From January 16–19, 2023, the CTLT Teaching Assistant (TA) Institute includes a collection of workshops designed to support TAs as their roles change along with the move to online courses. The week of professional development workshops are open to graduate students and undergraduate TAs.
This year, workshops will be organized into five themes, and if you complete four workshops within a theme, and complete the related pre & post-session online modules as well as a theme completion form, you are eligible for a letter of completion that you can include in your Teaching Portfolio and CV. If you would only like to attend one session within a theme, you do not need to complete a pre & post-session module.
Session materials and relevant resources will be curated on the UBC Wiki to support your ongoing learning.
Eligibility Criteria:
Before the Institute starts (January 6 to 16th, 2023 at 11:59 PM):
- 1. Complete pre-session module(s) for the theme(s) you want to complete.
During the Institute (January 16 to 19th, 2023):
- 2. Fully attend 4 sessions under each theme you want to complete (this means arriving on time and participating until the end of the session).
After the Institute (complete by January 27th, 2023 at 11:59 PM):
- 3. Complete post-session module(s) for the theme(s) you want to complete.
- 4. Submit a theme completion form (only complete this form once—make sure to indicate all themes and all sessions that you have completed).
Download the complimentary TA Institute Checklist for ease of tracking the completion of each step.
TA Institute participants who meet the eligibility criteria for a Completion Letter will be receiving their letters by the end of March (see below for the eligibility criteria). If you meet the eligibility criteria and have any questions about the status of your letter after that date, please contact CTLT.TAInstitute@ubc.ca.
Establishing a Positive TA Experience Working with Faculty Members: Dos and Don’ts
Monday, January 16, 2023 | 10:00 am – 11:30 am | Zoom
Theme:
- Exploring and Supporting Inclusivity, Equity, Accessibility and Wellness
- Fundamentals of TAship
- Online Mode
More than ever, effective working relationships between TAs and instructors are key for students to feel supported in their learning. This workshop is intended for TAs who are thinking about how best navigate their interactions with faculty members in online course(s). In this session, we will identify key elements of an effective working relationship, brainstorm strategies for addressing challenges when working with faculty members, and develop communication plans.
Facilitators:
- Shaya Golparian, PhD. TA Development Educational Developer, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
- Emily Cadger, PhD Student, CUPE2278
Cultivating an Effective Classroom Environment and Community: In-Person and Online Settings
Monday, January 16, 2023 | 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Zoom
Theme:
- Exploring and Supporting Inclusivity, Equity, Accessibility and Wellness
- Experiential and Active Learning
- Online Mode
Cultivating a sense of community is an important part of creating an effective learning environment, but it may be challenging when students have diverse learning experiences with both in-person and online settings. This session will provide TAs with an opportunity to establish guidelines for supportive classroom environments and develop strategies to achieve these goals in both in-person and online classrooms. In particular, we will focus on how having a supportive environment connects with how we facilitate active learning approaches.
This session will also support TAs in identifying and addressing barriers for learners and how to design classroom strategies to create an inclusive community and safe space for learning. Be ready to engage as Charlotte and Lesley model a variety of activities for an active, experiential, and enriching peer-to-peer experience!
Facilitators:
- Lesley Wong, PhD Student, Faculty of Education
- Charlotte Trainor, PhD Student, Department of Math
Accessibility-centred Design: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments
Monday, January 16, 2023 | 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Zoom
Theme:
- Exploring and Supporting Inclusivity, Equity, Accessibility and Wellness
- Experiential and Active Learning
- Online Mode
When designing our lessons and curriculum, we often think about the content and what objectives we would like students to take away from our courses. However, we should also keep in mind that our students have diverse learning needs and, as such, we should design our courses and teaching instruction with proactive and flexible inclusive measures. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for supporting inclusivity and accessibility in our classroom, in this session we will reflect on our own experiences and discuss different classroom scenarios to identify barriers to participation and develop strategies to mitigate these. Together we will examine the classroom environment and the student needs for inclusivity and accessibility.
Facilitators:
- Alexandra Jewell, PhD Candidate, Department of Philosophy
Teaching with Integrity: Methods and Strategies for Fostering Academic Integrity in Your Classroom or Laboratory
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Zoom
Theme:
This two-hour interactive workshop will introduce graduate students to current concepts in academic integrity. We will examine misconceptions (both TAs/instructors’ and students’) about who commits academic misconduct, how, and why. We will introduce a framework for preventing academic misconduct that focuses on helping students understand the importance of acting with integrity and designing curriculum elements that encourage learners to do so. Participants will then put these methods and strategies into practice by designing materials they can use in their own teaching contexts.
Facilitators:
- Jessica Kalra, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Laurie McNeill, Professor of Teaching, Department of English Language and Literatures
Lecturing and Presentation Skills
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Irving K Barber Learning Centre, Seminar (Room 2.22)
Theme:
Attend this session to expand your skills in designing lectures and presentations! This workshop aims to be useful for those looking to advance their teaching and oral presentation skills.
Facilitators:
- Peter Grin, PhD Candidate, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Using the Experiential Learning Cycle to Create Impactful Learning
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Irving K Barber Learning Centre, Seminar (Room 2.22)
Theme:
As a learner and a teacher, you have likely found that learning is more impactful when it happens through experience. In this session, you will become familiar with a model of experiential learning used extensively in higher education, known as the Experiential Learning Cycle, and apply it to lessons that you expect to teach as a TA. This model is particularly valuable for understanding the function of active learning in helping learners construct abstract concepts from concrete experiences and transfer those concepts into new contexts. This session will give you an opportunity to incorporate this model into your own unique way of supporting your students’ learning as a TA.
Facilitators:
- Sophie MacDonald, PhD Candidate, Mathematics Department
- Julie McNutt, PhD Candidate, Department of Chemistry
Leading Discussions: Tutorials, Labs, & Lectures
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Irving K Barber Learning Centre, Seminar (Room 2.22)
Theme:
What can engaging discussions provide in a lesson? How may they benefit your learners and yourself as the instructor? In this workshop, we will explore the fundamental strategies of leading discussions in a variety of formats (tutorials, labs, and lectures of various sizes, both in-person and online). We will also invite you to share your concerns (based on real experiences or hypothetical situations) about challenging classroom situations that may arise, and how to address them.
Facilitators:
- Kelsey Wilson, PhD Candidate, Department of English Literature & Languages
- Kabir Bhalla, PhD Candidate, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Social Class in our Classes: How can I Support Students as a TA
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Irving K Barber Learning Centre, Seminar (Room 2.22)
Theme:
Socioeconomic class is a real issue that helps shape patterns of injustice in the wider culture and at the university, from ideas about the role of university education in society at large, to the everyday experiences of students in the classroom, and yet it is seldom openly discussed. In this session we will explore meanings of “class” and how they might factor into the classroom experiences of students through access to resources, networks, information, and a sense of personal agency. We will then discuss how TAs can proactively and reactively address these class-based issues in their teaching, and how they can contribute to raising class-consciousness.
Facilitators:
- Itamar Manoff, PhD Candidate, Department of Educational Studies
- Joseph Topornycky, PhD. Manager, Graduate Student Programs, CTLT
Learn About Your Rights as a TA: Intro to TA Union
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm | Irving K Barber Learning Centre, Seminar (Room 2.22)
Theme:
Being a TA is hard work. We’re in between our students and our instructors. Sometimes this is a comfortable place to be; sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Fortunately, our Collective Agreement (work contract) provides us with ample tools to make our work environment safe and enjoyable. Welcome to Your Union is an introductory session to all things TA union.
Facilitators:
- Emily Cadger, PhD Student, CUPE2278
Marking, Assessment, and Feedback
Thursday, January 19, 2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Zoom
Theme:
One of the most daunting tasks TAs have is marking, assessing, and giving feedback on exams, assignments, final papers, etc. A big challenge when doing this is ensuring fairness to all students and providing them support to help them perform better next time. In this workshop, we will come together to discuss the importance of rubrics, marking calibration, exam reviews, and develop ways to effectively guide students through their coursework.
We will also think about ways TAs can minimize burnout (e.g. effective marking practices, exam viewing options, chunking marking, balancing work-school, marking parties, etc.) We hope participants leave this session feeling equipped to effectively support students and themselves through this process.
Facilitators:
- Jonathan Agyeman, PhD Student, Department of Statistics
- Joey Manaligod, PhD Student, Department of Psychology
Teaching in a Time of Racial and Cultural Tension (How does Race and Culture Impact Your Teaching)
Thursday, January 19, 2023 | 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Zoom
Theme:
Many of our learners will face barriers and challenges because our academic world is built upon values of white supremacy. As teachers, teaching assistants, and facilitators of learning spaces, we can preempt these barriers and challenges and build support into our lesson planning and the ways in which we facilitate learning.
In this workshop, we will work together to develop tools and strategies that will help us support our learners who experience racism on and off campus. Participants will leave with new skills and tools they can take into their lesson planning and teaching assistant work in the future.
Facilitators:
- Meaghan Efford, PhD Candidate, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries
Make Technology Your Best Teaching Friend: Tools & Techniques for Online Teaching and Learning
Thursday, January 19, 2023 | 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Zoom
Theme:
As we are moving into an era where technology has become an integral part of our teaching, learning, and everyday life, it might be overwhelming to identify the best way to create an active learning environment for our “tech-savvy” learners in virtual, hybrid, or in-person classrooms. In this workshop, you will explore the various elements and applications of active learning, and create an adaptable “master resource” of the different online teaching tools & instruments that you can utilize in your different teaching settings to match your learners’ needs!
Facilitators:
- Tala Maragha, PhD Student, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry
Download the complimentary TA Institute Checklist for ease of tracking the completion of this year’s TA Institute.
Instructions to download the checklist
- Navigate to “File” in the top left corner.
- Click “Download” to download to your desktop OR click “Make a copy” to download into your Google Drive.