The Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology is excited to share updates that enhance digital accessibility and improve the authoring experience in Pressbooks: the new Content Toolkit and expanded support for MathJax.

ICON Direct hit a new achievement with a total of over $19 million in cumulative student savings as of the spring 2026 semester. The textbook adoption periods for summer 2026 and fall 2026 have started. Summer orders due by April 20, and fall orders due by July 27.

How are students and faculty navigating the world of generative AI and its implications? Join OTLT to discover what we’re learning about students’ use of generative AI and hear from faculty members about how they're creating AI guidance for their courses. Register to attend this AI research event, which will take place on Wednesday, April 15, at 9:30 a.m. in University Capitol Centre 2520D.

Join the Academic Technology Advisory Council for this year’s Student Technology Panel to learn how students foster their own learning using technology. The event is Friday, Feb. 20, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in University Capitol Centre 2520D or online via Zoom. Please register to attend.

The ICON to Top Hat integration and Top Hat Ace are two tools that can help you, and your students, start the semester strong. Complete the ICON to Top Hat integration to prevent access issues and guarantee that grades flow smoothly into the ICON gradebook. Don't forget to check out Top Hat Ace, which introduces a set of AI‑powered features designed to boost teaching and learning.

Maggie Jesse, executive director of the ITS Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology, will end her 36-year career at the University of Iowa on Dec. 5. To celebrate Maggie and her accomplishments, we asked her to reflect on her time at the university.

The end of the fall semester is quickly approaching. Learn about the three options instructors have for submitting final grades to MAUI and tips to make entering graders easier whether they're using the MAUI in ICON function, manually entering grades, or uploading a file to MAUI.

You may have heard of the ICON accessible course template, developed by OTLT. What you may not know is that it’s available for use as you begin to prep for winter and spring courses. You can even start using it from within your new ICON course site.

PDFs are one of the largest and most consistent accessibility issues in ICON courses. Here are a few tips to resolve the most common concerns. Have more questions? The University of Iowa has multiple resources available to help you.

Drop by 2523 University Capitol Centre from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Fridays through Nov. 21 for in-person accessibility support. No appointment required. OTLT staff will be available to help instructors make ICON course sites and digital documents, including PDFs, more accessible. They'll also assist instructors in taking advantage of tools like TidyUP and Ally to simplify the process.