Teaching Assistants' Training Program

Joel Rodgers, TATP Course Instructor Training Coordinator
The TATP Course Design Institute will provide you with an introduction to the principles and process of course design. Guided by experienced teachers, facilitators, and collaborators, you will learn how to design (or re-design) a course of your choosing in order to enhance students’ learning experiences. This institute is intended for graduate students preparing to apply for course instructor positions, as well as experienced graduate student instructors seeking to hone their design skills. During the day, you will draft the outline of a course proposal (including outcomes and an assessment scheme), as well as the outline of a lesson plan or activity for one session of the course.

Completion of the whole institute will count as two core workshops toward the Teaching Fundamentals or Advanced University Teaching Preparation certificate. Attending just the morning or just the afternoon session will count for one core workshop. A pizza lunch will be provided to participants who attend the entire day.

Fundamentals of Course Design from Outcomes to Assessments (9:30 to 12:30)
This 3-hour workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of course design, from outcomes to assessments. We will outline the elements of effective outcomes and assessments, and we will address some of the logistical questions about course preparation (e.g. course readings) that affect decisions in course design. During the session, you will draft and receive feedback on the basic elements of a course proposal, and you should leave the session with a framework for a newly developed or redesigned course, including a general course outline, outcomes, and assessment scheme.

Lunch (12:30 to 1:15)

Crafting Better Classroom Experiences for Your Students (1:15 to 4:00)
This 2.5-hour workshop will explore four key areas that affect teaching a course from week to week: 1) how to deliver course material better through lecturing and discussion, 2) how to design and facilitate in-class activities, 3) how to make course material “relevant” and accessible to undergraduate students; and 4) how to incorporate educational technology and other multimedia in the classroom. We will discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to key area. During the session, you will draft or revise a lesson plan for one week of your proposed course, especially to match the outcomes and assessments developed during the morning session.