Higher Education Teaching Certification

Features

The non-credit, optional program is open to all graduate students (both at the Masters and Doctoral levels) who intend to become future faculty (regardless of discipline). There is no tuition charge for the program. The program is offered in an online environment (WebCT), supplemented with half-day on-campus seminars. Content areas are offered in five- or ten-week segments as outlined in the Content Area section. The online material and assignments are complimented by interactive on-campus evening seminars on designated weekdays. Graduate students may enroll in more than one content area in a given semester/session depending on offerings.

Content areas do not need to be taken sequentially; students must complete all program requirements before graduation, but they can determine the timing of the program elements to best accommodate their schedule and professional needs. Departmental advisement for sequencing program components is critical. Content areas are delivered throughout the academic year. Teaching certification is awarded upon completion of all program aspects and is included in the participant’s official transcript.

Pedagogical & Professional Content Areas

The program focuses on teaching as scholarly work and is based on the following elements:

• Research (on learning and teaching in higher education),
• Application (of learning theory on concrete learning contexts), and
• Reflection (on the effectiveness of teaching methodologies).

The program consists of two tracks: (1) pedagogy track including seminars on learning and pedagogy, and (2) academic career preparation track including seminars on faculty roles and academic job search. The pedagogy track has been designed to be taken concurrently with teaching appointments, typically early in the graduate program; the academic career preparation track has been designed to be taken one year prior to going on the job market. It is not recommended to enroll in the seminars during the final year of doctoral study when candidates are completing their dissertations.

You may access UDSIS for seminar offerings and dates.

Learning (UNIV-600) - [10 weeks during spring semester] - Syllabus (tentative)
This content area explores the cognitive, affective, and social aspects of the learning process. The coursework seeks to help participants develop skills to facilitate student learning in their respective disciplines. Please keep in mind that you need to be teaching at the time you're taking UNIV-600 since the course is applied in nature; i.e., you will have opportunities to apply the learning theory to concrete learning contexts in your discipline.

Pedagogy (UNIV-601) - [10 weeks during fall semester] - Syllabus (tentative)
This content area familiarizes participants with sound teaching principles and innovative teaching methodologies that pertain to their academic fields. The coursework has a practical orientation, and seeks to help participants enhance their classroom performance and teach effectively in their respective disciplines. Please keep in mind that you need to be teaching at the time you're taking UNIV-601 since the course is applied in nature; i.e., you will have opportunities to apply research on effective teaching and pedagogical practices to concrete instructional contexts in your discipline.

Faculty Roles (UNIV-602) - [5 weeks during summer session] - Syllabus (tentative)
This content area introduces participants to the range of faculty roles and responsibilities at different types of academic institutions. The coursework seeks to help graduate students identify their ideal academic setting, and understand the possibilities and responsibilities concomitant to such appointments.  The content area is designed to enhance participants' awareness of academic career options.

Academic Job Search (UNIV-603) - [5 weeks during winter session] - Syllabus (tentative)
This content area helps graduate students prepare for their insertion into the academic work place by focusing on Curriculum Vitae (CV) construction, teaching portfolio preparation, and refining of interviewing skills. This course is co-designed and co-taught by members of the Career Services Center and the Center for Educational Effectiveness.

Program Application and Enrollment

Graduate students need to have at least one semester of teaching experience (i.e., classroom instruction, studio teaching, discussion session facilitation, or laboratory instruction) prior to starting the program.  Interested students apply for admission directly to CFEE and include in their application a statement of support from a faculty member in the discipline. Students who completed their TA appointment in a department other than their home department may ask the faculty advisor in their home department for a statement of support. Students are advised to select faculty who can best speak to their role as a TA and instructional effectiveness as well as their career goals of becoming future faculty.

Each semester/term CFEE will enroll the graduate students in the content area(s) which they indicated on their course registration form.  Enrollment in the content areas will be limited to 20 participants to allow for maximum interaction. There is no tuition charge for the program. Note. Exceptions to the teaching experience requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applicable Experience. Graduate students who have completed similar content areas within their departments, the ELI's ITA Program, previous CFEE workshop sessions or university-wide pedagogical seminars (e.g., ITUE) may apply this experience to the program. The department needs to submit written documentation to CFEE on behalf of the graduate student. The Associate Director of CFE and the Assistant Provost for Graduate & Professional Education in coordination with interested departments will make a recommendation regarding the equivalencies and substitutions using the general content area parameters (specified in content area section).  The Associate Provost for Graduate & Professional Education will accept the recommendation. This collaborative procedure is designed to recognize the diversity of departmental training efforts currently in place, and to encourage further dialogue around TA development in the disciplines.

Program Requirements

To receive the teaching certification graduate students must complete coursework in (1) pedagogy track including seminars on learning and pedagogy, and (2) academic career preparation track including seminars on faculty roles and academic job search as follows:

• Learning (UNIV-600 010) Pedagogy (UNIV-601 010) Faculty Roles (UNIV-602 010) and
• Academic Job Search (UNIV-603 010)

The completion of each track entails:

• Completion of on-line readings, assignments, and course content application task(s) prior to or following on-campus seminar attendance.
• Attendance of pertaining on-campus seminars on selected weekdays during the academic year.

In addition, the participant must:

• Be observed by and receive reflective feedback by a faculty mentor in the discipline: Teaching Observation and Feedback by Faculty - you are advised to invite a faculty member in your discipline to observe your teaching who may also serve as a reference for your teaching effectiveness. More than one observation is recommended, if possible. The observation needs to be conducted while enrolled in the seminars.
• Document his/her teaching effectiveness via portfolio (reviewed by departmental faculty mentor and CFEE staff): Teaching Portfolio Completion
  To facilitate portfolio development, you need to participate in (a) teaching portfolio orientation session as part of your first or second seminar, and (b) teaching portfolio progress session as part of your third or fourth seminar. The complete portfolio needs to be submitted within two semesters after completion of all coursework, accompanied by a reflective statement on the teaching portfolio process.