Curriculum and Planning

"I found the TA day to be extremely helpful for preparing me to TA for the first time. It was great to hear from other TA's on how they transitioned into the role, and their helpful tips on how to do the same. I also found the workshop showing how to mark assignments in the Moodle page and using Turnitin to be the most helpful as this was something I was most worried about having to learn. Having it shown to me before the semester began was very helpful!"

"I found the TA day very insightful as both a student and an incoming TA. As a student, I became more aware of how a TA's role in a lab is stressful, and as a result, I've become more mindful. But as a TA, I feel a lot more confident going into my first lab this Friday."

"I really enjoyed it! The sessions were well organized and the people were very kind. I was a bit anxious at first but I feel like these sessions really helped - everything was made extremely clear!

"I really enjoyed that we had the choice regarding which sections we got to attend. They were all very interactive which I also appreciated and found that the “would you rather activity” gave me an opportunity to meet and interact with new people even though I am typically more shy with strangers. Additionally, I got the chance to sit and talk with two of the TA speakers during our pizza lunch and found that it was really interesting getting to learn what their favourite courses had been over the years."

"I really liked being able to get the powerpoints from the lectures and extra resources that I can look back on."

"Also very helpful and engaging. It gave me a good overview and made me feel more prepared, though in a slightly different way than the TA Day."

"I think the Moodle module has a great layout containing the information that I'll need for the future with TAing. I think posting this information in an online site is smart because since I'm not TAing until the second semester, I would have forgotten most of the administrative things to ask/be aware of by then."

"I thought the Moodle module was a great review of Acadia policies and a reminder of what you are expected to do, and what you can say no to. It went over what to do in certain situations that a TA may find themselves in. I think it is always good to refresh these policies to be prepared in any scenario."

"I appreciate that all the material brought up in the meetings are available online, it allows me to stay present while the presenters are speaking without worrying about taking notes. The noodle activity with the Turnintin course was also very helpful in permitting us to explore and ask questions."

"The Moodle module is accessible and clear. Additionally, this is a good use of the platform for seminar type events. In the future I would continue to offer this module as such."

IDEA in TAing: Building Inclusive Learning Spaces

“[This workshop] helped me reflect on any potential biases I may have had toward different learning styles. The training encouraged me to ask questions rather than make assumptions about students' abilities or learning strategies. By doing so, I was able to better understand their attitudes and approaches to learning”.

Effective Teaching: Using Feedback and Motivation

“[Dr. Ahern’s] handout really helped me in a way to look at the submissions from the students’ perspectives…. After [Dr. Ahern’s] workshop, I wasn’t nearly as quick to judge. I’ve implemented a step to look at their [student] submissions from their point of view and what they have as experience so far”.

Lesson Activities and Formative Assessment

“The techniques I learned from the TA training workshops have been very helpful, particularly the skills related to in-class activities. The course includes five in-class activities, and my supervisor gave me the opportunity to organize one of them on my own….Before leading the activity, I reviewed the material from our training program, focusing on Pre-lecture, Mid-lecture, and Post-lecture activities. The Concept Maps worked well to “break the ice” and foster participation at the start of the activity. The Exit Slips effectively wrapped up the session by encouraging reflection and feedback. I reviewed the questions students submitted with my supervisor, and we addressed them in subsequent lectures”.

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Was a TA

"[I learned from the workshops to] offer office hours/study sessions. My first year of TAing, I never introduced myself to my classes or offered additional support as my professor didn’t emphasize the importance of it. This year, I was sure to send out a “get to know me” message as well as introduce a system of office hours one day a week. I have had students reach out for simple questions (marking, syllabus, content) and I am glad I introduced this [support]”.

Accessible Learning

“I had very limited experience with [Accessible Learning Services] as I am not a student with [an] accommodation, but I was happy to understand its purpose and all the options it offers students. I had a student in my [class] struggling with how to approach [Accessible Learning Services] and how it works. I was able to answer a couple of her questions and give her appropriate contact information to get her in touch with the staff in [Accessible Learning Services]”.

Using Turnitin to Mark Assignments

“I found the training to be beneficial when inputting marks. Without attending the Moodle workshop, attempting to input marks, without any prior knowledge on how to do so, would have been extremely overwhelming. The workshop taught me different perks and shortcuts to help navigate Moodle efficiently”.