New Instructor Foundations Program for Graduate and Postdoctoral Instructors

Are you a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow who is teaching a course at the University of Waterloo in Fall 2023 or Winter 2024? The Centre for Teaching Excellence is launching a new program to help graduate students and postdoctoral fellows set themselves up for success in teaching their course. 
 

This program will run from Tuesday August 1st to Thursday August 3rd, 2023 in-person. Please see the schedule below. 

Program Schedule

Tuesday August 1, 9am-12:15pm EDT  

  • 9:00 am - 9:30 am - Introduction, Welcome and Community Building
  • 9:30 am - 11:00 am - Session 1: Creating a Positive Climate for Learning  
  • 11:15 am - 12:15 pm - Session 2: From TA to Course Instructor (Graduate Instructor Panel)

Wednesday August 2, 9am-12pm EDT 

  • 9:00 am - 12:00 pm  - Session 3: Student-Centered Course Design/Redesign 

Thursday August 3, 9am-1pm EDT  

  • 9:00 am - 10:30 am  - Session 4: Learner-Centered Feedback and Assessment 
  • 10:45 am - 11:45 am  - Session 5: Developing a Learner-Centered Syllabus  
  • 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm  - Session 6: Starting and Ending Well (Support Unit Panel) 

How to register:

Email cte-grad@uwaterloo.ca with the following information: 

  • The number (e.g., HLTH 101) and title of the course (e.g., Introduction to Health) you’re teaching 

  • The term you’re teaching the course in (e.g., Fall 2023) 

  • The modality of the course (e.g., online or in-person) 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for the program?

Any graduate student or postdoctoral fellow who is teaching a course as an instructor (e.g., graduate instructor, sessional instructor, or co-instructor) in Fall 2023 or Winter 2024. The program is designed to help those who already know what course they’re teaching to (re-)design the course, including preparing the syllabus, assessments, and teaching and learning activities. We also want to build a community of instructors who will be teaching in the same term. Hence, we are only accepting those who have been assigned a course to teach into the program. 

Do I need to be available for all of the sessions to attend?

Because participants will receive a certificate of completion for the program, we are requiring participants to attend all sessions on Tuesday August 1, Wednesday August 2, and Thursday August 3.  

How do I register?

Email cte-grad@uwaterloo.ca with the following information: 

  • The number (e.g., HLTH 101) and title of the course (e.g., Introduction to Health) you’re teaching 

  • The term you’re teaching the course in (e.g., Fall 2023) 

  • The modality of the course (e.g., online or in-person) 

I‘m pretty sure I’ll be teaching in the Fall or Winter, but I don’t have the details confirmed yet. Can I register?

We encourage you to email cte-grad@uwaterloo.ca to indicate your interest in the program and reach out to your department to confirm the course details as soon as possible. Once you have confirmed the course, please email cte-grad@uwaterloo.ca with the information detailed in the previous question.

I’m teaching a course where there is pre-designed content and assessments. Can I still participate?

Yes, this program is tailored to both instructors that have full agency in designing the course (e.g., intended learning outcomes, assessments, syllabus) as well as those working with pre-designed teaching and learning materials and/or assessments. In each session, we will provide prompts and activities for both types of courses.

When will this program be offered again?

This is the first time we’ll be offering the program; however, we plan to offer the program again in April 2024 for those teaching in the Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 terms.

I am currently enrolled in, or have completed the Certificate in University Teaching program. Can I still participate?

Yes. Because this program is designed to help you prepare to teach a specific course, you will be applying the content differently than you did in GS 901. Our goal for participants is to have a draft course plan, assessment structure, and syllabus by the end of the program. However, we are not providing credit earned through GS 901 towards sessions in the program- to earn the program certificate, you must attend all sessions on August 1, 2, and 3.

I’m teaching an online course through the Centre for Extended Learning. Can I participate?

The Centre for Extended Learning offers training for Waterloo instructors who are teaching online for the first time and did not author the course they’re teaching through New Instructor Orientation. The New Instructor Orientation is a better fit for those teaching courses through Centre for Extended Learning rather than the New Instructor Foundations program through CTE.