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The Art of Training Teaching Assistants: Norming and Preparing Grad Students for their Classrooms
Graduate student teaching assistants are a huge part of educating our undergraduate students. But, what are ways that we can ensure they have all the tools needed to teach their students well? Anna Wright (Communications, LAS) has created a program for training the teaching assistants teaching CMN 111/112, preparing them to be experts in the content and also to be good teachers. One of the key elements that Wright emphasizes in her training is when it is appropriate to lecture, when to have an activity, and when to engage the class in discussion. She also has them think about what it’s like to be in the shoes of a student in their class: what are the references they will be familiar with given the events of their lifetime? What did it feel like in a class when they were a student?
By combining this training with resources provided throughout the semester, Wright finds a good balance between ensuring that TAs are prepared for the classroom and giving them the autonomy and flexibility to respond to classroom situations in the moment. Wright discusses these methods and more about her TA training in this recorded session for the Art of Teaching Lunchtime Seminar Series.
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Quick Start Workshops: Make Your Documents Accessible
Are you looking to ensure that your documents meet state and federal accessibility standards while being inclusive for everyone? Our Quick Start Workshops are here to help you create accessible documents in no time. Whether you’re working in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or PDF, these hands-on, fully online sessions will guide you through the essentials with practical tips and solutions.
Workshop Highlights:
🗓️ Make Your MS Word Documents Accessible
Oct. 29, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Learn to structure documents, write alt text, and use Word’s Accessibility Checker.
🗓️ Make Your PDF Documents Accessible
Oct. 30, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Master the basics of accessible PDFs, including tagging order, table editing, and alt text.
🗓️ Make Your MS PowerPoint Presentations Accessible
Oct. 31, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Create inclusive, engaging slides with clear content, correct reading order and accessible multimedia.
By the end of this Quick Start workshop series, you'll be ready to make documents accessible across multiple platforms!
Feel the HEAT Kick-Off October 24
Faculty, staff, and graduate students are welcome to attend the launch of HEAT, a new initiative connecting cultural and global studies with interactive, immersive, and AI-related design tools that encourage collaborative engagement. HEAT stands for Humanities, Entertainment, Arts, and Technology and is intended to foster the expressive use of emerging technologies with attention to ethics and accessibility in the design of creative works. The event will take place in 182 Armory (4-6pm) and will feature presentations, networking opportunities, and a design challenge. Refreshments provided. Registration is preferred.
Please note: An alternative lunchtime session will be held on Friday, Oct 25th, from 12-1pm in Room 313, Library & Information Science Building (501 E Daniel). Questions? heat-ed@illinois.edu.
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Innovation Studio Open Hours
Every Monday and Tuesday, 12 - 4 p.m.
Location: Innovation Studio, Rm 172, Armory Building
Fall 24 Faculty Workshop Series on Teaching & Learning, Workshop #6: Going Beyond the Traditional Syllabus: Engaging Your Students Emotionally and Visually
Wednesday, October 23, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Room 182, Armory Building (east side of the building)
Registration Link
Host: Cheelan Bo-Linn (CITL)
Canvas Open Office Hours
Every Thursday, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Zoom
Host: CITL Instructional Support Team
CITL Faculty Book Club: Creating Wicked Students
Thursday, October 24, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Room 156 Armory Building
Host: David Favre (CITL)
Exam Construction
Thursday, October 24, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Room 182, Armory Building (east side of the building)
Registration Link
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
Quick Start Workshop: Make Your MS Word Documents Accessible
Tuesday, October 29, 3 - 4 p.m.
Zoom (Registration Link)
Host: Marc Thompson (CITL)
MCOT - Master Course in Online Teaching
Wednesday, October 30, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Microsoft Teams (Registration Link)
Host: David Favre (CITL)
Quick Start Workshop: Make Your PDF Documents Accessible
Wednesday, October 30, 3 - 4 p.m.
Zoom (Registration Link)
Host: Marc Thompson (CITL)
Quick Start Workshop: Make Your MS PowerPoint Documents Accessible
Thursday, October 31, 3 - 4 p.m.
Zoom (Registration Link)
Host: Marc Thompson (CITL)
Stay tuned for this semester's events! Bookmark the CITL Event Calendar for all upcoming workshops and the Training Services (formerly FAST3) Calendar for additional training opportunities.
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UDL Tip of the Month: Addressing Learner Variability in Your Classroom
Note: This Tip of the Month article is the second in a two-part series on Learner Variability.
Consider the barriers a learner may encounter in your course due to the content as well as the current design of your course. Consider how the delivery method (face-to-face, online, blended, hybrid) impacts learner variability and magnifies or reduces barriers to learning they may encounter.
Learner Variability Explained
“Learner Variability” is the term used to describe how unique and varied students are in the ways they interact with content. For example, no two learners activate the same pathways in the brain. As you think about the variability of learners in your courses, it may be helpful to consider their individual learning profiles (Rose, 2016). Doing so gives us a broader way of describing the range of a learner's strengths and needs. Consider how you would intentionally build flexibility into your course to support the areas of need and bolster the areas of strength.
Barriers (Needs) that Affect Your Students
- Second or Native language
- Disability
- Background knowledge in course topics
- Access
- Interest in course topics
- Study habits
- Ability to organize and plan
- Creativity
- Attention and retention
- Remembering and recall
- Reading
- Writing vs. verbalizing ideas
- Self-regulation
- Executive function
- Persisting or persevering
- Stressors and anxieties
What Can You Do?
Commit to addressing at least one anticipated area of learner variability in the design of one of your courses. Making small changes uses a gradual and deliberate process and helps make what could feel like a very large undertaking more manageable (Tobin, 2018).
References
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