Centre for Extended Learning (CEL)
East Campus 3 (EC3)
195 Columbia St. W.
Waterloo, ON
519-888-4002
extendedlearning@uwaterloo.ca
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Getting Ready to Facilitate Online Courses: TA Training
Audience: University of Waterloo Teaching Assistants
This 4-week, online certificate course is suitable for any current or future teaching assistant (TA) wishing to build skills and knowledge of best practices in facilitating fully online courses.
While this course has been specifically designed for a TA or preceptor, the insight into online course facilitation and skills developed will build proficiency at all levels up to the instructor role. You will discover how to successfully contribute to the facilitation of an online course, foster student engagement, support student outcomes, and build a sense of community using various forms of interaction. Participants will also learn how to use LEARN LMS tools to create presence and connection, assess student learning and work effectively in their TA/Preceptor role.
Format and Expectations
You should expect to spend about 4 hours each week engaging with the course materials, activities, and assessments. This hands-on course is facilitated by two experts in online learning who will be there to track your progress and support your learning through the course.
The format is asynchronous (no live virtual sessions), so you can work through the weekly content and activities at your own pace. Participants are expected to complete the practice activities by the set weekly deadlines, as many of the activities are scaffolded and depend upon timely peer-to-peer interaction. You will receive a certificate in online course facilitation upon completion of the course deliverables.
Completion of this course can be applied as an elective towards the Centre for Teaching Excellence's Fundamentals of University Teaching Program.
Dates: May 3 - 31
Online Instructor Community of Practice
Audience: course authors and instructors
CEL hosts an Online Instructor Community of Practice (CoP) session once a term for course authors and instructors. This is an informal opportunity to meet with other online instructors at Waterloo to discuss both the challenges and successes of online teaching. A theme or topic of discussion is selected for each session based on the interests expressed by the group and/or generated through the Online Instructor CoP listserv.
Upcoming Dates: TBD
Visit the Keep Learning Workshops and Events page for additional training from the University community.