Assessing Student Work
Assessing Student Work in the Fine Arts
Monday 2:45 • Tuesday 10:45
This workshop will explore ways of assessing student work in the more subjective disciplines like art, music, creative writing, etc. We will examine strategies for clearly communicating to students 1) how they are being evaluated before they complete assignments, and 2) why their work does or does not meet instructor expectations. We will discuss how to develop a list of expectations and evaluative criteria, assign grading value to those items, and build a grading matrix based on that information.
Grading Homework, Exams, Lab Reports, or Problem Sets
Monday 1:15 • Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 10:45
This workshop presents important considerations for assessing student work, including: grading consistently, communicating your grading criteria to students, giving constructive feedback, and managing your time when grading large amounts of student work. Because grading practices vary widely, we will also discuss strategies for learning more about grading in your specific TA assignment.
Note: Grading essays or other extended writing assignments is addressed in “Responding to Student Writing and Assigning Grades.”
Responding to Student Writing and Assigning Grades
Monday 2:45 • Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 9:15
TA responsibilities in many departments are likely to involve responding to student writing. In this workshop, you will learn strategies for responding to writing in ways that are helpful to students and time-efficient for instructors. We'll talk about how to tailor feedback to an assignment, tips on preventing plagiarism, and on-campus resources to help students hone their writing skills.
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Effective Teaching
Activities to Engage Your Students in Learning
Monday 10:45 • Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 9:15
This workshop will emphasize approaches for designing, leading, and assessing activities that help engage students in the learning process. We’ll discuss a range of activities – such as ungraded quizzes, “minute papers,” and group work. The workshop will focus on activities that can be used in a variety of instructional settings.
Note: Using whole-class discussions to engage students will be discussed in the “Planning and Facilitating Discussions” workshop.
Dealing With Difficult Classroom Situations
Monday 2:45 • Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 9:15
This session addresses some challenging situations that TAs might face in the classroom. You will learn about strategies to prevent and/or respond to issues such as disruptive student behavior, cheating and plagiarism, or student challenges to grades.
Disability as Diversity in the Classroom
Tuesday 1:15
This workshop introduces the relationship of disability and teaching in the college classroom. It provides practical information for instructors who may have students with disabilities in their classes. This workshop examines how different ways of teaching limit or facilitate the learning of students with disabilities. The workshop also addresses issues relating to instructors with disabilities, and highlights UW's disability resources for both students and instructors.
Including All Students: Teaching in the Diverse Classroom
Monday 1:15 • Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 10:45
Even the most well-meaning instructor can still create classroom environments that make some students feel like they don't "belong" because of their social, cultural, or economic backgrounds. This workshop will use case studies to explore how certain ways of presenting material and interacting in class can exclude students, and will discuss strategies for creating equitable learning environments.
Motivating Students to Learn: Linking Principles of Learning to Teaching
Monday 1:15 • Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 9:15
The first step in designing teaching strategies that make coursework doable, meaningful, and enjoyable for students is to understand what helps them learn. In this workshop, we will discuss teaching tips that are grounded in research on how students learn. Relevant for all types of courses, this workshop will be especially helpful for teaching non-majors, introductory courses, and freshmen.
Planning and Facilitating Discussions
Monday 1:15 • Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 10:45
Classroom discussions can be the most exciting – and challenging – part of teaching a class. In this workshop we will be addressing strategies for planning different types of discussions and for developing effective questions and follow-ups that provoke students' interest.
Note: Small group work is covered in “Activities to Engage Your Students in Learning” and problem-solving sessions are addressed in "Teaching Math, Science, & Engineering Quiz Sections"
Presenting Information Effectively
Monday 1:15 • Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 10:45
In this workshop, we will examine aspects of effective presentations such as: organization, examples, visuals, pacing, and delivery. We will discuss ways to overcome the fear of public speaking and to assess the effectiveness of presentations. Although our primary focus will be on lecture, these skills can also be useful in other presentation formats.
Understanding Who Your Students Are
Monday 10:45 • Tuesday 2:45
This workshop provides an opportunity to learn about your UW students before you meet them on the first day of class. Information generated by a number of programs and research projects on this campus will provide you with a sense of undergraduate student expectations, backgrounds and concerns, as well as ideas about ways experienced TAs have made use of this information in working with their classes.
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Professional Development
Balancing Graduate School Demands
Monday 10:45 • Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 9:15
Graduate students typically have to juggle multiple responsibilities: studying, teaching, research, and personal life. In this workshop, participants will share and discuss strategies for setting and prioritizing goals, managing time, and dealing with stress.
Gathering and Using Student Feedback to Improve Your Teaching
Monday 2:45 • Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 10:45
This session introduces several ways to gather student feedback and use it to improve your teaching. In addition to looking at the end-of-quarter student evaluation forms, you will examine options such as online and in-class mid-quarter surveys or classroom assessment tasks.
Juggling TA, Grad Student and Parent Responsibilities
Monday 10:45 • Tuesday 2:45
This workshop is designed for TAs who are parents of young children. We will discuss the challenges involved in juggling TA, graduate student, and parent responsibilities. Together we will generate practical ways of dealing with these challenges, find out about support networks, and reflect on a variety of strategies collected from UW TAs.
Starting Your Teaching Portfolio
Monday 2:45 • Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 10:45
If teaching is part of your future professional life, now is a good time to think about starting a teaching portfolio that documents your teaching experiences and the improvements you make. In this workshop you will learn what a teaching portfolio is, how it can be useful for you to have one, how to start developing a teaching philosophy statement, and documenting your work as an instructor.
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Types of TA Assignments
Teaching in Computer Lab Settings: First Day and Beyond
Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 10:45
This workshop offers ways to help students learn in computer lab settings. We will identify goals of lab instruction, ways to plan and facilitate effective lab sessions, and strategies for a successful first day of class.
Note: There is a separate workshop, “Teaching in Lab Settings.”
Teaching in Lab Settings: First Day and Beyond
Monday 1:15 • Tuesday 2:45
This workshop offers ways to help students learn in science and engineering lab settings. We will identify goals of lab instruction, ways to plan and facilitate effective lab sessions, and strategies for a successful first day of class.
Note: There is a separate workshop, “Teaching in Computer Lab Settings.”
Teaching Math, Science & Engineering Quiz Sections: First Day and Beyond
Monday 10:45 • Tuesday 1:15
During “quiz” sections, TAs are typically responsible for helping students understand and apply concepts learned in large lecture classes. This workshop will include: setting frameworks and expectations for the section on the first day of class, an overview of TA roles in quantitative problem-solving quiz sections, aligning section content with lecture, and strategies for fostering active student learning.
Teaching Modern Languages: First Day and Beyond
Monday 10:45 • Tuesday 2:45
In this session, we will discuss feedback from UW students on the teaching methods they find helpful for learning languages. Our discussion will include different approaches to common language learning issues, as well as ways to help resolve possible differences between student perceptions of what they need and instructors’ understanding of effective language learning approaches.
Teaching One-to-One in Office Hours & Study Centers
Monday 2:45 • Tuesday 1:15
Teaching students in one-to-one situations offers excellent opportunities for student learning. In this workshop we will examine ways to: encourage student use of office hours and study centers; use one-to-one teaching opportunities to promote student ability to work independently; and anticipate and prepare for a variety of questions, issues and challenges which may arise in office hour and study center situations.
Teaching Social Science & Humanities Quiz Sections: First Day and Beyond
Monday 10:45 • Tuesday 1:15
During “quiz” sections, TAs are typically responsible for helping students understand and apply concepts learned in large lecture classes. This workshop will include: setting frameworks and expectations for students for the section on the first day of class; an overview of TA roles in discussion-based quiz sections; aligning section content with lecture; and strategies for fostering stimulating student discussions.
Teaching Your Own Class: First Day and Beyond
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 9:15
This workshop is designed to help TAs who are assuming primary responsibility for a class as part of their transition into leadership roles. We will touch on the many practical issues TAs face when they run their own class: conveying expectations and establishing authority/rapport on the first day, reserving equipment, making arrangements for students with disabilities, dealing with difficult classroom situations, grading, and where to go for information on related University policies. Although we will not address course design in detail in this workshop, we will provide a list of resources to help you through this process.
Note: You need not be designing a class from scratch to find this workshop helpful.
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Online Tools for Teaching and Learning
Before You Build: Planning a Web Site
Monday 2:45 • Tuesday 2:45
Taking time to plan your Web site will save you time and result in an easier-to-use site for your audience. You will learn about the planning process, Web site design, Web-publishing options at the UW, and available Web-authoring software.
Creating a Course Web site (SimpleSite)
Monday 10:45 • Monday 1:15 • Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 9:15
Did you know that 80% of students expect course information to be available online? In this workshop, you will learn to plan, create, format, and manage a course Web site using the Catalyst SimpleSite tool, a Web application that allows you to create template-based Web pages using only a Web browser. You will also create links to other Web sites, and files, such as the course syllabus.
Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
Monday 2:45
Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard for image editing. This robust program will help you enhance your photographs and images, and give your work a professional edge. In this introductory workshop, you will learn how to navigate Photoshop's toolbars and pallets, create text, use the paintbrush and selection tools, work with layers, and save your images.
Introduction to Digital Audio & Video
Tuesday 2:45
Working with digital audio and video can be simple. In this introductory workshop, you will learn how to create impressive A.V. presentations with Apple’s iMovie and Garageband, as well as how to podcast those presentation with iTunes. We’ll show you how to plan and execute your project, including transferring audio and video to a computer, editing and archiving your finished product. While you won’t walk away from this overview having mastered these technologies, you will have a clear idea of how to approach your audio/video project, and what tools and resource are available through Catalyst.
Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint
Monday 1:15
With Microsoft PowerPoint, you can create digital-slide presentations. In this workshop, you will learn how to organize and prepare slide presentations, add animations, complement your visuals with sound clips and, most importantly, avoid PowerPoint abuse. Other topics include using transitions, editing master slides, and using action buttons. You can apply these techniques to enhance your next class presentation.
Online Discussions and Homework Drop Box (GoPost and Collect It)
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 10:45
Learn how to use Catalyst's GoPost to increase student participation and Collect It to organize homework collection. For this session, you will have the opportunity to participate in an online discussion and then create your own board using GoPost. We will also cover how to use Collect It, the new online tool, which allows you to collect and respond to students' homework.
OUGL Technology Studios - Open House
Monday 4:00 • Tuesday 4:00
Catalyst, a division of Commuting & Communications, is driving innovations in teaching and learning through the deployment of innovative technologies in informal spaces. Join us for a tour to experience first-hand, creatively designed learning spaces, which respond to the ways students, faculty, staff and researchers learn and interact through the use of technology. During the tour you will be introduced to the suite of informal spaces, which include the Digital Audio Workstation, the Collaboration Studio, and the Digital Presentation Studio.
Overview of Web Publishing Tools, Resources and Training at the UW
Tuesday 10:45
In this workshop, you will learn to navigate the world of Web publishing with emphasis on the tools, resources and training available free at the UW, as well as activate your UW Web account, a critical first step to accessing the Web publishing space you've already paid for with your student technology fees. You will also learn the basics of Internet file management and referencing. Lastly, you’ll get an overview of technologies (HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, etc) found on "real-world" Web sites.
Podcasting: Distributing Audio and Video Files via the Web
Tuesday 1:15
What's all the fuss about this podcasting thing? Podcasting, which uses RSS technologies, provides an easy method to deliver digital content -- from audio and video clips to text documents -- via the Web. The primary focus of this hands-on workshop is the method for distributing existing audio/video content via the Web. Other topics covered include basic XML, RSS feeds, and advanced iTunes integration. To learn how to create digital audio and video content, you can attend the Catalyst workshops on Apple iMovie and Apple GarageBand. Knowledge from Intro to Web Publishing is not assumed.
UW Computing Survival Skills
Monday 10:45
UW students have access to a wide array of computing resources. In this overview of campus computing services, you will learn about the learning commons, free Internet access, virus protection software, and your personal Web space. You will also learn how to store and access documents with SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) and the most practical and powerful ways manage email.
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International TA Workshops
Getting to Know UW Students: Overview for International TAs
Monday 1:15
This workshop will have two parts: first, we will discuss the make-up of the student body at the UW and the unique role that teaching assistants play; then, we will provide an overview of the ITA program and ways the program can help you succeed as a TA.
This session is required for all international TAs in their first year of teaching. For additional information, see Requirements for International Graduate Students.
Panel Discussion With Experienced International TAs
Monday 2:45
In this question and answer session you will have the opportunity to hear from international TAs on their experiences learning to be effective teachers at the UW.
This session is required for all international TAs in their first year of teaching. For additional information, see Requirements for International Graduate Students.
Communicating in American English
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 9:15
In this workshop, we will discuss ideas for improving English fluency on your own, identify resources on and off campus that can help with English, and practice a few key methods for improving pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition, and listening comprehension.
This session is recommended only for non-native English speakers who want to build their confidence in using spoken English.
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Special Topics
Been There, Done That? Adjusting to Re-entering Academe
Monday 2:45
Are you heading into graduate work after a full career? (Or after age 40? Or both?) Many TAs in this situation struggle to adapt to the different roles and expectations that are imposed upon them: how to read and grade efficiently, how to relate to their classmates, how to work with undergraduate students, and how to navigate campus resources. In this session, participants will discuss strategies for managing these activities and will begin to build a network of colleagues on campus who share similar concerns.
Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered: The Undergraduate & the Research Assignment
Monday 1:15
What are instructors asking of undergraduate students when they assign research projects? In this workshop, we will deconstruct typical assignments from a variety of disciplines and analyze the research skills that are necessary for student success. We will generate strategies for designing research assignments and for supporting students' research needs. We will identify resources and services on campus that can be useful as you create research assignments and as you support students who are working on preexisting projects. Whether you create assignments yourself or support those created by faculty, this workshop will give you practical experience and ideas to bring to your classroom.
Building Community Around Your Teaching Within Your Department and Across Campus
Monday 2:45
Many TAs discuss and share teaching practices with other TAs to find peer support and to refine their teaching strategies. These teaching communities can also be places to develop and share informal or scholarly classroom-based research about teaching and learning. This panel session introduces participants to several teaching communities created by and for graduate students from across the university. Participants might join these communities, use them as models for creating similar groups, or identify future collaborators for doing teaching-focused research. Panel participants represent Industrial Engineering, English, Oceanography, Communication and Practical Pedagogy.
De-centering Your Classroom
Monday 1:15
Students in “de-centered” classrooms are often given greater responsibility for aspects of course design, the types of assignments they complete during the quarter, and the ways in which they demonstrate their learning. By shifting the responsibility for these activities away from the instructor, students are positioned to critically and creatively engage with course material, to listen to and interact with their peers in meaningful ways, and to take initiative for their own learning. This workshop will model various techniques for de-centering your classroom, and participants will discuss how these strategies might be employed in their courses.
Developing Your Teaching Philosophy
Wednesday 9:15
One of the most important aspects of teaching is knowing why you do what you do. Reflecting on the idea that we may consciously or unconsciously employ core philosophies in our classrooms can provide a clearer path to our pedagogical practice. A statement of teaching philosophy can also demonstrate one's approaches to teaching for prospective employers. This workshop will explore how you can develop a conscious and practical teaching philosophy in order to create ongoing and dynamic learning environments.
Establishing and Maintaining Positive TA/Instructor Relationships
Tuesday 1:15
This workshop aims to prepare new TAs to become accustomed to the diverse teaching and work styles of their instructors. As a new TA, aligning your teaching and work styles with those of the various instructors with whom you will work will benefit you and the students in your classes. Issues addressed include ways to adapt to the many different kinds of roles that instructors envision for their TAs, appropriate workload, strategies for communicating effectively with instructors, and ways to resolve difficulties that arise. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their teaching/work style before beginning TA work, and by the conclusion of the session, they will be able to ask appropriate questions of their instructors regarding expectations and responsibilities.
Surviving Successfully, One Quarter at a Time
Tuesday 1:15
Many graduate students, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the quarter system, find it challenging to pace their teaching activities throughout the quarter to meet the multiple demands of a supervising professor and the students in their classes. In this workshop, participants will learn how to approach quarter-long planning related to lesson plans and classroom activities, how to link these activities to course objectives, and how to maintain a "student-centered" perspective throughout the 10-week term. Participants can expect to leave this session with concrete strategies for sustaining student engagement with course activities throughout the quarter.
Teaching Fellow Graduate Students
Tuesday 10:45
Teaching fellow graduate students often presents unique challenges. In this workshop we will discuss such topics as overcoming apprehension and effectively teaching your peers, motivating graduate students, understanding graduate student expectations, and working with students with diverse educational backgrounds and life experiences. We will provide our experiences as teaching assistants within the School of Public Health, and solicit the experiences of participants from other departments.
Understanding the “Student” in Student-Athlete
Monday 2:45
The objective of this session is to familiarize TAs with the kinds of academic issues faced by student-athletes at UW and to offer perspectives on how Student-Athlete Academic Services (SAAS) can assist TAs in interacting and communicating with this student population. In addition to tackling some of the myths and stereotypes associated with student-athletes, the session deals with topics related to student-athlete travel, policies concerning make-up tests and assignments and other official UW policies concerning student-athletes.
Using Debates and Role Playing in the Classroom
Tuesday 10:45
Instructors are occasionally confronted with student resistance to discussing controversial subjects and may wonder how best to keep a few vocal contributors from silencing the rest of the class. Structured activities like debates and role playing exercises can create an effective 'safe space' for students, provide boundaries for acceptable behavior, and engage the entire class. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to contestation as a teaching strategy and will discuss strategies for successfully introducing these kinds of activities in their classrooms.
Using Examples from Popular Media to Make Science Relevant to your Students
Wednesday 9:15
Research indicates that student learning is enhanced by an instructor's ability to effectively engage students with course activities and materials. In this workshop, participants will explore how to bring in relevant examples from popular media to stimulate engagement around a variety of scientific topics. This workshop will help TAs learn (1) where to search for examples from popular media; (2) how to relate these examples to course content; and (3) what kinds of activities could be used to introduce these examples in the classroom.
Who We Are Matters: A Lunchtime Conversation with Experienced Minority TAs
Tuesday 12:00-1:00 p.m. (lunch served from 11:45 a.m.)
Walker Ames Room, Kane Hall
Sooner or later, most TAs realize that our social backgrounds—that "who we are"—matters in our teaching. Our personal histories influence our interactions with students, our approach to the material we teach, and our relationships with other TAs and faculty. And for TAs from traditionally underrepresented groups, our social identities can be an even greater factor. Those of us who identify as people of color, GLBTQ, women, working class or poor, persons with disabilities, international, as well as ethnic, indigenous, religious and other minorities, can face particular kinds of challenges in the classroom.
If you are interested in learning more about how some minority TAs at the UW have met these challenges, please join us for lunch and roundtable discussions with experienced instructors from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. We'll have good food, interesting people, and information about resources available to you on campus, so we hope to see you there. While this lunchtime discussion is geared to the concerns of traditionally underrepresented graduate students, anyone with an interest in classroom identity is invited to attend.
Seating is limited, and lunch will be provided for those who register in advance. If you would like to attend, please be sure to include this session when you submit your TA Conference Registration.
Working Effectively with Non-Native Speakers (ESL students) in Your Classroom
Tuesday 10:45
Most UW TAs will find that some of their students each quarter will be non-native speakers. These students, for whom English is not a first language, have particular talents, expectations and needs that can be incorporated into your planning for their learning. Both cultural and linguistic information, as well as helpful instructional strategies and resources, will be shared.
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Teaching and Learning Resource Fair
The Teaching and Learning Resource Fair opens with Conference Registration at 8:15 on Monday, September 17. After you check in at the Registration Desk, come to the second floor of Kane Hall for complimentary coffee, tea, and pastries, and find out about UW offices and centers that provide resources for TAs.
The Resource Fair will remain open after the first plenary session until concurrent workshop sessions begin at 10:45. For a list of UW centers, offices, and programs represented at the Teaching Resource Fair, see the Teaching and Learning Resource Fair information page.
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