To enroll, visit
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https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/professional-
development/essentials/.
ADL5000 – ADL5000 is a non-credit, online course for
faculty who want to teach an existing online (W) or
blended (M) course. The course is self-paced, and you
may begin at any time. Completion of Essentials of
Webcourses@UCF is a prerequisite for ADL5000. If you
are interested in participating in ADL5000, contact your
department chair. If you need to develop an original W
or M course, you must complete IDL6543.
IDL6543 – IDL6543 is for faculty who want to design
and deliver an original fully online (W) or blended (M)
course. The purpose of IDL6543 is to equip faculty with
the tools and skills needed to comply with the Principles
of Good Practice for the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) distance learning
accreditation requirements. The course focuses on the
pedagogy and logistics involved in teaching online at
UCF. If you would like to participate in IDL6543 in an
upcoming semester, start the conversation with your
department chair.
If you have experience teaching online at another
institution, discuss your experience with your
department chair. Your chair may contact Bob Reed,
Director of UCF Online Ops, [email protected] about a
review of your previous experience and waiver of the
IDL 6543 requirement.
PAL6000 – PAL6000 is a self-paced course offered every
semester to design and facilitate an adaptive course
using Realizeit. PAL6000 is designed to provide
information related to pedagogical, logistical and
technical aspects of teaching adaptive courses. If you
are teaching a W, M or RA course, IDL6543 must be
completed before enrolling in PAL6000. To register for
PAL6000, send a message to [email protected].
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Panopto Essentials – Intended for faculty with prior
asynchronous online teaching credentials, this is a self-
paced experience for faculty who want to incorporate
the video lecture capture platform, Panopto, into their
online course. The time commitment for completion is
2-4 hours and self-enrollment is available at
https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/professional-
development/panopto-essentials.
Zoom Essentials – Intended for faculty with prior
asynchronous online teaching credentials, this is a self-
paced experience for faculty who want to use the LIVE
course modality attribute and Zoom. The time
commitment for completion is 2–4 hours, and self-
enrollment is available at
https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/professional-
development/zoom-essentials.
Effective Teaching with Video (ETV) – This self-paced
professional development course is for faculty who wish
to teach in a video-based modality or deliver course
content appropriate for video lecture capture. The
program is a UCF prerequisite for delivery of an
exclusively video-based course (V). For more
information visit:
https://cdl.ucf.edu/teach/professional-
development/video/
If you are interested in participating, please ask your
department chair to send a request to Dr. Beth Nettles
at Beth.Nettles@ucf.edu.
Faculty Seminars in Online Teaching – These stand-
alone seminars are offered periodically for collegial
dialogue around best practices in online teaching. They
are co-presented by the Center for Distributed Learning
and members of the UCF teaching faculty. While this
series is designed for continuing development of online
faculty, all members of the UCF community with an
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SECTION IV
At the End of the Semester:
Posting Final Grades and
Reflecting on Your Teaching
Posting Final Grades
UCF uses an online system for submission of all end-of-term
grades to the registrar. Instructors enter grades online through
myUCF. Information on how to use the online submission
process and whom to contact for assistance is provided below.
Timeline
Online grading is available only at the end of the term.
Usually, the grade roster icon appears in the faculty
view of the class roster on the evening before the start
of the final examination period.
Online Final Grade Form
One method available for inputting grades into the final
grade form on myUCF is manual entry. Our web tutorial
provides step-by-step guidance through the process
here: https://fctl.ucf.edu/campus-resources-for-
teaching/instructional-technology-support/#grades.
Import From Webcourses@UCF Into myUCF
A second way to enter final grades is to import grades
stored in Webcourses@UCF into the myUCF interface.
In order to use this method, certain settings in
Webcourses@UCF must be enabled. For more
information, follow the instructions listed here:
https://fctl.ucf.edu/campus-resources-for-
teaching/instructional-technology-support/#grades.
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Incomplete Grades
Sometimes a student has completed and passed most
of the work required for a class but then encounters a
problem that prevents completion of the course. In this
case, an instructor may wish to assign a grade of
“Incomplete” (designated as an I on the transcript). This
choice is at the instructor’s discretion. If you decide to
assign a grade of incomplete, you must complete an I
Grade Form that can be accessed from the same
window as your end-of-semester grade roster in the
myUCF portal.
If possible, you should discuss the I grade with the
student prior to submitting the form. In the form, you
must briefly describe the reason for the student’s
inability to complete the course. You must also list the
items that the student needs to complete, the deadline
for completion of the work, and the letter grade that
the student will receive if the work is not completed by
the deadline. Once the student has submitted the
required items, or your established deadline has passed,
you will need to file a change of grade form with your
department chair. The grade will not automatically
change on your behalf.
Once you submit the online form, the student
automatically receives electronic notice and must
acknowledge receipt in the myUCF portal. You will then
be able to see that the student has acknowledged
receipt of the form and the date of the
acknowledgment. If the student finds the incomplete
grade inappropriate or disagrees with the terms, the
student has two weeks from the date the form was
completed to contact you. Students must resolve any
outstanding I grades within one year of the last day of
the term attempted or before the end of their
graduating semester (whichever comes first), or a
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permanent F grade will be posted that cannot be
changed after the date of graduation.
Changing Grades
Sometimes it may be necessary to revise a student’s
grade that has already been submitted. If you need to
fill out an online grade change form, you can do so
through myUCF. Grade change forms are used for three
purposes: 1) to record a correction in an erroneous final
grade 2) to document that a student has completed the
required work for an “Incomplete” grade and 3) To
report a missing grade that was not submitted before
the grading window closed (Changing a grade of “N” to
a permanent grade). Instructions for completing the
online form can be found on the UCF Registrar’s
website at http://registrar.ucf.edu/resources. Below is
some of the information you will need as you complete
the form.
Search Criteria
When searching for a student, you can fill out one or
multiple fields. To lookup the Term, click on the
magnifying glass and click “Look Up.” This will bring up a
list of all terms. As a reference, here are examples of
term codes.
Term
Description
Term Code
Fall 2021
1730
Spring 2022
1740
Summer 2022
1750
If you search using the term code only, this will bring up
a list of all of the students in your classes from that
term. You can sort by last name by clicking on “Last
Name” in the list of students. Clicking on the student’s
name will bring up a grade change form for that
student.
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Grade Change Reason
You have to enter one of four preset Reason Codes in
this field. You will elaborate on the reason for the grade
change in the “Detail Reason For Change” box.
Reason Code
Description
GE
Grading Error
IE
Instructor Error
OE
Other Error
WS
Work Completed by Student
Submit
Once you submit the form, it will automatically be sent
to your department chair for approval.
For Further Assistance
Contact the Registrar’s Office ([email protected]u; 407-
823-5510 or 407-823-3013 for online grading assistance
regarding issues such as missing rosters or missing
students, and for questions about policy. Contact the
Faculty Center (fctl@ucf.edu; 407-823-3544) for
questions about how to use the tools for online final
grade submission.
Reflecting on Your Teaching
The Faculty Center philosophy is that no matter how long one
has been teaching, there is always room for improvement and
growth. That is why our programming and services are designed
to target all levels of faculty experience and expertise. Faculty
members who succeed at UCF will be able to demonstrate their
excellent performance as instructors in numerous ways. Below
is the language in the Collective Bargaining Agreement as of
December 2015 regarding evaluation of teaching (for all UCF
colleges except the College of Medicine). Note that it suggests a
number of elements that should be considered in this process.
From Article 10, Section One: Annual Evaluations
10.1.d(1)
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(1) Teaching effectiveness, including effectiveness in
imparting knowledge, information, and ideas by means or
methods such as lecture, discussion, assignment and
recitation, demonstration, laboratory exercise, workshop,
practical experience, student perceptions of instruction,
assessment of and engagement with student work, and
direct consultation with students.
(i) The evaluation shall include consideration of
effectiveness in imparting knowledge and skills, and
effectiveness in stimulating students’ critical thinking
and/or creative abilities, the development or revision of
curriculum and course structure, effective student
performance evaluation procedures, and adherence to
accepted standards of professional behavior in meeting
responsibilities to students. The learning outcomes of
each course, the means of assessing learning outcomes,
and the outcomes of the assessment should be
assessed as part of the teaching performance.
(ii) The evaluation shall include consideration of other
assigned university teaching duties, such as advising,
counseling, supervision, or duties of the position held
by the employee.
(iii) The evaluator shall take into account any relevant
materials submitted by the employee such as class
notes, syllabi, student exams and assignments, an
employee’s teaching portfolio, results of peer
evaluations of teaching, and any other materials
relevant to the employee’s instructional assignment.
(iv) The evaluator shall consider all information
available in forming an assessment of teaching
effectiveness.
In-unit faculty also may want to refer to their department
Annual Evaluation Standards and Procedures. These documents
contain information on what specific activities the evaluator(s)
will expect from the faculty member.
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The Faculty Center encourages faculty members to take
advantage of multiple opportunities for ongoing assessment
and evaluation of teaching, including collaborating with
colleagues to observe each other’s classes or creating a teaching
portfolio that includes a wide range of evidence of faculty
performance and student learning. Our staff and your
department and college colleagues can help you get started
with these activities.
Faculty Center staff members will conduct observations of
courses in any modality at the faculty member’s request. Our
feedback is descriptive rather than evaluative, but we will work
with you to discuss any aspect of your teaching you’d like to
experiment with or improve.
Student Perception of Instruction
One important element of teaching evaluation at UCF is the
Student Perception of Instruction (which you may see
abbreviated as SPI or SPoI). At the end of each term, students
have the opportunity to complete this form for each class in
which they are enrolled to provide feedback about their
learning experience. The form is electronic, and faculty
members will receive information by email about its availability.
The Student Perception of Instruction form includes 11 total
questions, which are available for review at
https://fctl.ucf.edu/campus-resources-for-
teaching/instructional-technology-support/#spoi. After course
grades have been submitted, each faculty member will receive
results with comparative analysis based on the level of the
course, class size, department, and college for all their
evaluated courses. We recommend that you speak with your
department chair to learn how these results may be used in
annual faculty evaluations, or stop by the Faculty Center to
discuss how to use this information productively.
Some faculty members are concerned that their students will
not complete the evaluation forms because they are
administered online. To help ensure their completion, we
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recommend that you send your classes the student-centered
instructions on the Faculty Center website at
https://fctl.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/04/
student_instructions_for_accessing_and_completing_spi_forms
.pdf. For answers to frequent student questions about the SPI,
visit: https://it.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/03/
StudentSPI.pdf. For answers to frequent faculty questions about
the SPI, visit: https://it.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/
3/2017/04/FacultySPI.pdf.
Below are some strategies that may help maximize student
response rates on evaluations:
• Remind students when the evaluations are available
and share the instructions referenced above with them
to ensure that they understand how to access and
complete the forms
• Include a reference to the evaluations in your course
schedule to help students focus on the goal of
completing them at the end of the term
• Explain to students why evaluations are administered,
and how you and others on campus will use the
information provided in them
• Create an atmosphere of mutual respect and
engagement in which students will believe that their
feedback will be considered and valued
• Consider sharing examples of changes you’ve made in
your course as a result of student suggestions to
motivate students to respond productively
• Consider putting a date on your syllabus when students
can bring in their laptops or tablet devices and
complete their evaluations at the beginning or end of
class while you are out of the room
• Check with your department about the option of adding
supplemental questions to the evaluation form.
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Faculty Perception of Instruction
One useful way to reflect on and record details of your own
teaching is to use the Faculty Perception of Instruction form
developed by the UCF Faculty Senate. The form provides an
opportunity to document and contextualize instructional
experiences each semester before receiving the SPI results.
Faculty members can complete the form for each of the classes
taught in the semester and can store the files for their own
future reference and planning purposes. Faculty responses can
be compared with student responses to assist with
interpretation of SPI results. Faculty members have the option
to share their Faculty Perception of Instruction with their chair
or others. Participation is completely voluntary. Download the
form at https://fctl.ucf.edu/wp-
content/uploads/sites/5/2019/04/facultyperception.pdf.
Retention of Student Records
Florida’s General Records Schedule GS5 specifies retention
requirements for records commonly created and/or maintained
by public universities and colleges. In the case of assignments
leading to a course grade, including nonstandardized tests and
class projects, GS5 mandates retaining such items for one
semester following the grade appeal deadline. At UCF, this
deadline is one semester following assignment of the course
grade, meaning items should be retained for two full semesters
following completion of the course. Download the GS5 Schedule
from the Florida Department of State: http://dos.myflorida.com
/media/693588/gs05.pdf.
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SECTION V
Instructional Strategies
Teaching Practices and Principles to Consider
While some of the suggestions below may seem obvious to
many readers, we’ve found that even experienced instructors
benefit from honest self-assessment. See how your teaching
matches up to this list of practices. As you may know, there is a
robust academic field dedicated to the study of how people
learn and how that knowledge can be applied in the college
classroom. This work is done by colleagues in a wide array of
home disciplines, from predictable sites such as education and
psychology, but also from fields as diverse as chemistry, English,
and business. Faculty Center staff members stay active in
regional, national, and international conversations about what
qualitative and quantitative research is revealing about how our
students learn and, consequently, how we may want to teach.
In addition to this information from sites outside UCF, we stay
involved in internal conversations about practices that local
data suggest do and don’t lead to optimal learning outcomes.
Below are a few thoughts to consider as you teach your courses.
For much more information on these topics, check out the many
resources available in the Faculty Center library or one of our
workshops.
• Communicating expectations: Most students arrive at
college and in our courses with a great deal of
experience as learners. Some of that experience is
relevant to what we hope to accomplish in our classes;
some is not. One aspect of the training they bring is a
set of strategies for trying to discern what each new
instructor wants or is “looking for.” It is our
responsibility to articulate clearly to students what
excellence looks like in our particular course, how they
will be graded, and what our standards are regarding
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issues like academic integrity and classroom decorum.
We recommend talking with your students explicitly
about how they are studying, how they are approaching
exams and assignments, and what resources are
available on campus to help them when they are
struggling
• Engagement: Research suggests that students learn
best when they are actively engaged in learning
activities rather than exclusively listening to lectures.
Faculty members at UCF promote engagement in many
ways. Some have students complete study guides
during class, require small-group work for course
projects, incorporate technologies that capture student
responses to questions throughout a class period, or
assign service-learning, which requires students to
complete a course project in the community. Most of us
can agree from our personal experience that keeping
the mind active promotes learning, so as you’re
planning class periods, try to offer a blend of activities
that will help students master difficult material and
become more focused and critical thinkers
• Respect and concern: Research conducted by the UCF
Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness (RITE)
suggests that the item on our Student Perception of
Instruction (SPI) that correlates most closely with an
overall positive rating for instructors is demonstration
of respect and concern for students. Students want to
be recognized as individuals by their instructors.
Respect and concern can be demonstrated through
providing substantive feedback on assignments,
listening to students when they have a concern,
responding to requests for assistance in a reliable
manner, making good use of class time, and creating a
professional and civil learning environment where
students feel comfortable asking questions and sharing
ideas. In the following pages, we discuss resources you
can access when a student in your course seems to be
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struggling. Making these kinds of referrals on the basis
of your observations of a student’s course performance
and/or behavior is another way to demonstrate respect
and concern
• Rigor: Students tend to appreciate faculty members
who set high standards for class performance and help
students achieve them. It is critical to communicate
expectations for student performance clearly and to
grade equitably. When students are provided with
rubrics and other forms of feedback that help them
understand course goals and their own relative
performance, they often respond by raising their game
to try to meet those standards, particularly when they
see how the work they’re doing in a class connects with
their own broader professional and academic goals.
One useful and heavily cited book on evidence-based
practices for effective college teaching is How Learning
Works, by Susan Ambrose et al. The book makes seven key
points about learning as it applies to the college classroom.
These points are worthwhile to consider as you move
through your course throughout the semester and try to
work with students as learners.
• Students’ prior knowledge helps or hinders learning
• How students organize knowledge influences how
they learn and apply what they know
• Students’ motivation determines, directs, and
sustains what they learn
• To develop mastery, students must acquire
component skills, practice integrating them, and
know when to apply what they have learned
• Goal-directed practice coupled with targeted
feedback enhances the quality of students’ learning
• Students’ current level of development interacts
with the social, emotional, and intellectual climate
of the course to impact learning
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• To become self-directed learners, students must
learn to monitor and adjust their approaches to
learning.
Ambrose, Susan A, et al. How Learning Works: Seven
Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2010. Print.
Teaching for Student Success
The Division of Teaching and Learning at UCF promotes
research-based instructional strategies and classroom
techniques that improve student learning. Because instruction
at UCF takes place in many formats, environments, and class
sizes, there is no single most effective teaching method for all
contexts; however, research supports a practical range of
principles that can be adapted to the various circumstances in
which we teach.
The effective teacher possesses a repertoire of evidence-based
instructional strategies that can meet the needs of students as
they progress toward learning goals. Most instructors employ a
combination of two or more of the following strategies. The
Faculty Center offers books, workshops, and individual
consultations on these and other strategies.
For more information and resources regarding the strategies
below, please see https://fctl.ucf.edu/teaching-
resources/teaching-strategies/teaching-methods-overview/.
Direct Instruction
Direct instruction is a widely used and effective instructional
strategy that is strongly supported by research. In direct
instruction, the teacher
1. models an interaction with the subject, demonstrates
an approach to an issue, or shows example solutions to
problems,
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2. provides opportunities for guided practice, often
assigning small group work in class with an emphasis on
constructive feedback, and
3. assigns independent practice with an emphasis on
mastery learning.
Direct instruction can be easily combined with other teaching
methods and can be transferred to online teaching by using
videos for the modeling stage and discussion groups for the
guided practice stage. In the basic structure of a “flipped
classroom,” the students first engage the content online
(through readings, video lectures, or podcasts), then come to
class for the guided practice. It requires explicit communication
of learning objectives, procedures, roles, and assessment
criteria. It requires a detailed curriculum design organized
around scaffolding learning toward mastery. Some critics
equate direct instruction with just lecturing; however, here the
term is used as “directing” student learning. In direct
instruction, the role of the teacher is similar to that of a coach.
The Interactive Lecture
Lecturing can provide many benefits to learners, such as telling
a motivational story, providing an orientation, giving context, or
making critical connections within and across domains, but it
generally does not support strong learning gains because of its
high forgetting curve. It can help students organize extensive
readings, but it should not be used to simply duplicate those
readings. Because learning results from what students do,
lectures should be crafted so that students are intentionally
active as much as is reasonable. The “I do, we do, you do”
pattern described in “Direct Instruction” above provides an
excellent format for making lectures more interactive.
Additionally, there are hundreds of short classroom activities
that can be easily built into a lecture. For a list of these, search
the Faculty Center website for “Interactive Teaching.” Many
instructors build their lectures around questions that students,
individually or in small groups, can answer using colored
flashcards or polling technologies like clickers or BYOD apps.
The advantage to using polling technologies is their scalability,
96 | Teaching at UCF
ease of providing collective feedback on student performance,
and integration with the online gradebook for uploading
participation or quiz points. Other interactive techniques
involve short writing exercises, quick pairings or small group
discussions, individual or collaborative problem solving, or
drawing for understanding.
Leading Discussions
One of the primary purposes of discussion-based learning is to
facilitate students’ meaningful transition into the extended
conversation that is each academic discipline. Discussions allow
students to practice applying their learning and developing their
critical-thinking skills in real-time interactions with other
viewpoints. Often, the challenge for the teacher is to get
students to engage in discussions as opportunities to practice
reasoning skills rather than simply exchanging opinions. One tip
for addressing this challenge is to create a rubric for assessing
the discussion and to assign certain students to act as
evaluators who provide feedback at the end of the discussion.
Students rotate into this role throughout the semester, which
also benefits their development of metacognitive skills.
Another tip is to differentiate between more focused and
structured discussions versus more open and flexible
discussions. The goals of highly focused discussions include
demonstrating basic knowledge and understanding, applying
principles and rules to new problems, and analyzing examples
or cases using established criteria. The goals of more open
discussions include generating personal or creative connections
to subject material, viewing subjects from broader and more
diverse perspectives, synthesizing connections across domains,
and reflecting on learning.
When introducing novices to discussion-based teaching, it is
often necessary to provide handouts detailing goals and
expectations, ground rules for participation and signaling cues,
and examples for the ways your discipline uses evidence to
support reasons and claims. Generally you want to provide an
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introduction to the activity by setting a context, repeating the
goals for the discussion, and encouraging equal and respectful
participation. If you need to break the ice to get discussion
started, begin with a one-minute paper. Ask students to write a
response to a question or prompt, have several students read
their responses, and then encourage elaboration on a
viewpoint. Be sure to schedule enough time after the discussion
to hear from the students, debrief the experience, and
transition to the next steps. Students will sometimes need a
follow-up writing activity to “close the loop” in a way that
reinforces the goals of the discussion.
Writing for Learning
Writing as a strategy for instruction focuses on understanding
and remembering rather than demonstrating a holistic and
detailed interpretation of the topic. It encourages critical
thinking and creates thoughtful engagement with the subject,
and it fosters effective communication. Using the instructional
strategy of writing for learning, a teacher can emphasize low-
stakes writing as a means to reinforce and encourage students’
mindfulness of the learning goals of a course. Research shows
that when students are given frequent and structured
opportunities to practice writing, they become more engaged
with their learning, think more critically, and communicate
more effectively. They are also better able to transfer
knowledge and skills between courses and contexts. The writing
can take place in class (e.g., a short, informal exercise at the
start of a class meant to gather thoughts) or at home (e.g.,
freewriting in the form of a journal entry or brief exploratory
reaction to homework, a discussion, or a topic in class). Such
exercises need not be examples of good writing (in fact, they
need not even necessarily be graded). Even if they lack
cohesiveness or a strong argument, they nevertheless
contribute to thoughtful reflection and may even serve later as
the basis for a more thorough out-of-class response. As a
method of reflection, informal writing is well suited to both in-
person and online class modalities.
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Guided Inquiry
Inquiry-based learning encompasses a range of question-driven
approaches that seek to increase students’ self-direction in their
development of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. As
students gain expertise, the instructor decreases guidance and
direction and students take on greater responsibility for
operations. One could place every instructional strategy on a
continuum from teacher-directed (didactic) to student-directed
(experiential) learning activities, with guided-inquiry occupying
a range in the middle of those poles. Where direct instruction
(see above) is a more deductive teaching method, guided
inquiry is a more inductive method and therefore more like the
“real world” with more variables and complexity. Variations of
inquiry-based learning include the case method, problem-based
learning, and project-based learning. Each of these variations
begins with a real or realistic phenomenon and a question
about the phenomenon that informs subsequent readings, fact
finding, analysis, and dissemination of results. The effectiveness
of this group of strategies relies heavily on students’ prior
knowledge, skills, and motivation. Research shows that when
students lack readiness and receive minimal guidance from the
teacher, learning will suffer and students will report
frustrations.
Effective teaching in this mode requires accurate assessment of
prior knowledge and motivation to determine the scaffolding
interventions needed to compensate for the increased cognitive
demands on novices. This scaffolding can be provided by the
instructor through worked scenarios, process worksheets,
opportunities for learner-reflection, and consultations with
individuals or small groups. Students are generally allowed to
practice and fail with subsequent opportunities to revise and
improve performance based on feedback from peers and/or the
instructor. The assessment plan for inquiry-based learning
generally includes a range of rubrics appropriately designed for
providing constructive feedback on specific learning processes
and products. As students make progress in their learning, they
can be increasingly involved in the assessment process and the
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design of assessment instruments, which improves
metacognition and is consistent with the educational theory
that informs inquiry-based approaches.
a. The Case Method
Cases can be used for learning across the range of
inquiry-based methods. When cases are more
structured with known outcomes, they fall on the
didactic side of the continuum, generally requiring
students to recognize key patterns and apply known
principles to arrive at correct conclusions. When
cases are more open and uncertain, they simulate
real-world situations and are more experiential,
requiring students to weigh multiple strategies,
combine strategies, and arrive at more tentative
conclusions. The design of the learning activities,
student-student interactions, learning products, and
assessment instruments will be influenced by the
scope and degree of uncertainty of the case. Case-
based learning is used widely across many
disciplines, and collections of validated cases are
available online, often bundled with handouts,
readings, assessments, and tips for the teacher.
Cases range from scenarios that can be addressed
in a single setting, sometimes within minutes, to
sequential or iterative cases that require multiple
settings and multiple learning activities to arrive at
multiple valid outcomes. They can be taught in a
one-to-many format using polling technologies or in
small teams with group reports. Ideally, all cases
should be debriefed in plenary discussion to help
students synthesize their learning.
b. Problem-Based Learning
Often referred to as PBL, this method is similar to
the case method except the intention is generally to
keep the problem, the process, and the outcomes
more ambiguous than is comfortable for students.
PBL asks students to experience and struggle with
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radical uncertainty. The instructor creates an
intentionally ill-structured problem and a deadline
for a deliverable, assigns small groups (with or
without defined roles), may offer some preparation,
and resists giving clear, comfortable assessment
guidance. Students must work together to better
define the problem; brainstorm potential resources;
assign duties, roles, and progress targets; perform
and evaluate their research; synthesize their
findings for a specific audience; present their
findings; and then evaluate their own group’s
performance of the entire process.
Within the range of inquiry-based methods, PBL is
very much on the experiential side. It targets
teaching goals that focus on discipline-specific
processes and operations, creative problem solving,
interdisciplinary connections, critical thinking, self-
evaluation, and high-level communication. While
students are generally on their own in this method,
the instructor plays the roles of facilitator and
consultant, hovering over the process to foresee
and prevent disasters but otherwise only available
to offer direction, usually by asking leading
questions to get students to articulate their own
answers. Novice students accustomed to success in
rote learning activities or by receiving sufficient
hand holding in more complex activities, will often
resist PBL and believe that the instructor is not
teaching, while more advanced students will
express gratitude for the autonomy and respect
afforded them and will rise to the opportunity to
develop deeper learning structures. Effective
learning in this method requires “dispositional”
readiness in students: they need to have strong
collaborative and cooperative skills, good
organizational strategies, reliable research skills,
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good writing and speaking skills, and they need to
see the value in this approach.
c. Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning is similar to problem-based
learning, and both can be referred to as PBL, but in
project-based learning, the student comes up with
the problem or question to research. Often, the
project’s deliverable is a creative product, which
can increase student engagement and long-term
learning, but it can also result in the student
investing more time and resources into creative
production at the expense of the academic content.
When assigning projects to groups that include
novice students, the instructor should emphasize
the need for equitable contributions to the
assignment. Assessments should address
differences in effort and allow students to
contribute to the evaluations of their peers.
Game-Based Learning
Game-based learning, whether in classrooms or online, can be
highly effective because it encourages novel and intense
student participation and is usually combined with adaptive
practice. Game-based learning can be designed for almost any
modality or environment. Successful game design involves
creating a story arc, goals that are meaningful to students,
frequent failure and reset points, multiple pathways to success,
and a schema for recognizing progress and attainment. Games
can be designed for traditional, small or large, face-to-face
classes, fully online classes, or mixed mode classes, and they
usually encourage competition. In role-playing games, students
are presented with the context and the setup for the game.
Then, they enact historical or fictional roles that are relevant to
the subject, collaborate and compete to achieve performance
goals that demonstrate learning, and, finally, participate in a
structured reflection exercise, often referred to as a
postmortem. Games can last from one class period to several
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weeks. Typically, students become highly engaged in the game,
whether their task is to earn points through mastery learning,
writing and presenting speeches, debating, or acting as judges
for their peers. As virtual environments become more realistic
and complex, instructors can design more convincing,
immersive experiences and simulations for students. For low-
technology gaming, a good resource for faculty is the program
“Reacting to the Past” at Barnard College. For online learning,
instructors may design several mini-games or just add game
elements to their classes.
Learning in Groups
Known alternatively as collaborative learning, cooperative
learning, team-based learning, and peer instruction, learning in
groups is common practice across all levels of education. The
value of learning in groups is well supported by research and is
required in many disciplines. It has strong benefits for at-risk
students, especially in STEM subjects. In more structured group
assignments, students are often given roles that allow them to
focus on specific tasks and then cycle through those roles in
subsequent activities. Common classroom activities for groups
include “write-pair-share,” fishbowl debates, case studies,
problem solving, and the jigsaw. Implementing group learning
activities does bring challenges to students and instructors and
is not appropriate for every purpose and setting. When
assigning group work in class, instructors can encourage
students to stay on task by following up the group work with an
individual activity that is dependent on the collaborative phase.
As an example, the jigsaw supports learning in groups by
creating two or more phases to the group work. Students
shuffle into new groups after the first phase and each student
reports out or teaches the new group in the second phase.
When assigning work for outside of class, instructors should
ensure equitable workload through peer assessments and
prepare students for conflict resolution with a handout of
instructions. Rubrics can be designed to assess both the product
created by the group and the contributions of individuals
toward the collaborative process.
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Teaching Metacognitive Skills
Metacognition refers to students’ awareness of how they learn,
think, apply prior learning, and navigate various learning
environments. Metacognitive skills can and should be taught.
They increase students’ ability to adapt learning to new
contexts within a domain of knowledge. Students need to plan
their learning tasks, record their practice, and evaluate their
accomplishments. Instructors often assume that students have
already acquired these skills in high school or general education;
however, the nature and use of evidence, for instance, varies
widely across different domains of knowledge and must be
independently learned. Currently, there are few institutions that
offer courses that explicitly address thinking and learning across
the disciplines. To promote student metacognition, instructors
use diagnostic assessments to reveal students’ prior knowledge,
skills, and dispositions; process instruments to capture evidence
of study methods and their effectiveness; retrospective post-
assessments; and reflection journals in which students create a
personal dialogue about their learning. A key practice for
instructors is to make their teaching transparent—that is, to
share with students the curriculum map and how the course fits
into it, the rationale for the goals and objectives of the course,
the reasons for the choice of learning activities, and how the
assessments provide evidence of their learning. Depending on
the students’ development, many instructors involve students
in designing some components of the course or give them
choices for accomplishing the learning objectives. This can also
result in increased motivation. A good resource for instructors is
Saundra McGuire’s book Teach Students How to Learn.
High-Impact Institutional Practices
The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U)
has identified several teaching and learning practices that
benefit students from all backgrounds, including historically
underserved students who often have not had access to high-
impact learning experiences. UCF encourages faculty and
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student involvement in the following active learning practices.
For further information, see https://www.aacu.org/leap/hips.
First-Year Seminars and Experiences (AAC&U)
Many schools now build into the curriculum first-year seminars
or other programs that bring small groups of students together
with faculty or staff on a regular basis. The highest-quality first-
year experiences place a strong emphasis on critical inquiry,
frequent writing, information literacy, collaborative learning,
and other skills that develop students’ intellectual and practical
competencies. First-year seminars can also involve students
with cutting-edge questions in scholarship and with faculty
members’ own research.
UCF First Year Experience
First Year Experience (FYE) provides a strong foundation for new
students and their supporters to establish their unique
pathways to student success at UCF through Orientation
programs for all new, undergraduate UCF Students. FYE also
hosts Family Weekend and is responsible for the Pegasus Parent
Program.
UCF Common Reader
The Common Reading Program serves UCF’s First Time in
College (FTIC) students. The intent of establishing a Common
Reading Program is to engage FTIC students in a dialogue on a
relevant topic while creating a sense of community among
incoming students.
Common Intellectual Experiences (AAC&U)
The older idea of a “core” curriculum has evolved into a variety
of modern forms, such as a set of required common courses or
a vertically organized general education program that includes
advanced integrative studies and/or required participation in a
learning community. These programs often combine broad
themes (e.g., technology and society, global interdependence)
with a variety of curricular and cocurricular options for
students.
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Learning Communities (AAC&U)
The key goals for learning communities are to encourage
integration of learning across courses and to involve students
with “big questions” that matter beyond the classroom.
Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work
closely with one another and with their professors. Many
learning communities explore a common topic and/or common
readings through the lenses of different disciplines. Some
deliberately link “liberal arts” and “professional courses”; others
feature service-learning.
UCF Living Learning Communities
A Living Learning Community is a group of students placed
together on a floor or within a building based on a common
major, common interest, or common program affiliation.
• The Business Knights Living Learning Community is
located in Nike and is for first-year students pursuing a
degree in business administration, marketing, or a
related field
• The Future Educators Living Learning Community,
located in Hercules, is for first-year students who are
pursuing a degree in education
• The Rosen Discovery is located on the Rosen Campus in
the heart of Orlando’s tourism industry, approximately
45 minutes from the Orlando campus. This Living
Learning Community is for first-year students pursuing a
degree in hospitality management or a related field
• The Nursing @ Nike Living Learning Community, located
in Nike, is for first-year students pursuing a degree in
nursing
• The BELIEFS Living Learning Community is located in
NorthView. This community is for students who are
interested in exploring and understanding various faiths
and spirituality
• The UCF International Exchange community, located in
the Lake Claire apartments, provides a unique
opportunity for students from the United States and
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exchange students from all over the world to live
together and learn about each other
• The Healthy Knights Living Learning Community, located
in Neptune, is for students dedicating themselves to
health, wellness, and a substance-free lifestyle as well
as focusing on supporting these students on their own
personal path toward wellness
• The Startup Sandbox Living Learning Community is
designed to allow students to develop their
entrepreneurial spirits through exposure to, and
interaction with, business development tools. Students
have the opportunity to create business plans and
collaborate on projects with peers living in the same
community
• The Transfer Connections Living Learning Community
(formerly COMPASS Connections), located in
NorthView, is for transfer students who are new to UCF.
This program is devoted to helping transfer students
identify resources and create connections at their new
university
• The Volunteers uKnighted Living Learning Community,
located in Neptune, is for students dedicated to
community service and civic engagement
• The EXCEL/COMPASS Living Learning Community,
located in Nike, is for students who are a part of the
EXCEL/COMPASS program (students in STEM majors)
• The HONORS Living Learning Community is located
throughout Tower 3. This building is primarily reserved
for students who are a part of the Burnett Honors
College
• The LEAD Scholars Living Learning Community, located
in Neptune, is for students who are a part of the LEAD
Scholars program (leadership, service, involvement,
academic success)
• The Learning Environment and Academic Research
Network (L.E.A.R.N.) is located in Hercules. This
program offers a select 28 first-year STEM students a
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hands-on learning experience through an early research
opportunity
• The Pegasus Success Program, administered by the
Student Academic Resource Center, is a specialized six-
week program offered to selected students during
summer B. This is a limited-access program, only
available by invitation after a student applies for
admission at UCF
• SOAR (Seizing Opportunities for Achievement and
Retention) is a six-week academic, on-campus, summer
program for a selected group of FTIC students who
demonstrate an academic need. The SOAR program
builds and upgrades the writing, oral, mathematical,
social, and study skills necessary for these students to
succeed in college
• The Supporting Teacher Education Preprofessionals
(STEP) program is a unique opportunity for incoming
freshmen who plan to major in education and want to
become teachers.
Writing-Intensive Courses (AAC&U)
These courses emphasize writing at all levels of instruction and
across the curriculum, including final-year projects. Students are
encouraged to produce and revise various forms of writing for
different audiences in different disciplines. The effectiveness of
this repeated practice “across the curriculum” has led to parallel
efforts in such areas as quantitative reasoning, oral
communication, information literacy, and, on some campuses,
ethical inquiry.
UCF Gordon Rule
This rule requires all students to complete at least four writing-
intensive courses (12 credit hours).
UCF Writing Across the Curriculum
Writing Across the Curriculum is a program at UCF that assists
faculty in creating and implementing effective approaches to
writing instruction in their disciplines. The WAC program
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collaborates with faculty from all departments and disciplines to
create customized projects that meet the needs of their
departments and their students.
Collaborative Assignments and Projects
(AAC&U)
Collaborative learning combines two key goals: learning to work
and solve problems in the company of others, and sharpening
one’s own understanding by listening seriously to the insights of
others, especially those with different backgrounds and life
experiences. Approaches range from study groups within a
course, to team-based assignments and writing, to cooperative
projects and research.
UCF Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
The Faculty Center offers workshops, web materials, and
consultations on incorporating and assessing collaborative
learning in courses.
Undergraduate Research (AAC&U)
Many colleges and universities are now providing research
experiences for students in all disciplines. Undergraduate
research, however, has been most prominently used in science
disciplines. With strong support from the National Science
Foundation and the research community, scientists are
reshaping their courses to connect key concepts and questions
with students’ early and active involvement in systematic
investigation and research. The goal is to involve students with
actively contested questions, empirical observation, cutting-
edge technologies, and the sense of excitement that comes
from working to answer important questions.
UCF Undergraduate Research
Faculty play an integral role in the undergraduate research
experience; they are the essential links between students and
their research projects. As mentors, they provide guidance and
encouragement to undergraduate researchers while nurturing
the development of independent research skills and increased
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senses of self-confidence. At UCF, faculty mentors from a wide
variety of disciplines work with students across campus on
diverse research projects, for example, through the Showcase of
Undergraduate Research, Honors Undergraduate Thesis
projects, the RAMP Program, the McNair Program, and the
Summer Research Academy.
Global Learning (AAC&U)
Many colleges and universities now emphasize courses and
programs that help students explore cultures, life experiences,
and worldviews different from their own. These studies—which
may address U.S. populations, world cultures, or both—often
explore “difficult differences” such as racial, ethnic, and gender
inequality, or continuing struggles around the globe for human
rights, freedom, and power. Frequently, intercultural studies are
augmented by experiential learning in the community and/or by
study abroad.
UCF Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community
Engagement
The Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement
provides workshops, symposiums and certificate programs to
faculty, staff, students and community and industry partners
aimed at developing competencies needed to thrive in a
competitive, diverse, and interconnected workforce and society.
Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning
(AAC&U)
In these programs, field-based “experiential learning” with
community partners is an instructional strategy—and often a
required part of the course. The idea is to give students direct
experience with issues they are studying in the curriculum and
with ongoing efforts to analyze and solve problems in the
community. A key element in these programs is the opportunity
students have to both apply what they are learning in real-
world settings and reflect in a classroom setting on their service
experiences. These programs model the idea that giving
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something back to the community is an important college
outcome, and that working with community partners is good
preparation for citizenship, work, and life.
UCF Service-Learning
Service-learning is part of the UCF initiative to provide a means
for every student to enhance their academic program with
experiential learning opportunities. As a teaching method,
service-learning enables students to take academics out of the
classroom and into the community in an effort to promote civic
engagement. By working with community partners such as
nonprofit organizations, public schools, government agencies,
campus groups, or businesses with specifically philanthropic
missions, students develop skills and knowledge that will help
them to become civically responsible members of the
community.
Internships (AAC&U)
Internships are another increasingly common form of
experiential learning. The idea is to provide students with direct
experience in a work setting—usually related to their career
interests—and to give them the benefit of supervision and
coaching from professionals in the field. If the internship is
taken for course credit, students complete a project or paper
that is approved by a faculty member.
UCF Experiential Learning
Experiential learning staff support faculty in the development of
internship and service-learning courses, provide best practices
workshops, and maintain statistics on experiential learning
across campus. The office develops and maintains relationships
with industry and community partners.
Capstone Courses and Projects (AAC&U)
Whether they’re called “senior capstones” or another name,
these culminating experiences require students nearing the end
of their college years to create a project of some sort that
integrates and applies what they’ve learned. The project might
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be a research paper, a performance, a portfolio of “best work,”
or an exhibit of artwork. Capstones are offered both in
departmental programs and, increasingly, in general education.
Many UCF programs require cornerstone and/or capstone
courses to fulfill degree requirements.
Kuh, George D. High-Impact Educational Practices: What They
Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter.
Washington, DC: AAC&U, 2008. PDF File.
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SECTION VI
Faculty Development and Support
UCF offers a wide network of faculty support resources. If you
are unsure about whom to ask for assistance, contact the
Faculty Center at 407-823-3544 or fctl@ucf.edu.
Technology Support
University-wide Technology
Some technology support is administered at the university level:
• Grade submission (final/official): Registrar (407-823-
3013) http://registrar.ucf.edu/ for problems; Faculty
Center (407-823-3544) for the tutorial
https://fctl.ucf.edu/campus-resources-for-
teaching/instructional-technology-support/#grades
• myUCF (portal): UCF IT (407-823-2711)
https://it.ucf.edu/
• Outlook (Email): UCF IT (407-823-2711)
https://it.ucf.edu/
• Password Resets: UCF IT (407-823-2711)
https://mynid.ucf.edu
• UCF IT Support Center (407-823-5117)
https://ucf.service-now.com/ucfit
• Software Help (MS Office, Photoshop, Camtasia): Office
of Instructional Resources (407-823-2571)
https://oir.ucf.edu/
• Student Response Clickers: Faculty Center (407-823-
3544) https://fctl.ucf.edu/teaching-resources/teaching-
strategies/classroom-response-systems/
• Surveys (Qualtrics): Webcourses@UCF Support at
Center for Distributed Learning (407-823-4910)
https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/
• Test Scoring: UCF IT (407-823-5493)
https://it.ucf.edu/our-services/test-scoring/
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• Turnitin.com (plagiarism detection): Faculty Center
(407-823-3544) https://fctl.ucf.edu/campus-resources-
for-teaching/instructional-technology-
support/#originality
• Webcourses@UCF: Webcourses@UCF Support at
Center for Distributed Learning (407-823-4910). To
receive training for first Webcourses@UCF use, email
webcourses@ucf.edu
• Webmail (Outlook): https://webmail.ucf.edu
University faculty and staff are expected to adhere to
information security guidelines regarding the handling and
security of sensitive information. UCF IT offers a webpage on
this information: https://infosec.ucf.edu/awareness/faculty-
staff-security-guidelines/
College Support
Your first stop for technology-related questions on the main
campus and at UCF Downtown, including computer logins,
video equipment, laptops, and projectors, should be the UCF IT
Support Center: 407-823-5117 or itsuppor[email protected]. Visit
https://ucf.service-now.com/ucfit to see reporting and request
options online.
UCF Connect Centers
Faculty members teaching at UCF Connect Centers should
address technology questions to the local tech-support office:
• Cocoa ......................................... 321-433-7814
• Daytona Beach ........................... 386-506-4073
• Rosen College ............................ 407-903-8065
• Sanford/Lake Mary .................... 407-708-2855
• South Lake ................................. 352-536-2110
• Valencia East .............................. 407-582-2318
• Valencia Osceola ........................ 321-682-4190
• Valencia West ............................ 407-582-5660
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Faculty Resources
The offices and organizations below provide direct support to
faculty.
Center for Distributed Learning (CDL)
Assistant Vice Provost: Kevin Corcoran
Orlando Campus: Research Park: Digital Learning
Center, 12351 Research Parkway, P. O. Box 162811,
Orlando FL 32826-2811
407-823-4910
Web Address: https://cdl.ucf.edu/
The Center for Distributed Learning (CDL) serves as the
central agent for online learning at UCF, providing
leadership in distance-learning policies, strategies, and
practices. CDL’s primary purpose is to help faculty be
successful at teaching online. Here is an overview of
CDL’s key functions:
• Policy, Planning, Standards, Credentialing, and
Reporting: CDL is responsible for establishing
and supporting relevant policies and guidelines
for distributed learning across the university.
CDL reports data to colleges, departments, and
senior administration to ensure compliance
with accreditation requirements and to
collaborate on the strategic development of
online courses and programs.
• Faculty Development: CDL provides a suite of
professional development programs to help
prepare faculty to teach online.
• Course Design: The CDL instructional design
team works closely with faculty as consultants
to help design and structure online courses and
programs.
• Course Production: CDL’s course production
model is designed to support all faculty
teaching online, regardless of their technical
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skills or comfort with media production. CDL
will work with faculty to help them produce
their own material or will create original media
on their behalf. CDL’s production services
include course programming, graphics,
interactive exercises, games/simulations,
animations, and video with on-location and full
studio capabilities.
• Technical Support: Once a course has been
designed and developed, CDL offers support
throughout its delivery. Specialized technical
support is provided to faculty and students to
ensure a successful course experience.
• Assessment: The Research Initiative for
Teaching Effectiveness (RITE) supports UCF
faculty in formulating and implementing
research on effective teaching practices in
higher education. This research is used to
inform CDL’s policy formation, faculty
development, course design/development, and
technical support functions.
• Online Course Quality Reviews: CDL offers
reviews for faculty teaching online courses.
These reviews are intended for continuous
improvement and explore course components
proven to be best practices in online course
design. See https://cdl.ucf.edu/services
/instructional/ucf-quality-initiative/, or contact
Dr. Wendy Howard for more information.
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Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
Director: Kevin Yee
Classroom Building I, Room 207, 407-823-3544
Web Address: https://fctl.ucf.edu/
The Faculty Center staff and resources support your
success at UCF, offering many programs that are co-
designed with faculty to provide opportunities to:
• Improve the effectiveness of your teaching
• Meet and share ideas about increasing student
engagement and preparing students for their
future lives and careers
• Develop course and program materials
• Learn about innovative pedagogies and
classroom technologies
• Develop research and professional enrichment
plans.
Faculty Excellence
Millican Hall, Suite 331, 407-823-1113
Web Address: http://facultyexcellence.ucf.edu/
Faculty Excellence supports and strengthens faculty
through recruitment, development, and retention of
outstanding scholars and educators. It promotes the
growth of academic leaders through professional
development programs and initiatives designed to
strengthen the university’s collective faculty who
advance its mission of discovery, learning, and
engagement.
Faculty Excellence leads campus-wide initiatives for
faculty professional development by:
• Focusing on inclusive excellence in all disciplines
and providing resources to recruit world-class
scholars, academic partners, and under-
represented faculty;
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• Administering programs that support
professional development and advancing
leadership skills;
• Improving workplace experiences by focusing
on priority areas identified by faculty in the
COACHE faculty satisfaction survey;
• Facilitating the promotion and tenure process
and providing resources and workshops to help
faculty build promotion or tenure dossiers and
manage expectations;
• Recognizing and rewarding faculty through
awards that promote teaching, research, and
service;
• Implementing policies, procedures, and
initiatives that allow faculty to successfully
balance professional and personal
responsibilities throughout their career.
At all career stages, Faculty Excellence provides faculty with
programs and resources to support professional growth.
Faculty Multimedia Center
Manager: Dylan Yonts
Classroom Building I, Room 202, 407-823-0519
Web Address: https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/fmc/
The Faculty Multimedia Center (FMC) is UCF’s media
production facility dedicated specifically to faculty and
their needs no matter the course modality. Located on
the second floor of Classroom Building I, Room 202, the
FMC is currently home to subject matter experts across
various multimedia media disciplines. The space
includes production workstations, multimedia studios
(including a Lightboard), podcasting resources, virtual
tour software, video editing software, equipment
checkout (360 cameras, study abroad kits, and much
more), assistance with video collaboration tools like
Panopto, and media digitization resources (Including 3D
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Scanning and Printing). Faculty can also schedule to
have a professional photo taken for use on a website or
for publications, or to document research or creative
work. The FMC went through a major redesign in 2021
and added the following: 3D printers, VR headsets, VR
capable computers, an active learning workshop space,
and more collaboration spaces.
Additionally, the FMC acts as the front door to CDL on
campus. If you have any questions about media
technology at UCF, check out the FMC website or the
Training & Resources Webcourse.
Faculty Senate
Chair: Stephen King
407-823-0318
Web Address: https://facultysenate.ucf.edu/
The UCF Faculty Senate is the primary legislative body
of the university. It is embedded in UCF’s legal
structure, recognizing that the university functions
effectively when goodwill is nurtured and maintained by
the president, administrators, and faculty. The Faculty
Constitution establishes the means for faculty
participation in university governance.
The Faculty Senate, comprising 75 senators elected by
each academic unit, represents UCF faculty members. It
is the faculty's primary voice and serves as the main
channel of communication between faculty members
and administration. Acting as an advisory body to the
president and provost, the senate participates in shared
governance.
Senate committees provide input on various issues
affecting faculty, including overseeing graduate and
undergraduate curricula, reviewing university policies,
and contributing to the development of the university's
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strategic priorities. Senate leaders meet informally with
the provost and other administrators regularly to
discuss issues and find informal solutions when
appropriate. The senate can also pass formal
resolutions to express positions on issues or call for
action. Recent resolutions have led to improvements in
faculty life at UCF, such as the extension of a research
seed money program, the implementation of a faculty
exit and stay interview process, and the development of
a five-year review process for faculty-facing vice
presidents and vice provosts. For details regarding
senate committees, visit
https://facultysenate.ucf.edu/committees/.
You don’t have to be a senator to serve on senate
committees. If you have questions or issues that you
think the senate should address, or if you would like to
learn how to become involved, contact the Faculty
Senate office at Facul[email protected] .
For more details regarding the Faculty Senate, visit
https://facultysenate.ucf.edu/. The website provides
information about your college senators and the senate
officers, all senate committees, archived minutes, and
resolutions. Faculty Senate meetings are held once a
month during the fall and spring terms; the agenda and
minutes for each meeting are posted on the website
one week prior to the meeting.
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Ginsburg Ctr for Inclusion & Community
Engagement
Vice President: Andrea Guzman
407-823-6479
Web Address: http://diversity.ucf.edu/
The Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community
Engagement provides workshops, faculty symposiums,
and micro-credentialing programs to faculty, staff,
students and community and industry partners aimed
at developing competencies needed to thrive in a
competitive, diverse, and interconnected workforce and
society.
The Ginsburg Center offers a number of faculty
resources, including:
• Micro-credentialing Programs to complement
curriculum
• Education and training on a variety of topics
such as Developing Culturally Responsive
Courses, Examining Disability Barriers, and
Inclusive Teaching Pedagogy
• Classroom presentations on a range of topics
such as Inclusive Communication, the
Unconscious Mind, and Intercultural
Competency
• Departmental meetings on how to best support
student populations
• Consultations for departments or faculty who
are interested in partnerships and funding
opportunities related to UCF’s Hispanic Serving
Institution (HSI) identity.
For more information on the Ginsburg Center, please e-
mail us at diverse@ucf.edu.
Military and Veteran Student Success
Director: Michael Kepner
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4202 East Plaza Dr, Ste. 101
407-823-2707
Web Address: http://varc.sdes.ucf.edu/
The Office of Military and Veteran Student Success
(MVSS) is the first-stop shop for military students to
include student veterans, active-duty, and military-
connected students throughout their educational
experience at UCF. MVSS is the main office for
processing and certifying all VA Educational benefits
being utilized by military students and office staff also
serve as liaisons to the VA Educational Offices. Through
the Military and Veteran Success Center, military-
students have access to dedicated study and lounge
spaces as well as several university offices in one central
location. The Success Center team is also available to
assist military students with general academic advising,
career guidance, peer mentoring, programs, and events.
The Office of Military and Veteran Student Success also
provides resources and professional development
workshops for faculty and staff to increase their
knowledge and understanding of military student
specific issues and resources available.
Office of Instructional Resources (OIR)
Director: Don Merritt
Classroom Building I, Room 203, 407-823-2571
Web Address: https://oir.ucf.edu/
The Office of Instructional Resources (OIR) supports the
academic, research, and administrative goals of the
university by utilizing multimedia, interactive, and
digital media resources.
OIR is the audio/video integrator for the university. OIR
provides classroom design and support as well as
collaboration resources. OIR can also provide
122 | Teaching at UCF
consultations to determine the most appropriate AV
solution to meet your teaching, research, or
collaboration needs.
OIR does not schedule classroom spaces. Faculty should
work with their department or college scheduler to
schedule an event, reserve a classroom, or to change a
class meeting space.
Student Accessibility Services (SAS)
Director: Adam Meyer
Ferrell Commons 185, 407-823-2371
Web Address: http://sas.sdes.ucf.edu/
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is committed to
providing an accessible educational environment for
students with disabilities by working closely with the
campus community to minimize barriers that impact
academic and campus experiences.
SAS is a resource for the campus community to discuss
ways to minimize barriers for students. When
necessary, SAS also coordinates academic
accommodations for students with disabilities and
works with faculty to ensure that the accommodations
are coordinated in a reasonable manner.
UCF Abroad
Director: Oliver McSurley
Global Building, 407-882-2337
Web Address: http://studyabroad.ucf.edu/
UCF Abroad is responsible for the coordination and
administration of study-abroad programs and services
at UCF (per policy 2-902). Through a portfolio that
includes reciprocal exchange programs, short-term
faculty-led programs, international internships, and
partner opportunities, UCF Abroad is committed to:
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• Connecting students from all university colleges
and schools with international opportunities to
complement the on-campus UCF academic
experience
• Contributing to the comprehensive
internationalization of UCF by providing the
highest-quality student and faculty support
services as they pertain to the participation in,
and development of, high-impact student-
abroad programs
• Supporting faculty interested in leading a study-
abroad program through the development and
execution of their program.
UCF Abroad faculty-led programs are intended to
enhance the quality of on-campus academic programs
by adding well-designed, complementary academic
experiences that take place around the world. Our
primary goal is to assist faculty in designing and
launching a study-abroad opportunity that fully
complements learning outcomes with the advantages of
learning on-site and in the field. In doing so, UCF Abroad
seeks to ensure that study-abroad programs reach the
highest standards of safety, are logistically and
financially achievable, and are widely accessible to the
entire UCF community.
UCF Global
Associate Vice President: Nataly Chandia Viano, Ed.D.
UCF Global Building, 407-823-2337; Fax 407-823-2526
Web Address: https://global.ucf.edu/
UCF Global is the international hub on campus for
students, faculty, and staff dedicated to increasing
international mobility and enhancing the university’s
global competency. Its quest is to transform lives by
providing access to high-impact, international
experiences across the UCF and global communities,
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and to serve as a model of excellence for innovation,
partnership, and services. This is accomplished in part
through the UCF Global English language programs,
Global Perspectives and International Initiatives, UCF
Abroad, as well as with multiple compliance and
academic support units that serve international
students, scholars, faculty, and staff.
UCF Global services include English proficiency
assessments, English language training, admissions
guidance, immigration advising and regulatory support,
study abroad opportunities, employment guidance, and
end-of-year tax filing guidance. Programming includes
activities advancing UCF’s international focus, profile,
and engagement that support domestic and
international bilateral relationships and partnerships.
Student events include orientation and welcome week
activities, educational workshops related to academics,
studying abroad, immigration, employment and taxes,
holiday celebrations, graduations, and International
Education Week events. UCF Global strives to enhance
the educational experience at UCF for students,
scholars, faculty, and staff and to increase cultural
awareness and understanding on campus.
University of Central Florida Libraries
Dean of Libraries: Beau Case
Library, 407-823-2562
Web Address: http://library.ucf.edu/
The UCF Libraries is a gateway to academic resources,
providing services and facilities in support of teaching
and learning, research, intellectual growth, and
enrichment of the academic experience. The Libraries
provide access to a wealth of resources through the
online catalog and electronic databases, including
online journal subscriptions and full-text books. Library
faculty and staff extend an open invitation to email, call,
125 | Teaching at UCF
or stop by and learn more about the resources and
services available to you and your students.
The John C. Hitt Library, located at the center of the
Orlando campus, is undergoing a transformation. The
21
st
Century Library includes exciting new spaces for
individual and group work, technology, and an
Automated Retrieval Center (ARC) for material storage.
A grand new entrance facing the Student Union opened
in 2020. This completed construction, called Phase 1A,
connects the ARC with the existing library building.
Phase IIA, going on now, involves a complete renovation
of the third floor and some underlying infrastructure
and system. To check on construction and its impact on
the use of the building, check
http://library.ucf.edu/21st/.
The following list highlights faculty and student services
provided by the Libraries. Additional information is
available at http://library.ucf.edu/.
Library Collections
• Collection Development & Subject Librarians
In tandem with teaching faculty, Subject Librarians and
Acquisitions & Collection Services Librarians select
resources related to academic programs for teaching
and research purposes, as well as addressing access and
licensing issues. They also conduct library collection
analyses and assessments for academic program
reviews, new program proposals, and accreditation
reviews. Contact your Subject Librarian or
CollectionServic[email protected] for your library resource
needs.
https://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/acquisitions
-and-collection-services/
• Government Documents
The library maintains an extensive collection of print
and online federal and state government documents.
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You can find records for most documents in the UCF
Libraries’ catalog. Assistance with Government
Documents is available by contacting your librarian or
Ask Us service.
https://guides.ucf.edu/sb.php?subject_id=12233
• Information Literacy Modules
The information literacy modules are instructional
resources that faculty can integrate into their courses to
help students build and improve the fundamental
research skills needed to succeed. The modules can be
incorporated into courses as graded assignments or
practice modules.
https://infolit.ucf.edu
• LibTech Desk
The LibTech Desk at the John C. Hitt Library, located on
the 2
nd
floor near the fountain entrance, is the premier
technology lending hub on campus. A wide variety of
equipment can be checked out at the LibTech desk
including laptops, iPads, cameras, tripods, microphones,
portable chargers, webcams, voice recorders, and more.
Our Technology Lending section of the Library Web site
has a new interface that allows you to easily narrow
down results and find the perfect solution. All desktops
and most laptops for checkout at the John C. Hitt
Library now feature Adobe Creative Cloud software
suite! https://library.ucf.edu/libtech
• Metadata and Discovery Services
The Library catalogs materials in physical and electronic
formats and enhances the collections with metadata
and finding aids in the online catalog.
Using single-sign-on technology, online journals,
eBooks, streaming videos, primary source materials,
databases, data sets, and more are directly linked from
the UCF Library websites, as well as research tools such
127 | Teaching at UCF
as Google Scholar, optimizing the access experience for
authenticated UCF users.
• Patents & Trademarks
The library is also a U.S. Patent and Trademark
Depository, aiding in searching for existing patents and
trademarks dating back to the late 1800s.
http://guides.ucf.edu/patents
• Special Collections and University Archives
Special Collections & University Archives houses the
Libraries’ most unique and rarest items from the 12
th
century to present day. Knowledgeable staff are on
hand to help you incorporate historical and primary
documents into your students’ learning experience. The
department’s diverse subject areas include African
Americana, Artists’ Papers, Book Arts & Typography,
Botany, Caribbean West Indies, Floridiana, Literary
Papers, Political Papers, the Space Program, and Travel
and Tourism as well as the history of UCF/FTU. Access is
provided to a wide variety of materials including
monographs, manuscripts, maps, photographs,
ephemera, moving images, audio recordings, artifacts,
and fine art. A portion of the collections are digitized
and available on the department’s website. Contact us
at [email protected] to make an appointment to visit or
receive further information on our resources and
services.
http://library.ucf.edu/scua/
• STARS
UCF's institutional repository, the Showcase of Text,
Archives, Research & Scholarship, is available to share
materials and projects created by UCF students, faculty,
and staff and provide ready access to works by, for, and
about the University of Central Florida. STARS hosts
research, creative activity, scholarship, and a variety of
institutional outputs to ensure worldwide dissemination
128 | Teaching at UCF
and persistent access to these works.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/
• Videos
Embed an online streaming video in your course. Videos
include quick instructions on using library resources and
services.
https://vimeo.com/ucflibraries/collections
Library Services
• Circulation
Circulation Services maintains the General Collection in
the open stacks and in the Automated Retrieval Center
(ARC). Items stored in the ARC may be requested
through the online catalog and are usually available for
pickup at the Circulation Desk within an hour of the
request. Place items on Course Reserves to ensure that
materials are available for your students throughout the
semester. Faculty designate how long the items may be
loaned to students.
• Interlibrary Loan Interlibrary Loan borrows materials
such as books, articles, and government documents
from almost 2500 libraries throughout the country. In
many cases, articles can be acquired in less than 48
hours.
▪ UBorrow is a fast and easy way to request
materials from the 40 public colleges and
universities within Florida.
▪ ILLiad requests can be used for items not found
within our 40 institutions.
https://library.ucf.edu/services/borrowing-
from-other-libraries/.
• Library Instruction
Library instruction is available at all UCF Libraries.
Online and in-person sessions are customized to teach
students how to access, evaluate, and use resources
related to their assignments. Faculty may also request a
129 | Teaching at UCF
librarian to participate in Webcourses.
https://library.ucf.edu/services/instruction/
• Research Consultations
Schedule a consultation with a librarian by completing
an online form at https://library.ucf.edu/help/schedule-
an-appointment/.
• Research and Information Services
Research assistance is available at all UCF Libraries.
Contact Research & Information Services librarians for
assistance with the catalog and database resources,
including Off-Campus Access.
https://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/reference/
• Scholarly Communication
Get research and publication support through the Office
of Scholarly Communication. Services and information
are available for literature reviewing and managing
citations, understanding citation metrics and impact,
determining where to publish, and analyzing author
rights agreements.
http://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/scholarly-
communication/
• Textbook Affordability
See if the library can source your current textbook as an
ebook or learn more about adopting open educational
resources for your courses.
https://library.ucf.edu/textbook-affordability/.
Branch Libraries
The Curriculum Materials Center (CMC) supports the
School of Teacher Education. The CMC provides PreK-
12th grade representative materials for preview,
analysis, and checkout to UCF students, faculty, staff,
and the community at large. Located in the Education
Complex, room ED 194, the collection contains
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approximately 32,000 items including juvenile and
young adult fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, DVDs,
audiobooks, professional literature for educators, PreK-
12th grade textbooks, educational manipulatives, a
laminator, 3D printer, Glowforge laser cutter, and
Ellison die cuts.
https://library.ucf.edu/about/libraries/curriculum-
materials-center/
Connect Campus library collections and services are
available through State College partner libraries on the,
Daytona Beach, Sanford-Lake Mary, Valencia Osceola,
and Valencia West campuses. Limited collections and
services may also be available at Cocoa, , Ocala, , South
Lake, and Valencia East campuses, but UCF students
and faculty are advised to call ahead to these locations
to verify hours and services. All locations provide online
access to library and university resources. A team of
UCF Connect librarians also provide a wide range of
services, either virtually or in person, including research
assistance, library instruction, and more.
http://library.ucf.edu/about/libraries/
The Downtown Campus Library is located on the
second floor of the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons in
downtown Orlando. The library primarily serves UCF
and Valencia College Downtown Campus students but is
open to all users. The print collection focuses on the
UCF and Valencia programs offered at the Downtown
Campus, and Interlibrary Loan is available. The library
has desktop computers, printing/copying/scanning, and
offers research assistance and instruction.
http://library.ucf.edu/downtown
The Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library at Lake
Nona supports the curriculum, research, and patient
care initiatives of the College of Medicine.
http://med.ucf.edu/library/
131 | Teaching at UCF
The Universal Orlando Foundation Library is located at
the Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Its
unique collection covers all facets of the hospitality and
tourism industries. The library provides a wide array of
both in-person and virtual services, including research
assistance, library instruction, interlibrary loan, and
more.
http://library.ucf.edu/Rosen
University Compliance, Ethics, and Risk
Vice President, Rhonda Bishop
Millican Hall, Suite 396
Web Address: http://www.compliance.ucf.edu
Compliance and Ethics
Assistant Vice President for Compliance and Ethics:
Christina Serra
Millican Hall, Ste 396
http://www.compliance.ucf.edu
University Compliance and Ethics provides centralized
and coordinated oversight of UCF’s ethics, compliance,
and risk mitigation efforts through policy development,
education and training, communications, monitoring,
risk assessments, and responses to compliance and
ethics violations.
Ethical behavior and compliance with laws, regulations,
policies, procedures, and standards of conduct rests
with everyone at UCF. University Compliance and Ethics
provides guidance and support to assist faculty in
meeting ethical and compliance obligations, such as
outside activity and potential conflict of interest and
commitment reporting, Youth Protection Program
requirements, Privacy Compliance, and required annual
trainings. Resources on topics related to compliance
132 | Teaching at UCF
and ethics are available at http://compliance.ucf.edu,
including the UCF Employee Code of Conduct:
https://compliance.ucf.edu/ucf-employee-code-of-
conduct/. All UCF employees, including faculty are
required to follow the UCF Employee Code of Conduct.
University Compliance and Ethics staff are available for
general compliance and ethics inquiries at
complianceandethic[email protected], or inquiries regarding
potential conflict of interest or commitments at
[email protected]. To contact UCF privacy compliance visit
https://compliance.ucf.edu/privacy/contact-ucf-
privacy/.
To ask questions anonymously or report concerns, the
UCF IntegrityLine is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year, at www.ucfintegrityline.com or by calling 1-855-
877-6049.
Enterprise Risk and Insurance
Director, Enterprise Risk and Insurance: Andrea Gandy
Millican Hall, Suite 341
Web Address: https://compliance.ucf.edu/enterprise-
risk-management/
The Office of Enterprise Risk and Insurance oversees the
identification, assessment, and management of risks
that could impact the university’s success. While the
role of risk manager is everyone’s job, the Office of
Enterprise Risk and Insurance is responsible for the
administration and execution of the university’s
enterprise risk and insurance programs.
The team supports the broader university by (1)
procuring necessary insurance coverage to protect
university assets including its employees, property, and
financial position, (2) managing the university’s claims
process, and (3) developing programs, guidelines,
policies, procedures, training, and tools to mitigate risk.
133 | Teaching at UCF
In addition, the Office of Enterprise Risk and Insurance
collaborates with university departments on risk
assessment for campus events, reviews contracts,
leases, and agreements for appropriate coverage and
language, and administers the university volunteer
service agreement process.
Any insurance administration (including procurement,
request for coverage, contact with university insurance
brokers, etc.) will be handled by the Office of Enterprise
Risk and Insurance. Additionally, any claim submission
or contact with insurer regarding claim status will
similarly be handled by the Office of Enterprise Risk and
Insurance. As a reminder, under no circumstances
should any university employee or representative make
any statements regarding liability, responsibility, or
payment of any medical or other damages.
Should you have questions or need assistance regarding
insurance requirements in a contract or agreement,
insurance coverage, evaluating a risk topic, an incident
on campus, the claim submission process or volunteer
requirements and rules, please contact the Office of
Enterprise Risk and Insurance via email at
riskmanagement@ucf.edu.
United Faculty of Florida (AFT, Local 7463)
Web Address: http://www.uffucf.org/
The United Faculty of Florida (UFF) works to advance
faculty rights and academic excellence for all members.
It supports faculty in all areas of work life, including
academic freedom, salaries and benefits, and leaves. It
also lobbies to advance, protect, and strengthen the
Florida university and college systems.
Our local chapter (UFF-UCF) is a critical part of our
faculty governance, ensuring faculty have a collective
134 | Teaching at UCF
voice in how the university operates and in how we
educate our students. We aim to promote healthy,
equitable, and supportive work environments. The UCF
mission is access and success for students. Similarly, our
union wants this for our hardworking faculty engaging
in research, teaching our students, and serving the
larger community. Faculty working conditions are our
students’ learning conditions.
UFF has been the professional association and collective
bargaining agent for faculty members of colleges and
universities in Florida since 1976. UFF is an affiliate of
the Florida Education Association (FEA), which is
affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA)
and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT, Local
7463), and AFL-CIO. UFF-UCF represents full-time
faculty at every rank, including educational support
professionals (ESPs, e.g., instructional designers and
mental health counselors) and is governed by its
members. UFF welcomes you to join a local, state, and
national voice that upholds the value and integrity of
teaching and research.
For more information, please see:
United Faculty of Florida-UCF Chapter (UFF-UCF):
http://www.uffucf.org/
United Faculty of Florida-Statewide (UFF):
https://myuff.org/
Florida Education Association (FEA): http://feaweb.org/
National Education Association (NEA):
http://www.neamb.com/
American Federation of Teachers—Higher Education
(AFT): https://www.aft.org/highered
AFL-CIO: https://aflcio.org/
135 | Teaching at UCF
SECTION VII
Terminology and Abbreviations
Classroom Building Acronyms
CB I ................. Classroom Building I
CB II ................ Classroom Building II
HS I ................. Health Professions and Sciences I
HS II................ Health Professions and Sciences II
CAH ................ College of Arts and Humanities
BAND ............. Band Practice Facilities
BYC................. Barbara Ying Center
BIO ................. Biological Sciences Building
BHC ................ Burnett Honors College
BA I ................ Business Administration I
BA II ............... Business Administration II
CSEL ............... Career Services and Exp Learning
CHEM ............. Chemistry Building
CSB ................. College of Sciences Building
CREOL ............ College of Optics and Photonics
ENG I .............. Engineering I
ENG II ............. Engineering II
HPH ................ Howard Phillips Hall
HEC ................ L3Harris Engineering Center
MSB ............... Mathematical Sciences Building
NSCM ............. Nicholson School of Communication and Media
PAC ................ Performing Arts Center
PSB ................. Physical Sciences Building
PSY ................. Psychology Building
TA .................. Teaching Academy
TCH ................ Trevor Colbourn Hall
GB .................. UCF Global Building
VAB ................ Visual Arts Building
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Colleges
BHC ................ Burnett Honors College
CAH ................ College of Arts and Humanities
CBA ................ College of Business Administration
CCIE ................ College of Community Innovation and Education
CECS ............... College of Engineering and Computer Science
CGS ................ College of Graduate Studies
CHPS .............. College of Health Professions and Sciences
COM ............... College of Medicine
CON................ College of Nursing
COS ................ College of Sciences
CREOL ............ College of Optics and Photonics
CUS ................ College of Undergraduate Studies
RCHM ............. Rosen College of Hospitality Management
Other Terms
ADL – Advanced Distributed Learning. This course (ADL5000) is
taken online by faculty to become credentialed to teach
their own online (or mixed-mode) courses that
someone else has created. To teach a fully original
online course, faculty must complete a different
program called IDL6543.
ALC – Academic Learning Compacts. Operational Excellence and
Assessment Support coordinates this list of student
learning outcomes for every major at UCF (i.e., what
students will know by the time they graduate with each
degree).
https://oeas.ucf.edu/academiclearningcompacts.html
CBA – Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is the formal
agreement between the UCF Board of Trustees and the
United Faculty of Florida that regulates the terms and
conditions of employees at UCF, their duties, and the
duties of the Board of Trustees. http://www.collective
bargaining.ucf.edu/completecba.asp
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CDL – Center for Distributed Learning. This office coordinates all
permissions, tech support, and assistance with online
teaching. They do not control the university hardware
like internet access or email (those are supported by
Computer Services). http://cdl.ucf.edu
CIP – Course Innovation Project. Course Innovation Projects are
semester-long faculty development cohorts in which
colleagues from multiple disciplines get together to
work on individual projects related to a specific
pedagogical topic, and give feedback to each other in
learning communities.
DirectConnect – DirectConnect to UCF is a program that
guarantees admission to UCF for students with an
associate degree from one of our partner colleges:
College of Central Florida, Daytona State College,
Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State
College, Seminole State College, and Valencia College
DRC – Division Review Committee; part of University
Assessment. If you are assigned to work with a DRC, a
DRC chairperson will give you specific instructions.
E&G – Education and General (E&G) funds "may be used for
general instruction, research, public service, plant
operations and maintenance, furniture, fixtures,
equipment, student services, libraries, administrative
support, and other enrollment-related and stand-alone
operations of the university" (Financial Affairs "UCF
Expenditure Guidelines,"
https://fa.ucf.edu/procedures/).
EmplID – (pronounced “em-pull I.D.”) Employee ID. This seven-
digit number is identical to the UCFID but is primarily
used for personnel and financial matters on university
forms.
Essentials – Online training required to receive a course shell via
Webcourses@UCF (more properly called
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Webcourses@UCF Essentials, to distinguish it from IDV
Essentials). Faculty teaching face-to-face courses, with
no reduction in seat time, can use Webcourses@UCF to
hold syllabi and materials, or give quizzes, if they
complete Essentials. Contact webcourses@ucf.edu to
get started.
FCTL – Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching & Learning.
The Faculty Center is your first stop for navigating the
UCF network of resources. This office aids with all
aspects of teaching and learning. Located in CB1-207.
https://fctl.ucf.edu/
FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This act of
Congress dictates that student records (including
grades) are to be kept confidential. In practice, this
means grades and other records should never be
posted, displayed, or made available in a way that one
student can learn another student’s grade.
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa
/index.html
FDC – Faculty Development Cohort. Coordinated by the Faculty
Center, these groups are made up of faculty members
seeking to discuss faculty life or aspects of teaching, and
typically meet several times each semester.
FMC – Faculty Multimedia Center.
https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/fmc/
FTE – Full Time Equivalent. This is shorthand for the
percentages/components that make up a faculty
member’s job. FTE always equals 1.0 (example: research
0.6, teaching 0.3, service 0.1).
FTIC – First Time in College (previously called “freshmen”).
GEP – General Education Program. These required, lower-
division classes are sometimes called “core” courses at
other colleges. They are often high-enrollment lecture
139 | Teaching at UCF
classes. https://academicsuccess.ucf.edu/ssa/advising-
guides/#handouts
HR – Human Resources. http://hr.ucf.edu
IDL – Interactive Distributed Learning; this term is used with
IDL6543, which is the required face-to-face course
before faculty can teach fully online classes, and
IDL7000, an advanced online faculty development
course. Contact your chair or director for permission to
enroll.
IDS – Interdisciplinary Studies. This major at UCF allows
students to combine multiple disciplines into a single
course of study. https://undergrad.ucf.edu/ids/
IDV – Interactive Distributed Video; this term is used with the
CDL-class (training) called IDV-Essentials, which faculty
must complete online before they can teach video-
mode classes using the Panopto software.
IF – Information Fluency. This campuswide initiative was the
chosen Quality Enhancement Plan for UCF in 2006 and
concluded in 2014. http://if.ucf.edu
In-Unit – Regular positions at UCF classified as “in-unit” are part
of a “bargaining unit” and are therefore covered by a
Collective Bargaining Agreement, a contract that lays
out certain terms and conditions of employment. Most
faculty members outside of the College of Medicine are
in-unit.
IRB – Institutional Review Board. This panel of experts reviews
all research involving human subjects (including
surveys) before the research can begin. This includes
classroom-based research.
http://www.research.ucf.edu/Compliance/irb.html
Knights Email – Required student email at UCF. Students
receive this at orientation or matriculation. Knights
Email is a UCF-branded version of Outlook, and it is the
140 | Teaching at UCF
official email for students, who are required to check it
weekly. Faculty should contact students only at Knights
Email. Faculty may also create their own Knights Email
account; visit https://extranet.cst.ucf.edu/kmailselfsvc
to get started.
MALL – Mathematics Assistance and Learning Lab
Materia – HTML5 games and study tools faculty can set up for
students to practice discrete sets of material.
https://materia.ucf.edu/
Military Student – Any eligible student who is or was a member
of the United States Armed Forces or the Florida
National Guard, or such an individual’s spouse or
dependent.
M-mode – Mixed-mode teaching (also called “blended” or
“hybrid”) involves reduced seat time, with extra
emphasis on Webcourses@UCF (it is a partly online
class).
Monitor – A plugin to the Respondus Lockdown Browser that
enables online test proctoring. See
https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/faculty/proctored-exams/
MVSC – Military and Veteran Success Center. Information about
resources available for military students. Academic
advising, career coaching, and workshops in addition to
VA Educational benefits and certification.
myUCF – The portal website with access to multiple UCF
software systems, all with single sign-on (no need to
sign in again to access them). Teaching schedules and
grade submission are found here, as well as hyperlinks
to subsystems like Webcourses@UCF and more.
https://my.ucf.edu/
Network Systems – Department in Computer Services that
controls the internet connection to campus, firewalls,
and wireless access.
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NFO – New Faculty Orientation. This academic orientation is
organized by Faculty Excellence; there is also a separate
HR Orientation.
NID – Network ID. This is the ID number that is used to sign in to
UCF computer systems and your UCF email. To find out
what your NID is, visit https://my.ucf.edu/nid.html.
(Note: NIDs often change for former students once they
become an employee of UCF.) To change your NID
password, visit https://mynid.ucf.edu.
Obojobo – A software environment for testing, practicing, and
reading “learning objects.” Can work in conjunction
with Webcourses@UCF. https://obojobo.ucf.edu/
OIR – Office of Instructional Resources; coordinates hardware in
classrooms (unless that room/building is controlled by a
college instead). http://oir.ucf.edu/
OOR – Office of Research. All sponsored research at UCF must
be coordinated with OOR; they will also help with the
grant process. http://www.research.ucf.edu
OUR – Office of Undergraduate Research.
https://academicsuccess.ucf.edu/our/
Outlook – UCF’s official email system (sometimes called
Exchange, which is the name of the software controlling
it).
P&T – Promotion and Tenure. Contact Faculty Excellence (407-
823-1113) with any questions.
Panopto – Lecture-capture and video management software,
often used while teaching to live students. Captures
PowerPoint (or document camera) as well as inset
webcam-style video. Capable of streaming to most web-
enabled devices.
PFSA – Pride Faculty and Staff Association
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Physical Plant – UCF’s term for the facilities office, which
handles such services as housekeeping, maintenance,
and postal services on campus. http://fo.ucf.edu/
Portal – Synonym for myUCF.
PTF – Preparing Tomorrow's Faculty. A voluntary, zero-credit-
hour graduate course offered every fall and spring
semester to help graduate students learn the principles
of teaching and begin to assemble a teaching portfolio.
https://fctl.ucf.edu/programs/gta-programs/
QEP – Quality Enhancement Plan. As part of the university’s
accreditation with SACSCOC, UCF chooses a Quality
Enhancement Plan every 10 years to advance a
particular cause or agenda related to undergraduate
student learning. In 2016, the QEP chosen was What’s
Next: Integrative Learning for Professional and Civic
Preparation.
Respondus – Free third-party software that enables plaintext
quizzes to be uploaded to Webcourses@UCF with a few
clicks. A plugin called Monitor enables online test
proctoring
RFP – Request for Proposals. The formal call for proposals to
win competitive offers for funding.
RIA – Research Incentive Award. This competitive award adds
$5,000 to base salary; see the provost’s website for
details.
https://facultyexcellence.ucf.edu/recognition/research-
incentive-award/
RITE – Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness. This
research-based subgroup is part of CDL and investigates
mostly online learning.
https://cdl.ucf.edu/research/contact-us/
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SACSCOC – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Colleges; the official accrediting body
for UCF and the region. http://www.sacs.org
SAS – Student Accessibility Services. Coordinates requests for
accommodation for students with disabilities.
http://sas.sdes.ucf.edu/
SARC – Student Academic Resource Center. Tutorial,
supplemental instruction, and study skills workshops for
students. http://sarc.sdes.ucf.edu
SDES – Student Development and Enrollment Services. Student-
facing programs and services aimed at student success
and retention. http://www.sdes.ucf.edu/
SLO – Student Learning Outcomes. Part of the ALC contract with
students for each major.
SoTL – Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. This refers to
publications, presentations, and grants in peer-
reviewed journals about teaching methods and
practices. See the Faculty Center website for
information about SoTL design and implementation.
UCF sponsors a SoTL Award that adds $5,000 to faculty
base salaries (see the provost’s website for details).
https://facultyexcellence.ucf.edu/recognition
/scholarship-of-teaching-and-learning/
SPI – Student Perception of Instruction. These reviews of
class/faculty performance are given to students at the
end of each class when they log in to myUCF. Some
departments use SPI results to aid in annual (formal)
faculty evaluations.
STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
These disciplines are often referred to in the aggregate,
and many programs are customized for STEM
audiences.
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Summer Faculty Development Conference – Participants apply
to one of several tracks at this funded, UCF-specific
conference (sponsored by the Faculty Center). Faculty
do not present research at this conference; rather, they
attend to gather ideas. Many tracks also require work
toward a final product and complete collaborative
projects.
TIP – Teaching Incentive Program Award. This competitive
award adds $5,000 to base salary; see the Office of
Faculty Excellence website for details:
https://facultyexcellence.ucf.edu/recognition/teaching-
incentive-program/.
Turnitin – Plagiarism detection and prevention service. Faculty
must attend a consultation to obtain a Turnitin account.
Contact Jennifer Wright, Office of Integrity and Ethical
Development at [email protected].
UCFID – This is a second ID number (besides the NID) and is
used as a unique identifier for faculty, staff, and
students. The UCFID is the same seven digits of your
employee ID (EmplID).
UFF-UCF – United Faculty of Florida is the professional
association and collective bargaining agent for faculty
members of colleges and universities in Florida, and is
an affiliate of the Florida Education Association, which is
affiliated with both the National Education Association
and the American Federation of Teachers.
W-mode – Web-mode (fully online) class, with minimal or no
face-to-face.
Webcourses@UCF – UCF’s course management system is
Canvas by Instructure and branded Webcourses@UCF.
Types of classes include face-to-face (enhanced), mixed-
mode reduced seat time (M), and fully on the web (W).
Visit https//cdl.ucf.edu/teach/ for more information.
145 | Teaching at UCF
Workday – UCF’s enterprise software that controls all employee
records and role-specific business processes, including
procurement, expenses, accounting, recruiting and
hiring, grants management and others.
