Winter 2024 TA Workshops - Full List

Culturally responsive teaching seeks to ensure that students maintain a rightful presence in the learning environment across all aspects of their intersecting identities (e.g., gender, race, college generation status, sexual orientation, class, etc.). In this interactive workshop facilitated by Petra Kranzfelder and Hillary Barron (from Bemidji State University), participants will learn how to use (1) students’ lived experiences to contribute to inclusive and equitable learning and (2) culturally responsive teaching strategies in their own practice.

Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement can be a challenge, and is required for most teaching positions and awards. At the same time, examining and articulating your teaching philosophy can help you to become a more effective instructor. As a participant in this workshop, you will work through a series of exercises to help you reflect on your teaching, and by workshop end you will have a draft outline of your teaching philosophy statement.

Are you a teaching assistant interested in non-academic positions, but are unsure how your skills translate? This workshop is for you! We will reflect on what opportunities outside of academia are available for graduate students, and discuss best practices and resources to leverage our experience as teaching assistants outside of academia.

How well are your teaching strategies working? How can you get useful, real-time feedback on your teaching? How will you respond when students have widely different perceptions of your teaching? In this workshop, you will evaluate different ways of reflecting on your teaching that help you grow as a TA.

Come learn about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and about how TAs can recognize, critique, and minimize barriers to learning for their students. In this workshop, you will learn about the differences in human learning and the many ways we, as educators, can customize and adjust our teaching in response, to maximize learning for all students.

A big misconception is that to maximize equitability in the classroom, instructors and TAs should maximize flexibility (no deadlines, no attendance policy, etc.) but high-structure course design increases equitability for students (per Inclusive Teaching by Hogan and Sathy). Although TAs don’t have complete control over the design of a course, we can discuss how TAs can increase the structure of a class through section design and activities, grading practices, etc., to increase equity in the classroom.

Creating lessons is essential, but how can we ensure those lessons are engaging for our students? In this workshop, you will use learning objective taxonomies and a lesson planning framework to design active, student-centered classes.

In this discussion group, we will explore the foundational concepts of equity and inclusivity in education as detailed in Ch. 5 of the book “From Equity Talk to Equity Walk,” available to download for free from the library. Participants are encouraged to read the book chapter beforehand, and engage in conversations around questions such as: How can we look at professional development with an equity lens? What are best practices to foster inclusivity in future teaching careers?

Creating a compelling Diversity Statement can be daunting, but it is increasingly important for most job applications and grants. Exploring and expressing your commitment to DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) can not only bolster your professional portfolio but also deepen your personal understanding of these essential values. In this workshop, participants will engage in guided activities to reflect on their commitment to DEIA, and to begin drafting their Diversity Statement.
This workshop counts to obtain the Certificate in Inclusive Teaching (CIT).

Come learn about the diversity of UCSB’s undergraduate students and how to support them from a perspective of inclusivity. In this workshop, you will explore communication and classroom strategies that promote community, and reflect on how your life experiences affect your interactions with undergraduates.

Students learn better when they are actively participating in the learning process rather than passively listening. In this workshop, you will differentiate between active learning and passive listening, identify elements that foster active learning, and apply a variety of instructional methods.

In this discussion group, we will explore the foundational concepts of equity and inclusivity in education as detailed in Ch. 4 of the book “From Equity Talk to Equity Walk,” available to download for free from the library. Participants are encouraged to read the book chapters beforehand, and engage in conversations around questions such as: How can we integrate equity-focused practices into teaching and mentoring roles? How can we drive collaborations inside and outside of the classroom?

Setting boundaries inside and outside of the classroom is becoming increasingly important to avoid burnout and to help us navigate relationships with students in a more positive way. In this interactive workshop, we will explore what boundaries are and how to implement practical tips to set boundaries and protect our own well-being.

In this discussion group, we will explore the foundational concepts of equity and inclusivity in education as detailed in Ch. 2 and 3 of the book “From Equity Talk to Equity Walk,” available to download for free from the library. Participants are encouraged to read the book chapters beforehand, and engage in conversations around questions such as: How can we apply equity minded data practices in the classroom? How can we build more inclusive environments?

In this discussion based-workshop (@ SRB, First Floor Multi Purpose Room), undergraduate students and graduate students TAs will come together to understand the foundations of mentorship, and explore best practices for aligning expectations and for creating a thriving mentorship relationships between mentors and mentees. Lunch will be provided.

How well are your teaching strategies working? How can you get useful, real-time feedback on your teaching? How will you respond when students have widely different perceptions of your teaching? In this workshop, you will evaluate different ways of reflecting on your teaching that help you grow as a TA.

In this discussion group, we will explore the foundational concepts of equity and inclusivity in education as detailed in the Introduction and Ch. 1 of the book “From Equity Talk to Equity Walk,” available to download for free from the library. Participants are encouraged to read the book chapters beforehand, and engage in conversations around questions such as: What does equity mean in today's educational system? How is inclusivity showcased within our classrooms?

Creating lessons is essential, but how can we ensure those lessons are engaging for our students? In this workshop, you will use learning objective taxonomies and a lesson planning framework to design active, student-centered classes.

TAs are responsible for creating, implementing, and evaluating assessments. But what makes a good assessment? How can we use assessment to support learning? And what are some reasonable ways to grade student work? In this workshop, you will use principles from evidence-centered design to make assessments more focused and impactful, and help you with practical grading strategies.

Students learn better when they are actively participating in the learning process rather than passively listening. In this workshop, you will differentiate between active learning and passive listening, identify elements that foster active learning, and apply a variety of instructional methods.

The session will provide tips on writing the CCUT teaching portfolio, including how to structure the portfolio, documenting student ratings, options for requirement 3, tone of narration, and more. Participants need to have completed at least two of the CCUT requirements.

Much of a TA’s role during section is to formulate generative questions, structure activities that check student understanding, and give effective feedback. In this workshop, you will explore several classroom-based assessment and questioning techniques that are based on the principles of giving effective feedback.

Over the last few years, faculty from UCSB's English for Multilingual Students (EMS) Program have interviewed international students, faculty, and TAs to identify students’ experiences with reading and writing across the curriculum. In this workshop you will engage in practical activities for developing students’ academic reading and writing skills in various academic disciplines.

If you're currently working on academic job applications, or applying for jobs outside of academia, come to our Pop-in Space to share experiences, questions, concerns, and work in progress with other grad students, and to get help from teaching, international, and career peers from Instructional Development and Graduate Division.

UCSB's Certificate in College and University Teaching (CCUT) program is designed for doctoral students who wish to demonstrate superior competence and experience in preparation for teaching at the university or college level. Official CCUT Certificates are issued by the Office of the Registrar and are noted on the student's transcript. Come to learn about the new updates to the program, and how to earn the Certificate. Please note that the CCUT Certificate can only be awarded in conjunction with a PhD or MFA degree.

Creating a compelling Diversity Statement can be daunting, but it is increasingly important for most job applications and grants. Exploring and expressing your commitment to DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) can not only bolster your professional portfolio but also deepen your personal understanding of these essential values. In this workshop, participants will engage in guided activities to reflect on their commitment to DEIA, and to begin drafting their Diversity Statement.
This workshop counts to obtain the Certificate in Inclusive Teaching (CIT).

TAs are responsible for creating, implementing, and evaluating assessments. But what makes a good assessment? How can we use assessment to support learning? And what are some reasonable ways to grade student work? In this workshop, you will use principles from evidence-centered design to make assessments more focused and impactful, and help you with practical grading strategies.

Much of a TA’s role during section is to formulate generative questions, structure activities that check student understanding, and give effective feedback. In this workshop, you will explore several classroom-based assessment and questioning techniques that are based on the principles of giving effective feedback.

Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement can be a challenge, and is required for most teaching positions and awards. At the same time, examining and articulating your teaching philosophy can help you to become a more effective instructor. As a participant in this workshop, you will work through a series of exercises to help you reflect on your teaching, and by workshop end you will have a draft outline of your teaching philosophy statement.