The GSI Center’s Workshops on Teaching for GSIs cover a wide variety of topics related to university teaching and the GSI experience. The purpose of the series is to offer GSIs, and other graduate students interested in teaching, opportunities for hands-on learning and practical discussion about pedagogy.

To assist us in planning, pre-registration is required.

Workshops marked with an asterisk fulfill a requirement of the Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. If you would like your participation in a workshop to count toward the Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, you must stay for the entire workshop. 

Handouts and videos from selected workshops are available online.

All workshops will be offered via Zoom.

Spring 2025 Workshops

Creating Inclusive Classrooms*
Thursday, January 23, 2025,  2:00 – 3:30; via Zoom Register
Workshop Description 

Enhancing Student Engagement and Participation*
Thursday, January 30, 2025, 10:00 – 11:30; via Zoom
Register
Workshop Description

How Students Learn*
Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 1:00 – 2:30; via Zoom
Register
Workshop Description

Creating and Using Grading Rubrics*
Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 1:30 – 3:00; via Zoom
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Workshop Description

Syllabus & Course Design*
Wednesday, Febuary 19, 2025, 3:00 – 4:30; via Zoom
Register
Workshop Description

Developing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Teaching Portfolio*
Friday, February 28, 2025, 1:00 – 2:30; via Zoom
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Workshop Description

Peer Exchange and Feedback on Statements of Teaching Philosophy*
Friday, March 7, 2025 1:00 – 2:30; via Zoom
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Workshop Description

Transferable Skills of Teaching
Wednesday, March 19, 2025, 11:00 – 12:30; via Zoom
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Workshop Description

Universal Design for Learning*
Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 3:30 – 5:00; via Zoom
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Workshop Description

Designing Syllabi for Summer Session Courses
Thursday, April 17, 2025, 10:00 – 12:00; via Zoom
Register
Workshop Description

Teaching in the Academic Job Search
Friday, April 25, 2025, 10:00 – 11:30; via Zoom
Register
Workshop Description

 

Workshop Descriptions

Creating Inclusive Classrooms*

This workshop is designed to help GSIs understand the character and consequences of microaggressions, and to help them begin to develop the tools to address them in their role as instructors. For those who attended any one of the similarly-themed workshops during the Fall or Spring conference for first-time GSIs, this will be an opportunity to revisit some of the topics discussed there, as well as to address any issues that may have emerged in the course of teaching since. For other GSIs, this workshop will provide a basic understanding of microaggressions and an opportunity to reflect on them in the context of their own teaching.

Enhancing Student Engagement and Participation* 

Do you ever have trouble eliciting student participation in class? Do some consistently take the floor while others rarely speak up? Do you wish you had more strategies to get students involved with the course material? In this workshop we will discuss reasons students may tend to hold back and practical strategies to encourage them to participate more fully.

How Students Learn* 

While graduate students do not need to become experts in how students learn, a basic understanding of the research on learning can enable GSIs to make informed teaching decisions. Drawing on research findings from neuroscience, anthropology, and cognitive and social psychology, this workshop will enable GSIs to consider ways to apply research-based principles to the learning environments they create for their students.

Creating and Using Grading Rubrics* 

In this workshop participants will learn how to create and use grading rubrics as a means to grade efficiently, give students targeted feedback on their learning, and align grading with learning outcomes articulated in assignments.

Syllabus & Course Design* 

Are you responsible for designing a course and syllabus for this coming summer or next fall? Are you interested in developing a syllabus for the academic job search? In this workshop, participants will learn ways to turn their syllabus ideas into integrated courses and will work out criteria for selecting course materials, assignments, and methods of assessment.

Developing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Teaching Portfolio* 

Improve your teaching and prepare for the academic job search. Come find out what is typically addressed in a teaching philosophy statement and participate in activities that will help you get started.

Peer Exchange and Feedback on Statements of Teaching Philosophy* 

This workshop is designed for graduate students who are interested in improving their statements of teaching philosophy through feedback from peers. Workshop participants will exchange statements of teaching philosophy and provide and receive input. Participants must bring two copies of a draft of their statement of teaching philosophy to participate in the workshop.

Transferable Skills of Teaching 

Public speaking, conveying complex information to non-experts, managing teams, evaluating the work of junior colleagues — these are among the many skills GSIs develop in their teaching, and these skills are eminently transferable to career settings in higher education, private industry, non-profits, or governmental agencies.

Universal Design for Learning* 

Deepen your knowledge of inclusive teaching practices by exploring the Universal Design for Learning framework. Join us to learn more about how to center inclusion in your pedagogy, and apply this understanding through evaluating examples and resources.

Designing Syllabi for Summer Session Courses 

This workshop will help you develop your summer course syllabus and curriculum as well as cover general tips and strategies for teaching compressed courses.

Teaching in the Academic Job Search 

Learn about the role teaching plays in applying for faculty positions and how to prepare for this aspect of the academic job search from graduate students who have accepted positions at a variety of colleges and universities.