March 20, 2024: Writing Your Research Statement
"Applicants must submit a narrative describing their long-term vision for future research with an emphasis on bold projects that have potential for impacts within their areas of interests. The research statement should also summarize the candidate’s prior work as evidence for their potential vision." Statements like this are commonly found in position announcements with a research emphasis whether in academic institutions, state or federal agencies, or industry. How will you prepare your "research statement", how will it be structured, and what examples will you use to demonstrate your experiences and potential? Writing an effective research statement is an important first step to move you from being an "applicant" to an "interviewee". During this session, participants will engage in a discussion about strategies for preparing an effective research statement that leverages your experiences and demonstrates your potential.
Facilitator: Dr. Rique Campa (Senior Associate Dean, Graduate School and University Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife)
*This is part 3 of our 3-part workshop series.
March 13, 2024: Making the Best of Your Time: Navigating Multiple Responsibilities
This discussion session is a space for GTAs to share best practices to successfully navigate multiple roles, including studying, preparing for class, and doing research. Please join us AND share practices that have worked for you and learn from your fellow GTAs. Lunch will be provided. Your registration is commitment to join us in person.
Facilitated by The GTA TLC
March 11, 2024: Writing Your Diversity Statement
Many jobs, especially academic positions, ask students to submit a “diversity statement” with their application materials. Many job seekers, unfortunately, treat such a document as an afterthought, when in fact it is a powerful opportunity to think about and articulate our goals, values, and the kind of faculty member or academic leader we aspire to be.
In this workshop, we will walk you through the process of recognizing your identities and positionality, and the role of DEI in your teaching, research, service, and community efforts. At the end of this session, you will have a working draft to tailor according to your respective needs and to continue your efforts toward DEI.
Facilitators: Dr. Stefanie Baier and Dr. Hima Rawal
This is part two of our 3-part workshop series. Our next one is on Research Statement on Wednesday, March 20 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm.
March 6, 2024: Writing Your Teaching Philosophy Statement
Many academic positions require a teaching philosophy statement as one of the application materials to learn about a candidate’s teaching beliefs, values, and use of evidence-based teaching and assessment practices for effective instruction. In this workshop you will learn how to document your teaching and/or teaching professional development experiences to start crafting your teaching philosophy statement with the help of a rubric. At the end of this session, you will have a working draft of your teaching statement, which will encourage you to continue your efforts toward intentional and effective teaching and instruction.
Facilitator: Dr. Stefanie Baier (Director, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Instructional Development)
* This is part one of our 3-part workshop series. Our next one is on Diversity Statement on Monday, March 11 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm.
February 21, 2024: Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education (12:00pm to 1:00pm)
Adopting trauma-informed pedagogy requires intentional efforts, planning, dialogues, and constant self-reflection to foster equitable environments where students feel seen, valued, and appreciated. In this session we will discuss six equity-centered trauma-informed principles from Alex Shevrin’s book Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education, including helpful tips and activities that can be adapted for any teaching context. Participants in this session will develop ideas to incorporate these principles in their own instructional and work setting. We welcome everyone with an open heart and mind to engage in cultivating tools to add to their equity-centered teaching toolbox. Attendees do not need to have read the book to join the session.
Presenters: Gloria Ashaolu and Dr. Hima Rawal
February 9, 2024: Effectively Using Tech Tools to Enhance Student Learning
In this session, participants will learn about ways of using technology tools and strategies to effectively engage students in their learning. Attendees will leave with several tools for immediate use in their instructional setting.
Facilitator: Tianyi (Titi) Kou-Herrema is a doctoral candidate in the German Program in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at MSU. She received one of the University Excellence-in-Teaching Awards in 2022, is an active member of the GTAP Advisory Group, a former IIT Fellow and a current graduate school sponsored CTLI Graduate Fellow.
January 18, 2024: Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TILT) (11:00 am – noon)
Providing students with clear information about what to expect in a course and assignments provides equitable opportunities for college students and transparency and context for their learning. Research by Dr. May-Ann Winkelmas has shown that transparency in teaching not only helps students succeed in their individual courses but also increases student retention and overall success. In this session, we will discuss the TILT (Transparency in Teaching and Learning) framework and ways of making teaching and learning transparent for our students so that they can cultivate deeper interest in learning and reap the benefits of their hard work, especially those of underrepresented and first-generation status.
Facilitator: Dr. Stefanie Baier (Director, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Instructional Development, MSU Graduate School
January 31, 2024: Motivation in the College Classrooms (12:00 - 1:00 pm)
As instructors we are always looking for ways to motivate students to complete readings and assignments, and to want to attend class. In this session, we are discussing how we can apply theories of motivation in our teaching to increase student engagement and enthusiasm about learning. By the end of this session, you will have some actionable strategies to better support your students’ motivation.
Facilitators: Dr. Stefanie Baier, Dr. Hima Rawal, and The GTA TLC
December 13, 2023: Educator Wellbeing & Soulful Self-care (12:00 – 1:00 pm)
Many of us experience cognitive overload and overwhelm during this time of year. Intentionally taking care of ourselves is key to our overall wellbeing. In this gathering, we will share some self-care practices that show us how important it is to keep our bodies healthy and to nurture a healthy mind. Bring a friend, grab a blanket or pillow to be comfortable. Join us with a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate and relax. You are in for a treat!
Facilitators: Dr. Stefanie Baier, Dr. Hima Rawal and the GTA TLC
November 29, 2023: Dealing with “Challenging” Students (12:00 - 1:00 pm)
As an instructor, oftentimes one faces situations where the behavior of a student could be defined as “challenging”. This is particularly complicated for teaching assistants who often lack the same level of perceived authority as the faculty of record, who are more easily considered peers given proximity in age, and who are still learning classroom management strategies. This session will help teaching assistants better define what is meant by “challenging”, identify communication techniques for addressing behavior, and outline resources available for resolving student concerns.
Facilitator: Dr. Shannon Lynn Burton, University Ombudsperson
November 21, 2023: Writing your Diversity Statement: How to Commit to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (3:00 – 4:30 pm)
Many jobs, especially academic positions, ask students to submit a “diversity statement” with their application materials. Many job seekers, unfortunately, treat such a document as an afterthought, when in fact it is a powerful opportunity to think about and articulate our goals, values, and the kind of faculty member or academic leader we aspire to be.
In this workshop, we will walk you through the process of recognizing your identities and positionality, and the role of DEI in your teaching, research, service, and community efforts. At the end of this session, you will have a working draft to tailor according to your respective needs and to continue your efforts toward DEI.
Facilitators: Dr. Stefanie Baier and Dr. Hima Rawal
November 9, 2023: Small Changes, BIG Difference Makers: Strategies That Inspire Faculty and Student Success (3:00 - 4:30 pm)
Google ‘student success’ and ‘faculty success’ and you’ll find that there are about two times as many ‘student success’ results as ‘faculty success’ results. To say student success is a hot topic and central to our work as educators is clear and evident. Some, however, would argue that higher education cannot increase student success without focusing on faculty success, including equitable, engaged, active learning strategies that are successful for students and instructors. In other words, we need to focus on instructor and student success together. During this session you will have an opportunity to learn about strategies, resources, tools [including those suggested by students and some created by instructors] that GTAs can easily, and with minimal time, integrate into their teaching practices.
Facilitator: Mary Beth Heeder, Sr. Consultant and Project Manager for Student Learning and Success; Instructor, Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures Department, College of Arts and Letters
November 2, 2023: Writing Your Teaching Philosophy Statement: Who are you as an Educator? (4:00 – 5:30 pm)
Many academic positions require a teaching philosophy statement as one of the application materials to learn about a candidate’s teaching beliefs, values, and use of evidence-based teaching and assessment practices for effective instruction. In this workshop you will learn how to document your teaching and/or teaching professional development experiences to start crafting your teaching philosophy statement with the help of a rubric. At the end of this session, you will have a working draft of your teaching statement, which will encourage you to continue your efforts toward intentional and effective teaching and instruction.
Facilitator: Dr. Stefanie Baier (Director, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Instructional Development)
October 27, 2023: Effectively Engaging with Multilingual Learners in Diverse Undergraduate Classrooms (3:00 – 4:30 pm)
The undergraduate student population at MSU consists of diverse students who come from different linguistic and cultural (including classroom culture) backgrounds. Since the medium of instruction in most disciplines is English, many multilingual learners who do not speak English as their first language may find it challenging to navigate instruction, assignments, and course expectations. In this workshop, we will discuss ways of creating an effective and welcoming learning environment for multilingual learners in diverse undergraduate classrooms.
Facilitator: Dr. Hima Rawal, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Graduate School
October 11, 2023: How to Make Learning More Effective with High Impact Practices (12:00 – 1:00 pm)
High Impact Practices (HIPs) are specific strategies that help 21st century students succeed. In addition, HIPs are taken to a higher level when we incorporate eight key characteristics into our day-to-day teaching and instructional activities.
In this interactive session you will learn about the eight key characteristics that make learning high impact, discuss with others how these can be implemented in teaching and learning, and you will walk away with strategies to implement immediately in your teaching context.
Facilitator: Dr. Stefanie Baier (Director, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Instructional Development, MSU Graduate School
September 27, 2023: Writing a Research Statement: Where will your research program go in the future? (4:00 – 5:30 pm)
"Applicants must submit a narrative describing their long-term vision for future research with an emphasis on bold projects that have potential for impacts within their areas of interests. The research statement should also summarize the candidate’s prior work as evidence for their potential vision." Statements like this are commonly found in position announcements with a research emphasis whether in academic institutions, state or federal agencies, or industry. How will you prepare your "research statement", how will it be structured, and what examples will you use to demonstrate your experiences and potential? Writing an effective research statement is an important first step to move you from being an "applicant" to an "interviewee". During this session, participants will engage in a discussion about strategies for preparing an effective research statement that leverages your experiences and demonstrates your potential.
Facilitator: Dr. Rique Campa (Senior Associate Dean, Graduate School and University Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife)
September 13, 2023: Feedback for Instruction and Student Perceptions of Learning Survey (12:00 – 1:30 pm)
As educators we are continuously learning and improving our teaching practices. This continuous improvement relies on feedback. In this session we will share ways instructors can collect feedback from students about teaching. Furthermore, you will learn about how you will get your Student Perceptions of Learning Survey (SPLS) feedback at the end of the semester. You will walk away with an example for collecting feedback during the semester and discuss how to use this feedback for effective instruction. In addition, you will learn about what to prepare for when you receive your SPLS scores and how these can be useful to you.
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Dr. Stefanie Baier (Graduate School) and Dr. Nate Clason (Faculty/Academic Staff Development)
August 31, 2023: Navigating D2L Functions as GTAs: Q&A (2:00 – 3:30 pm)
You are in a new Graduate Teaching Assistant role and have started working with D2L, and as you do so, questions about various functions and use of these arise. This workshop is a Q & A session with MSU IT experts on D2L, Gradebook, Accessibility Checker, Checklists, etc. Join us if you have any questions and need assistance as you navigate the Learning Management System as GTA.
Presenters:
Sue Halick Information Technologist II
James Bender Information Technologist II
Mark Hodgins Training Program Developer III
June 14, 2023: Grading Practices (11:30 am - 12:30 pm)
As exams are approaching, GTAs and instructors in their various roles are navigating ways of grading effectively and providing valuable feedback to students on their learning. In this session, we will share grading practices, identify challenges, and find solutions for effective grading. We will also provide strategies to provide meaningful feedback to students and communicate with them about it.
Presenters:
Seth Hunt, Plant Biology
Sewwandi Abeywardana, Chemistry
Samara Chamoun, Mathematics
May 17, 2023: Navigating & Negotiating Your First Academic Position
Navigating the job market for academic positions is a complex process, from searching for positions to negotiating job offers. This session will provide insight into the multi-step process of applying for different academic positions (e.g., post-doc, R1, R2) and offer a how-to guide for navigating each step. Students will be walked through the process of preparing application materials, effectively reading job calls, submitting application materials, preparing for job interviews, and negotiating job offers.
Learning Objectives:
- To explore and identify proactive strategies to approach the job market with preparation and confidence.
- To understand what search committees are looking for in candidates and how to effectively prepare for job interviews.
- To offer tips and encourage students to advocate for themselves in the negotiation stage of the job market.
Presenter: Dr. Melissa Yzaguirre
April 11, 2023: Living Syllabus Session Dr. Sabina Vaught
"A revolution by education requires a revolution in education,” writes Russell Rickford in We Are an African People: Independent Education, Black Power, and the Radical Imagination. In this online session, we ask how our syllabi can be revolutionary experiments in reimagining and restructuring a small part of the vast educational project. Join to learn about and discuss one model for engaging a living syllabus--a syllabus that unfolds through collective processes in the context of one course.
Facilitator Bio: Sabina Vaught is a Professor and Director of the Kinloch Commons for Critical Pedagogy and Leadership. Dr. Vaught's research considers global carceral and liberatory knowledge movements broadly and the race-gender labor and conquest relationships among schools, prisons, and insurgent communities specifically.
Zoom Info: https://pitt.zoom.us/j/99753986074
April 5, 2023: GTAP TLC Virtual Lunch & Learn
As instructors we often present the students within our classrooms with opportunities to develop constructive collaborative behaviors. All too often, however, collaborative activities are presented to them with little to no instruction provided on how to actually collaborate. The skills and behaviors necessary for effective collaboration are often assumed by instructors to already be present and mastered in their students. In this session you will reflect on the use of collaborative learning in your own classrooms. You will learn about topics for instructional content to help you develop and reinforce constructive collaborative behaviors in your students.
Facilitator: Seth Hunt
March 22, 2023: Lunch and Learn and Listen
We appreciate all the intentional efforts of Graduate Teaching Assistants during challenging times. During this gathering we will share lunch while connecting with one another about teaching practices and learning experiences during this semester.
Lunch will be provided. Please indicate any dietary restrictions in the comments box when you register. We look forward to seeing you!
Facilitated by the GTA TLC
March 1, 2023: Diversity Statement Writing Workshop
Many jobs, especially academic positions, ask students to submit a “diversity statement” with their application materials. Many job seekers, unfortunately, treat such a document as an afterthought, when in fact it is a powerful opportunity to talk about your goals, values, and the kind of faculty member or academic leader you aspire to be.
In this workshop, we will walk you through the process of recognizing your identities and positionality, and the role of DEI in your teaching, research, service, and community efforts. At the end of this session, you will have a working draft to tailor according to your respective needs and to continue your efforts toward DEI.
Presenters: Dr. Stefanie Baier and Hima Rawal
February 17 and 20, 2023: Practical Strategies for Returning to the Classroom
Following the incident on campus, the campus community is processing what has happened and tries to find ways to move forward. In this session we will start by providing some suggestions for self-care and supports for GTAs and instructors. We will focus on practical strategies for going back to the classroom, making flexible arrangements, modifying the syllabus and assessments. All the strategies will integrate trauma-informed language and practices to help all educators navigate these challenging times.
Presenters: Sheila Marquardt, Stefanie Baier, Hima Rawal
February 15, 2023: Grading Practices CANCELLED
As midterms are approaching, GTAs and instructors in their various roles are navigating ways of grading effectively and providing valuable feedback to students on their learning. In this session, we will share grading practices, identify challenges, and find solutions for effective grading. We will also provide strategies to provide meaningful feedback to students and communicate with them about it.
Facilitators: Seth Hunt, Sewwandi Aweywardana, Samara Chamoun
February 1, 2023: Using Feedback to Improve Instruction
As educators we are continuously learning and improving our teaching practices. This continuous improvement relies on feedback. In this session we will share ways instructors can collect feedback from students about teaching. Participants will walk away with an example for collecting feedback, discuss how to design effective questions to elicit useful feedback from students on their learning, and reflect on how it can be used to improve instruction to impact instructor and student success.
Presenter/Facilitator: Dr. Stefanie Baier & the GTA TLC
December 14, 2022: Embodied Self-Care: Honoring the Body and Mind Connection
Many of us experience cognitive overload and burnout during this time of year. Intentionally taking care of ourselves is key to our overall wellbeing. In this gathering, we invite you all to join us for some self-care practices that show us how important it is to keep our bodies healthy to nurture a healthy mind. Bring a friend, grab a blanket or pillow to be comfortable. Join us with a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate and relax. You are in for a treat!
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier & Hima Rawal and the GTATLC
November 30, 2022: Having Difficult Conversations with Students
This Virtual L&L Best Practices in Teaching session will focus on how to effectively initiate and facilitate conversations about topics including (but not limited to) unexpected grades, learning progress, assumptions, biases, and inappropriate comments with students. In this session we will identify contentious topics, use these as teachable moments, and discuss and develop strategies to add to your educator toolbox. Participants can share their own experiences, pitfalls, and best practices. Anyone interested in this topic is welcome to join!
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier & Hima Rawal and the GTATLC
November 9, 2022: Learner-Centered Teaching
Effective teaching fosters an inclusive learning environment through organizing instruction to encourage students to be dynamic participants who think critically, and question assumptions and biases, and it draws on students’ lived experiences (Barkley and Howell, 2022).
In this session we will introduce characteristics and principles of student-centered teaching and share methods and activities that have worked for us to engage students in their own learning, using collaborative techniques, reflective practices, and effective note-taking strategies. After this session participants will be able to use effective learning-centered strategies, describe considerations for inclusivity, and share best practices for engaging students.
Facilitated by The GTA TLC
October 26, 2022: Writing Your Teaching Philosophy Statement
A teaching philosophy statement demonstrates your teaching beliefs, values, use of evidence-based teaching and assessment practices for effective instruction. Many jobs, especially academic positions, ask applicants to submit a “teaching philosophy statement” with their application materials. You also need a teaching statement for Teaching Award applications at institutional and regional levels. Additionally, if you intend to receive a Certification in College Teaching from MSU, your teaching statement is an important part of your teaching portfolio.
In this workshop, we will walk you through the process of recognizing your teaching values and collecting evidence of effective teaching. At the end of this session, you will have a working draft of your teaching statement, which will empower you to continue your efforts toward intentional and effective teaching.
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier
Director, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Instructional Development
October 12, 2022: Small Changes, BIG Difference Makers: Strategies That Inspire Faculty and Student Success
Google ‘student success’ and ‘faculty success’ and you’ll find that there are about two times as many ‘student success’ results as ‘faculty success’ results. To say student success is a hot topic and central to our work as educators is clear and evident. Some, however, would argue that higher education cannot increase student success without focusing on faculty success, including equitable, engaged, active learning strategies that are successful for students and instructors. In other words, we need to focus on instructor and student success together. During this session you will have an opportunity to learn about strategies, resources, tools [including those suggested by students and some created by instructors] that GTAs can easily, and with minimal time, integrate into their teaching practices.
Facilitated by Mary Beth Heeder, Sr. Consultant and Project Manager for Student Learning and Success; Instructor, Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures Department, College of Arts and Letters
Facilitator Bio:
Mary Beth is a Senior Consultant for Student Learning and Success and a Project Manager for the College of Arts and Letters. She also teaches a First Year Writing course for the Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures Department. All of the roles Mary Beth has held during her 40 years working at MSU and her research on the neuroscience of education, mindset science, compassion science, and purpose development are linked to her purpose for discovering what true compassion is and how it impacts all students so we can support them as we accompany them in their learning journey.
September 28, 2022: [pre] Prepping for the [submission] Call
Award, fellowship, grant, and scholarship submission calls often sneak up on us, and can sometimes feel overwhelming depending on the submission criteria one must gather amidst the academic year. With some pre-planning and forward thinking, you can have at least some of those materials ready to jump off your hard drive and into that submission call. Walk with me through my MAGS Excellence in Teaching Award submission journey, asking questions along the way and setting aside some of your own teaching goodies as we go.
Facilitated by:
T.J. Mesyn
Information and Media & Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education Ph.D. programs
Graduate Assistant—School of Journalism
September 14, 2022: Virtual Lunch and Learn Best Practices in Teaching
A few years ago, very few instructors at MSU depended on learning management systems and virtual meetings to interact with their students, much less designed their courses to be delivered online. Due to the long phase of emergency remote learning, teaching at MSU now may involve using many modalities, including face-to-face classroom instruction, synchronous hybrid instruction, blended learning, and fully online courses with or without virtual meetings. This session is NOT intended to inform you about the many ways in which you might be expected to deliver instruction. It is intended to turn the question on its head and ask what affordances and approaches, from the wide range available to us now, will help you to connect to your students and connect your students to each other as you strive to guide them toward the objectives of each course. Drawing on sociocultural theories of learning and social presence as well as practical tips for using D2L, Teams, and other tools, we will discuss your experiences, preferences, questions, and recommendations to each other as you move into the new academic year.
Facilitated by Dr. Amanda Lanier, Director of the FLT Graduate Programs at MSU
Presenter Bio:
Amanda Lanier (Ph.D., Georgia State University) is an applied linguist and language teacher educator who focuses on social and cultural aspects of language learning, teacher cognition, and technology in language teaching and learning. She began her career teaching English as a foreign and second language, and she has worked with teachers of over 20 languages and language varieties. Through her role as instructor and director in a fully online graduate program, MSU’s MA in Foreign Language Teaching (http://maflt.cal.msu.edu), Dr. Lanier has designed a dozen online graduate courses on topics including pedagogical methods, intercultural competence, language acquisition theories, and program development and administration and also become an advocate for online learning and teaching. Learn more, find teacher resources, and read brief articles at https://alanier.msu.domains.
https://maflt.cal.msu.edu/program-director/
https://linktr.ee/lanierlingvista
July 20, 2022: Keep the Momentum Going: CCT & Teaching Professional Development Scaffolding Session
Whether you are working on the competencies for your Certification in College Teaching, your Diversity Statement, or your Teaching Philosophy Statement, please join us for a scaffolding session to answer any questions you may have to complete your work. Please come to this session prepared with questions, identify your needs so you can set goals to complete your work, and we will provide resources, support and feedback.
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier and Dr. Rique Campa
June 29, 2022: Writing Your Teaching Philosophy Statement
A teaching philosophy statement demonstrates your teaching beliefs, values, use of evidence-based teaching and assessment practices for effective instruction. Many jobs, especially academic positions, ask applicants to submit a “teaching philosophy statement” with their application materials. You also need a teaching statement for Teaching Award applications at institutional and regional levels. Additionally, if you intend to receive a Certification in College Teaching from MSU, your teaching statement is an important part of your teaching portfolio.
In this workshop, we will walk you through the process of recognizing your teaching values and collecting evidence of effective teaching. At the end of this session, you will have a working draft of your teaching statement, which will empower you to continue your efforts toward intentional and effective teaching.
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier
Director, Graduate and Postdoctoral Instructional Development
June 15, 2022: Make it Stick: Science-based Learning Strategies
In this session several Graduate Teaching Assistants from various disciplines will discuss evidence-based strategies that can be used to make learning meaningful and relevant. We will also discuss common misunderstandings of learning which influence how we learn and teach. The discussion will be based on a book titled “Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning” by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel.
Facilitated by Ellen Searle, Chase Bruggeman, Hima Rawal, and Seth Hunt
May 25, 2022: Creating Teaching E-Portfolio
An electronic portfolio is a great way to showcase one’s experience, skills and research when building one’s career. It can be used to document one’s growth as educator, researcher, and professional. In addition, prospective employees can directly view a professional profile through accessing a personalized link. In this workshop, participants will explore platforms available to build their e-portfolio, especially to highlight their Certification in College Teaching. They will walk through simple steps of one e-portfolio platform and start drafting their own to expand on or to fine-tune what they have already created.
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier, Dr. Natalie Vandepol, and Hima Rawal
April 27, 2022: Mindful Relaxation Practices
Self-care is the key to our overall wellbeing. In this Lunch and Learn Session, we invite you all to join us, share and practice best self-care strategies to get you through the last couple weeks of the semester. Bring a friend, grab a blanket or pillow to be comfortable, brew a cup of tea and relax. Perhaps have a few index cards and a pen for notes to write down some of your new ideas and practices.
Facilitated by the GTA TLC
April 13, 2022: Effectively Using Tech Tools to Enhance Student Learning
In this virtual learn and learn session, Tianyi Kou-Herrema will share some of the technology tools and strategies to use them effectively for student success.
Presenter: Tianyi (Titi) Kou-Herrema is a doctoral candidate in the German Program in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at MSU. She is the winner of University Excellence-in-Teaching Award 2022. Please read more about Titi here.
In this workshop, we will walk you through theprocess of recognizing your identities andpositionality, and the role of DEI in your teaching,research, service, and community efforts. At the endof this session, you will have a working draft youcan confidently refine, and which will empower youto continue your efforts toward DEI in any space.
Presenters: Dr. Stefanie Baier & Hima Rawal
March 16, 2022: Assessment 102: Assessment in Practice
This is the second part of our two Assessment sessions in which Graduate Teaching Assistants from various disciplines will share how they align learning outcomes with assessments after using engagement strategies to maximize learning. Attendees will be able to articulate considerations for developing assessments, rubrics, and other methods to measure learning. They will also be able to immediately apply these assessment practices in their respective instructional environments.
Presenter:
Seth Hunt is a doctoral student in the Department of Plant Biology at Michigan State University.
Please read more about the presenters here: GTAP Advisory Group
February 23, 2022: Assessment 101: Aligning Learning Outcomes with Assessment and Learning Activities
This is the first part of our two Assessment sessions in which we will review how to write effective Learning Outcomes (Los) based on Bloom's Taxonomy. We will discuss the importance of LOs when creating assessments and learning activities. Attendees will write a learning outcome in their respective discipline, design a learning activity and assessment tasks, and get feedback from fellow GTAs.
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier and the GTA TLC
February 9, 2022: Teach Students How to Learn
This talk is based on a book "Teach students how to learn" by McGuire and McGuire (2015). The book explains how we can teach our students to become better learners, such that they become very comfortable with the material, and this would improve their grades as well. The book summarizes the strategies good learners follow; it also points out why people are not able to develop interest in the material. In this talk, Arya Gupta will discuss those strategies (both for teachers (to incorporate while teaching) and students (to use as learners), along with the research findings of the effectiveness of those strategies. Some of the other research findings discussed are outside of the book but can be easily found.
Presenter Bio:
Arya Gupta is a doctoral student with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University. His current research interests include Distributed Systems, Graph Theory, Theoretical Computer Science. He loves teaching Mathematics and Computer Science. With prior service for teaching assignments (as a TA) for three years, he has been serving as a GTA with CSE for more than one year at MSU (4 semesters). Arya is also a GTA Program Advisory Group Member.
January 26, 2022: Effectively Engaging Students in their Learning
As educators we are always looking for ways to engage students and help them consolidate their learning as well as critically reflect on their learning. In this session we will introduce five methods you can use in the online and face-to-face setting. We will start building a repertoire of these practices starting with a gallery walk, (virtual) sticky notes, short reflection activities and we welcome everyone to share their effective student engagement opportunities. After this session participants will be able to use up to five engagement strategies, describe considerations for inclusivity, and share best practices for engaging students.
Facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Baier (Director of Instructional Development for Graduate Students and Postdocs) and the GTA TLC
January 12, 2022: Student Support & Behavior Intervention
This session will focus on how The Office of Student Support & Accountability (OSSA) can support student success by ensuring a civil and inclusive learning environment based on academic and personal integrity. Participants will learn: how to support student learning in the classroom while also supporting student rights and responsibilities; how to effectively intervene and/or confront disruptive behavior; and how, when and where to seek assistance as needed.
Presenter Bios:
Rick Shafer has 35 years of higher education administration experience with a focus on student behavior and conflict resolution. Rick is also a certified restorative justice trainer for the International Institute of Restorative Practices, the University of San Diego Restorative Justice Center, and is a co-founder and leader of the RJ@MSU “movement”.
Josh Durbin has 15 years of higher education administration experience with a focus on residential education, student behavior and conflict resolution. Among his many duties at MSU, Josh convenes the Behavioral Intervention Team and coordinates our student conduct system.
January 5, 2022: Responding to Student Wellbeing Concerns
Students today face increasing pressures that can lead to emotional distress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even thoughts of suicide. As faculty and staff, we can take small steps that make a big difference. MSU has adopted an online conversation simulation program, Kognito for Faculty & Staff, to help us learn to notice signs of distress, use techniques to discuss our concerns, and, if necessary, refer students to appropriate resources. Please join us for this two-part training.
Facilitated by Dr. Sheila Marquardt
January 5, 2022: Academic Dishonesty Prevention & Intervention
In this session Dr. Shannon Lynn Burton (MSU Ombudsperson) will present key strategies in discussing the importance of academic integrity, as well as in preventing misconduct, both in its more traditional forms, as well as in the digital space. Additionally, university policies and procedures in responding to misconduct will be explored to assist you in navigating these conversations. Participants will have the chance to discuss scenarios and think about strategies for how to communicate clearly with students.
Facilitated by Dr. Shannon Lynn Burton
January 5, 2022: What is in Your Syllabus? A Syllabus Discussion
Syllabi are considered the recipe for success for students, but they also aid instructor success. In this session, advanced GTAs will discuss how they use the syllabus checklist, share best practices and considerations for developing syllabi. Participants will identify important elements of a syllabus, explain the importance of using clear language in helping students of all backgrounds succeed, and articulate how they can communicate expectations and a culture of care.
Facilitated by the GTA TLC
December 15, 2021: End of the Semester Self Care and Celebration
In our last Lunch and Learn Session of this semester, we invite you all to join us to share your best self-care technique as well as to practice a few with us. You can stay for as long or as little as you want. You can also just take this time to “lounge and learn”. Bring a friend, grab a blanket or pillow to be comfortable, brew a cup of tea. Perhaps have a few index cards and a pen for notes to write down some of your new ideas and practices. Let’s celebrate the end of the semester and play some mindfulness games as well!
Facilitated by the GTA TLC
December 1, 2021: Five Highly Effective Teaching Practices You Can Use Now
In this session, April Athnos will provide five teaching practices that any instructor or teaching assistant can incorporate into their courses now. These best practices will enhance the transparency and engagement with students while working intentionally toward the learning objectives of your courses. In addition to providing an overview of these practices, April will give examples of how she integrated them into her teaching.
Presenter Bio: April Athnos is a doctoral candidate studying Environmental and Resource Economics in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics. Her research agendas include economics pedagogy, water policy evaluation, and consumer food preferences for environmental attributes. Her teaching experience includes four semesters as a TA and seven semesters as instructor of record. Most recently she taught EEM 255: Ecological Economics, which she redesigned for asynchronous online delivery in response to the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. She aspires to employ the legitimate peripheral participation model to incorporate undergraduate research experiences into her future teaching endeavors.
November 17, 2021: Best Practices in Trauma Informed Teaching
Undergraduate and graduate students at MSU come to us with very diverse backgrounds and experiences that impact their preparation and learning. Adversity and other experiences, including the current pandemic impact student engagement with learning and faculty. This workshop will explore an understanding of universal approaches that are trauma informed and support student engagement. Principles of trauma informed work as well as best practices for trauma informed teaching will be explored and discussed.
Presenter Bio: Cheryl Williams-Hecksel is on the faculty of the MSU School of Social Work. Cheryl is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been with the School of Social Work since 2006. Prior to joining the faculty at MSU, she has spent more than 25 years in clinical and administrative roles in public and private child welfare and mental health agencies. She is the coordinator of the School’s Evidence Based Trauma Treatment Certificate. She is also involved in MSU’s work with the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute where she serves as coordinator of the University Partnerships team. Her work also includes consultation with social service agencies around their capacity to trauma informed. She is also one of the founders of the Trauma Services and Training Network at MSU, a collaborative grass roots effort of University faculty, staff and students to work towards creating a trauma informed University. Within this work, she is cofacilitator of a Learning Community that engages those in the MSU community that are working within their units and roles to implement trauma informed principles into their work.
November 3, 2021: Apprenticing into the Academy: Communities of Practice and Learning as Participation
When you work as a TA while completing your graduate studies, do you have the sense that the work you are doing now resembles and will prepare you for your future teaching responsibilities in a university context? We usually think of learning as mastery of content or skills, but all learning is really participation and identity construction (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998). Ideally, working as a teaching assistant ought to be apprenticing you into the role of a teaching professor. In this session, we will identify some of the reasons why the job of a teaching assistant does not always involve a learning process that aligns with your professional goals, and we will discuss strategies for tapping into your communities of practice to promote your own learning (McDonald & Cater-Steel, 2017). The session itself will also model ways of promoting interaction in online learning contexts.
Presenter Bio: Amanda Lanier (Ph.D., Georgia State University) is an applied linguist and language teacher educator who focuses on social and cultural aspects of language learning, teacher cognition, and technology in language teaching and learning. She began her career teaching English as a foreign and second language, and she has worked with teachers of 20 other languages and language varieties. Through her role as instructor and director in a fully online graduate program, MSU’s MA in Foreign Language Teaching (https://maflt.cal.msu.edu), Dr. Lanier has designed a dozen online graduate courses on topics including pedagogical methods, intercultural competence, language acquisition theories, and program development and administration, and she has also become an advocate for online learning and teaching. Learn more, find teacher resources, and read brief articles at https://alanier.msu.domains.
Completing the Circle Listening Session
Wednesday, October 20, 2021, noon to 1:00 pm
During Part I of the Small Changes – BIG Difference Makers: Strategies That Inspire Faculty and Student Success Learn at Lunch Session, the premise that higher education cannot increase student success without focusing on faculty/instructor success was suggested. Strategies, resources, tools that GTAs can easily integrate into their teaching practices were shared. We have completed only a portion of the circle. If we are going to impact student learning and success, we believe it is necessary and important to listen to you. You are invited to share 1) what you need as a GTA to support your teaching and learning, 2) what you imagine faculty and student success might look like and steps we might take to operationalize our visions, 3) other thoughts to help ensure your success along with your students’ success. We value, appreciate, and recognize your scholarship, expertise, and your gifts as we consider how we might optimize educator and student success. All are welcome to share their thoughts and/or listen as we, together, continue to complete the circle.
Facilitator Bio: All of the roles Mary Beth has held during her 40 years working at MSU are linked to her passion to help all students be successful as they navigate the exciting but often overwhelming college experience. Her current work in the College of Arts and Letters focuses on facilitating the integration of academic and student affairs in the College of Arts & Letters to create a seamless student experience across curricular and co-curricular opportunities. In addition to her student learning, student success, and faculty success work, Mary Beth enjoys teaching First Year Writing for the Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures Department. Her research interests include how students learn; curriculum and purpose development; mindset science; social psychological interventions and student achievement; how dignity and empathy impact teaching, learning, student and faculty success.
October 6, 2021: Turning a Lecture Hall into a Classroom: Best Practices for Engaging Students in Large Enrollment Classes
We will share the format we have developed to convert our lecture halls into active classrooms, both online and in-person. Our goal is to provide more opportunities for students to practice applying the concepts they are learning and get feedback on their work during each class meeting. We use a variety of technologies to reach this goal, and a very well organized D2L site. We will share all of this and provide a snapshot of a "week in the life" of our students.
Facilitator Bio: Dr. Kirstin Parkin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. She is also a FAST Steering Committee member, FAST Mentor, and a passionate instructor.
September 22, 2021: Identities and the Culturally Responsive Educator: Strategies and Applications
This session will provide a background into the concept of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) and how an instructor’s personal identity impacts how they approach their practice and interact with students. Next, we will discuss strategies to facilitate the application of CRT in classrooms settings and conclude with reviewing any questions attendees may have.
Facilitator bio: Oyesola Oluwafunmilayo Ayeni is a 5th year Doctoral student in the Ecological/Community Psychology program at Michigan State University. Funmi’s area of research focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of culturally appropriate interventions for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence from diverse backgrounds. In her teaching, Funmi applies culturally relevant strategies to provide quality instruction to students while ensuring equity and inclusion.
September 8, 2021: Small Changes, BIG Difference Makers: Strategies That Inspire Educators and Student Success
During this session you will have an opportunity to learn about strategies, resources, tools [including those suggested by students and some created by instructors] that GTAs can easily, and with minimal time, integrate into their teaching practices. In addition to learning about small changes you can make that have the potential to powerfully impact student learning and instructor success, you will be invited to share what you need as a GTA to support your teaching to help ensure your success along with your students’ success.
Facilitated by Mary Beth Heeder, Sr. Consultant and Project Manager for Student Learning and Success, Office of the Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education
Facilitator Bio: All of the roles Mary Beth has held during her 39 years working at MSU are linked to her passion to help all students be successful as they navigate the exciting but often overwhelming college experience. Her current work in the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education focuses on faculty and student success, educator professional development, and strategic process improvement. In addition to her student success work, Mary Beth enjoys teaching; she has taught First Year Writing for the Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures Department.
August 25, 2021: GTA TLC Virtual Kick-off Session
In this session new GTAs have the opportunity to connect with experienced GTAs about teaching, and can ask them anything about their journey, get some teaching tips, and learn about best practices.
Facilitated by GTA Teaching and Learning Community (GTA TLC)
January 20, 2021: Engaging Students Through Technology Tools
Teaching remotely requires new tools and platforms to engage students. In this session the GTA TLC will discuss technology tools such as Padlet, Kahoot, Zoom Annotate and Flipgrid. We invite everyone who wants to learn more about these tools or who has used these before to share best practices in implementing these engagement tools.
Facilitated by Hima Rawal, Stefanie Baier and the GTA Teaching Learning Community (GTA TLC)
February 3, 2021: Making Learning Experiences High Impact
Michigan Universities are part of the Liberal Education and the American Promise Initiative which aims at empowering individuals in higher education to prepare students in dealing with complexity, diversity, and change. In this session we will learn how the 8 key elements of High Impact Practices can enhance your teaching to help students succeed.
Facilitated by Stefanie Baier, Curriculum Developer at the MSU Graduate School
February 17, 2021: Introduction to Undergraduate Mentoring
Many graduate students work very closely with undergraduates as instructors and often become their informal or formal mentors. In this session we will discuss some ways of establishing a successful mentor-mentee relationship using boundaries, contracts, goal sheets and more. We invite everyone who is trying to learn more about UG mentoring as well as those who have established successful mentoring relationships to share their practices.
Facilitated by Stefanie Baier, Curriculum Development Director, Graduate School
March 3, 2021: Mindset & Empathy in the College Classroom
Although empathy and mindset are attracting attention among educators because of their potential to change students’ behaviors, how they learn, and how students and instructors relate to one another, they are often overlooked as instructors think about their teaching pedagogy and practices. During this session we will consider research and share stories, tools, and strategies that can be used to move empathy and mindset from the sidelines to the front and center of our work.
Facilitated by Mary Beth Heeder, Office of the Associate Provost of UG Education
Facilitator Bio: All of the roles Mary Beth has held during her 39 years working at MSU are linked to her passion to help all students be successful as they navigate the exciting but often overwhelming college experience. Her current work in the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education focuses on faculty and student success, educator professional development, and strategic process improvement. In addition to her student success work, Mary Beth enjoys teaching; she has taught First Year Writing for the Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures Department.
March 17, 2021: Difficulties Students Face when Taking Classes Remotely
This session will be a conversation and discussion about challenges students face when taking classes remotely, as well as how these can be addressed successfully.
Facilitated by the GTA Teaching & Learning Community (GTA TLC)
March 31, 2021: Metacognitive Strategies to Increase Student Learning
In this session we will be discussing a chapter from Saundra McGuire’s book “Teach Students How to Learn” book. You will receive the reading about a week in advance.
Facilitated by the GTA Teaching Learning Community
April 14, 2021: Applying Theories of Motivation in the Classroom
As instructors we are always looking for ways to motivate students. In this session we are discussing how we can apply theories of motivation in our teaching to increase student engagement and enthusiasm about learning.
Facilitated by the GTA TLC
May 5, 2021: Spring Conference on Teaching, Learning, and Student Success (Academic Advancement Network)
TLC During a Pandemic: Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) Build A Community Through Sharing Teaching Practices
In this presentation, we shared our virtual community, the GTA TLC (Teaching Learning Community), which afforded GTAs the opportunity to connect across disciplines and physical distance to share best practices, tools, technologies, methods, and ways of effective teaching.
Presented by Stefanie Baier, Hima Rawal, Seth Hunt, and Rosanne Renauer
May 12, 2021: Rethinking Syllabi for Remote and In-person Classes
Syllabi are considered the recipe for success for students. Therefore, it is important to be aware about using clear and inclusive syllabus language to help students of all backgrounds succeed, as well as to communicate expectations and a culture of care.
Facilitated by Hima Rawal, Stefanie Baier and the GTA Teaching & Learning Community
May 26, 2021 Recognizing Mental Health Challenges in Students: Using Kognito as a Tool to Start the Conversation
Addressing mental health is very important for our own well-being. It is also helpful to learn how to acknowledge and recognize students’ mental health challenges to navigate college success and overall personal wellness. For this purpose, we are going to discuss how to use Kognito as a tool to start the conversations about mental health and resources on campus. Together, we will explore Kognito, an online conversation simulation MSU has adopted.
Facilitated by GTA Teaching & Learning Community
June 9, 2021 Writing Your Diversity Statement
Many jobs, especially academic positions, ask students to submit a “diversity statement” with their application materials. Many job seekers, unfortunately, treat such a document as an afterthought, when in fact it is a powerful opportunity to talk about your goals, values, and the kind of faculty member or academic leader you aspire to be. In this session, Kayon Hall (HALE) will walk you through the process of understanding what is expected in a strong diversity statement and help you clarify the values you will highlight in your own diversity statement. At the end of this session, you will have a draft document that you can confidently refine, knowing it represents you well.
Facilitated by Kayon Hall (HALE)
Presenter Bio: Kayon Hall is a PhD candidate in HALE program. Kayon’s research focuses on DEI, and anti-black racism in higher education. Her current work examines the intersection of race and immigration status. Prior to MSU, Kayon worked eight years as an administrator in student affairs, including serving as Associate Director of Career Planning and Employer and Graduate Relations at the College of Wooster.
June 23, 2021 Using #iteachmsu to Share Best Practices in Teaching & Learning
In this session we will introduce everyone to the GTA TLC page on the #iteachmsu platform. We will discuss how GTAs can use #iteachmsu to share any content, best practices in teaching and learning, and create a community platform that leverages the funds of knowledge GTAs constantly co-construct over time. We will discuss different modalities as well as articles, playlists, and videos to share on the #iteachmsu platform.
Facilitated by GTA Teaching & Learning Community and Makena Neal
July 21, 2021 Creating Electronic Portfolios
In this workshop, participants will explore platforms available to build their e-portfolio, especially to highlight their Certification in College Teaching. They will walk through simple steps of an e-portfolio platform and start drafting their own to expand on or to fine-tune what they have already created.
Facilitated by Stefanie Baier and Siba El Dallal
