GTLP Level 1: Foundations
About
The Graduate Teaching and Learning Program (GTLP) is designed to support your development as an educator. Level 1: Foundations is a workshop series that provides the basis for a deeper dive into scholarly literature on teaching and skill-building in Levels 2 through 4 by establishing foundational knowledge associated with student-centred learning.
It covers the university policy and professional ethics training you need to know as a teaching assistant and teaching basics that will help you become a more effective and confident educator. No prerequisite.
Time Commitment
Completion of Level 1 takes approximately 23-25 hours. You are not required to complete Level 1 in a single offering; however, you must complete Level 1 prior to entering Level 2. You complete Level 1, you must complete all the core required workshops and two option workshops and an exit survey/critical reflection.
GTLP Level 1 Requirements At-A-Glance
Level 1: Foundations - Workshop Series
Dates: August 16-27, 2021
Level 1 is open to all University of Alberta graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. It is offered in August and January. Students on a leave of absence do not qualify.
To get started in the program, register for a Level 1 workshop through campusBridge. Upon attending a Level 1 workshop, you will be invited to enrol in the program by self-registering in eClass. Access to self-registration is only granted after you have attended a Level 1 workshop.
You may also choose to attend Level 1 workshops without enrolling in the program. Your attendance for the purposes of the Professional Development Requirement will be recorded in campusBridge.
- Build foundational knowledge of:
- Teaching scholarship in higher education;
- Ethical practices in teaching and learning and university policy;
- Strategies for classroom communication, management and leadership; and
- Strategies for student learning and inclusion.
- Deepen workplace professionalism.
- Build self-confidence and personal effectiveness.
You may attend as many sessions as you wish, but must complete the core required workshops and minimum of two option workshops to qualify for level completion. You are free to complete the requirements for Level 1 over several offerings; however, you must complete Level 1 prior to entering Level 2. For those enrolled in the program, a record of your progress will be kept in eClass.
Level 1 core required workshops cover teaching basics and focus on three themes including: (1) pedagogical principles; (2) classroom communication, management, and leadership; and, (3) ethical practices and principles in teaching and learning. A variety of option workshops allow you to complement the core required workshops by selecting topics that support your particular teaching context or personal interest.
Some departments require teaching assistants to complete training in the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program. Please consult your department for possible requirements.
Foundational and Pedagogical Principles
- Mapping Learning Objectives and Outcomes
- The Art of Lesson Planning
- Fundamentals of Evaluation and Assessment
- Teaching and Learning: Context Matters
- Supporting an Environment for Student Motivation
Classroom Communication, Management, and Leadership
- Classroom Communication I: The Basics (previously Circular Communication in the Classroom)
- Classroom Communication II: Managing Difficult Situations (previously Dealing with Difficult Situations and Students)
- Teaching Presentation Skills
- Identifying, Helping, and Referring Students in Distress
- The Policy and Practices of Classroom Inclusion (previously Social Location and Unconscious Bias in the Classroom)
Ethical Practices and Principles in Teaching and Learning*
- Ethical Principles in University Teaching
- Applying the Code of Student Behaviour in the Classroom
- Copyright in the Classroom
Please note: *Ethical Principles in Teaching and Code of Student Behaviour in Teaching may be used towards the Academic Integrity and Ethics Training Requirement.
To be selected from a variety of sessions, including (but not limited to):
- Effective Teaching in the Lab
- Facilitating Classroom Discussions
- Mindfulness in the Classroom
- First Class: Creating a Positive Tone in Campus Classroom of Your First Class: How to Make it First Class
- Indigenizing and Decolonizing the Academy
- Teaching in the Canadian Classroom
To complete Level 1, you must complete all the core required workshops and two option workshops (approximate 23-25 hours) and an exit survey/critical reflection.
Graduate students who complete Level 1 will receive the following notation on their transcripts: Graduate Teaching and Learning Program: Foundations. All participants will receive Level 1 completion letters for their teaching dossiers.
All workshops except the GTLP Information Session, Ethical Principles in Teaching, Code of Student Behaviour in Teaching be used towards the Professional Development Requirement.
All professional development and ethics activities must be approved by your department. To attend the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research's (FGSR) workshops, you must register through campusBridge. Your attendance for the purposes of the Professional Development Requirement will be recorded here.
Questions regarding the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program (GTLP), including the recent changes to the program can be directed to:
Deanna Davis, PhD
Senior Lead and Educational Curriculum Developer
Graduate Teaching and Learning
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
E-mail: gradpd@ualberta.ca