2023-2024 Teaching Development Fellows
2023-05-22 23:59 (America/New_York)
Applications are now open for the 2023-2024 Teaching Development Fellows Cohort. The deadline for applying is Monday, May 22, at 11:59 pm (ET)

Information Session

If you were unable to attend this year’s information session, you can view the recording below. If you have additional questions, contact Ben Hansberry, Associate Director for Graduate Student Teaching, or your department’s current fellow.

About the Fellowship

Fellows work within an interdisciplinary network of peers dedicated to teaching and learning. They receive training and mentorship in teaching from TLL in order to design and lead independent, department-based workshops and events (in-person or remote) aimed at improving teaching skills among MIT’s grad students.

Fellows should plan to commit approximately 8-10 hours per month from August to May to achieve the work associated with this program. Their work is supported by each fellow’s department with a total stipend of $2,100. There are also a number of at-large positions available, supported directly by the TLL.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be graduate students in good academic standing with at least one semester of teaching or TA experience. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate a commitment to developing a community of evidence-based and reflective teaching in their departments, have additional teaching experience, and/or have already completed the Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program (KTCP), Grad Teaching Development Tracks, or equivalent training.*

Selected applicants who have not previously completed KTCP will receive additional training during summer, 2023 before beginning the program.

*Examples of equivalent training are achieving an undergraduate or graduate degree in education, or completing the CIRTL MOOC, NSF GK12 program, or MIT Scheller Teacher Education Program.

Application Details

The online application will ask you for the following:

Contact and department information

Previous participation in teaching development programming

Short answer questions on the following topics:

Challenges to developing teaching skills for graduate students in your department and proposals for how a fellow might address these challenges

Description of teaching philosophy and teaching methods currently in use or planned

Description of teaching training

Description of prior leadership experience

Applicants must also upload a current CV which includes teaching experience

We are also excited to announce several at-large positions for fellows who design programs to support graduate students across the entire Institute and focus on a particular audience or topic.

If you are interested in being considered for this kind of position, please also identify what topics or audiences you would be interested in supporting. Previous at-large fellows have included:

Supporting English-as-a-second-language TAs. This at-large fellow supports the particular challenges of ESL TAs, including supporting communication skills, challenges of teaching as a non-native English speaker, and social aspects of teaching in your non-native language.

Supporting graduate student mentors. This at-large fellow supports the teaching activities of graduate student mentors, working in collaboration with the UROP office. Past projects have included running grad student mentor trainings, supporting mentor-mentee communication, and contributing to a mentoring handbook.

Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. This at-large fellow supports DEI initiatives across the Institute in collaboration with the TLL. Projects could include designing inclusive teaching workshops or identifying systemic barriers to inclusive teaching that graduate students can help to address.

Supporting peer observation. This at-large fellow conducts teaching observations for graduate students and provides feedback. Projects could also include coordinating peer-observation programs or designing observation protocols.

Upon completion of the application, your advisor or graduate officer (identified in the application) will be contacted to confirm good academic standing and to acknowledge prospective participation. A letter of reference is not required.

Fellows are selected by a committee of TLL staff and former fellows in consultation with their departments. All materials must be received no later than Monday, May 22, 2023.

Apply Here

Application Period for the Summer 2023 Subject Design Track
2023-06-23 12:00 - 2023-06-29 23:59
About the Program

The Subject Design Track is a sequence of three interactive 2-hour workshops focused on course design. Participants will learn to build a course by first identifying goals and then organizing assignments and content to align with these goals. Over the course of the program, participants will develop a syllabus for a course of their choice with feedback from the instructor. All workshops will take place on Zoom.

Visit our page on Grad Teaching Development Tracks learn more.

Workshop TitleIntended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)Date & TimeDefine Your Goals and ScopeDescribe the elements of the backward design process.Identify and articulate learning outcomes for a course you wish to teach.Identify evidence of a supportive learning environment in existing syllabi.Tue, Jul 25, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)Plan Your AssessmentsOutline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Identify an appropriate summative assessment method that aligns with discipline priorities and the intended learning outcomes of the unit.Design assessments that support belonging and equity. Outline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Tue, Aug 1, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)Draft Your SyllabusDescribe how a student-centered syllabus differs from a content-centered syllabus.Articulate course policies that align with learning outcomes and teaching philosophy.Write a student-centered syllabus based on components developed over the course of the Subject Design Track.Tue, Aug 8, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)FacilitatorBen Hansberry, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Teaching

How to Apply

The application window will be open from 12:00 noon Friday, June 23, through 11:59 pm Thursday, June 29. Participants from previous workshop tracks are given priority. The remaining applications will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered.

Apply

NOW OPEN! Application Period for the Fall 2023 Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program (KTCP)
2023-08-01 12:00 - 2023-08-20 23:59
The Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program (KTCP) is an interactive workshop series intended for late-program graduate students and postdocs interested in academic careers or developing skills to support their teaching at MIT.

The application includes these two short-answer questions. You may wish to draft your answers (1500 character limit for each) before beginning your application.

Describe your teaching responsibilities in the next two semesters (If applicable).

What are two teaching practices or skills you hope to learn by completing this program?

To learn more, review the program schedule, and find answers to frequently asked questions, please see our dedicated KTCP page.

Priority will be given to applicants who will have fewer future opportunities to participate in the program (e.g., final year grad students, postdocs, etc.)

Applications must be received by 11:59 PM ET on August 20.

If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli. (Please note that the application button will not work until the application period begins.)

Registration for IAP 2023 TA Days NOW OPEN.
2023-08-14 08:00 - 2023-08-31 16:00
Summer 2023 TA Days: Monday, August 28, through Thursday, August 31.

Before the start of each semester, TLL offers a series of workshops for TAs to help them prepare for the roles and responsibilities of the position of teaching at MIT. Topics include giving feedback, presenting a class session, and facilitating office hours, among other practical subjects related to teaching. Please visit our TA Days page to view the full schedule and detailed descriptions of the workshops. Registration is now open via Canvas. (Link below.)

Please note that the Summer 2023 TA Days schedule includes a mix of in-person and online sessions. All workshops held on campus will take place in 2-190.

Application Period for the Fall 2023 Lesson Planning Track
2023-08-14 12:00 - 2023-08-20 23:59
About the Program

The Lesson Planning Track is a sequence of 3 workshops focused on preparing an effective lesson plan for a class session or recitation, developing skills for classroom presentation and effective classroom activities, and giving formative feedback to students. Over the course of the workshop track, participants develop a detailed lesson plan on a topic of their choice with feedback from the instructor.

Workshop Schedule

Facilitating Learning

Tuesday, Sep 5, from 2- 4 pm (ET)

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the benefits of implementing ILO-aligned active learning strategies in the classroom.

Identify the specific benefits and challenges of implementing a particular active learning strategy

Design opportunities for practice that engage students cognitively and align with desired ILOs through the use of active learning strategies.

Reduce barriers to inclusion by intentionally using a variety of active learning techniques with attentiveness to implementation details.

Planning for Learning

Tuesday, Sep 12, from 2- 4 pm (ET)

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the impact that prior content knowledge, previously mastered skills, and beliefs about learning have on how students learn

List some strategies to ascertain students’ prior knowledge, skills, and beliefs.

Use scaffolding and an understanding of prior knowledge and skills to sketch an outline of a class session that includes active learning.

Effective Feedback

Tuesday, Sep 19, from 2- 4 pm (ET)

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the characteristics of effective feedback.

Explain how cultivating a growth mindset in your students can foster resilience and increase academic performance.

Provide targeted and growth-oriented feedback.

To complete the track and receive a letter of completion, participants must attend all three workshops and complete the required out-of-class work.

How to Apply

Any graduate student is welcome to apply. Participants from previous workshop tracks have priority. After that, applicants are selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so please apply early. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm Sunday, August 20, to be considered.

Application Period for the Fall 2023 Microteaching Track
2023-09-18 12:00 - 2023-09-24 23:59
Any graduate student is welcome to apply. However, students who have completed the Lesson Planning Track will be given priority.

About the Program

The Microteaching Track is a sequence of 2 microteaching workshops. In a microteaching workshop, a small group of students each present a brief teaching demo and receive feedback from peers and TLL staff. Following the first microteaching workshop, participants incorporate the feedback they received into their teaching demo and present the improved version in the second session.

Workshop Schedule

Microteaching 1: Weeks of October 2 & 9

Microteaching 2: Weeks of October 16 & 23

Note: To receive a Letter of Completion and count toward a Certificate, participants must have previously completed the Lesson Planning Track. The Microteaching Track is the only series that can be taken more than once.

Applications must be received by 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, September 24. If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli

Please note that the application button will not work until the application is open.

Finding the Why: Integrating Purpose in STEM as a Path to Student Engagement
2023-09-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Virtual Talk

Join us for our next talk in TLL’s 2023-24 Speaker Series

Many students across different demographic groups highly value opportunities to advance their knowledge and skills (agentic goals) and fulfill a larger purpose that contributes to the world and solves social problems (communal goals). However, STEM fields are often stereotyped as careers that are more focused on individual goals and less on fulfilling communal ones. In this talk, Dr. Amanda Diekman will explore how instructors and lab directors in STEM contexts can integrate cues and reflection about the purpose of their work. Considering students’ “why” in pursuing STEM provides a valuable vantage point to foster both broader participation and deeper engagement in STEM.

All are welcome. To receive the Zoom link, please register via Eventbrite below.

About the Speaker

Amanda Diekman is Provost Professor at Indiana University, where she also serves as Associate Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs. Her research investigates how stereotypes stem from and reinforce the social structure, with a particular focus on disparities in STEM interests and predictors of trust in science. Her research has been published in outlets such as Psychological Science, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. She has served as PI or co-PI on multiple grants from the National Science Foundation to support basic research and evidence-informed student programs. She is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Society of Experimental Social Psychology.

Book Launch with Justin Reich
2023-10-03 16:00 - 17:30 | MIT Bartos Theater, MIT Bldg. E15-070 | 20 Ames Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, United States
Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools

Justin Reich, Associate Professor, Comparative Media Studies/Writing and director of MIT Teaching Systems Lab, will hold a talk on his newest book, Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools. This event will be held on Tuesday, October 3 at MIT Bartos Theatre (E15-070), 20 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA or you can join virtually on zoom.

Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools is a playbook for making big, joyful changes in schools out of a series of small, manageable steps.

Copies will be for sale on-site. Pizza and book signing will be available after the talk on campus.

Speaking up in STEM: Investigating the self-advocacy and classroom experiences of undergraduates with ADHD and specific learning disorders
2023-10-26 13:00 - 14:00
Dr. Julie Dangremond Stanton, Associate Professor of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia

Artwork by danjazzia on Envato Elements

When students with disabilities transition to college, they become solely responsible for accessing and using their accommodations for the first time, which requires self-advocacy. Although self-advocacy is considered an essential skill for the success of students with disabilities in college, we are still learning about how students practice self-efficacy and how faculty and staff can encourage students’ self-advocacy. In this talk, Dr. Stanton will explore the answers to three key questions and will share insight on how to support the success of students with learning disabilities in STEM:

What does self-advocacy look like for STEM undergraduates with learning disabilities?

What factors influence self-advocacy in STEM?

How does active learning in STEM courses affect students’ perceptions of learning and self-advocacy?

About the Speaker

Dr. Julie Dangremond Stanton is an Associate Professor of Cellular Biology at the University of Georgia. Although she was trained as a cell biologist, Stanton’s passion for helping students learn led her to pursue education research as a faculty member. In her primary research area, she investigates the metacognitive development of undergraduate life science students. In addition, Dr. Stanton studies the self-advocacy experiences of students with learning disabilities and ADHD in STEM with Dr. Mariel Pfeifer (University of Mississippi) and the strengths and assets of Black science majors with Dr. Darris Means (University of Pittsburgh). She is the PI of two NSF grants for biology education research, including a CAREER award to study metacognition. Through her teaching and research, Dr. Stanton is dedicated to helping undergraduates learn and persist in life science majors.

Application Period for the Spring 2024 Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program
2023-11-27 12:00 - 2023-12-10 23:59
About the Program

The Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program (KTCP) is an interactive workshop series intended for late-program graduate students and postdocs interested in academic careers or developing skills to support their teaching at MIT. To learn more, review the program schedule, and find answers to frequently asked questions, please see our dedicated KTCP page.

How to Apply

The application includes these two short-answer questions. You may wish to draft your answers (1500 character limit for each) before beginning your application.

Describe your teaching responsibilities in the next two semesters (If applicable).

What are two teaching practices or skills you hope to learn by completing this program?

Priority will be given to applicants who will have fewer future opportunities to participate in the program (e.g., final year grad students, postdocs, etc.)

The application window will be open from 12:00 noon Monday, November 27 through 11:59 pm Sunday, December 10.

If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli.

Please note: The link button will not work until the application period opens.

IAP 2024 Flipping Failure Storytelling Workshop
2023-12-01 08:00 - 2023-12-14 23:59
Everyone has faced challenges. Everyone has a story. Flipping Failure want to hear yours!

Join us for Flipping Failure’s IAP 2024 Storytelling Workshop Series! The workshop series will be a guided process of reflection and discovery to craft and record your unique story in a small cohort of MIT undergraduate and graduate students. You do not need any prior knowledge or storytelling experience to participate!

Benefits of Participation

Through the process of constructing and sharing their stories, MIT students found meaning in their experiences, felt less alone in their struggles, and recognized how they’ve grown and become more resilient. View the video below to hear how storytelling shifted their perspectives.

Browse all of Flipping Failure’s stories on their website.

What to expect:

The workshop series will combine exercises in observation, mindfulness, and journaling with instruction in crafting a narrative. Guidance and feedback on the crafting and shaping of your story will be provided.

The majority of the time in workshops will be spent working on your stories and recordings. There will also be optional experimentation and brief exercises that you may complete on your own each week.

There will be three 3-hour in-person workshops January 9, 11, & 16, and a 1.5-hour individual meeting during the week of January 22.

How to apply:

For more information, including frequently asked questions and the link to the application, click the button below. MIT undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to apply.

Applications are due by 11:59 pm Thursday, December 14th, 2023.

SPACE IS LIMITED!

Apply

Application Period for the IAP 2024 Subject Design Track
2023-12-04 12:00 - 2023-12-10 23:59
About the Program

The Subject Design Track is a sequence of three 2-hour interactive workshops focused on course design. Participants will learn to build a course by first identifying goals and then organizing assignments and content to align with these goals. Over the course of the program, participants will develop a syllabus for a course of their choice with feedback from the instructor. All workshops will take place on Zoom.

Visit our page on Grad Teaching Development Tracks to learn more.

Workshop TitleIntended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)Date & TimeDefine Your Goals and ScopeDescribe the elements of the backward design process.Identify and articulate learning outcomes for a course you wish to teach.Identify evidence of a supportive learning environment in existing syllabi.Wed, Jan 10, 11:00 – 1:00 pm (ET)Plan Your AssessmentsOutline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Identify an appropriate summative assessment method that aligns with discipline priorities and the intended learning outcomes of the unit.Design assessments that support belonging and equity. Outline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Wed, Jan 17, 11:00 – 1:00 pm (ET)Draft Your SyllabusDescribe how a student-centered syllabus differs from a content-centered syllabus.Articulate course policies that align with learning outcomes and teaching philosophy.Write a student-centered syllabus based on components developed over the course of the Subject Design Track.Wed, Jan 24, 11:00 – 1:00 pm (ET)FacilitatorJanet Rankin, Director, Teaching + Learning Lab

How to Apply

The application window will be open from 12:00 noon Monday, December 4, through 11:59 pm Sunday, December 10. Participants from previous workshop tracks are given priority. The remaining applications will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered.

Please note: The link button will not work until the application period opens.

Balancing High Expectations and Flexibility: Supporting Student and Faculty Mental Health with Compassionate Challenge
2023-12-13 12:00 - 13:00
Dr. Sarah Rose Cavanagh, Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning in the Center for Faculty Excellence, Simmons University

Co sponsored by DoingWell at MIT

Join us for the final talk of the semester, with the option to attend a viewing in the Wellbeing Lab located in the newly renovated Student Center.

When you ask people to tell a story about their favorite teacher in their educational journey, they nearly always describe an instructor or coach who was warm, funny, empathetic… but challenged them to rise to high expectations of effort and success. We know from motivation research that the best goals are specific and difficult, as setting a low bar for oneself can be enervating rather than energizing.

How can we create classrooms that encourage students to set challenging goals for themselves, that mobilize energy and stimulate creativity while also being compassionate about the many difficulties our students face to adjust to their learning needs? In this interactive talk, Sarah Rose Cavanagh will present some research and food for thought based on her most recent book on creating learning environments of compassionate challenge, ending with practical tips for teaching self-determined seekers of knowledge.

About the Speaker

Sarah Rose Cavanagh is the Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning in the Center for Faculty Excellence at Simmons University, and is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Psychology Department. Before joining Simmons, she was an Associate Professor of psychology and neuroscience (tenured) at Assumption University, and served in the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence as Associate Director for Grants and Research. Sarah’s research considers the interplay of emotions, motivation, learning, and quality of life. Her most recent research project, funded by the National Science Foundation, convenes a network of scholars to develop teaching practices aimed at greater effectiveness and equity in undergraduate biology education. She is author of four books, including The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion (2016) and Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Youth Mental Health with Compassionate Challenge (2023). She gives keynote addresses and workshops at a variety of colleges and regional conferences, blogs for Psychology Today, and writes essays for venues like Literary Hub and The Chronicle of Higher Education. She’s also on BlueSky too much, at @SaRoseCav.

Registration for IAP 2024 Teaching Days is closed.
2024-01-16 09:00 - 2024-02-02 16:00
To register for the **IAP 2025 Teaching Days** Please click here.

IAP 2024 Teaching Days: Monday, January 29, through Friday, February 2.

Before the start of each semester, TLL offers a series of workshops for TAs and teacher trainees to help them prepare for the roles and responsibilities of the position of teaching at MIT. Topics include giving feedback, presenting a class session, and facilitating office hours, among other practical subjects related to teaching. Please visit our Teaching Days page to view the full schedule and detailed descriptions of the workshops. Registration is now open via Canvas. (Link below.)

Please note that the IAP 2024 Teaching Days schedule includes a mix of in-person and online sessions. All workshops held on campus will take place in 4-370

How to Leverage Self-Regulated Learning in Mentoring
2024-01-22 10:00 - 11:00
Image by SKvector

Self-Regulated Learning is a framework for teaching and learning that supports mentoring in the following ways:

Teaching your mentees how to direct their own research progress makes for more independent mentees, allowing your role as mentor to shift from a more directive role to a collaborative one.

Helping your mentees with time management, improving their motivation and engagement in the work you are doing together, and preparing them for future research opportunities with less external direction.

Many first-time mentors find the initial planning stage to be the most challenging aspect of undergraduate mentoring. By modeling self-regulated learning strategies, you and your mentee can develop goals, strategies, and a timeline collaboratively, schedule reflection check-ins, and identify resources available to your mentee ahead of any challenges arising.

Come learn about how SLR can be leveraged to collaboratively plan goals for the semester with your mentees and support mentees in the development of key metacognitive skills! Coffee and pastries provided to attendees!

Presented by Annick Dewald, Teaching Development Fellow, MIT AeroAstroLocation: 33-218

Climate Across the Curriculum: An Octopus's Journey
2024-02-15 13:00 - 14:00
Dr. Sandra Goldmark, Columbia University

What do we need to infuse climate into our courses? Join Sandra Goldmark (Barnard College and Columbia Climate School) for a discussion about climate-responsive teaching in almost any discipline. Goldmark will share her experiences incorporating climate concepts into her theatre courses; expanding climate teaching at Barnard College; and piloting a Climate Ready curriculum at the Columbia Climate School. Participants will be invited to share their own interdisciplinary climate teaching experiences and provide feedback on the Climate Ready framework.

About the Speaker

Sandra Goldmark is a designer, professor, and circular economy expert. Sandra serves as Senior Assistant Dean for Interdisciplinary Engagement at the Columbia Climate School, and Director of Sustainability and Climate Action and Associate Professor of Professional Practice at Barnard College. From 2013-2019, Sandra founded and operated Fixup, a social enterprise repair service dedicated to healthy and circular patterns of consumption. Sandra is a co-creator of the Sustainable Production Toolkit, a free climate action and sustainability resource for performing arts organizations, and serves on the Board of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, the BBC, The Sunday Times of London, The Daily News, Salon.com, and many more. A graduate of Harvard College and Yale University, Sandra is the author of Fixation: How to Have Stuff without Breaking the Planet.

Application Period for the Spring 2024 Lesson Planning Track Opens April 1
2024-04-01 12:00 - 2024-04-07 23:59
About the Program

The Lesson Planning Track is a sequence of 3 workshops focused on preparing an effective lesson plan for a class session or recitation, developing skills for classroom presentation and effective classroom activities, and giving formative feedback to students. Over the course of the workshop track, participants develop a detailed lesson plan on a topic of their choice with feedback from the instructor.

Workshop Schedule

Facilitating Learning

Monday, Apr 22, from 10- 12 pm

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the benefits of implementing ILO-aligned active learning strategies in the classroom.

Identify the specific benefits and challenges of implementing a particular active learning strategy

Design opportunities for practice that engage students cognitively and align with desired ILOs through the use of active learning strategies.

Reduce barriers to inclusion by intentionally using a variety of active learning techniques with attentiveness to implementation details.

Planning for Learning

Thursday, Apr 25, from 10- 13 pm

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the impact that prior content knowledge, previously mastered skills, and beliefs about learning have on how students learn

List some strategies to ascertain students’ prior knowledge, skills, and beliefs.

Use scaffolding and an understanding of prior knowledge and skills to sketch an outline of a class session that includes active learning.

Effective Feedback

Monday, Apr 29, from 10- 12 pm

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the characteristics of effective feedback.

Explain how cultivating a growth mindset in your students can foster resilience and increase academic performance.

Provide targeted and growth-oriented feedback.

To complete the track and receive a letter of completion, participants must attend all three workshops and complete the required out-of-class work.

How to Apply

Any graduate student is welcome to apply. Participants from previous workshop tracks have priority. After that, applicants are selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so please apply early. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm Sunday, April 7, to be considered.

Beyond Content: Teaching for Civic Participation and Engagement
2024-04-10 14:00 - 15:00
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Dr. Bryan Dewsbury, Florida International University

Dr. Bryan Dewsbury will explore the ways in which we can reconnect our classroom practice with the values, behaviors and mindsets needed for a socially just society.

About the Speaker

Bryan Dewsbury is Associate Professor of Biology and Associate Director of the STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University. He is the Principal Investigator of the Science Education and Society (SEAS) research program, a team blending research on the social context of teaching and learning, faculty development of inclusive practices, and programming to cultivate equity in education. Previously, he was at the University of Rhode Island. Bryan is a Fellow with the John N. Gardner Institute, where he assists institutions of higher education cultivate best practices in inclusive education.

Creating a Classroom Climate that Supports Student Engagement in Active Learning
2024-04-24 14:00 - 15:00
Dr. Sarah Eddy, University of Minnesota

Active learning classrooms ask students to engage with coursework differently than traditional classrooms. Not only do they ask students to invest more effort into directly engaging with the content, they often require students to work collaboratively with their peers while learning. The risk “getting it wrong” in front of their peers can prevent some students from fully engaging in active learning classrooms. Instructors can generate student buy-in and foster students’ willingness to take risks through classroom climate. Classroom climate can be characterized by the values, norms, and relationships present in a course. In this talk, we will explore the ways in which instructors can foster student engagement in active learning by emphasizing the relevance of content, setting norms that encourage mastery goals and peer cooperation, and developing high-quality instructor-student relationships.

About the Speaker

Dr. Sarah Eddy is Associate Professor of Biology Teaching and Learning in the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. They received a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in Zoology from Oregon State University. Sarah completed a postdoctoral scholarship in biology education at the University of Washington. Trained as a behavioral ecologist, Sarah has shifted from studying behavior in a field setting to behavior in college classrooms. Their lab engages in rigorous research to generate data and resources that support science instructors in creating content and course climates that promote student belonging, motivation, and a sense that their unique backgrounds and experiences are a strength within science. In addition to scholarly publications, Sarah’s work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Science, and Insight into Diversity.

2024-2025 Teaching Development Fellows
2024-05-06 12:00 - 2024-05-29 23:59
Applications for the 2024-2025 Teaching Development Fellows Cohort will open on Monday, May 6 at noon. The deadline for applying is Wednesday, May 29, at 11:59 pm (ET)

Information Session
If you would like to find out more about the Teaching Development Fellows program, there will be an in-person information session on Monday, May 13 @ 9 am in E19-607. Coffee and pastries will be served!

If you have additional questions, contact Ben Hansberry, Associate Director for Graduate Student Teaching, or your department’s current fellow.

About the Fellowship

Fellows work within an interdisciplinary network of peers dedicated to teaching and learning. They receive training and mentorship in teaching from TLL in order to design and lead independent, department-based workshops and events (in-person or remote) aimed at improving teaching skills among MIT’s grad students.

Fellows should plan to commit approximately 8-10 hours per month from August to May to achieve the work associated with this program. Their work is supported by each fellow’s department with a total stipend of $2,100. There are also a number of at-large positions available, supported directly by the TLL.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be graduate students in good academic standing with at least one semester of teaching or TA experience. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate a commitment to developing a community of evidence-based and reflective teaching in their departments, have additional teaching experience, and/or have already completed the Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program (KTCP), Grad Teaching Development Tracks, or equivalent training.*

Selected applicants who have not previously completed KTCP will receive additional training during summer, 2024 before beginning the program.

*Examples of equivalent training are achieving an undergraduate or graduate degree in education, or completing the CIRTL MOOC, NSF GK12 program, or MIT Scheller Teacher Education Program.

Application Details

The online application will ask you for the following:

Contact and department information

Previous participation in teaching development programming

Short answer questions on the following topics:

Challenges to developing teaching skills for graduate students in your department and proposals for how a fellow might address these challenges

Description of teaching philosophy and teaching methods currently in use or planned

Description of teaching training

Description of prior leadership experience

Applicants must also upload a current CV which includes teaching experience

We are also excited to announce several at-large positions for fellows who design programs to support graduate students across the entire Institute and focus on a particular audience or topic.

If you are interested in being considered for this kind of position, please also identify what topics or audiences you would be interested in supporting. Previous at-large fellows have included:

Supporting English-as-a-second-language TAs. This at-large fellow supports the particular challenges of ESL TAs, including supporting communication skills, challenges of teaching as a non-native English speaker, and social aspects of teaching in your non-native language.

Supporting graduate student mentors. This at-large fellow supports the teaching activities of graduate student mentors, working in collaboration with the UROP office. Past projects have included running grad student mentor trainings, supporting mentor-mentee communication, and contributing to a mentoring handbook.

Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. This at-large fellow supports DEI initiatives across the Institute in collaboration with the TLL. Projects could include designing inclusive teaching workshops or identifying systemic barriers to inclusive teaching that graduate students can help to address.

Supporting peer observation. This at-large fellow conducts teaching observations for graduate students and provides feedback. Projects could also include coordinating peer-observation programs or designing observation protocols.

Upon completion of the application, your advisor or graduate officer (identified in the application) will be contacted to confirm good academic standing and to acknowledge prospective participation. A letter of reference is not required.

Fellows are selected by a committee of TLL staff and former fellows in consultation with their departments. All materials must be received no later than Friday May 29, 2024.

Apply Here

Application Period for the Summer 2024 Microteaching Track
2024-05-08 12:00 - 2024-05-14 23:59
All MIT graduate students who have completed the Lesson Planning Track are welcome to apply.

About the Program

The Microteaching Track is a sequence of 2 microteaching workshops. In a microteaching workshop, a small group of students each present a brief teaching demo and receive feedback from peers and TLL staff. Following the first microteaching workshop, participants incorporate the feedback they received into their teaching demo and present the improved version in the second session.

Workshop Schedule

Microteaching 1: Weeks of May 27 & June 3

Microteaching 2: Weeks of June 10 & 17

Note: To receive a Letter of Completion and count toward a Certificate, participants must have previously completed the Lesson Planning Track. The Microteaching Track is the only series that can be taken more than once.

Applications must be received by 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, May 14. If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli

Please note that the application button will not work until the application is open.

TLL Lunch & Learn: Reflecting on Waste Produced from Human Activities
2024-05-15 12:30 - 13:30
How Design-fiction Can Help Engineering Students Imagine the Future

The Nexus, 14S-130 | Hayden Library, 160 Memorial Drive

Bring your lunch and join Dr. Julitte Huez, Ph.D., INP – ENSIACET and TLL to discuss how “design-fiction” can help engineering students learn to develop more diverse and creative solutions to complex technological problems.

The waste sector is a significant source of natural resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, which is why it constitutes a critical theme in the training of engineering students. This discussion will center on a pilot study of a design-fiction teaching module aimed at problematizing the idea of waste by asking groups of engineering students to consider different climatic and technological futures. Dr. Huez will share the findings of the pilot study – conducted with her colleague Nicolas Hervé. There will be time for discussion.

Space is limited for this in-person workshop and registration is required.

Application Period for the Summer 2024 Subject Design Track
2024-07-15 12:00 - 2024-07-21 23:59
About the Program

The Subject Design Track is a sequence of three interactive 2-hour workshops focused on course design. Participants will learn to build a course by first identifying goals and then organizing assignments and content to align with these goals. Over the course of the program, participants will develop a syllabus for a course of their choice with feedback from the instructor. All workshops will take place on Zoom.

Visit our page on Grad Teaching Development Tracks to learn more.

Workshop TitleIntended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)Date & TimeDefine Your Goals and ScopeDescribe the elements of the backward design process.Identify and articulate learning outcomes for a course you wish to teach.Identify evidence of a supportive learning environment in existing syllabi.Thu, Aug 8, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)Plan Your AssessmentsOutline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Identify an appropriate summative assessment method that aligns with discipline priorities and the intended learning outcomes of the unit.Design assessments that support belonging and equity. Outline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Thu, Aug 15, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)Draft Your SyllabusDescribe how a student-centered syllabus differs from a content-centered syllabus.Articulate course policies that align with learning outcomes and teaching philosophy.Write a student-centered syllabus based on components developed over the course of the Subject Design TrackThu, Aug 22, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)FacilitatorBen Hansberry, Associate Director for Graduate Student Teaching, Teaching + Learning Lab

How to Apply

The application window will be open from 12:00 noon Monday, July 15, through 11:59 pm Sunday, July 21. Participants from previous workshop tracks are given priority. The remaining applications will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered.

Apply

Registration for IAP 2025 Teaching Days NOW OPEN.
2025-01-27 12:00 - 2025-01-31 12:00
IAP 2025 Teaching Days: Monday, January 27 through Friday, January 31

Before the start of each semester, TLL offers a series of workshops for TAs and teacher trainees to help them prepare for the roles and responsibilities of the position of teaching at MIT. Topics include giving feedback, presenting a class session, and facilitating office hours, among other practical subjects related to teaching. Please visit our Teaching Days page to view the full schedule and detailed descriptions of the workshops. Registration is now open via Canvas. (Link below.)

Please note that the IAP 2025 Teaching Days schedule includes a mix of in-person and online sessions.

Application Period for the Fall 2024 Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program
2024-08-01 12:00 - 2024-08-18 23:59
Application

The application includes these two short-answer questions. You may wish to draft your answers (1500 character limit for each) before beginning your application.

Describe your teaching responsibilities in the next two semesters (If applicable).

What are two teaching practices or skills you hope to learn by completing this program?

Priority will be given to applicants who will have fewer future opportunities to participate in the program (e.g., final year grad students, postdocs, etc.)

The application window will be open from 12:00 noon Thursday, August 1 through 11:59 pm Sunday, August 18.

For more information about the program and frequently asked questions, please visit the KTCP page. If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli.

Please note: The button is not active until the application opens.

APPLY

Application Period for the Fall 2024 Lesson Planning Track Opens August 19
2024-08-19 12:00 - 2024-08-25 23:59
About the Program

The Lesson Planning Track is a sequence of 3 workshops focused on preparing an effective lesson plan for a class session or recitation, developing skills for classroom presentation and effective classroom activities, and giving formative feedback to students. Over the course of the workshop track, participants develop a detailed lesson plan on a topic of their choice with feedback from the instructor.

Workshop Schedule

Facilitating Learning

Wednesday, Sep 11, from 2- 4 pm

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the benefits of implementing ILO-aligned active learning strategies in the classroom.

Identify the specific benefits and challenges of implementing a particular active learning strategy

Design opportunities for practice that engage students cognitively and align with desired ILOs through the use of active learning strategies.

Reduce barriers to inclusion by intentionally using a variety of active learning techniques with attentiveness to implementation details.

Planning for Learning

Wednesday, Sep 18, from 2- 4 pm

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the impact that prior content knowledge, previously mastered skills, and beliefs about learning have on how students learn

List some strategies to ascertain students’ prior knowledge, skills, and beliefs.

Use scaffolding and an understanding of prior knowledge and skills to sketch an outline of a class session that includes active learning.

Effective Feedback

Wednesday, Sep 25, from 2- 4 pm

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the characteristics of effective feedback.

Explain how cultivating a growth mindset in your students can foster resilience and increase academic performance.

Provide targeted and growth-oriented feedback.

To complete the track and receive a letter of completion, participants must attend all three workshops and complete the required out-of-class work.

How to Apply

Any graduate student is welcome to apply. Participants from previous workshop tracks have priority. After that, applicants are selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so please apply early. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm Sunday, August 25, to be considered.

Application Period for the Fall 2024 Inclusive Teaching Track
2024-09-25 12:00 - 2024-10-01 23:59
About the Program

In this track of workshops, we will discuss the relevant scholarly literature as we identify concrete strategies to cultivate equitable and welcoming classrooms where students from all backgrounds can thrive. Participants will practice reflecting on their own experiences and perspectives while learning effective strategies to be responsive to the diversity in their classrooms. By the end of the track, participants will be able to apply an inclusive-classroom framework to create concrete and equitable teaching practices and learning activities.

Workshop Schedule

Inclusive Teaching as a Mindset

Thursday, October 17, 2024, 2 – 4 pm

In this track of workshops, we will discuss the relevant scholarly literature as we identify concrete strategies to cultivate equitable and welcoming classrooms where students from all backgrounds can thrive. Participants will practice reflecting on their own experiences and perspectives while learning effective strategies to be responsive to the diversity in their classrooms. By the end of the track, participants will be able to apply an inclusive-classroom framework to create concrete and equitable teaching practices and learning activities.

Principles and Strategies in Inclusive Teaching

Thursday, October 24, 2024, 2 – 4 pm

In this workshop, we will discuss research that informs key principles of inclusive teaching. We will work together to apply these principles by planning how we will clearly communicate the purpose of learning, build a sense of community, and signal the importance of diverse perspectives. Through the application of these key principles, we will design structured learning activities that create an equitable and welcoming classroom in which all students can learn.

How to Apply

Applications will open at noon on Wednesday, September 25 and must be received by 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, October 1. If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli.

Please note that the Apply button will not work until the application is open.

Application Period for the Fall 2024 Microteaching Track
2024-09-25 12:00 - 2024-10-01 23:59
About the Program

The Microteaching Track is a sequence of two microteaching workshops. In a microteaching workshop, a small group of students each present a brief teaching demo and receive feedback from peers and TLL staff. Following the first microteaching workshop, participants incorporate the feedback they received into their teaching demo and present the improved version in the second session.

Any graduate student is welcome to apply. However, students who have completed the Lesson Planning Track will be given priority.

Workshop Schedule

To be determined by participant availability:

Microteaching 1: Weeks of October 14 & October 21

Microteaching 2: Weeks of October 28 & November 4

Note: To receive a Letter of Completion and count toward a Certificate, participants must have previously completed the Lesson Planning Track. The Microteaching Track is the only series that can be taken more than once.

Applications must be received by 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, October 1. If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli

Please note that the application button will not work until the application is open.

Rethinking Rigor: Challenging Students & Supporting Meaningful Learning
2024-09-25 13:00 - 14:00
This talk will invite you to re-think our assumptions about how and why we challenge our students and encourage reflection on the most effective ways to promote genuine and powerful learning.

About the Speaker

Dr. Kevin Gannon is Director of the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence and Professor of History at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina. A longtime faculty member, program director, and department chair, he now directs a whole-career faculty development center and supports his colleagues in improving teaching and learning, producing scholarly and creative work, and developing as faculty and academic leaders. He is the author of Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto (2020).

Generative AI (GAI) in Teaching @MIT
2024-10-22 12:30 - 13:30
Open Learning and TLL are co-sponsoring two upcoming opportunities on the topic of GAI in teaching:

Practical AI for Educators, Dr. Lilach Mollick, Co-Director of the Generative AI Labs at Wharton

This session will explore the potential of AI as a tool for teaching and learning. The session will cover the following topics:

Educator Aids: How to make teaching easier and more effective using AI

Student Aids: AI and student-centric use cases

Combining AI with human expertise & pedagogy to enhance student learning

Teaching with and about AI: Benefits and pitfalls

Register below to receive the Zoom link. Open to the MIT Community

Please note: This session with NOT be recorded.

About the Speaker

Dr. Lilach Mollick is Co-Director of the Generative AI Labs at Wharton. Her work focuses on the development of pedagogical strategies that include artificial intelligence and interactive methodologies. She has worked with Wharton to develop a wide range of educational tools and games used in classrooms worldwide. She has also written several papers on the uses of AI for teaching and training, and her work on AI has been discussed in publications including The New York Times and Vox. She advises companies and organizations on the advantages and risks of AI in teaching. She holds a doctorate in Education from NYU.

Generative AI in Teaching: Faculty Learning Community

The Generative AI in Teaching FLC will bring MIT faculty and instructors together to explore GAI in their teaching and make tangible improvements in their subjects. Chris Capozzola, Senior Associate Dean for Open Learning and Professor of History, will be the faculty director.

The group is open to all MIT faculty and instructors, whether just beginning to think about GAI in teaching or already actively using GAI in the classroom and looking to further advance innovations. See below for more information about this FLC. The deadline to sign-up is Sunday, October 27.
