New Instructor Foundations Program for Graduate and Postdoctoral Instructors

The New Instructor Foundations program helps prepare graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who will be teaching or co-teaching their own course as first-time instructors. The program launched in Spring 2023 term, and is offered 2 terms out of every three in an academic year. Eligible participants attend three half-day training sessions on a variety of teaching topics (see full schedule below) and have the opportunity to connect with other graduate and postdoctoral instructors and support unit staff. The program was approved by the Alternative Credentials Approval Committee (ACAC) at the University of Waterloo.

Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion 

Who can register

The next offering of the New Instructor Foundations program will be in Spring 2025 term, August 6 to 8.

The program is open to any graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who will be teaching a course as an instructor (e.g., graduate instructor, sessional instructor, or co-instructor) at the University of Waterloo in the two terms following the training session.

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. Only those who have been assigned a course to teach may take part in the program. 

Program schedule

The program is held fully in-person at the main university campus. The next offering of the program will take place from August 6 to 8.

Day 1 - August 6

  • 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 - 12:30 pm - Session 2: From TA to Course Instructor (Graduate Instructor Panel)

Day 2- August 7

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

Day 3 - August 8

  • 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) 

Program goals and outcomes

By the end of the program, participants will:

  • Build community with other graduate student and postdoctoral instructors 

  • Identify strategies that can be used to foster an inclusive learning environment and build classroom community 

  • Plan how they'll adopt and/or adapt ideas shared by experienced graduate student instructors into their own course 

  • Align intended learning outcomes, assessments, and learning activities in their course 

  • Refine or design  assessment methods and reflect on their rationale for selecting these assessment methods 

  • Start drafting or enhancing  the syllabus for their course  

  • Identify University of Waterloo resources and people to support them in their work as an instructor 

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 2025) 

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

Frequently asked questions

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 the three program days.

I‘m pretty sure I’ll be teaching in the next two terms 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.

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 the three program days.

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.