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GATAcademy 2010: FASS is a full-day professional development event for graduate assistants (GAs) and teaching assistants (TAs) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Workshops feature material and activities for both new and experienced GAs/TAs. The event is supported by the Centre for Teaching and Learning and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Note: All workshops are repeated twice during the day. To register for the time you would like to attend, click on the title of the workshop and then click "Register" on the right hand of the screen. Please don't forget to register for the delicious FREE lunch!

Past offerings

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Thursday, September 2, 2010

8:30 AM

2010 FASS GATAcademy Registration

Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 08:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Location: Toldo Lower Lobby
The registration desk will be open from 8:30am. Please come and register and collect your resource package and see some friendly faces to get you started.

9:20 AM

2010 GATAcademy FASS Opening Plenary

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 09:20 AM – 09:55 AM
Location: Toldo 100
Instructors: Nick Baker, Alan Wright
The opening plenary session will welcome the 2010 FASS GATAcademy participants, and will discuss the important role that GAs and TAs play in education at the University of Windsor. Alan Wright, Vice Provost, Teaching and Learning and Nick Baker, Learning Specialist/GATA Co-ordinator will welcome participants. The session will also include activities that will set the stage for the rest of the day so it is important that participants attend the opening session.

10:00 AM

Session 1: GA/TA Professionalism: How to walk the tightrope between student and professor expectations

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: Toldo 100
Instructors: Rhodora Badian, Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale

Walking the tightrope between constructive criticism, empathy and motivation is not always straightforward when it comes to performing as a GA/TA. Student expectations, coupled with the demands of a position that expects the highest level of integrity, can sometimes lead to blurred lines of communication. This workshop will help you assimilate 10 Principles for Effective TAs/GAs. You will also learn some tips for occupying the simultaneous roles of student and teacher.

This workshop is repeated at 10:00am and 12:30pm. Please sign up for at least one of these timeslots!

Session 1: Getting started: Your first semester as a GA/TA

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: Toldo 102

Making 'it' look easy usually requires effort. To be an effective GA or TA you will be required to balance a multitude of responsibilities. This seminar will provide you with tips, tricks, and interactive scenarios designed to assist you in your transition from student to GA/TA. It is our goal to prepare you to be of maximum benefit to your students.

This workshop is repeated at 10:00am and 12:30pm. Please register for at least one of these sessions

Session 1: The art of explanation

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: Toldo 202
Instructors: Betsy Keating

How do you get your point across? How do you explain complex ideas to confused people who have just graduated high school? Surprisingly, forty minutes of pointless droning rarely helps students understand. Effective teaching requires effective explanation - a skill that anyone can develop through knowledge and - most importantly - practice. This workshop will help you understand the strengths and limitations of your own explanation style, while providing you with additional explanation techniques that can be integrated into an adaptive teaching strategy.

This workshop will be repeated at 10:00am and 2:15pm. Please sign up for at least one of these sessions!

12:30 PM

Session 2: Dynamic Discussions

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 12:30 PM – 02:00 PM
Location: Toldo 200

Discussion can be a powerful way to teach and to learn. But it can also be intimidating to face a room full of faces and wonder, What if no one wants to say anything? How can I get them started? And what do I do when they have nothing left to say? Using active, discussion-based methods, this workshop will introduce you to some techniques for setting a comfortable atmosphere, stimulating discussion through the use of questioning strategies, and dealing with that dreaded moment when discussion just fizzles out!

This workshop is repeated at 12:30pm and 2:15pm. Please sign up for at least one of these timeslots!

Session 2: GA/TA Professionalism: How to walk the tightrope between student and professor expectations

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 12:30 PM – 02:00 PM
Location: Toldo 100
Instructors: Rhodora Badian, Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale

Walking the tightrope between constructive criticism, empathy and motivation is not always straightforward when it comes to performing as a GA/TA. Student expectations, coupled with the demands of a position that expects the highest level of integrity, can sometimes lead to blurred lines of communication. This workshop will help you assimilate 10 Principles for Effective TAs/GAs. You will also learn some tips for occupying the simultaneous roles of student and teacher.

This workshop is repeated at 10:00am and 12:30pm. Please sign up for at least one of these timeslots!

Session 2: Getting started: Your first semester as a GA/TA

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 12:30 PM – 02:00 PM
Location: Toldo 102

Making 'it' look easy usually requires effort. To be an effective GA or TA you will be required to balance a multitude of responsibilities. This seminar will provide you with tips, tricks, and interactive scenarios designed to assist you in your transition from student to GA/TA. It is our goal to prepare you to be of maximum benefit to your students.

This workshop is repeated at 10:00am and 12:30pm. Please register for at least one of these sessions

Session 2: Mark my words: A guide to marking written assignments

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 12:30 PM – 02:00 PM
Location: Toldo 204

How can you mark written assignments fairly and efficiently? What kind of comments can help students understand their grade and improve their work? This interactive workshop will teach you how to create practical grading guidelines that will help you develop a fair, consistent and efficient system of assessment. You will also learn how to generate appropriate comments to reflect the assigned grade.

This workshop is repeated at 12:30pm and 2:15pm. Please sign up for at least one of these timeslots.

2:15 PM

Session 3: Dynamic Discussions

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 02:15 PM – 03:45 PM
Location: Toldo 200

Discussion can be a powerful way to teach and to learn. But it can also be intimidating to face a room full of faces and wonder, What if no one wants to say anything? How can I get them started? And what do I do when they have nothing left to say? Using active, discussion-based methods, this workshop will introduce you to some techniques for setting a comfortable atmosphere, stimulating discussion through the use of questioning strategies, and dealing with that dreaded moment when discussion just fizzles out!

This workshop is repeated at 12:30pm and 2:15pm. Please sign up for at least one of these timeslots!

Session 3: Mark my words: A guide to marking written assignments

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 02:15 PM – 03:45 PM
Location: Toldo 204

How can you mark written assignments fairly and efficiently? What kind of comments can help students understand their grade and improve their work? This interactive workshop will teach you how to create practical grading guidelines that will help you develop a fair, consistent and efficient system of assessment. You will also learn how to generate appropriate comments to reflect the assigned grade.

This workshop is repeated at 12:30pm and 2:15pm. Please sign up for at least one of these timeslots!

Session 3: The art of explanation

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 02:15 PM – 03:45 PM
Location: Toldo 202
Instructors: Betsy Keating

How do you get your point across? How do you explain complex ideas to confused people who have just graduated high school? Surprisingly, forty minutes of pointless droning rarely helps students understand. Effective teaching requires effective explanation - a skill that anyone can develop through knowledge and - most importantly - practice. This workshop will help you understand the strengths and limitations of your own explanation style, while providing you with additional explanation techniques that can be integrated into an adaptive teaching strategy.

This workshop will be repeated at 10:00am and 2:15pm. Please sign up for at least one of these sessions!

3:45 PM

2010 FASS GATAcademy Closing Plenary

Registration for this event is now closed.
Schedule: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 03:45 PM – 04:30 PM
Location: Toldo 100
Instructors: Nick Baker, Erika Kustra

Join us for a closing plenary session where we will wrap up and invite you to sum up your experiences of the event, share your learning, get any further questions you might have answered, and possibly even win a fabulous door prize!