NEW Professional Development Series in Teaching Disciplinary Writing

This community of practice consists of a five-part workshop series and provides graduate student educators with research-based tools and strategies for teaching writing in their disciplines. The aim of the program is to provide a theoretical and practical toolkit for teaching disciplinary writing that applies to multiple contexts: when teaching as a TA for departmental disciplinary communication (DC) courses; when teaching courses of one’s own design in one’s own discipline, as a GSI at UCSC as well as in future teaching positions; and when writing in one’s own disciplinary contexts.

The program is organized around a learning community of interdisciplinary peers that explores the following topics:

• evidence-based approaches to teaching disciplinary writing, including understanding the significance of disciplinary and writing threshold concepts;
• tools and strategies for designing and scaffolding disciplinary writing assignments and assessments;
• active learning techniques for supporting students’ development of key skills associated with writing in a given discipline; and
• equity-minded, learner-centered approaches to both teaching and assessing writing.

Throughout the program, graduate student participants will (re-)design a disciplinary writing assignment, an attendant rubric to use as a teaching and learning tool, and an active learning activity that invites students to practice a key disciplinary writing skill relevant to that assignment. A central element of this program is the opportunity to work with and think alongside peers from a variety of teaching contexts and disciplines, and to engage in peer-to-peer mentoring that will facilitate your teaching of disciplinary writing.

Please note: If you are interested in additional opportunities to study the teaching of writing, the Writing Program offers credit-bearing coursework on writing pedagogy. For example, WRIT 203, offered in winter 2021, prepares graduate students to teach first-year composition at UCSC and elsewhere and serves as a prerequisite for applying to teach as a graduate student instructor in the Writing Program.

Winter 2021 Program Information

This Winter 2021 program is sponsored by The Humanities Institute.

Program Dates & Location

In Winter 2021, this program will be offered virtually through a series of asynchronous and synchronous activities. Synchronous sessions will be held on five Fridays during the Winter quarter at 10:00am-12:00pm (Pacific Time):

• January 15 (week 2)
• January 29 (week 4)
• February 12 (week 6)
• February 26 (week 8)
• March 12 (week 10)

How to Participate

Registration is now closed.

The program is limited to 30 graduate students in any discipline. By registering in this program, participants commit to:

• actively participating in the five scheduled synchronous sessions in Winter quarter;
• completing asynchronous tasks as assigned in the program syllabus, including short reading assignments;
• completing three projects, including a (redesigned) writing assignment, a rubric, and an active learning activity—great materials for a teaching portfolio and for implementing in current and future teaching contexts;
• preparing a short presentation of the above projects for sharing with other participants;
• providing feedback on and engaging with peers’ projects and ideas.

Graduate Certificate in Course Design & Delivery

This five-part workshop series provides graduate student instructors (GSIs) with research-based frameworks and practices for designing and delivering courses that center student learning. The program is organized around an interdisciplinary learning community that explores the following topics:

• developing course outcomes for significant learning;
• designing effective and accessible assessments that align with learning outcomes;
• enacting equity-minded teaching practices;
• understanding how learning works; and
• utilizing active learning techniques.

During the program, participating GSIs will craft and refine course materials including course learning outcomes, course syllabi, formative and summative assessments, and lesson plans that put learning research into practice.

Intended to support graduate students teaching courses in the Summer Sessions, the program integrates peer mentorship. Each participant will be matched with a CITL Summer Graduate Pedagogy Mentor who will also attend the five sessions of the program, provide feedback on course materials, and serve as a resource in both Spring and Summer as participants prepare and then teach their courses. Participants are also required to meet at least twice with their peer mentor during Summer Session (or complete an equivalent, such as engaging in a peer observation of teaching protocol) to receive the certificate.

Spring-Summer 2021 Program Information

Program Dates & Location

The program will include five live, virtual sessions during Spring 2021, to be announced. The program continues in Summer 2021 with individualized support, teaching consultations, and teaching observations.

How to Participate

Registration for the Spring-Summer 2021 program will open during Winter 2021. Please check back for more information.

The program is limited to 30 participants in any discipline. Priority registration is provided to graduate students who are teaching as GSIs in the Summer Sessions. Participants commit to: attending all 5 live, virtual workshops; crafting and refining select course materials, with feedback from their peer mentor; meeting at least twice (or equivalent) with their peer mentor during Summer Session.

Graduate Certificate in Teaching for Equity

This 5-part workshop series addresses key issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education classrooms, and supports educators to develop teaching strategies shown to foster equitable learning outcomes. The program requires completion of three projects related to lesson plans and syllabus design, and is organized around a learning community that explores the following topics:

• identifying common barriers to learning;
• teaching to cultural strengths;
• implementing Universal Design for Learning;
• embracing identity and difference in the classroom;
• promoting active and collaborative learning; and
• scaffolding assignments to benefit student success.

Spring 2021 Program Information

Program Dates & Location

Five live, virtual sessions in Spring 2021, to be announced.

How to Participate

Graduate students in any discipline are welcome to register. The certificate program is limited to 30 participants. Participants must commit to attending all 5 live sessions during Spring 2021. Registration the Spring program will open in Winter 2021. Please check back for more information.

Graduate Certificate in Teaching with Technology

In this 5-part workshop series supported by the CITL and The Humanities Institute’s Expanding Humanities Impacts and Publics initiative, graduate students explore and experiment with a variety of resources for integrating digital methods into the classroom. Participants develop creative, technology-driven approaches to enhance student learning around a set of key competencies, including critical reading, data analysis, working with primary sources, annotating objects and collections, and translating knowledge and findings for a public audience. Each participant is expected to develop a digital assignment to be used in a future instructional setting. In this way, the program helps participants develop pedagogical practices that can inform their future career search.

Program Information

The Teaching with Technology Graduate Certificate Program will not be offered in 2020-21. Please re-visit this page for more information about upcoming offerings.