Full disclosure: I have never taught an online course. I’m also the kind of instructor who loves getting to know my students. I have everyone create name tags on the first day of class and only after I know everyone’s name by memory do students stop bringing their name tags. I frequently incorporate ice breakers...
The mental image elicited by the word “college” is moving away from ivy-covered red brick buildings and moving towards students on laptops at home in their pajamas. You may have noticed that online education is increasing based on the number of ads for online degrees popping-up while browsing social media or even from taking an...
“How will I know when I am ready?” Is this the question you ask yourself as the clock strikes midnight while you are frantically adding content to your discussion slides after working on it for 6 hours straight? Maybe you have the first draft of your thesis due to your advisor in two days. But...
While the first quarter you work as a Teaching Assistant (TA) may feel overwhelming, know that you don't need to worry! There is support--ranging from workshops, campus resources, and professional development events--to help support you as you build your teaching skills. Read on to find out about resources on-campus and online that can help you...
Have you ever had students that needed extra help? Perhaps they were struggling with personal or academic situations. Or, perhaps they were disruptive in class while you were TAing or serving as a mentor. As a teaching assistant and mentor, you are in a position to serve as a critical resource for saving a student’s...
When you think about teaching, what is it about teaching that you find so attractive? Is it the immersion in topics you love and the ability to share that love with your students? Might it be the knowledge that you are training the next generation of scholars to work in your field? Is it the...
[ Image Description: Fin, from Adventure Time, puts on a pair of glasses. He then gasps as the image zooms in all the way down to the atomic level to illustrate Fin's new, greater level of understanding.] Pictured: An accurate depiction of how you absorb the information shared during Academic Development Day Join GradSuccess for...
With September comes fall quarter, and with the arrival of fall quarter so too comes your new class and TA assignment. Perhaps this is your first time TAing here at UCR and the hardened sailors of high tide (by this I mean the TAs with more experience!) have already made you apprehensive about the challenges...
