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Assessing Student Work
Assessing Student Work in the Fine Arts
Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 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
Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 1:15 • Wednesday 2:45
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
Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 2:45
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
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 1:15
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
Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 1:15 • Wednesday 2:45
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
Wednesday 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
Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 2:45
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
Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 10:45 • Wednesday 2:45
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
Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 2:45
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
Tuesday 10:45 • Tuesday 1:15 • 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
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 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
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 10:45 • Wednesday 2:45
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
Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 10:45 • Wednesday 1:15
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
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 1:15
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
Tuesday 2:45 • 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 Lab Settings: First Day and Beyond
Tuesday 1:15 • Wednesday 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.
Teaching Math, Science & Engineering Quiz Sections: First Day and Beyond
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 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
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 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
Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 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
Tuesday 10:45 • Wednesday 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 2:45 • Wednesday 10:45
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
Adobe Dreamweaver I
Wednesday 1:15
In this introductory workshop, you will learn how to use Dreamweaver to assist you in building the HTML and CSS for your Web site. This industry-leading Web development tool enables users to efficiently design, develop, and maintain standards-based Web sites and Web applications. You can also use it to quickly integrate XHTML, CSS, JavaScript and other Web languages into your site. Knowledge from Technologies for Web Site Construction is assumed. Knowledge of HTML and CSS is not assumed, but it can be helpful.
Adobe Photoshop I
Tuesday 1:15
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 paint brush and selection tools, work with layers, and save your images. Additional topics are covered in Photoshop II.
Before You Build: Planning a Web Site
Tuesday 10:45
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 an overview of available Web-authoring software.
Giving Your Course an Online Presence
Tuesday 1:15 • Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 10:45 • Wednesday 1:15 • Wednesday 2:45
Did you know that 80% of students expect course information to be available online? Quickly organize your course information, collect and respond to homework, and have students discuss topics online. In this session, create an online discussion board using GoPost, an assignment turn-in area using Collect It, and a workspace using CommonView. Also learn about the new online gradebook.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
Wednesday 2:45
HTML is the underlying language of Web site coding. This workshop is designed to introduce you to the fundamental concepts of HTML. Knowing HTML allows you create your Web site exactly how you want it.
Technologies for Web Site Construction
Tuesday 2:45 • Wednesday 10:45
You will learn an overview of what techniques will help you plan and produce a Web site that meets your goals. You will learn about Web site layout and design, file uploading, downloading, and referencing, multi-browser capability, and Web server specifics. You will activate your UW-provided web site. You'll then learn how the other Web Publishing workshops fit together and how you can apply the rest of the Web Publishing (and other) Series to create beautiful, functional Web sites from scratch. Fluency in basic computing skills is assumed.
UW Computing Survival Skills
Tuesday 10:45
UW students, staff and faculty have access to a wide array of computing resources. In this comprehensive overview of campus computing, you will
learn about the technology services provided by Catalyst, including free web tools, computing workshops and learning spaces, as well as the technology services funded by the Student Technology Fee, and those provided as part of campus computing such as free Internet access, virus protection software, and personal Web space. You will also learn how to store and access documents with SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) and the practical and powerful ways to manage email.
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International TA Workshops
Getting to Know UW Students: Overview for International TAs
Tuesday 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
Tuesday 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
Wednesday 10:45
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
Wednesday 10:45
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.
Beyond PowerPoint: Infusing Your Presentations with Engaging Visuals
Tuesday 10:45
Do you want to make your visuals less boring? You can use Illustrator, Flash, and even Excel, in addition to PowerPoint, to enhance or replace the text in your visual presentations. This workshop will give you an overview of the tools available to create and manipulate visuals. We will see examples of visual presentations of course schedule and assignment information, along with discipline-specific illustrations, such as using maps for history or environmental studies, timelines for philosophy or sociology, diagrams for business or linguistics, photos for engineering or economics, and graphs for mathematics or psychology.
De-centering Your Classroom
Wednesday 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.
Establishing and Maintaining Positive TA/Instructor Relationships
Wednesday 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.
Introducing Undergraduates to Research Posters
Tuesday 1:15
Research posters are everywhere, yet few students know how to design a good poster. What about assigning a research poster instead of a paper in your undergraduate class? In this workshop, participants will learn specific techniques for designing a research poster project in place of a term paper for students . You will also learn how to guide students in finding appropriate topics, considering visual and academic aspects of their poster, choosing the right software, and using peer review as a learning tool. We will discuss ways to apply this idea across diverse disciplines and at different course levels.
Setting up a Classroom Climate: Ice Breakers and Introductory Activities
Tuesday 2:45
A good first day of class can set a positive tone for the rest of the quarter. Looking beyond course logistics, this workshop will cover a variety of first day activities to help students get to know one another preparatory to team and group work, and to promote a positive classroom climate. Participants will learn why certain introductory activities fail, while others leave a lasting impression. This workshop will give you practical experience to develop a positive classroom climate for the first day and beyond.
TA'ing by Committee: Coordinating TA Sections and Responsibilities in Large Classes with Multiple TAs
Wednesday 2:45
Are you a TA in a large course with multiple TA’s? Are you a Lead TA for a course with multiple TA’s? Coordinating course material and responsibilities with other TA’s ahead of time will help you to avoid confusion and wasted time. In this workshop, you will learn useful methods for sharing work, balancing the burden of course responsibilities, and interacting successfully with co-TA’s. Discussion will include both science and humanities/arts disciplines, with facilitators from different departments.
Teaching Fellow Graduate Students
Wednesday 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.
Who We Are Matters: A Lunchtime Conversation with Experienced Minority TAs
Wednesday 12:00 - 1:00 (Lunch served from 11:45 a.m.)
By George Cafe (Ground Floor of OUGL)
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.
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Teaching and Learning Resource Fair
The Teaching and Learning Resource Fair opens with Conference Registration at 8:15 on Tuesday, September 16. 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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