TA Training Series offered at UI

Interested in using Facebook and Twitter as teaching tools? How about strategies for keeping drowsy students involved in the classroom experience?

These topics and many more will be addressed in a series of workshops for teaching assistants at the University of Iowa this fall. The Center for Teaching, Graduate College, College of Education, and COGS (Campaign to Organize Graduate Students) are working together to provide more systematic training for teaching assistants.

"Some departments say to their TAs, 'Here is the course you're teaching and here's the syllabus from last year.' We wanted to do something beyond that," says Dan Berkowitz, associate dean of student and administrative affairs at the Graduate College. "These workshops are an effort to enhance an important aspect of the graduate student experience."

COGS, the union for all teaching and research assistants at The University of Iowa, pointed out to the University during contract negotiations this summer that TAs needed more preparation to help them succeed in the classroom. The current two-year contract calls for the University to "provide training for teaching and research assistants consistent with the Iowa Code, Board of Regents, and University policies or when otherwise warranted."

"Our goal is to make sure that all teaching assistants and research assistants go into their appointments armed with a working skill set that enables them to do their jobs well," says Bill Peterson, COGS president. "This would improve the experience for students and graduate employees, and the overall image of the University. The Center for Teaching workshops are a great start, and we plan to continue working with the University to develop ways of improving graduate employee training across campus."

The university offered its first session, "Tips for Teaching," Aug. 28 for around 30 TAs and RAs.

"This is the best seminar I've ever been to. Everyone seemed engaged, and there were many different perspectives," says Lisa Johnson, a graduate student in sculpture who is teaching two classes this fall. "It made me sign up for all the other (sessions). Because the University has this support system for additional training, everybody felt much more confident when they left."

The remaining three workshops are "Motivating Student Learning" on Oct. 2, "Technology to Enhance Teaching" on Oct. 16, and "End-of-the-Semester Challenges" on Nov. 13. The first two sessions will be held in room 2520D of University Capitol Centre, and the final session will take place in room S401 of Pappajohn Business Building. All three sessions will run from 3 to 5 p.m.

Mitch Kelly, clinical associate professor in educational psychology, will present the "Motivating Student Learning" workshop. Several graduate students, including Kem Saichaie, Jocelyn Benson, and Viet Ha-Thuc, will lead the Oct. 16 event. Saichaie and Benson also are Student Instructional Technology Assistants (SITAs) for the UI's Information Technology Services.

The workshops are designed to be extremely interactive, with people learning from one another.

"I love working with TAs. They are bright and dedicated instructors on the cusp of becoming full-time professionals," says Jean Florman, director of the Center for Teaching, which reports to the Office of the Provost. "They are eager, excited, and passionate about what they are doing."

Registration is required, as space is limited. To register, call 319-335-6048 or visit www.centeach.uiowa.edu. For more detail on the sessions, visit www.uiowa.edu/~centeach/services/events.shtml.