In this episode of Centering Centers, we talk with Thomas Tobin about what it means to build a teaching and learning center from the ground up and what happens when that work is shaped by listening, context, and collaboration. Drawing on his recent experience working with a university in the Philippines, Tom shares how a center can grow from “a name on a door” into something that actively supports teaching across an institution.

Throughout the conversation, we explore how teaching extends beyond the classroom into everyday interactions across campus, why starting with what people are already doing well matters, and how small, immediate changes can lead to meaningful shifts in practice. We also talk about universal design for learning at scale, the challenges of defining and evaluating teaching, and what it looks like to design for the realities students actually experience.

Transcript