Fall 2009 - Teaching Assistant Orientation
Click HERE to view the PowerPoint presentation for this session.
A teaching assistant is defined as a graduate assistant who spends some of his/her assistantship hours engaged in classroom teaching or other forms of indirect teaching.
All new teaching assistants are required to attend this orientation. Attendance for returning graduate teaching assistants who have already attended the TA Orientation in Fall 2008 is recommended but optional.
Session I
Library & Sllyabi
This session brings together Library Adminstration faculty and the Associate Dean of the Graudate College to discuss using library resources and developing syllabi.
Presenter: Dr. Crystal Gale, Library Administration & Dr. Thomas Tomasi, Associate Dean of the Graduate College
Session II
Teaching Introductory Courses
This panel, lead by Dr. John Catau, includes teaching assistants from various colleges and discusses working with freshman and teaching general education courses. The panel will also discuss the challenges of teaching introductory courses.
Presenter: John Catau, Associate Provost & Teaching Assistants
Session III
Legal & Ethical Issues
This session focuses on ethical, legal, and procedural issues. Topics covered include FERPA, sexual harassment, disabilities, and diversity in the classroom.
Presenter: Penni Groves, Legal Councel & Sebrinna Glenn, Assistant Registrar of Records
Session IV
Laboratory/Discussion Classes
This session identifies student involvement as a critical factor in discussion and laboratory sessions. The panel focuses on a variety of strategies that can assist teaching assistants in effectively managing student interaction and work in laboratory and discussion courses.
Presenter: Dr. Gloria Galanes, Communication & Dr. Tina Hopper, Lab Supervisor
Session V
Academic Integrity
This session identifies types of academic dishonesty, the reasons students engage in plagiarism and cheating, and describes teaching strategies that teaching assistants can employ to discourage academic dishonesty.
Presenter: Dr. Thomas Tomasi, Associate Dean of the Graduate College
Session VI
Managing Classroom Conflicts
This session focuses on beginning teachers who are often unsure how to set limits on student behavior without getting into unproductive classroom conflicts. This session describes common classroom conflicts and explores constructive ways to deal with conflicts when they do occur.
Presenter: Dr. Charlene Berquist, Director of the Center for Dispute Resolution
Session VII
Grading & Evaluation
This session focuses on grading and evaluation as the necessary ingredients of teaching and learning. Evaluation tools give teachers a way of measuring student learning. Grading gives students feedback on their academic performance. This session overviews different approaches to grading and evaluation and provides concrete strategies.
Presenter: Dr. Rebecca Woodard, Education Undergraduate Coordinator & Dr. Tona Hetzler, Department Head and Program Director Sports Medicine and Athletic Training