A Day of Teaching, Learning, and Connection at iTeach 2026

iTeach 2026: Innovate & Inspire

On January 7, 2026, the Center for Teaching & Learning welcomed more than 225 faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students from across WashU to Hillman Hall’s Clark-Fox Forum for iTeach 2026: Innovate & Inspire. Now in its ninth iteration, this biennial conference remains the CTL’s largest signature event and a cornerstone of campus wide teaching community.

iTeach is designed by and for WashU educators. It was conceived to create space for colleagues across disciplines to meet, exchange ideas, and learn from one another. At a moment when questions of generative AI, evidence based pedagogy, and community building are shaping everyday teaching decisions, iTeach 2026 offered a full day to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the craft of teaching before the start of the spring semester.

From Welcome to Workshops

The conference opened with welcome remarks from Jen Smith, Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives, and Michael Wysession, Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, followed by a collaborative activity centered on CTL’s new inclusive teaching card set, which was provided to each attendee. Early conversations set the tone for the day; teaching is not only an intellectual endeavor. It is a relational one, shaped by context, curiosity, and shared responsibility.

The program that followed was built by the WashU community itself. Nearly 70 faculty and staff presenters shared teaching related research, innovations, and creative approaches across 24 concurrent sessions. Invigorating workshops, panels, paper sessions, posters, and informal conversations filled the day. Sessions were well attended throughout, and Hillman’s hallways between rooms quickly became places where ideas were tested, refined, and expanded through conversation and poster sessions.

Inspiration & Innovation in Practice

The conference theme, Innovate & Inspire, showed up in both content and energy. Participants consistently praised sessions focused on generative AI, especially those that moved beyond tools to address pedagogy, ethics, and decision making in the classroom. Conversations around alternative and standards based grading sparked thoughtful discussion about assessment, equity, and student learning. A session on ePortfolios drew strong interest for its emphasis on reflection, integration, and authentic demonstration of learning.

One of the most talked about features of the day was the University Libraries AVA Studio table. Participants stopped to try virtual reality experiences, explore examples of 3D and augmented reality projects, and talk with library staff about how immersive tools are already being used in courses across campus. The table was lively, hands on, and a reminder that innovation is often most compelling when people can see and feel it for themselves.

Connection by Design

Several logistical updates were introduced this year in response to feedback from iTeach 2024. A day long coffee bar and improved lunch options and flow were intentionally designed to support informal networking and conversation. These choices proved beneficial; participants lingered, talked, and made connections that extended well beyond scheduled sessions.

The day concluded with a reception that brought everyone back together, complete with door prizes and a few memorable culinary moments. It was a fitting and joyful close to a day centered on shared learning and collective energy.

In Participants’ Own Words

At the concluding reception, attendees reflected via comment cards on their excitement, sense of renewal, and forward-thinking. Examples of these comments include:

• “I honestly walked away today with a renewed enthusiasm for teaching and learning that I was gradually losing.”
• “Loved the conversations about different ways of bringing excitement for learning, building community, and supportive networks to keep improving and growing as an educator.”
• “I learned about the robust AI learning opportunities provided by the CTL. I am looking forward to taking advantage of these opportunities.”
• “Making connections with colleagues is always extremely motivating.”

Looking Ahead

iTeach 2026 was produced by the Center for Teaching and Learning with support from partners in University Libraries, the Office of the Provost, and Arts and Sciences Computing. It was made possible by the work of the iTeach organizing committee, CTL staff, presenters, and the many educators who chose to spend a full day learning with and from one another.

While iTeach brings this community together in a powerful way every two years, it represents only a fraction of the teaching conversations happening through the CTL year round. Workshops, learning communities, consultations, and programs throughout the academic year offer continued opportunities to explore ideas introduced at iTeach and to keep that momentum going.

We look forward to continuing these conversations now and to welcoming the WashU teaching community back for iTeach again in January 2028!