As a teaching assistant, you’ve developed all kinds of valuable skills. Do you know what they are? Can you list them in language that a potential employer would understand and appreciate? At this workshop you’ll prepare a skills inventory with relevant examples from your own experience and link your TA experience to your future career. Each participant will have an opportunity to practice their pitch with the workshop group.

At GATAcademy there were many requests for a hands-on workshop about tools for collaborating, helping your students learn and getting things done. This workshop will introduce you to Google Docs (including wordprocessing, spreadsheets and forms), Google Reader and Google Plus, and how you might use these tools in the classroom. BYOL (Bring your own laptop).

At GATAcademy there were many requests for a hands-on workshop about tools for collaborating, helping your students learn and getting things done. This workshop will introduce you to Google Docs (including wordprocessing, spreadsheets and forms), Google Reader and Google Plus, and how you might use these tools in the classroom. BYOL (Bring your own laptop).

Have you been asked to lead a workshop? The ability to plan and lead a short workshop is something many students don't even know they need to know. Graduate students and instructors often hold short workshops within courses or at conferences, and you may be surprised at how common workshops are out in the workplace. Facilitating workshops is a definite plus on a c.v.!

Have you been asked to lead a workshop? The ability to plan and lead a short workshop is something many students don't even know they need to know. Graduate students and instructors often hold short workshops within courses or at conferences, and you may be surprised at how common workshops are out in the workplace. Facilitating workshops is a definite plus on a c.v.!

Tips for your first day in a new class/lab/tutorial. Whether this is your first, second or twenty-second time teaching, come and share strategies for getting things off to a great start.

How do you create a positive space for learning? Is there a creative alternative to using lecture to get information across? Storytelling builds a community of learners and creatively engages people across disciplines. This interactive workshop will give you practice in techniques for using storytelling as an intentional teaching method for university level education.

Discussion is a valuable teaching tool because it enables students to engage with their peers to appreciate different perspectives, ideas, and/or theories so that they can work to negotiate a personal meaning out of the curricula we strive to teach them. However, at the same time, discussions can be incredibly tricky to organize and even more difficult to sustain, which is why many instructors shriek at the very thought of holding discussions in their classrooms. But do not despair! By following the guidelines and suggestions in this workshop, you will be able to provide your students with a great discussion experience that will keep them contently talking and learning for hours.

As the digital age pushes forward, email writing is an increasingly important professional skill; long gone are the days when you relied exclusively on phone calls and personal meetings to discuss an issue with a professor, employer or peer. However, with great convenience comes great responsibility. Sometimes it is difficult to write with decorum and the results of not doing so can be very problematic. This workshop will go through the dos and don’ts of professional email writing – we’ll cover tone, appropriate addresses, grammar & formatting, and essentially everything else you need to know to be a confident computer communicator.

It’s getting close to final exam time, and the prospect of having a pile of exams to grade can be daunting. Not only is it stressful to have someone else’s grade in your hands, but when you’re asked to mark answers to questions that don’t have an objective answer it can be hard to manage. This workshop will help you navigate the subjective part of grading, and help you communicate with the professor you work with so you understand their expectations. We’ll give you tips for marking, and examples of the types of questions to ask your professor before you start marking. Don’t let yourself be bogged down with marking blues – go into the exam period with confidence.

Back by popular demand! As the digital age pushes forward, email writing is an increasingly important professional skill; long gone are the days when you relied exclusively on phone calls and personal meetings to discuss an issue with a professor, employer or peer. However, with great convenience comes great responsibility. Sometimes it is difficult to write with decorum and the results of not doing so can be very problematic. This workshop will go through the dos and don’ts of professional email writing – we’ll cover tone, appropriate addresses, grammar & formatting, and essentially everything else you need to know to be a confident computer communicator.

Do you find data or statistics intimidating? Do your students? No need to fear the numbers! This workshop will present the basics of finding and using data and demonstrate tools and websites that can be useful in your teaching, whether you are teaching statistics, a methods class, or just want to bring concepts alive with current, hard data. We will share tips we’ve derived from years of teaching basic data concepts to students at a variety of levels and in a variety of disciplines. We will also discuss how the Academic Data Centre (ADC) in Leddy can help you use data, statistics, and statistical software in your teaching as a GA/TA (and as a student too). Bring questions!

Why is feedback important? What is meaningful feedback? How exactly can I give meaningful feedback?

The GA’s first day (graduatas assistantas kalendis) is a rare beast that has traditionally been met with fear, anger, and anxiety in the Graduate Assistant community. However, current research suggests that the beast is simply misunderstood. In this one part series, we take the sting out of its bite, guiding you through the ins and outs of the first day and covering everything from how to make a great first impression to the important stuff your students will need to know. The first class is your chance to set the tone for the semester – you will set out your expectations with your students (for communication, behaviour in group work, etc.) and generally set the atmosphere of the classroom. We can help you communicate the syllabus and other course materials in a way that will make your students actually sit up and pay attention. Our session will help hone your introduction skills so that you can bridge the gap between you and your students. We’ve all had good and bad first days; with our useful tips and tricks, you can grab the beast by the horns and engage your students with confidence so that your first class as a GA is a great one!

Have you ever experienced a lecture that was less than memorable, or received an explanation that left you confused? You are not alone! So, when you find yourself in a teaching position, plan to make your own explanations more effective. What is the best way to get your point across? Whether you are offering a three-hour lecture or simply answering questions in a tutorial, there are ways to make sure your explanations are as clear as possible to your learners. This session will demonstrate some of the reasons why explanations can fail, and introduce you to the components and processes that make an effective explanation.

Why is feedback important? What is meaningful feedback? How exactly can I give meaningful feedback? In this workshop, we will talk about what you need in order to give meaningful feedback, work through exercises to improve your feedback skills, discuss why feedback is so crucial to the success of students, and learn tips and tricks to giving meaningful feedback.

In Fall 2012, the University of Windsor rolled out Gmail to all students to use for their student email. Because Gmail is part of Google Apps, every student also now has access to Drive, which opens up some interesting and exciting possibilities for teaching and learning. This workshop will introduce you to Google Drive word processing, spreadsheets and forms. We’ll talk about sharing and publishing, and how you might use these tools in the classroom. BYOL (Bring your own laptop).

Do you find data or statistics intimidating? Do your students? No need to fear the numbers! This workshop will present the basics of finding and using data and demonstrate tools and websites that can be useful in your teaching, whether you are teaching statistics, a methods class, or just want to bring concepts alive with current, hard data. We will share tips we’ve derived from years of teaching basic data concepts to students at a variety of levels and in a variety of disciplines. We will also discuss how the Academic Data Centre (ADC) in Leddy can help you use data, statistics, and statistical software in your teaching as a GA/TA (and as a student too). Bring questions!

Teaching in Canadian classrooms can be a challenge if the instructor is not aware of the influence culture has in people's learning and communication styles. Becoming aware of one's own culture and learning basic skills to navigate other's is key to deliver effective messages and to handle potential conflict. We'll review some useful tips, explore common differences between Canadian classroom culture versus the most common countries of origin of our international students.

Graduate students sometimes have responsibility for marking student writing ... and those who plan careers in higher education can count on having that responsibility sooner or later. But correcting student writing can feel like wasted time when students make the same errors over and over. Come learn about “minimal marking,” a productive and educational approach to error in student writing. You’ll get a chance to practice and reflect on the results.

The University of Windsor has one of the most diverse student populations in Canada. As an instructor, you need to understand the challenges and opportunities that this situation brings. Communication and learning styles can get in the way of learning. This workshop will highlight the issues encountered when teaching Canadian-style to a diverse group of students.

A teaching dossier is a portfolio designed to demonstrate your teaching and inspire self-reflection. This portfolio allows for responsibilities, approaches, contributions, and evidence to be presented in a professional manner that summarizes the quality of one’s academic teaching. This session focusing on the fundamentals of creating an effective teaching dossier that speaks to your beliefs about teaching and learning through a philosophy statement and highlights your teaching-related activities and accomplishments. This workshop will guide you through each component of the dossier and provide resources to assist you in the process.

Through the use of mini lectures and role play, students will explore the potential conflict that could arise between graduate assistants and professors as well as between graduate assistants and undergraduate students. This dynamic workshop will not only identify circumstances in which conflict could arise in the duties of the graduate assistant, but how to manage that conflict and turn it into a positive.

Are you a GA/TA that has trouble engaging the adult learners in your courses? Or perhaps, as an adult learner yourself, you find it difficult to remain engaged in your learning. This workshop will take a look at various adult learning principles and examine how they can be applied within the classroom to engage students. Diverse learning environments will be explored to develop an understanding of how these principles can be tailored within various disciplines. Participants will leave with resources and information to support the application of adult learning principles to their current GA/TA assignments and within their own learning.

A teaching dossier is a portfolio designed to demonstrate your teaching and inspire self-reflection. This portfolio allows for responsibilities, approaches, contributions, and evidence to be presented in a professional manner that summarizes the quality of one’s academic teaching. This session focusing on the fundamentals of creating an effective teaching dossier that speaks to your beliefs about teaching and learning through a philosophy statement and highlights your teaching-related activities and accomplishments. This workshop will guide you through each component of the dossier and provide resources to assist you in the process.

GATAcademy for HK students.

Workshop participants will have an opportunity to discuss the roles of mindfulness, consciousness, awareness and compassion, and how these things can be incorporated to create an inclusive classroom environment. As we become more mindful and compassionate towards others, inclusion is fostered and principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID) make manifest. While we will explore basic principles of UID, we will look most closely at the intentions behind those principles and how inclusivity is made possible with the fostering of awareness.

GATAcademy for computer science students

GATAcademy for HK students.

GATAcademy for Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology.

Mental Health 101: Participants will learn about what mental health is, how we can know if we are living within wellness and when to seek support. The various resources on campus will be discussed as well as afterhours resources, emergency services and more. Participants will have a chance to practice self-care tips for maintaining their own wellness, managing stress and practicing a balanced life.

A teaching dossier is a portfolio designed to demonstrate your teaching and inspire self-reflection. This portfolio allows for responsibilities, approaches, contributions, and evidence to be presented in a professional manner that summarizes the quality of one’s academic teaching. This session focusing on the fundamentals of creating an effective teaching dossier that speaks to your beliefs about teaching and learning through a philosophy statement and highlights your teaching-related activities and accomplishments. This workshop will guide you through each component of the dossier and provide resources to assist you in the process.

Dealing with suspected plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, isn't always straightforward. While online services, such as SafeAssign and TurnItIn, may make it easier to detect academic dishonesty, they aren't fail safe. Knowing how to recognize red flags in student work can be useful while grading assignments. This interactive workshop will provide participants with strategies for preventing plagiarism and recognizing possible red flags in written assignments, as well as how to deal with confirmed cases of academic dishonesty.

A teaching dossier is a portfolio designed to demonstrate your teaching and inspire self-reflection. This portfolio allows for responsibilities, approaches, contributions, and evidence to be presented in a professional manner that summarizes the quality of one’s academic teaching. This session focusing on the fundamentals of creating an effective teaching dossier that speaks to your beliefs about teaching and learning through a philosophy statement and highlights your teaching-related activities and accomplishments. This workshop will guide you through each component of the dossier and provide resources to assist you in the process.

During the workshop, participants will be provided with an introduction to designing and delivering labs and lectures, tools and techniques to engage students, and strategies for grading and effective feedback. We will also touch on the use of Teams and Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. A resource package will be provided.
You can join the session via the following link: https://ca.bbcollab.com/guest/ad32e09761824476bc98a8a6ee72b77e

During the workshop, participants will be provided with an introduction to designing and delivering labs and lectures, tools and techniques to engage students, and strategies for grading and effective feedback. We will also touch on the use of Teams and Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. A resource package will be provided.
You can join the session via the following link: https://ca.bbcollab.com/guest/ad32e09761824476bc98a8a6ee72b77e

Do you need to record a lecture/webinar? Do you need to meet with students online (as a group or privately)? The virtual classroom (formally called Blackboard Collaborate Ultra) can handle this and more. Best of all, it is available in every Blackboard site or can be set up outside of Blackboard and is free for faculty, staff, GAs/TAs, and students to use. This workshop will attempt to demonstrate everything you need to know to use the virtual classroom.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

This session will provide an overview of key Blackboard tools and topics for GAs and TAs in the online environment. Our focus will be on communicating with students (announcements, discussion board), and grading the different types of assessments found on Blackboard (tests, assignments, and discussion boards) in addition to using the Grade Centre and related features. For optimum experience, you should be using Google Chrome for this session.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

This session will provide an overview of key Blackboard tools and topics for GAs and TAs in the online environment. Our focus will be on communicating with students (announcements, discussion board), and grading the different types of assessments found on Blackboard (tests, assignments, and discussion boards) in addition to using the Grade Centre and related features. For optimum experience, you should be using Google Chrome for this session.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

Part of helping students truly learn involves careful and thoughtful feedback. Therefore, it is beneficial for TA/GAs to develop practical grading and feedback skills, as this will be one of your biggest responsibilities throughout the semester. Through this workshop, you will be introduced to strategies to help you craft constructive, meaningful feedback aimed at helping students to improve. Differences will be described between the characteristics of feedback versus effective feedback. You will also have the opportunity to see various grading/feedback frameworks, and to practice the strategies learned in this session. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to apply various feedback methods that are compatible with any teaching context and style.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

During the workshop, participants will be provided with an introduction to designing and delivering labs and lectures, tools and techniques to engage students, and strategies for grading and effective feedback. We will also touch on the use of Teams and Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. A resource package will be provided.
You can join the session via the following link: https://ca.bbcollab.com/guest/09dadcb88c3645eca0db06f20739abb0

As a GA/TA, are you wondering how you can provide effective feedback using Blackboard's tools? In this sprint session, participants will learn the basics of providing feedback as a part of grading assignments in the online environment and best practices for a productive grading experience.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

During the workshop, participants will be provided with an introduction to being a GA/TA online. Various topics will be covered, including tips for how best to prepare to support online teaching, questions and concerns to anticipate before beginning the semester, suggestions for communicating with the course instructor and the students, and ideas for troubleshooting issues.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

Are you looking for how to connect with your students in the digital space as a GA/TA? This sprint session will give you an overview of how to add announcements in Blackboard, send emails to students, and meeting with students using the available tools at the University of Windsor (Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, MS Teams).
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

Overwhelmed with where to start with using Blackboard as a GA/TA? This sprint session will dive into the wonders of Blackboard as a GA/TA. This session will overview best practices informed by our experiences as GAs and members of UWindsor's Blackboard team in using Blackboard to support teaching and learning in the digital space.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

This session will provide an overview of key Blackboard tools and topics for GAs and TAs in the online environment. Our focus will be on communicating with students (announcements, discussion board), and grading the different types of assessments found on Blackboard (tests, assignments, and discussion boards) in addition to using the Grade Centre and related features. For optimum experience, you should be using Google Chrome for this session.
After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

As a GA/TA, are you wondering how you can provide effective feedback using Blackboard's tools? In this sprint session, participants will learn the basics of providing feedback as a part of grading assignments in the online environment and best practices for a productive grading experience. After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom

Overwhelmed with where to start with using Blackboard as a GA/TA? This sprint session will dive into the wonders of Blackboard as a GA/TA. This session will overview best practices informed by our experiences as GAs and members of UWindsor's Blackboard team in using Blackboard to support teaching and learning in the digital space. After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

Are you looking for how to connect with your students in the digital space as a GA/TA? This sprint session will give you an overview of how to add announcements in Blackboard, send emails to students, and meeting with students using the available tools at the University of Windsor (Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, MS Teams). After registration, you will be emailed the link to the virtual classroom.

A teaching dossier is a portfolio designed to demonstrate your teaching and inspire self-reflection. This portfolio allows for responsibilities, approaches, contributions, and evidence to be presented in a professional manner that summarizes the quality of one's academic teaching. This session focuses on the fundamentals of creating an effective teaching dossier that speaks to your beliefs about teaching and learning through a philosophy statement and highlights your teaching-related activities and accomplishments. This workshop will provide you with an introduction to each component of the dossier and provide resources to assist you in the process.

A teaching dossier is a portfolio designed to demonstrate your teaching and inspire self-reflection. This portfolio allows for responsibilities, approaches, contributions, and evidence to be presented in a professional manner that summarizes the quality of one's academic teaching. This session focuses on the fundamentals of creating an effective teaching dossier that speaks to your beliefs about teaching and learning through a philosophy statement and highlights your teaching-related activities and accomplishments. This workshop will provide you with an introduction to each component of the dossier and provide resources to assist you in the process.

Did you know that as a UWindsor GA/TA, you are automatically a member of CUPE 4580, a certified labour union? Do you know what your rights and responsibilities are in your role as a UWindsor employee? If not, that’s okay! During this workshop you will learn what it means to be a member of CUPE 4580 and how the union can protect your rights as an employee. You will also have the opportunity to meet with an executive member and ask any questions that you may need clarified.

Boozhoo! Join me for this important session that will explore the relationships between teaching assistants, advisors, and Indigenous students. These relationships are interconnected and are guided by shared values of Indigenization to both improve the educational experiences of all students, and teaching assistants across the institution. It also explores how Elders, Indigenous community members, and community education partners are heard and included in the educational experience. This resource reflects a holistic way to serve Indigenous students which will help guide teaching assistants when working with Indigenous students.

Part of helping students truly learn involves careful and thoughtful feedback. Therefore, it is beneficial for TA/GAs to develop practical grading and feedback skills, as this will be one of your biggest responsibilities throughout the semester. Through this workshop, you will be introduced to strategies to help you craft constructive, meaningful feedback aimed at helping students to improve. Differences will be described between the characteristics of feedback versus effective feedback. You will also have the opportunity to see various grading/feedback frameworks, and to practice the strategies learned in this session. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to apply various feedback methods that are compatible with any teaching context and style.

Are you a graduate student looking to put together a teaching dossier or refine the one you already have? If so, you’re invited to join the GATA Network’s Teaching Dossier Community of Practice (CoP) for Graduate Students. Members of the CoP will meet in-person on a monthly basis throughout the Winter 2023 semester to discuss, review, and share knowledge about teaching dossiers. Additionally, participants will be provided with optional self-paced modules and resources that can be utilized to start or refine an existing teaching dossier. All meetings will be facilitated by the GATA Network and are intended to provide graduate students an opportunity to meet, interact, and collaborate.

Do you struggle with office hours? Are you curious about how you might facilitate effective office hours? In this workshop, the benefits of office hours for students, instructors, and GA/TAs will be presented, followed by a discussion about the problems students face when attending office hours. A set of strategies with actionable tips to improve office hours for all will be provided, and the remaining challenges will be addressed. Attendees are encouraged to come with their own thoughts and strategies to share with the group.

**Registrants will be emailed a Teams meeting invite 3 days before the workshop.

International students are a core part of the University of Windsor, but have you ever considered the challenges and opportunities that international GA/TAs face? This workshop will shed some light on the challenges that international GA/TAs have to reconcile and how these challenges can be overcome. Moreover, various opportunities that international GA/TAs create at the University will be explored. Attendees are encouraged to share reflections on their experience as an international GA/TA, particularly their challenges and strategies for overcoming them with the group. Participants will gain tips and will be provided with some resources that can support international GA/TAs.

**Registrants will be emailed a Teams meeting invite 3 days before the workshop.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by your responsibilities as a student and a GA/TA? Do you feel like your plate is constantly overfilled? You are not alone! Join us for a 60-minute session, where you will learn about mindfulness practices with Alessandra MacDonald, owner of Chill Massage Therapy & Hot Yoga, and time management tips and tricks with Sheldon Fetter, GATA Network Coordinator. This session is designed to have you feeling balanced as you head into final exam season. Please bring a yoga mat or towel to sit on. Chairs will also be available for those who need them. Light snacks and beverages will be provided.

In this workshop, participants will explore the principles of Inclusive Pedagogy and actionable strategies for its implementation. Through interactive discussions and reflective activities, attendees will learn how to create inclusive learning environments that cater to diverse student needs. They will also discover techniques for fostering a sense of belonging and collaboration among learners, ultimately aiming to build a community where every individual feels valued and supported.

A teaching dossier is a portfolio designed to demonstrate your teaching and inspire self-reflection. This portfolio allows for responsibilities, approaches, contributions, and evidence to be presented in a professional manner that summarizes the quality of one's academic teaching. This session focuses on the fundamentals of creating an effective teaching dossier that speaks to your beliefs about teaching and learning through a philosophy statement and highlights your teaching-related activities and accomplishments. This workshop will provide you with an introduction to each component of the dossier and provide resources to assist you in the process.

This workshop is especially relevant if you are interested in applying for any academic awards (for example, GATA Awards).