Signal to Noise: Tuning in to What Matters in Teaching

May 13 and 14, 2026

In a dynamic teaching and learning soundscape, what still resonates? 

Call for Proposals closes on February 13, 2026

2026 theme: Teaching today is full of competing priorities, tools, and trends. In an era of constant information flow, educators face the challenge of distinguishing meaningful signals from distracting noise. How do we cut through the static to focus on what truly makes a difference for learners and educators? How do we amplify the signals that foster deep learning, equity, and engagement? How do we address the challenges we face and filter out the noise that overwhelms or misleads? Signal to Noise: Tuning in to What Matters in Teaching invites University of Toronto instructors, staff, and librarians to explore and share practices, research, and lived experiences that amplify what works and reduce distractions—creating space for meaningful, impactful teaching.  

What is TLS2026? TLS2026 is a tri-campus celebration of teaching and learning at the University of Toronto, hosted by the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation in partnership with the Education Technology Office in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering and the Desautels Centre for Innovative Thinking at the Rotman School of Management. Bringing together instructors, librarians, and staff from across Divisions, TLS2026 creates space for genuine exchange that highlights the insights, experiments, and experiences that make teaching meaningful. More than a conference, TLS is a cross-divisional forum for connection, curiosity, and collaboration. It invites participants to tune in to what truly matters in teaching, celebrate our shared commitment to learning, and spark new ideas that resonate across the university.  

A note about terms of use. For the purposes of this symposium, we use “signal” and “noise” as a loose metaphor for teaching:

  • Signal: practices and conditions that help students learn (for example, clarity, connection, feedback, authentic engagement)
  • Noise: factors that get in the way of learning (for example, distraction, overcomplication, performative innovation, institutional static)

We invite you to keep this lens in mind when proposing sessions and examples, but it is meant to be flexible, not a strict requirement.

To participate in TLS2026, interested presenters can submit a short proposal (see links below). Use this Call for Proposals guide to prepare your submission.

Select a TLS Stream

We welcome proposals that address these Symposium streams:

Focus: Dialing in to the core signals of effective teaching and learning. In a time of competing demands and rapid change, what still holds true about how students learn best? This stream invites sessions that help educators clarify their teaching purpose, define success in their own contexts, and re-center on the enduring principles of good pedagogy.   

Possible topics: Evidence-informed course design, assessment alignment, defining learning goals, meaningful feedback, and reflections on teaching values.   

  

Focus: Making sense of complexity without losing focus on learning. Today’s teaching landscape is filled with transmissions — from new technologies to shifting expectations — that can both help and hinder learning. This stream explores how educators critically evaluate new tools, policies, and trends (including GenAI) to separate meaningful innovation from performative noise.   

Possible topics: GenAI and teaching integrity, balancing innovation and overload, simplifying complex course structures, minimizing cognitive or administrative noise, designing sustainable workloads.   

Focus: Strengthening the human connections that make learning resonate. Amid polarized discourse and digital distraction, how can teaching amplify clarity, empathy, and inclusion? This stream highlights ways to build trust, foster dialogue, and engage students in meaningful conversations — both in person and online.   

Possible topics: Civil discourse and difficult conversations, inclusive dialogue, feedback and belonging, active learning strategies, classroom climate, communication that builds connection.  

Focus: Sharing what works — and what’s been learned along the way. Some experiments succeed, others fall flat, but all offer valuable insight. This stream invites concrete stories of teaching innovation, reflection, and adaptation that reveal how good ideas translate into real classrooms and programs.   

Possible topics: Case studies of teaching redesigns, longitudinal impact studies, collaborative initiatives, lessons learned from failure, evidence of lasting change.  

Select a Proposal Format

When proposing a presentation, we ask that you review each format and select one you think fits your content the best. Each proposal format includes a submission protocol designed to guide authors and support a fair and transparent peer review process. Occasionally, we’ll ask if you’re open to another format; TLS has the wonderful challenge of being oversubscribed and we do our best to include as many presentations as possible.

Special Note: TLS2026 will include both in-person and online presentations (and participation) opportunities. Before you submit, review each session description carefully to:

  • Confirm the presentation formats and modality options available
  • Consider collaborative and partnership-based projects, including those with students, staff, teaching assistants, and/or others
  • Indicate if your work includes as co-researchers, co-designers, or co-presenters. Note that instructors will lead the presentation and may include one student co-facilitator.

Symposium Formats

Please review formats to determine which one best aligns with your session.

Focus: An “open mic” is a format borrowed from performance spaces, where multiple people each have a short turn to share with an audience rather than giving a full-length talk. Open Mic sessions at TLS offer a short, informal way for several presenters to each share one focused teaching strategy, activity, or example. These sessions focus on high-impact practices that cut through the noise and help students tune in to what matters most. Presenters share clear, effective strategies and assignments that have worked in their own teaching and can be easily adapted for other settings.  

These talks focus on sharing: effective teaching strategies including the purpose, intended outcomes, and possible demonstration of the strategy and examples; or assignments or activities that continue to “echo” beyond the classroom, providing details of the development and administration of the assessment, intended student outcomes, and strengths and challenges of the assessment.  

These sessions are meant to be time-efficient exchanges of useful ideas, tried-and-true techniques, and constructive failures, with a chance for participants to ask questions. Like any open mic, some moments are clear hits and others are experiments, but all are shared in the spirit of learning together. 

Session Length: Each presenter has a total of 15 minutes to summarize their strategy/assessment and highlight its impact (10 minutes) and to facilitate a brief question-and-answer discussion (5 minutes). There will be 3 Open Mics in a single hour-long session.  

Focus: Tuning In sessions invite educators to share the stories, studies, and lessons that have shaped their understanding of teaching. These might include trying something new and discovering what worked (or what didn’t), exploring a question about student learning, testing a teaching approach, or gathering feedback that shifted a perspective. Each session offers an opportunity to share insights and help others tune into the “signal” within their own practice. 

We encourage work that connects theory and practice in accessible, relevant ways and projects that explore inclusion, flexibility, accessibility, and other ways of reducing the “noise” that can make learning harder for students.  

We welcome both practice and research project tracks:  

  • Practice Track: Proposals in this track must include a clear goal and/or inquiry question concerning the implementation of, and reflection on, a new practice in your teaching. Works-in-progress, initial investigations, and early results are welcome. Including empirical evidence is encouraged but not required.   
  • Research Track: Proposals in this track should involve systematic inquiry. These sessions focus on sharing a completed teaching and learning-focused inquiry project, providing an overview of the design, methods and findings. 

Session Length: Each presenter has approximately 20 minutes to address the purpose, design, and key takeaways of their work, followed by 10 minutes for open discussion and reflection. There will be 2 Tuning In sessions in a single hour-long session. 

Focus: Interactive Workshops include a live presentation with audience interaction/activities as well as a time for discussion/Q&A. 

Participants in these workshops should be asked to generate something through individual or collaborative work, such as reflective writing, collaborative brainstorming, generative problem-solving, design thinking exercises, etc. Presenters are encouraged to model interactive processes they have used effectively, drawing on strategies suited to the intended modality (in person, online, etc.), even if the session is delivered in a different format. 

Session length: Each interactive workshop is 60 minutes long.

Submit the TLS Call for Proposal Form

Once you have decided on your theme and format, select a format below (links to forms coming soon) and submit the online form.

Learn more about the TLS Proposal Review Process

Each proposal will be read carefully by multiple reviewers, whose evaluations and comments will help the committee build a balanced, engaging program. We recognize the time and thought that go into every submission and aim to review each one with care and respect for the work it represents. All proposals submitted through the Call for Proposals will be reviewed for alignment with the stream and format in which they were submitted. In some cases, the review committee may recommend a different stream or format if it better fits the proposal’s focus or goals. We aim to accept as many proposals as possible, but each year we receive more proposals than we can include in the program.

Reviewers will use a rubric to score proposals and will also consider how proposals demonstrate the following elements:

  • Alignment with the theme Signal to Noise: Tuning in to What Matters in Teaching – the proposal explicitly indicates how the presentation helps educators focus on what truly matters for learning, such as clarifying purpose, simplifying complexity, or amplifying meaningful engagement.
  • Fit with the selected session format and stream – the proposal clearly matches the expectations of the chosen session type and stream, showing that the content, scope, and interactivity are appropriate for that format.
  • Representation across campuses, divisions, and disciplines – the proposal identifies the presenter’s home campus or division and highlights collaborations that reflect the diversity of U of T’s teaching and learning community, including proposals from UTSC, UTM, and St. George, and across diverse teaching roles such as faculty, librarians, and educational developers.
  • Relevance and contribution to the wider teaching and learning community – the proposal demonstrates how the presentation will contribute useful insights, either by sharing broadly applicable strategies or by offering context-specific lessons that others can adapt.
  • Diversity of presenters and perspectives, including students-as-partners – the proposal includes or acknowledges multiple viewpoints, roles, or lived experiences, showing a commitment to inclusive and collaborative teaching practice. The proposal indicates if the presenter is a first-time contributor or returning participant, supporting efforts to balance fresh perspectives with experienced voices.   
  • Balance across modalities (online and in-person) – the proposal identifies its preferred modality and outlines how participants will be effectively engaged in that format.

Our goal is to create a vibrant, well-rounded program that reflects the range of teaching and learning experiences at the University of Toronto and amplifies voices from as many corners of our community as possible.