TA orientation registration
UD sets orientation for newly appointed graduate teaching assistants Aug. 24
11:22 a.m., July 15, 2015--The University of Delaware will hold orientation for new incoming graduate teaching assistants (TAs) on Monday, Aug. 24, at Gore Hall.
Attendance at the New Graduate TA Orientation is open to all new UD graduate TAs, and registration can be completed at this website.
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Many first-time TAs can feel uncertain about the tasks ahead of them and the orientation, to be held from 1-6 p.m., raises awareness of expectations of UD students, models effective teaching practices, facilitates peer mentoring and networking, and offers instructional resources to create a smooth transition into teaching assistants’ new roles.
Sessions will be facilitated by Teaching Assistant Fellows, who are experienced TAs and graduate student instructors.
Experienced teaching assistants can play an integral role in helping new TAs understand their responsibilities; as such, the University’s TA Fellows have volunteered to extend their knowledge base to incoming graduate TAs.
TA Fellows represent the new graduate students’ specific colleges or departments at the 2015 TA orientation, and foster the supportive, team based learning the orientation strives to deliver.
TA Fellows will facilitate specialized training sessions, actively engage with new TAs providing question and answer time, share their personal experiences as TAs, provide direction and support, and offer department specific tips and advice for the first day and beyond.
It is expected that about 200 new TAs will participate.
TA Fellow spotlight
• Francyne Kubaski is a second year doctoral student in the Department of Biological Sciences, studying molecular biology and genetics. Her research interests are lysosomal storage disorders, with main focus on mucopolysaccharidoses and newborn screening for those diseases in order to allow an early treatment for patients.
She has been a TA at UD during the spring for introductory biology and for other courses during her master’s degree studies in Brazil.
• Andrea Di Trani is a fourth year doctoral student in the Biomechanics and Movement Science Program. Her TA responsibilities include serving as the lead instructor for the Kinesiology and Applied Physiology 210 course titled "Emergency Management in Injuries and Illnesses" within the Athletic Training Education Program at UD.
Di Trani has taken a number of courses pertaining to teaching and learning as part of the University's former Higher Education Teaching Certificate Program. Her current research interests pertain to hamstring strain injuries and the maladaptations that occur following an initial injury that increase susceptibility for re-injury.
• Sophie Le Blanc obtained a bachelor of arts degree in 2007 and a master of arts degree in 2010 in political science from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
She has been a graduate student at UD since 2010, working on issues of migration, entrepreneurship and the garment industry of Brazil. She has been both a TA and an instructor of record at UD.
About TA orientation
TA orientation is organized by the Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning (CTAL) as part of the Office of Graduate and Professional Education’s orientation program for incoming graduate students.
Other services provided to graduate students by CTAL throughout the academic year include courses, workshops and First Friday Roundtables designed to advance the students’ pedagogical, academic and professional progress.