TA/GS
FALL 2012
Welcome! Welcome to the TA/GS newsletter from the Learning and Teaching
Centre. The newsletter is specifically for all teaching assistants and
graduate students at UVic. Inside you will find information about
programs and workshops offered through the Learning and
Teaching Centre that can assist you with your needs and
professional development. In particular, you will want to read all
about the new Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LATHE)
Graduate Certificate.
We encourage your participation in what we have to offer, but
please let us know at any time if there is a topic that you want
addressed and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
Enjoy!
Cynthia Korpan
TA Program Coordinator
Learning and Teaching Centre
University of Victoria
(250) 472-4798
NEWS
TA/GS Pro-D Program. All you
need to know about the
program
Contents
Improve Your Teaching. Read
about the exciting new
Learning and Teaching in
Higher Education (LATHE)
Graduate Certificate
2
5
TA Focus. Find out about the
upcoming International
Teaching Assistant (ITA)
Conference
8 Fall 2012 TA Pro-D Workshops.
Upcoming events for the fall
semester
7
The Teaching Assistant (TA) & Graduate
Student (GS) Information Source about
Learning and Teaching at UVic
TA/GS Newsletter Fall 2012
2
TA/GS Pro-D Program
The TA/GS Pro-D program consists
of a series of workshops,
conferences, and courses. The
time to complete is variable, but
the program is designed so that
graduate students and TAs can
successfully complete the whole
program in tandem with their
other graduate programs.
Graduate students in either
Masters or Doctorate programs
are encouraged to complete the
TA/GS Pro-D program.
Foundation Workshops
(Years 1/2): Essentials to
Succeeding as
TAs/Instructors/Tutors
Attendance at Fall Teaching
Assistant (TA) Conference, Spring
Teaching Assistant (TA)
Conference, International TA
Conference, and TA Pro-D
Workshops that cover the
following topics:
Today’s students
Learning styles
Using technology in the
classroom
Time management
Teaching labs and/or tutorials
Holding office hours and
tutoring
Interested in expanding your skills?
Find out about UVic’s Professional Development Program
for Teaching Assistants and Graduate Students
Facilitating discussion groups
Teaching styles
Communication issues and skills
Grading and assessment
Classroom management
Lesson planning
Feedback
Acknowledgement
Certificates of Completion or Letter of
Workshops attended.
Teaching Assistant Consultant (TAC)
Program
Several departments have a specially
trained mentor within their department
who will offer discipline specific
workshops and one-on-one
consultations. Acknowledgement for
the TAC program includes a TA
Fundamentals Certificate.
Core Courses/Workshops (Years 2/3):
Core Competencies
The following courses and topics,
covered at either the Fall Teaching
Assistant (TA) Conference, Spring
Teaching Assistant (TA)
Conference, or at TA Pro-D
Workshops, are highly
recommended if you are in a two-
year graduate program, or if you
would like to continue on to the
Learning and Teaching in Higher
Education (LATHE) Graduate
Certificate.
ED-D591A Learning and
Teaching in Higher Education
(graduate credit course)
Active Learning
Teaching Large Classes
Interpersonal skills
Group work strategies
Theories of teaching and
learning
Teaching Dossier/Portfolio
Clickers and other
instructional technologies
Syllabus design
Assessment: formative,
summative, and CATS
Art of questioning
Listening skills
Academic integrity
Acknowledgement
Certificates of Completion or
Letter of Workshops attended.
“ ” We aim to provide TAs with the necessary skills to effectively carry out their duties and
responsibilities in their role as a TA and teacher in higher education.
TA/GS Newsletter Fall 2012
3
Capstone Program (Years 3/4):
Transitioning out
Participation in the Learning and
Teaching in Higher Education
(LATHE) will prepare you for an
academic career. You may enter
the LATHE program during the 1st
year of a Masters terminal degree or
during a PhD program.
The LATHE program (see page 5 for
detailed information about LATHE)
consists of completing the following
units of instruction:
1. ED-D 600 Learning and
Teaching in Higher Education
2. ED-D 610 Contemporary Issues
in Higher Education
3. ED-D 605 Doctoral
Apprenticeship in Teaching in
Higher Education
Acknowledgement
Graduate Certificate noted on your
transcript
Details on Certificates and Letter of
Workshops Attended
Please find below the requirements
needed to attain all certificates and
letters associated with the TA/GS
Pro-D Programming at UVic’s
Learning and Teaching Centre.
Letter of Workshops Attended
Our database system keeps track of
every event that you attend at the
Learning and Teaching Centre, as
long as you sign the sign-in sheet
provided at each event. The sign-in
sheet is usually available as you
enter the workshop location.
Upon approaching completion of
your degree, please contact Marg
MacQuarrie at [email protected] or
phone at 250-721-8571 to request
your letter. It will list all of the
workshops/events that you
attended at the Learning and
Teaching Centre and will be signed
by the Director of the LTC.
Conference Certificates
At the Fall, Spring, and International
TA Conferences, sign-in sheets will
be available for each workshop.
Please ensure that you sign in for
each workshop you attend. You will
earn a certificate to acknowledge
your participation in this professional
development event if you attend at
least 4 unique workshops.
TA Fundamentals Certificate
If your department participates in
the TA Consultant (TAC) program,
then you will have the opportunity to
apply for this certificate. Please
contact your TAC to find out more
about certificate requirements.
Program Goals and Outcomes
1. To provide opportunities for TAs and graduate students to engage with teaching and learning issues
in higher education to facilitate understanding of the wide range of topics and instructional strategies
that are necessary to successfully engage with the variety of situations that occur within their
discipline.
2. Provide TAs with the necessary skills to effectively carry out their duties and responsibilities in their role
as a TA and teacher in higher education.
3. Assist all graduate students to become independent, reflective, and collaborative problem solvers in
teaching.
4. Make TAs aware of campus resources and services so that TAs can assist and direct students’ needs.
5. Provide professional development for TAs and graduate students so that they are more competitive
on the job market, whether as future faculty or in other professions.
6. Provide opportunities for practice and reflection about teaching.
7. Make TAs aware of the scholarship of teaching and learning.
8. Encourage integration of research and teaching.
9. Improve undergraduate education.
10. Model good teaching practices.
11. Foster a community of engaged learners.
TA/GS Newsletter Fall 2012
4
The TA/GS Pro-D Program offers a range of training and professional development options for all graduate students, including new, experienced, and International TAs. All workshops and programs are available to all graduate students on campus to help them prepare for their role as future faculty or to provide valuable transferable skills.
For more information about the workshops and programs offered and to register, please visit our website at http://www.ltc.uvic.ca/index.php. There you will find the monthly calendar of workshops, as well as other resources that will assist you with your academic professional development. All workshops are available at no cost but we appreciate prior registration so that we have enough supplies for those attending.
The diagram below illustrates the possible path that a graduate student can take in tandem with his/her graduate degree to successfully engage in professional development workshops and programs that will support his/her career goals.
TA/GS Pro-D
Program Overview
TAC Workshops
in specific
departments
Spring TA and/or
International TA
Conference
Fall TA
Conference
TA Pro-D
Workshops
Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
(LATHE)
Graduate Students PARTICIPATION
CERTIFICATE
PARTICIPATION
CERTIFICATE
GRADUATE
CERTIFICATE
1st Y
EA
R
2n
d YEA
R
3rd / 4
th Y
EA
R
TA/GS Newsletter Fall 2012
5
What is LATHE?
Learning and Teaching in
Higher Education (LATHE) is a
dynamic Certificate Program
that focuses on the
pedagogical knowledge and
practical skills required to
teach effectively in higher
education. LATHE combines
knowledge and practice
about teaching and learning
across the disciplines to
create a future professoriate
fluent in the foundational
principles of post-secondary
instruction. It will challenge
participants to reflect on their
practical teaching activities
in a scholarly way within their
disciplinary context. This
program is jointly offered by
Educational Psychology and
Leadership Studies (EPLS), the
Learning and Teaching
Centre (LTC), and the Faculty
of Graduate Studies (FGS).
Goals of the Program:
- contribute to discussions
concerning important
and topical issues in
higher education, such
as internationalization,
globalization, the impact
of educational
technology, and issues in
one's own discipline;
- assess practices and
theories of effective
university teaching;
- adapt teaching
methods to meet the
needs of adult learners
and of students for
whom special
considerations might
arise from cultural and
learning differences;
- provide informative and
balanced critical
reflections on one’s own
and others’ teaching;
- implement effective
student engagement
strategies;
- prepare a research
grant proposal on
teaching and learning
in one’s discipline;
- develop a revisable
teaching dossier to
accompany one’s
ongoing career in
university teaching; and
- compete effectively for
an academic position
with those who share
similar teaching
experiences.
Course Content of Program:
ED-D 600 Learning and
Teaching in Higher Education
(1.5 units) – Fall term
(September to December)
Explores instructional
research and contemporary
practices in higher
education. Topics include
using effective teaching
strategies, developing
course curriculum, and
exploring various instructional
Learning and Teaching in
Higher Education
Get a head start on your
academic career!
How to apply:
For registration, contact Stacy Bronwell,
Graduate Program Assistant, at 250-721-7883 or
LATHE conforms to the requirements of all
Certificate Programs at UVic (please consult the
Graduate Calendar). Priority is given to doctoral
students who are co-registered in their own
disciplines at UVic.
Admission Requirements:
- Has completed or is in-progress of a
Master’s, Ph.D., or Post-Doctoral degree.
Preference will be given to students
currently enrolled in doctoral studies at
UVic.
- Possesses a GPA of 6 (B+ average) in the
last two years of academic work at either
the graduate or undergraduate level or
combination thereof.
- Enters the program in September.
- Meets the minimum requirements set by
the Faculty of Graduate Studies, including
English Language Proficiency.
Skills Workshop
How effective is the ISW at
preparing participants for
teaching?
TA/GS Newsletter Fall 2012
6
models and media. Content is
guided by recent research in the
psychology of learning and
instruction.
ED-D 610: Contemporary Issues in
Higher Education (1.5 units) –
Spring term (January to April)
Critically examines the problems
and issues that dominate current
thought and discussion in higher
education in Canada and
internationally. Topics considered
will be globalization and
internalization, university
governance, teaching and
learning, the nature of academic
work, corporatization of post-
secondary institutions,
credentialism, and relations
between higher education and
the state.
ED-D 605: Doctoral Apprenticeship
in Teaching in Higher Education
(3.0 units) – Fall and Spring Terms
This two-semester course provides
guided teaching apprenticeship
under the mentorship of the
program faculty advisor, program
consultant at the LTC, and select
faculty members. Participants will
engage in presentations, role-play
scenarios, teach
undergraduate classes, and
complete the program with a
teaching dossier.
Program Cost:
Application fee: Domestic -
$100.00, International -
$125.00 plus a one-time
program fee for currently
registered UVic graduate
students: Domestic -
$681.84, International -
$813.36.
Or a fee per unit for non-
UVic students: Domestic -
$681.84, International -
$813.36 plus ancillary fees
that are charged each
term (Athletics, Transit, and
GSS).
continued…
Dr. Marty Wall
Dr. Wall is currently teaching and mentoring at the University of Victoria, having arrived five years ago as a professor emeritus from the University of Toronto. A graduate of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, he spent most of his career at
the University of Toronto, including serving as chair of the Department of Psychology, a post he held for a decade spanning the 90’s. While chair, he served as the sole instructor of the introductory course in Psychology, a course of 2200 students.
His interest in fostering excellence in teaching
has led to his participation in UVic’s Teaching Assistant Training Program, developing courses on university teaching for graduate students and faculty, and presenting annual workshops on various topics related to university teaching. Dr. Wall is a 3M National Teaching Fellowship recipient.
ED-D 600
ED-D 610 Instructor
Dr. Tatiana Gounko
Tatiana Gounko is an assistant
professor in the Department of
Psychology and Leadership Studies.
Her teaching and research interests
include higher education and the
role of international organizations in
shaping education policies around
the world. Tatiana has taught ED-D
610 since 2010. Her articles on higher
education have been published in
Higher Education Policy, European
Education and Compare.
Instructor
TA/GS Newsletter Fall 2012
7
Focus
International
Teaching Assistant
(ITA) Conference: January 9, 2013
The first all-day conference
devoted to International
Teaching Assistants (ITAs) will
take place on Wednesday,
January 9, 2013. What will
the conference include?
The conference will have a
series of workshops in the
Harry Hickman Building. The
workshops will cover topics
such as:
- Culture in the
Canadian Classroom
- Communication with
students and
professors
- How to answer
questions from
students
- Who are UVic
students? What
makes them unique?
- How to effectively
grade and give
feedback to students
- And many more!
To help us plan the
conference, to make sure
that we have the topics that
you want instruction and
information about, we are
holding a special session on
Friday, October 26 from 1 to
2 :30 pm in HHB128.
At this session we will give
you a chance to tell us what
topics you want covered at
the ITA Conference.
If you are an International
Teaching Assistant at UVic,
or will be in the Winter term,
please join us!
For more information on the
conference, check our website at
http://www.ltc.uvic.ca/servicespro
grams/taprod/ta_conf.php
Photos courtesy of ©
Margaret MacQuarrie [email protected]
University of Victoria
Harry Hickman Building, Room 126
3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2
TA/GS Newsletter Fall 2012
Fall 2012 TA Pro-D
Workshops
Learning and Teaching Centre
For full descriptions and registration, please see our current
calendar at http://ltc.uvic.ca/events/index.php
October
Avoiding Death by Paper: Surviving Essay
Marking
Wednesday, October 11, HHB 128
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Facilitator: Edward White, Department of
Sociology
Andy Farquharson TA Award Information
Session
Wednesday, October 22, HHB 128
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Facilitator: Crystal Tremblay, Department
of Geography
Formative and Summative Assessment:
what are they, how they connect, and
how to use them
Wednesday, October 24, HHB 128
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Facilitator: Ed Ishiguro, Department of
Biochemistry and Microbiology
Helping undergraduates succeed
Thursday, October 25, HHB 128
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Facilitator: Allyson Hadwin and Mariel
Miller, Department of Educational
Psychology and Leadership Studies
Teaching with PowerPoint
Thursday, October 25, HHB 128
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Facilitator: Marty Wall, Department of
Educational Psychology and Leadership
Studies
Reducing Student s’Anxiety when
Learning Statistics
Monday, October 29, HHB 128
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Facilitator: Stayc Voll, Department of
Curriculum and Instruction
November
Teaching Effectively Across Diversities
Monday, November 5, HHB 128
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Facilitator: Jin-Sun Yoon, Child and Youth
Care
Adjusting to a new cultural and
academic life: how to shape this
transition into a positive experience
Thursday, November 8, HHB 128
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Facilitator: Areli Valencia, Faculty of Law
Guest lecturing: effective planning and
design
Thursday, November 15, HHB 128
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Facilitator: Areli Valencia, Faculty of Law
Indigenous Knowledge Epistemology and
Pedagogy as Education Scholarship
Monday, November 19, HHB 128
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Facilitators: Jacquie Green, School of
Social Work
Teaching in a Computer Lab –
Challenges and Opportunities
Friday, November 23, HHB 128
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Facilitators: Jes Bassie, School of Health
Information Science
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