The 2011 FASS, Science and Engineering GATAcademy will be officially opened by Dr. Alan Wright, Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning and Dr. Charles MacDonald, Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) Faculty of Science.

Discussion can be a powerful way to teach and to learn. But it can also be intimidating to face a room full of faces and wonder, What if no one wants to say anything? How can I get them started? And what do I do when they have nothing left to say? Using active, discussion-based methods, this workshop will introduce you to some techniques for setting a comfortable atmosphere, stimulating discussion through the use of questioning strategies, and dealing with that dreaded moment when discussion just fizzles out!

How can you mark written assignments fairly and efficiently? What kind of comments can help students understand their grade and improve their work? This interactive workshop will teach you how to create practical grading guidelines that will help you develop a fair, consistent and efficient system of assessment. You will also learn how to generate appropriate comments to reflect the assigned grade.

How do you get your point across? How do you explain complex ideas to a variety of students from different backgrounds who have a range of prior subject knowledge? Surprisingly, forty minutes of pointless droning rarely helps students understand. Effective teaching requires effective explanation - a skill that anyone can develop through knowledge and - most importantly - practice. This workshop will help you understand the strengths and limitations of your own explanation style, while providing you with additional explanation techniques that can be integrated into an adaptive teaching strategy.

Harness technology both inside and outside the classroom to help you with your work as a teaching assistant. For the technophobe to the technophile, there are many tools to help you organize, communicate, collect, curate and archive your work -- not to mention your life! This workshop will introduce you to a variety of tools that you can use to reach your students, enhance your lessons, and build a classroom that encourages learning through effective teaching. In this session, you will have a chance to try out a variety of applications and tools that you will be able to use in your next GA or TA position. Laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. are encouraged.

Making 'it' look easy usually requires effort. To be an effective GA or TA you will be required to balance a multitude of responsibilities. This seminar will provide you with tips, tricks, and interactive scenarios designed to assist you in your transition from student to GA/TA. It is our goal to prepare you to be of maximum benefit to your students.

How can you mark written assignments fairly and efficiently? What kind of comments can help students understand their grade and improve their work? This interactive workshop will teach you how to create practical grading guidelines that will help you develop a fair, consistent and efficient system of assessment. You will also learn how to generate appropriate comments to reflect the assigned grade.

Do you find data or statistics intimidating? Do your students? No need to fear the numbers! This workshop will present the basics of finding and using data and demonstrate tools and websites that can be useful in your teaching, whether you are teaching statistics, a methods class, or just want to bring concepts alive with current, hard data. We will share tips we’ve derived from years of teaching basic data concepts to students at a variety of levels and in a variety of disciplines. We will also discuss how the Academic Data Centre (ADC) in Leddy can help you use data, statistics, and statistical software in your teaching as a GA/TA (and as a student too). Bring questions!

Harness technology both inside and outside the classroom to help you with your work as a teaching assistant. For the technophobe to the technophile, there are many tools to help you organize, communicate, collect, curate and archive your work -- not to mention your life! This workshop will introduce you to a variety of tools that you can use to reach your students, enhance your lessons, and build a classroom that encourages learning through effective teaching. In this session, you will have a chance to try out a variety of applications and tools that you will be able to use in your next GA or TA position. Laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. are encouraged.

Please register for your delicious FREE lunch! If you register, you will receive a lunch ticket with your registration. Please email Marilyn at ctlworkshops@uwindsor.ca by NOON on Wednesday, 31st August if you have any food allergies or special dietary requirements, to allow us to cater appropriately.

Ahh, your job includes taking care of the CLEW website for your professor!  That sounds daunting, but with an introduction to the tools you’ll be using, you will see that CLEW has some organizing and timesaving features that can help you and your students keep on top of the course work.
During this session, you will see how to:

• upload course material to your site;
• create an announcement and sending an email to all students;
• grade an assignment;
• grade a forum posting;
• post grades into Gradebook;
• post grades using Feedback; and
• customize your site by managing your site tools.

Hands-on workshops are available.  Visit http://www.uwindsor.ca/clewworkshops to register.
CLEW will be upgraded to version 2.7.X on August 29 and for a preview of some of the changes visit:  http://apps.medialab.uwindsor.ca/ctl/clewupdate/

Discussion can be a powerful way to teach and to learn. But it can also be intimidating to face a room full of faces and wonder, What if no one wants to say anything? How can I get them started? And what do I do when they have nothing left to say? Using active, discussion-based methods, this workshop will introduce you to some techniques for setting a comfortable atmosphere, stimulating discussion through the use of questioning strategies, and dealing with that dreaded moment when discussion just fizzles out!

Making 'it' look easy usually requires effort. To be an effective GA or TA you will be required to balance a multitude of responsibilities. This seminar will provide you with tips, tricks, and interactive scenarios designed to assist you in your transition from student to GA/TA. It is our goal to prepare you to be of maximum benefit to your students.

Teaching in Canadian classrooms can be a challenge if the instructor is not aware of the influence culture has in people's learning and communication styles. Becoming aware of one's own culture and learning basic skills to navigate other's is key to deliver effective messages and to handle potential conflict. We'll review some useful tips, explore common differences between Canadian classroom culture versus the most common countries of origin of our international students.

How do you get your point across? How do you explain complex ideas to a variety of students from different backgrounds who have a range of prior subject knowledge? Surprisingly, forty minutes of pointless droning rarely helps students understand. Effective teaching requires effective explanation - a skill that anyone can develop through knowledge and - most importantly - practice. This workshop will help you understand the strengths and limitations of your own explanation style, while providing you with additional explanation techniques that can be integrated into an adaptive teaching strategy.