Graduate Teaching Certificate
The Graduate Teaching Certificate program is for graduate student teaching assistants (TAs) who have completed a series of requirements attesting to their training and experience in pedagogy. This is in addition to the training received by all teaching assistants at the orientation conducted by the UT Dallas Office of Graduate Education.
Completing this Graduate Teaching Certificate will prepare you to be an effective, inspiring instructor. The first step toward completing this certificate is to fill out and submit the initial application for a graduate teaching certificate; click here to fill it out.
Objectives
- Improve the instructional performance of TAs while at UTD.
- Encourage the use of evidence-based best practices in instruction.
- Improve instructional performance for those pursuing a teaching career in higher education.
- Encourage reflection and innovation in pedagogy for those new to teaching.
- Enhance employment prospects by developing professional skills and strategies related to teaching.
Registration
Please register using this link so we can add you to the Graduate Teaching Certificate (GTC) organization in eLearning. You’ll find it listed under “Organizations,” not “Courses.” Once added, the link to the GTC organization will appear on your eLearning login page.
Requirements
Completing your Graduate Teaching Certificate will require four important components: (1) four online courses (2) teaching development events, (3) Teaching Observation and Feedback, (4) Teaching Experience.
1. Courses in Pedagogy
Once you submit the initial application for the Graduate Teaching Certificate, you will shortly thereafter be enrolled in four short online courses noted that can be completed in a self-paced manner. These courses are part of UTD eLearning and the Blackboard course management system. Login to eLearning and click on “Graduate Teaching Certificate,” which will appear on your main page under “My Organizations.”
- Avoiding Plagiarism and Citing Sources(2) Lecturing 1, (3) Making the Most of Discussion, and (4) Marking and Giving Feedback.
2. Teaching Development Workshops and Events
Attend a minimum of three teaching development workshops or events. The teaching assistant is required to complete a one-page reflective essay on the experience for each of the workshops or events. The essay should not summarize the event, but rather provide some analysis or reflection about the event. When you have completed each essay, click on the “Teaching Development Events or Workshops” folder in eLearning and submit your assignment.
CTL events that meet the GTC requirement are posted on the Comet Calendar and on the website. You will also find workshop recordings in the GTC Organization in eLearning.
3. Teaching Observation and Feedback
Arrange to have a faculty mentor or designated UTD personnel observe at least one session of a student’s teaching and receive feedback from that individual. Discuss the observation with the observer. In this discussion, you will share your thoughts about the observed class session and you will get the perspectives of the observer about the strengths of your teaching, as well as suggested areas for improvement.
Write a one-page essay (about 250-300 words) reflecting on the teaching and learning in your course with specific reference to the observation and subsequent consultation. Consider the questions below to help you analyze your teaching.
- From the observation/consultation, what did you learn about your teaching? You might consider delivery: your pace, voice, gestures, movement; use of board/visuals, organization of content, including use of transitions, summaries, examples, clarity of ideas and explanations, your classroom interactions; student participation; use of questioning, specific strategies that facilitated learning and were effective in meeting your goals.
- Based on the consultation, what is going well in your teaching? What do you plan to do to enhance your teaching? What specific new strategies are you considering?
When you have completed the essay, submit it in the “Faculty Observation of Teaching” folder in eLearning. Please be sure to indicate the name and number of the class, the date of the observation, and the name and contact information of the observer.
4. Teaching Experience
Complete a full semester of teaching at UTD. Teaching is broadly defined as having regularly scheduled instructional duties with students in a classroom, studio, laboratory, or online, in which the teaching assistant has some responsibility for learning activities over an extended period of time. The teaching assistant can serve as a grader, lab supervisor, tutor, discussion leader, independent instructor, or another pedagogical role appropriate to the class or school.
Please download the certification document below and have your supervisor or an administrator in your program sign it. Then upload it to the “Actual Teaching Experience Folder” in eLearning.