2008 AGENDA Annual Conference for Graduate Teaching Assistants Part of a Series of Orientations for New Graduate Students Trabant University Center and Gore Hall Co-sponsored by: Center for Teaching Effectiveness, Office of Graduate & Professional Education, Graduate Student Senate

The conference, an orientation to UD resources, policies, and best practices of learning and teaching, accommodates TAs across disciplines and with varied teaching responsibilities. We strongly recommend that department faculty highlight those sessions for the TAs that are most relevant to their instructional roles in the department. Concurrent sessions on instructional topics are facilitated by Senior Graduate TA Fellows across disciplines. These Fellows bring considerable teaching experience and knowledge of the UD undergraduate students to their sessions, and they model various ways of student engagement. Click here for their bios.

UDaily article, August 8

MONDAY, AUGUST 25
 

11:30 a.m. Registration – Trabant, in front of Multipurpose Room C Sign up for session on Library Services, browse and pick up instructional resources Trabant, Multipurpose Rooms A/B Please register and pick up your name tag each day for attendance purposes.  Thank you. You may want to bring a jacket for comfort as the air conditioning in buildings may be quite cool.

Noon Welcome and Lunch with Faculty and Peers (seating by discipline) Trabant, Multipurpose Rooms A, B, & C Havidán Rodríguez, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and International Programs Martha Carothers, Faculty Director, Center for Teaching Effectiveness (CTE) Gabriele Bauer, Conference Coordinator, CTE Nick Galasso, Conference Co-Coordinator, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Political Science & International Relations and CTE

1:15 p.m. TA Panel. Teaching at UD: Successes, Rewards, and Challenges - Trabant, Theater Heather Boyd, senior TA, History; Gina Henderson, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Geography; Lydia Romano, senior TA, Psychology; Jeffrey Spraggins, Dyer Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient and HETC Fellow, Chemistry & Biochemistry; Wilkey Wong, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Education Senior TAs reflect on their teaching experiences at the University of Delaware . They share tips, strategies and advice for helping students learn and becoming an effective teaching assistant. They also discuss how to make the most of the graduate assistantship for postgraduate career preparation. Discussion follows.

2:00 p.m. Plenary: You Must Be So Smart! How Mindsets Shape Your Students' Motivation in the Classroom - Trabant, Theater Beth Morling, Associate Professor, Psychology, Outstanding Advising Award Recipient, College of Arts & Sciences Do you think your abilities are fixed? Or can your abilities grow through effort? How about the students you will be teaching? Do they think their abilities can grow, or do they think they are fixed? It turns out that your mindset-what you think about your abilities-can fundamentally shape your educational experiences. Prof. Morling will discuss psychological research on these two mindsets. Then you'll brainstorm ways in which you can foster a healthy educational mindset in your students and yourself.

3:00 p.m. Break - Browse and pick up instructional resources in Multipurpose Room A/B

3:15 p.m. (till 4:30 p.m.) CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Select one) - Trabant, location TBA A session may draw more participants than expected. In those instances, please participate in another concurrent session. Arrive early for those sessions of particular interest to you. Teaching in Science Laboratory Settings: Tips from TAs Trabant, Multipurpose Room A Seung Hong, Assistant Professor and Laboratory Coordinator, Biological Sciences ; Stephanie Bolte, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Megan Mierswa, senior TA, Biological Sciences This session focuses on the practical matters of being a TA in a science laboratory. Faculty and senior TAs share their tips and facilitate discussions of real life situations that you may encounter. Teaching Discussion Sections in the Social Sciences and Humanities: Tips from TAs Trabant, Room 206 Kelly McHugh, senior TA, Political Science & International Relations; Dave Mueller, senior TA, Geography Leading a discussion session means that you help students learn the material by encouraging them to apply and discuss the material learned in lecture. The session prepares you for these multiple responsibilities: aligning your work with the instructor's expectations, reinforcing lecture material, explaining theoretical concepts, facilitating discussion of the readings, and teaching students how to figure out answers to questions themselves. Working with the Course Instructor: Being Part of an Instructional Team Trabant, Room 209/211 Terrence Harvey, Assistant Professor, Computer & Information Sciences; Li Jin, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Computer & Information Sciences; Tom Sheeler, senior TA, History This session addresses the following questions: What does the course instructor expect of you? What can you expect of the course instructor? How can you ensure consistency between your sections and the main class? How can you provide the instructor with feedback on students' learning? What contributes to an effective working relationship? Being a Graduate Student: How Can I Keep All the Balls in the Air? Also offered on Tuesday, August 26 Trabant, Multipurpose Room C Deborah Cohen, Psychologist, Center for Counseling & Student Development; Heather Boyd, senior TA, History; Heather Unger, senior TA, Biological Sciences Juggling coursework, research, teaching commitments and personal responsibilities can be demanding. This session looks at ways to allocate your time properly, set realistic expectations and limits for yourself and for others, and deal with stress.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 26
 

8:00 a.m. Registration – Trabant, in front of Multipurpose Room C Sign up for session on Library Services, browse and pick up instructional resources Trabant, Multipurpose Rooms A/B Please register and pick up your nametag each day for attendance purposes – thank you. You may want to bring a jacket for comfort as the air conditioning in buildings may be quite cool.

8:30 a.m. Bright Teaching Ideas: Awards Welcome by Michele Maughan, President, Graduate Student Senate, doctoral candidate, Animal & Food Sciences

8:45 a.m. Plenary. Valuing Diversity in Teaching and Academia - Trabant, Multipurpose Room A Judith Gibson, Retired Assistant Vice President, Affirmative Action & Multicultural Programs; Diane Wright, Instructor, B&E Accounting & MIS Welcome by Wunyabari Maloba, Assistant Vice President, Affirmative Action & Multicultural Programs, Associate Professor, History The University of Delaware values excellence in academia and promotes diversity as a significant aspect of learning. Because of our diverse backgrounds, we often are faced with opportunities to learn about ourselves and other people. In this session you become aware of how diverse backgrounds and expectations may influence your academic experience.

9:45 a.m. Break - Trabant Please go to Gore Hall, Third Floor for concurrent sessions.

10:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions - Gore Hall, Third Floor (Select one) A session may draw more participants than expected. In those instances, please participate in another concurrent session. Arrive early for those sessions of particular interest to you. Managing the Class – What Do I Do When . . .? Also offered on Wednesday, August 27 Gore Hall, Room 318 Pamela Kosick, senior TA, Mathematical Sciences; Heather Zaykowski, senior TA, Sociology & Criminal Justice In this session you identify issues related to class management such as student absences, personal difficulties, concerns about grades, and inappropriate or disruptive behavior. You discuss scenarios and develop strategies for preventing / responding to such situations and assess their appropriateness. Fostering Student Participation in Class Gore Hall, Room 303 Gina Henderson, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Geography; Kelly McHugh, senior TA, Political Science & International Relations Students indicate that when they participate in class, they tend to remember the material better and find it more interesting. In this session you will experience various ways to involve students in class and overcome their initial reluctance to join in. Especially helpful for teaching non- majors, first-year students, and introductory courses. Organizing and Presenting Course Content Effectively Gore Hall, Room 315 Megan Denver, senior TA, Sociology & Criminal Justice; Blair Lee, senior TA, Communication You examine aspects of effective presentation such as organization, use of examples, pacing, interactive delivery, and asking questions. The session addresses strategies for planning mini-lectures, effective ways of working with the board, overhead projector, and power point slides. Teaching Math Sections Effectively: Tips from a Senior TA Kara Maki, senior TA, Mathematical Sciences In these problem-solving sessions you are typically responsible for helping students apply concepts learned in the large lecture class by working through problems either individually or in small groups. This session gets you ready to engage students in interactive problem-solving, connect material to the course lectures, and answer student questions effectively. Teaching in the Foreign Languages Gore Hall, Room 316 Courtney Brunone, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Foreign Languages & Literature, French Education You become familiar with the purpose and unique nature of the entry-level foreign language classroom and the students' needs and expectations. This session invites you to informally discuss your teaching role and it links to the departmental orientation. Addressing Grading Issues and Proctoring Exams Also offered on Wednesday, August 27 Gore Hall, Room 320 James DiDomenico, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Nutrition; Kate Slaugh-Sanford, senior TA, English This session identifies issues that may arise while supervising the exam process and assessing the quality of student work. Presenters provide guidelines and suggestions for making the evaluation process transparent for both the students and the TA. This session is not focused on how to grade or how to determine grades as grading practices vary. Please consult your supervising instructor for course-specific grading policies and procedures. Being a Graduate Student: How Can I Keep All the Balls in the Air? Also offered on Monday, August 25 Gore Hall, Room 304 Deborah Cohen, Psychologist, Center for Counseling & Student Development; Denise Mayes, senior TA, Geography; Tom Sheeler, senior TA, History; Heather Unger, senior TA, Biological Sciences Juggling coursework, research, teaching commitments and personal responsibilities can be demanding. This session looks at ways to allocate your time properly, set realistic expectations and limits for yourself and for others, and deal with stress.

11:00 a.m. Break Please return to Trabant, Multipurpose Room A for panel discussion

11:15 a.m. (till 12:30 p.m.) Academic Policies, Integrity and Resources: Panel Discussion Trabant, Multipurpose Room A Sami Abdel-Salam, Project Director, Academic Enrichment Center; Becki Fogerty, Manager, Office of Women's Affairs; Holli Harvey, Assistant Director, Office of Judicial Affairs; Karen Mancini, Coordinator, ADA Program Moderator: Martha Carothers, Faculty Director, CTE The panelists address issues pertaining to academic dishonesty, learning diffculties, and harassment, and they outline University resources available to you and your students. This sessions is optional for international TAs due to their ITA program participation. Alternate Session for International TAs Open Forum: Tips and Tricks for Living in Newark and Navigating UD Jungling Ji, Plant & Soil Sciences; Hudaa Neetoo, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Animal & Food Sciences; Juris Pupcenoks, senior TA, Political Science & International Relations Bring your questions about housing, shopping, entertainment, transportation in Newark and the surrounding area.

12:30 p.m. Lunch (on your own) Food is available on campus at the Trabant University Center and Perkins Student Center. Fast food eateries and restaurants are located on Main Street.

Afternoon TA Orientation Programs Offered by Departments (contact your department)  Session on Library Resources for Your Teaching and Own Academic Work (please sign up Monday morning in Trabant, Multipurpose Room A/B) •  1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Eight Ways the Library Can Make Your Life Easier The University of Delaware Library, Reference Instruction Room 116A Michael Gutiérrez, Associate Librarian; Carol Rudisell, Librarian Did you know that students who receive library instruction are 42% more likely to cite scholarly sources in their papers? If you're wary of having students cite nothing but Wikipedia, this session is for you. Come and learn more about (1) library instruction classes tailored for your students; (2) basic and advanced research strategies; (3) the array of books, databases and electronic journals the library has to enhance your teaching and your own work; (4) RefWorks; (5) Ask a Librarian services for your students; (6) interlibrary loan; (7) course reserves, and (8) the Student Multimedia Design Center, a place for you and your students to create multimedia presentations and projects.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27
 

8:00 a.m. Registration – Trabant, in front of Multipurpose Room C Browse and pick up instructional resources Trabant, Multipurpose Rooms A/B Please register and pick up your name tag each day for attendance purposes - thank you. You may want to bring a jacket for comfort as the air conditioning in buildings may be quite cool.

8:30 a.m. Bright Teaching Ideas: Awards

8:45 a.m. Plenary. Student Voices at UD - Trabant, Multipurpose Room A Sendy Guerrier and Jimmy Howard, Complex Coordinators, Residence Life Panelists: Amy Jaramillo, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Peer Mentor, LIFE; Christopher McGoldrick, Economics & Finance, Peer Mentor, LIFE; TiAna Moffett, Engineering, Resident Assistant, Residence Life; Mike Poznansky, Political Science & International Relations Panel moderator: Nick Galasso, Political Science & International Relations and CTE Find out more about how students experience academic and student life at Delaware, what helps and hinders their learning, and how you can support them in their studies and life as college students.

9:45 a.m. Break – Trabant Please go to Gore Hall, Third Floor for concurrent sessions.

10:00 a.m.  Concurrent Sessions - Gore Hall, Third Floor (Select one) - Room location TBA A session may draw more participants than expected. In those instances, please participate in another concurrent session. Arrive early for those sessions of particular interest to you. Facilitator vs. Knowledge Dispenser: Active Learning Strategies to Guide Student Learning Gore Hall, Room 318 Julie Lloyd, Dyer Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient, Chemistry & Biochemistry and HETC Fellow; Chanele Moore, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Sociology & Criminal Justice Student feedback suggests that students want to be involved in their own learning by participating in hands-on activities, being involved in class discussions, and working in small groups. During this session, you explore the differences between active and passive learning. Presenters model active learning approaches (i.e., asking questions, working in pairs/groups, discussions) that you can use in any instructional setting. How to Avoid Death by Power Point Gore Hall, Room 303 Paul Hyde and Bryan Lanel, Consultants, IT-User Services; Jenifer Bianchi, senior TA, Sociology & Criminal Justice Power Point can be much more than a presentation tool for course content. You experience specific techniques that enhance students' comprehension. The facilitators demonstrate and discuss how to use Power Point effectively in your teaching. Planning Your Class Session: I Have 50 Minutes – What Do I Do? Gore Hall, Room 304 Nick Galasso, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Political Science & International Relations and CTE; Gabriele Bauer, CTE This session gives you a framework for planning each class session. You leave with a completed session outline that includes session goals, activities, and informal assessments: what do you want the students to learn, how will you help them learn it, and how will you know that they learned what you had intended. Low-Stakes, Easy-to-Grade Writing Gore Hall, Room 315 Dorry Ross, English and University Writing Center Low-stakes informal writing assignments help students learn because they add a writing and critical thinking component to your course without adding much grading time. Such assignments include minute writes, entry tickets, reading journals, double-entry journals, sequenced assignments, and free writing. You will receive a copy of Bedford/St. Martin's A TA's Guide to Teaching Writing in All Disciplines. Addressing Grading Issues and Proctoring Exams Also offered on Tuesday, August 26 Gore Hall, Room 320 James DiDomenico, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Nutrition; Kate Slaugh-Sanford, senior TA, English This session identifies issues that may arise while supervising the exam process and assessing the quality of student work. Presenters provide guidelines and suggestions for making the evaluation process transparent for both the students and the TA. This session is not focused on how to grade or how to determine grades as grading practices vary. Please consult your supervising instructor for course-specific grading policies and procedures. Graduate School : Making the Most of It For Your Postgraduate Career Gore Hall, Room 306 Nicole Ruggiano, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Urban Affairs & Public Policy; Wilkey Wong, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Education Your graduate degree will provide you with many opportunities, but how do you make sure that you are identifying and accessing the best resources to help you succeed after graduation? How can these resources support both your academic and professional development?  In an open dialogue, the panelists will discuss the various ways that resources on and off campus, such as faculty, colleagues, professional organizations, and workshops can be applied to your immediate and future benefit.

11:00 a.m. Break - Gore Hall

11:15 a.m. (till 12:15p.m.) Concurrent Sessions - Gore Hall, Third Floor (Select one) - Room location, TBA   A session may draw more participants than expected. In those instances, please participate in another concurrent session. Arrive early for those sessions of particular interest to you. Managing the Class – What Do I Do When . . .? Also offered on Tuesday, August 26 Gore Hall, Room 303 Michelle Mormul, senior TA and HETC Fellow, History, Heather Unger, senior TA, Biological Sciences In this session you identify issues related to class management such as student absences, personal difficulties, concerns about grades, and inappropriate or disruptive behavior. You discuss scenarios and develop strategies for preventing / responding to such situations and assess their appropriateness. Listening to Your Students: The Power of Early and Frequent Student Feedback Gore Hall, Room 304 Chanele Moore, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Sociology & Criminal Justice; Hudaa Neetoo, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Animal & Food Sciences The presenters introduce you to several ways to invite student feedback during the semester and to use it to improve your teaching and document your teaching effectiveness. You become familiar with easy methods to collect both midterm and end-of-term feedback. Finding Out What Students Already Know: How Do We Assess Prior Knowledge and What Do We Do With What We've Learned? Gore Hall, Room 315 Nicole Ruggiano, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Urban Affairs & Public Policy Is my course material too easy? Too difficult? Such questions are difficult to assess without understanding what students already know about a topic. Whether you are planning an entire course or an individual lecture, knowing what your students bring to the table can save you (and them) future agony. This facilitator will demonstrate specific ways on how to assess students' prior knowledge, and suggest how to use what you've learned effectively. How to Start : Teaching Your Own Course Gore Hall, Room 306 Bridget Brennan, HETC Fellow, Education The presenter shares principles and suggestions for teaching your own course: Identifying departmental goals for the course, clarifying departmental support and expectations, designing and communicating your goals for student learning, as well as planning teaching and assessment activities. This session is designed for TAs with prior teaching experience. Beyond Traditional Office Hours: Staying Connected With Your Students Gore Hall, Room 320 Matt Hudock, senior TA, History; Pamela Kosick, senior TA, Mathematical Sciences In the electronic age, students expect instructors to be available 24-7. Office hours are extended by email and instant messaging. The presenters share suggestions for assisting students on an individual basis in both face-to-face and virtual contexts. Open Forum: Tips and Tricks for Living in Newark and Navigating UD Gore Hall, Room 318 Ethan Frost, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Geography; Nick Galasso, senior TA and HETC Fellow, Political Science & International Relations and CTE; Erin Lewis, senior TA, Psychology; Sarah Trager, senior TA, Health & Exercise Sciences Come and bring your questions about housing, shopping, entertainment, transportation in Newark and the surrounding area.

12:20 p.m. Lunch Buffet and Closing Keynote - Trabant, Multipurpose Rooms A,B, and C Co-sponsored by the Office of Graduate & Professional Education and CTE Suresh G. Advani, George W. Laird Professor of Mechanical Engineering, 2008 Outstanding Graduate Student Advising and Mentoring Award Recipient Welcome by Mary Martin, Assistant Provost, Office of Graduate & Professional Education

Afternoon TA Orientation Programs Offered by Departments (contact your department)

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