Teaching assistants (TAs) turn tough concepts into clarity. Through classes, labs, office hours, online discussions, and more, they offer encouragement, support, and guidance to Georgia Tech students on a daily basis.
The Center for Teaching and Learning honors this work through the annual TA Awards Competition, a highly competitive, Institute-wide recognition process for TAs across departments. The Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 TA of the Year awards below:
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
How would you describe your teaching methods? "My teaching approach is best described as interactive, engaging, and student-centered. I design my courses to keep students actively involved in the learning process rather than passively receiving information. I believe students learn more effectively when they are encouraged to participate, ask questions, and test their understanding in low-stakes, supportive environments...Overall, my teaching methods are grounded in the belief that learning is most effective when students feel motivated, supported, and actively involved in the classroom experience."
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
How would you describe your teaching methods? "My teaching methods emphasize active engagement, transparency, and structured reasoning. I use collaborative problem-solving and provide step-by-step thought processes because these methods help students connect with problems they may otherwise quickly forget after lecture. I use rubrics because they help make expectations transparent...My approaches are grounded in the belief that students learn better when the expectations and pathways for learning are clearly defined."
Department: Physics
How would you describe your teaching methods? "I aim to make the foundation of my class guided practice while limiting the direct instructional time. Here, after a brief lecture on a topic, I introduce a practice problem and offer a gradual release of information to help. After introducing a practice problem, I will prompt the students to brainstorm several ways in which they may approach the problem. I will then give them all time to work on the problem, and around the time that I would expect some of them to get stuck, I offer a hint or a suggestion on how to begin. I utilize this gradual release as a way to ensure that everyone is able to take full advantage of class time."
Department: Industrial Design
How would you describe your teaching methods? "I believe that students learn best when they are empowered to take ownership of their learning while still knowing that external support is available to them whenever they need it. Along with that, I believe it is my job to help students not only learn the course material, but to mentor them as they develop the skills and mindset needed to successfully navigate their future endeavors...By modeling openness, curiosity, and clear communication, I aim to normalize the learning process as iterative and imperfect."
Department: Psychology
How would you describe your teaching methods? "In subjects like coding, which can feel like such an onslaught of unfamiliar, every-detail-important information, students can so easily get lost in the weeds of the specifics. Never-ending conversations about the technical minutia can leave students wondering what the point of it all is! Dessert-first strategies aim to get students capable of doing the rewarding parts of coding (e.g., being able to produce visualizations) as early as possible. Then, instructors can fill in the technical details, given that the fruits of those details will then already be so demonstrable...This has become a foundational principle and method in my teaching, and in iterations of this course I would hope to implement this more and more."
Department: Building Construction
How would you describe your teaching methods? "I describe my teaching methods as active and practice-oriented, with a strong emphasis on helping students apply concepts. In my courses, I combine brief, focused instruction with hands-on activities and guided discussion so that students spend most of their time making decisions, testing ideas, and explaining their reasoning. I emphasize active learning because construction concepts, such as Lean principles, project delivery strategies, and BIM coordination, are best understood through experience...My teaching methods are guided by a straightforward principle: students learn best when practice is authentic, expectations are clear, and feedback supports improvement. By focusing on application, transparency, and ongoing support, I aim to create learning experiences that are both rigorous and directly connected to professional practice."
Department: Biological Sciences
How would you describe your teaching methods? "Because my primary goal for student learning is to ensure that students retain the big picture of how experiments spanning multiple weeks fit together, I engage students through active recall at the beginning of each lab using lectures followed by chalk-talk activities...This approach draws on educational research indicating that active recall is an especially effective form of learning for long-term knowledge retention. Additionally, these chalk-talks support students who benefit from visual representation and active engagement, and they incentivize students to remain engaged during the lecture portion because students anticipate being active participants in the coming chalk-talk."
Department: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
How would you describe your teaching methods? "I try to make the material relatable and targeted to each student because I know that we get students from a wide variety of backgrounds. A blanket approach to an introductory environmental science course would lead to many confused students, or students checking off boxes for credit and forgetting the class afterwards. For some students, this material may never show up again, unlike linear algebra or chemistry. Therefore, it is my job to make whatever I can stick; these concepts stick differently for everyone...I stimulate interest by seeing each student as an individual. It matters that each individual cares because these students have the potential to make a large impact. As someone who is passionate about what I study and the environment, it is my job to get students excited about environmental science so they apply what they learned for the rest of their lives."
Department: Neuroscience
How would you describe your teaching methods? "One of the primary course design and instructional methods that I have employed is scaffolding. Scaffolding involves providing students with more support and guidance at the beginning of the semester. Then, gradually, students are expected to independently complete the tasks by integrating prior feedback from instructors. The concept of scaffolding originates from Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development which is between what learners can and cannot perform independently. Thus, I believe in scaffolding because it provides students with space for growth without penalty to their academic standing."
Department: OMSCS
How would you describe your teaching methods? "My teaching methods balances instrumental support with clear expectations for thoughtful, quality work, encouraging students to take pride in what they submit. I invite students to challenge themselves while emphasizing that they are learning within a supportive and inclusive environment. To reinforce this balance, my teaching methods prioritize clarity and transparency, particularly through the consistent use of well-designed rubrics. In large asynchronous courses, rubrics provide essential structure by clearly communicating expectations and evaluation criteria, reducing unnecessary confusion and anxiety while still allowing room for flexibility and creativity...When expectations are clear and feedback is actionable, students can focus more fully on learning, reflection, and growth rather than navigating ambiguity."
Department: Computer Science
How would you describe your teaching methods? "My teaching approach combines structure with empathy. I use detailed rubrics and clear project instructions because transparency reduces student anxiety and clarifies expectations. When expectations are explicit, students can focus their energy on learning rather than guessing what is required...When students ask questions, I make an effort to reframe them in simpler terms and connect them back to core principles. I do this intentionally to ensure that no question feels trivial or unwelcome. As a student, coming from a background in economics and finance rather than computer science, I often hesitated to ask questions because I worried they might seem “dumb.” That experience informs my teaching: learning depends on curiosity, and curiosity requires psychological safety."
Department: Computing Instruction
How would you describe your teaching methods? "In general, one way I like to assess student understanding is by hearing them describe for themselves what they think. I've also introduced a new type of question on exams in the last few semesters, a "free response" type question where we have students write a few sentences to either explain/justify their answer or describe a concept in their own words. Hearing the students' thoughts allows us to more easily gauge whether the student truly understands the content or not. I also think it is important to give students a degree of freedom, especially on out-of-class assignments. This lets students learn on their own, and I think it will make them more interested in the material and take away more from the course."
Department: Computing Instruction
How would you describe your teaching methods? "My teaching methods aim to emphasize the use of individual critical thinking and deemphasize memorization and reliance on AI to perform critical thinking...[my methods] make the student consider the choices they are making when attempting components of our course, and get actionable feedback to help them improve."
Department: OMSCS
How would you describe your teaching methods? "My teaching methods are student-centered and designed to help students build independence in a rigorous online environment. First, I use guided questioning to identify what a student has tried and where their understanding breaks down, because this helps students develop a repeatable problem-solving process rather than relying on answers. Second, I use just-in-time teaching by tracking weekly trends on Ed and preparing targeted explanations for office hours, because addressing misconceptions at the moment they arise improves learning efficiency in a large course. Third, I use rubric-based transparency in grading and explanations, because clear criteria reduce confusion and allow feedback to function as instruction. Fourth, I use process-focused feedback (what to improve and how), because in machine learning the reasoning and experimental design are as important as the final output. Fifth, I use follow-up and closure for complex questions by consulting course staff and returning with an aligned answer, because students should not be left uncertain in a high-stakes technical course. Finally, I prioritize a welcoming, professional tone to lower barriers to participation in an online setting, since psychological safety encourages students to ask questions earlier—before they fall behind."
Department: Biological Sciences
How would you describe your teaching methods? "I would describe my teaching methods as transparent, structured, and application-focused. In a quantitative course like BIOS 4401: Experimental Design & Statistical Methods, students can quickly become discouraged if expectations feel unclear or grading feels unpredictable. For that reason, I prioritize transparency and fairness in both communication and assessment. When grading, I reference explicit criteria and syllabus policies so that students understand how decisions are made. When responding to disputes or questions, I explain not only the outcome but the reasoning behind it. My rationale is that clarity reduces anxiety and allows students to focus cognitive energy on learning rather than guessing what the instructor wants."
The Center for Teaching and Learning honors this work through the annual TA Awards Competition, a highly competitive, Institute-wide recognition process for TAs across departments.
]]>As a recipient of an Undergraduate Sustainability Education Innovation grant, Goodman received financial support to redesign MSE 2001 Principles and Applications of Engineering Materials using the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
These goals provide a blueprint for “peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” They tackle challenges like improving health and wellbeing, building sustainable communities, and fostering social and ecological resilience.
For Goodman, the course redesign was more than a short-term goal; it was a way for her to have a long-term impact on the world around her. Together with Lily Turaski, the course coordinator for MSE 2001, Goodman created assignments that challenged students to think critically about how the choices they make impact the planet.
“We wanted to highlight sustainability in our course in a way that didn't silo it in one or two topics, but allowed us to touch on sustainability throughout the entire semester, ” said Goodman. “Every engineer is going to be working with materials and of course they're going to be thinking ‘Does this have the mechanical properties I want, and the electrical properties I want, and does the cost make sense?’ But we also want to put sustainability and ethics into the front of everyone's mind as something that needs to be considered when you're doing a material selection.”
Thanks to the grant, Goodman was able to hire three undergraduate students to assist with the course redesign over the summer: Syona Gupta, Swayam Trivedi, and Laura Mae Killingsworth. “We spent a lot of time brainstorming! The topic of sustainability is so broad and there are so many great examples. Having not only my ideas and Lily’s ideas but also the ideas of three additional people on our team [helped us] think about what students would find interesting.”
Goodman noted that MSE 2001 can be formula heavy. By incorporating sustainability into the course, Goodman was able to create a personal connection that helped students become more excited about the work.
Design challenges were one of the ways Goodman brought sustainability to life for her students. One example involved asking the class to think about producing a cutting board for students. Because the designated audience was students, the materials needed to be inexpensive; however, Goodman also asked her class to avoid microplastics.
Using a tool called Granta Ansys Edupack, students were able to identify sustainability metrics – for example, how much water is used to produce a material, or what happens to the material at the end of its life – for all different materials, and incorporate that knowledge into their decision-making.
Over the summer, Goodman and her three student assistants conceptualized a “Sustainable Shark Tank” project where students created a product proposal tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Goodman challenged her students to think about the human condition: the people working in plants making the materials. “Are they being treated well? Where are we sourcing the material from, and are we taking into account the social and environmental factors involved?”
These projects increased classroom engagement and discussion. “I think a lot of students care very deeply about sustainability,” said Goodman. “For a lot of people that’s the reason they picked their major.”
Goodman’s work embodies Tech’s mission to develop leaders who improve the human condition. “Materials Science is a really intuitive place to incorporate sustainability because everything is made out of a material. Somebody made a decision to [choose that material], and that decision has ramifications for the user of the material, the people making the material, and the people who live in the place where the raw materials are sourced. Our decisions have a global impact.”
“In MSE, we have intentionally integrated sustainability into our core courses,” said Associate Chair Mary Lynn Realff. “Professor Goodman has expanded our reach to students outside the Materials Science & Engineering major through MSE 2001. Georgia Tech students care about sustainability and Professor Goodman helps the students see how to integrate sustainability into their engineering solutions in thoughtful and meaningful ways.”
During UN SDG Action and Awareness Week, higher education institutions promote awareness of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and inspire faculty, staff, and students to further the goals on campus.
Join Georgia Tech as we recognize SDG Week March 2nd-6th, 2026. The Center for Teaching and Learning offers two events related to sustainability education: a Climate Teach-In on March 3rd and a workshop on engaging students using real-world challenges on March 5th.
]]>Communications Program Manager
Center for Teaching and Learning
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Accessibility benefits all learners. While creating accessible course content has always been a pedagogical best practice, it’s also soon to be required. New Title II web accessibility guidelines require public entities such at Tech to have accessible web content – including Canvas sites and files – by April 26th, 2026.
Center faculty Ameya Sawadkar wants to help Georgia Tech instructors tackle course accessibility one step at a time. To help streamline the process, Sawadkar created the Accessibility in Canvas Courses Checklist. The checklist, which is available through Service Now, walks instructors through common accessibility issues in Canvas as well as ways (and tools) to fix each issue.
“Whether you’re updating existing materials or designing a new course, this checklist will guide you in improving readability, navigation, and compliance with the latest WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards,” said Sawadkar. “Use it as a working tool — start small, make iterative improvements, and refer to it regularly throughout the semester to ensure a more accessible learning experience.”
The checklist recommends three accessibility tools for Georgia Tech instructors: Ally, TidyUp, and the Canvas Accessibility Checker.
Blackboard Ally automatically checks Canvas course content for common accessibility issues and offers detailed guidance on how to resolve problems. Ally can also automatically generate alternative forms of digital content, including audio and electronic braille.
Ally offers instructors an “accessibility score,” a colorful meter showing how accessible or inaccessible course materials are.
Learn more about Blackboard Ally.
TidyUp helps instructors remove course clutter by quickly identifying outdated, unused, or duplicate materials in Canvas. Instructors can then delete those files to create a more accessible course.
The Canvas Accessibility Checker is a part of the Rich Content Editor. This tool allows instructors to run an accessibility check on any content created in the Editor, identifying issues such as missing alternative text, improper headings, or tables without captions. The Checker explains each issue and offers a recommended way to fix each problem.
Learn more about the Canvas Accessibility Checker.
The Accessibility Canvas Course Checklist is divided into seven sections:
Each topic includes common issues, ways those issues can be resolved, and Georgia Tech-approved tools that can be used to assist.
Sawadkar encourages instructors to use all the tools available to them as they work through each topic on the checklist. While making Canvas courses accessible may feel daunting at first, there are many, many tools to make the job easier.
“Accessibility benefits all learners — not just those with disabilities. Clear structure, consistent formatting, readable text, and navigable content make it easier for everyone to find, understand, and engage with course materials,” said Sawadkar. He noted that whether a student is using a screen reader, watching lectures in a noisy environment, or accessing content on a mobile device, accessible design removes barriers and creates a flexible and meaningful learning experience for all.
Accessibility is a mindset, not a checklist. By embedding inclusive design into your Canvas courses, you can help all of your students thrive. For more information, check out our five tips for creating web accessible courses.
]]>“These awards advance Georgia Tech’s Strategic Plan to connect globally and amplify impact by contributing to global efforts that advance the U.N. SDGs through our education, research, and service,” said Rebecca Watts Hull, assistant director of Faculty Development for Sustainability Education Initiatives. “Huge thanks to Sustainability Next for funding these grants and to the Undergraduate Sustainability Education Committee (USEC) for managing them.”
All three rounds of grant-funded projects feature high enrollment and core courses, significantly expanding the reach of Georgia Tech’s sustainability-across-the-curriculum initiatives.
To see the full list of recipients and their projects, visit CTL's blog.
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]]>This title is awarded to institutions with demonstrated experience in organizing sustainability education professional development opportunities for faculty and reflects the Institute’s efforts to increase the accessibility and diversity of education for sustainability, including community-engaged sustainability learning and teaching with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a designated Center, Georgia Tech will host annual professional development events open to faculty from other institutions.
Read the full story on the Center for Teaching and Learning blog.
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]]>Each January, 40 to 50 instructors are selected for the award for courses taught the previous calendar year. Winners receive a $1,000 stipend courtesy of the Class of 1940 and Jack and Frances Mundy endowments.
The CIOS Award acknowledges instructors with exceptional response rates and scores on the CIOS, emphasizing respect for students, enthusiasm about teaching, and fostering interest in the subject matter. A minimum 85% student response rate is required, and ties are resolved based on response rates.
“Receiving this award is a great honor, and I’m delighted that students were motivated to learn and tackle some very difficult programming assignments as part of the course,” said Laurie Garrow, professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Garrow was selected for the award based on her work in CEE 8813: Special Topics – Airline Revenue Management. As part of the course, she interviewed over 30 academic and industry representatives, then created a simulation tool for research and teaching. Her work has expanded outside of Georgia Tech and is currently being used by airline practitioners around the world.
The distribution of CIOS Awards between small and large classes aligns with the proportion of these classes in the Georgia Tech catalog over the past three years. Nominations are not accepted, and certain categories of employees, such as visiting or part-time faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and upper-level administrators, are ineligible; however, part-time faculty will be considered eligible for the 2024 calendar year.
The awards underscore Georgia Tech's commitment to excellence in teaching and highlight instructors’ roles in creating a thriving learning environment.
“We’re delighted to recognize the exceptional teaching taking place at Georgia Tech,” said Laura Carruth, associate vice provost for Transformative Teaching and Learning and executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning.
In addition to the CIOS Awards, the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Office of Academic Effectiveness also publish CIOS Honor Rolls. Instructors who make the honor roll receive a certificate of recognition.
To see a full list of the 2023 CIOS Award winners, visit the Center for Teaching and Learning’s blog.
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]]>Hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, GTREET brought together more than 60 faculty members for a day of learning and exploration.
The event began with a poster exhibition highlighting projects from the Transformative Teaching and Learning (TTL) inaugural faculty cohort, who shared their work redesigning courses using evidence-backed, experiential learning practices. These projects, which reached more than 850 undergraduate students last fall, demonstrated the cross-disciplinary potential of experiential learning embedded within the curriculum.
“Students enter the class with one view of the world and its possibilities, and exit the class inspired, with their view of the world and its possibilities transformed,” said Roberta Berry, associate vice provost for Undergraduate Education, who attended the event.
Following the poster exhibition, participants engaged in a workshop introducing two transformative teaching principles: high-impact practices (HIPs) and course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). A faculty panel discussed how to plan courses with open-ended research questions that help students connect to broader community concerns. The final workshop of the day gave faculty practical tools to innovate their classrooms.
“I was struck by the inventive ways the roles of faculty and students are being transformed toward greater partnership in the learning process,” said Linda Wills, associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Many faculty members tap into the creativity, personal interests, and unique experiences students bring to the classroom, and in the process, students not only actively participate in their own learning, but enrich and encourage their peers as well. I came away with a wealth of new ideas to try.”
GTREET was part of the Transformative Teaching and Learning Initiative in the Institute’s strategic plan, which calls faculty to provide all students with “transformative learning experiences” that create socially responsible, autonomous thinkers who can define and solve problems from different perspectives. The second round of the TTL Innovation Incubator grant invites faculty to apply for internal grants of up to $12,000 to support the design and facilitation of a course-based undergraduate research experience. These grants are funded by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and the Office of Undergraduate Education. Applications are due March 1.
The strong faculty engagement in GTREET underscores Georgia Tech’s commitment to championing innovative teaching and learning practices. By creating meaningful connections between students’ academic pursuits and the world around them, faculty in the Transformative Teaching and Learning initiative are working together to foster an environment where all students can participate in meaningful experiential learning.
Faculty are invited to learn more about the TTL Innovation Incubator grant, including a proposal planning workshop, by visiting the Center for Teaching and Learning online at ctl.gatech.edu.
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]]>“Creating this new partnership with international TAs is an extension of the hub-and-spoke model that CTL created with the Provost Teaching and Learning Fellows and the Graduate Teaching Fellows,” said Joyce Weinsheimer, director of CTL. “We hope this initiative will strengthen the voices of ITAs in our campus conversations, and give greater visibility to the diversity and contributions they bring to our campus. I'm excited about this new connection between CTL, the ITAs, and the colleges.”
The spring 2021 cohort of ITA Liaisons represents five colleges (the colleges of design, computing, engineering, liberal arts, sciences), seven schools, and a variety of national cultures. In addition, each ITA Liaison has completed “CETL 8802: Special Topics in ITA Development” and has already successfully served as a TA in their respective school. Sarah Kegley, ITA program manager for CTL, is facilitating the pilot program.
Along with collaborating with the rest the cohort, ITA Liaisons will engage as leaders in their own schools. How? By designing a framework developed from individual experience, each member of the cohort is working on something significant to them and addressing a need they choose to highlight.
“We're excited to work together in this initiative; we can support each other and incoming ITAs in distinctive ways that may not occur to others,” said Ximena Pizarro, one of the program participants and a Public Policy Ph.D. student.
Mohammad Nikbakht, another participant and an Electrochemical Engineering Ph.D. student, feels similarly.
“If I'd known then what I know now! I think we can help incoming ITAs with this experience,” Nikbakht added.
In addition to Nikbakht and Pizarro, the following students were selected for the program:
Center for Teaching and Learning
]]>This year, CTL also introduced a new “Honor Roll” in order to expand recognition of excellence in teaching at Tech. Selection for the Honor Roll is based on the same criteria as the Class of 1934 CIOS Award.
“Faculty who receive the award often remark about what an honor it is, and the same is true of the faculty who are listed on the new Honor Roll,” said Joyce Weinsheimer, director of CTL. “Teaching during the pandemic has required everyone to pivot to new ways of teaching, and faculty appreciate hearing that students value their efforts."
The Class of 1934 CIOS Award, previously known as the Class of 1940 Course Survey Teaching Effectiveness Award, is one of a number of annual CTL recognition initiatives to honor outstanding teaching.
Specifically, the award recognizes faculty members with exceptional scores and response rates on the Course Instructor Opinion Survey (CIOS). The CIOS is completed by students at the end of each semester to provide feedback to instructors about the learning experience in their respective courses.
Open to full-time instructors of both small (15-30 students) and large classes (at least 40 students), recipients were selected based on the sum of the following three CIOS items: #16 instructor’s respect and concern for students; #17 instructor’s level of enthusiasm about teaching the course; #18 instructor’s ability to stimulate my interest in the subject matter. Ties were broken by response rate.
The new Honor Roll will be compiled at the end of each semester. Then, at the end of each calendar year, the Honor Roll recipients with the 40 highest rankings and at least an 85% CIOS response rate will be awarded the Student Recognition of Excellence in Teaching: Class of 1934 CIOS Award.
Click here for a list of the 2020 recipients of the Class of 1934 CIOS Award and here for a list of the members of the Fall 2020 CIOS Honor Roll.
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]]>“After an extensive search, we’re so glad to welcome Dawn to our team,” said Bonnie Ferri, vice provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development. “Her enthusiasm as well as her years of experience when it comes to supporting faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and students make Dawn an important asset who will help our office as we put Georgia Tech’s new strategic plan into action within our unit.”
Since 2020, Baunach has served as the interim associate dean for Faculty/Student Development and Strategic Initiatives in the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Kennesaw State University.
Baunach came to Kennesaw in 2016 to serve as a professor of Sociology and chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. During her time at the university, Baunach received Kennesaw’s Teresa M. Joyce Presidential Diversity Award and served as diversity fellow for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
She also established a College Diversity Council and Makerspace Advisory Board within the Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and created a New Faculty Series to support new college faculty in their first year.
Prior to 2016, Baunach spent 20 years serving in roles ranging from director of Graduate Studies to interim chair in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State University. In these positions, her accomplishments included creating an alumni advisory board, developing a faculty affiliate program for scholars internal and external to the university, increasing graduate student enrollment by 50%, and doubling funding levels for graduate teaching and research assistants.
Baunach earned a bachelor’s in sociology from Duke University, and a master’s and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Virginia.
“I’m thrilled to join Georgia Tech's community of world-class faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars, and am looking forward to helping them grow and succeed,” Baunach said. “Plus, I’m especially excited about collaborating with my colleagues in Graduate Education and Faculty Development on initiatives that support leaders in technology — leaders who can use their skills to ultimately improve the human condition. This position feels like a perfect fit for where I’m at in my career.”
]]>“When campus closed, the focus was on transitioning to remote instruction,” said Bonnie Ferri, vice provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development. “And as the semester progressed, we realized that students doing research remotely had their own set of problems.”
In response, the Graduate Faculty Council, an advisory group made up of faculty that supports the Office of Graduate Studies, decided to take action.
“We realized that while there are many resources on mentorship in research, we found very little on the topic of how to mentor those completing research remotely,” Ferri said. “So, we crowdsourced advice for both advisors and the students they support, with particular focus on strategies to help with research productivity and student well-being.”
The team worked with members of the Graduate Student Government Association, other grad students, members of the Office of Student Life, and others to pull together a list of tips and resources to promote well-being and minimize negative impact on both advisors and advisees.
Check out this brief video for the student-focused advice, and read on for all of the strategies and supports.
Tips for Advisors
Resources for Advisors and Advisees
Tips for Students (Check out this brief video for the student-focused advice.)
Resources for Students
“As I reviewed the nomination packets for the awards, I was impressed by the quality of teaching that our TAs bring to Georgia Tech students,” said Joyce Weinsheimer, director of CTL. “Our TAs want students to learn, and they bring both vitality and commitment to their teaching. The results are noteworthy!"
The following students received institutewide TA awards, which include $500 prizes sponsored by the Tech alumni classes of 1957 and 1972:
Undergraduate TA of the Year
Graduate TA of the Year
Graduate Student Instructor of the Year
In addition, 45 students received school-level awards, and 169 graduate students received Thank-a-Teacher notes.
]]>This award, previously known as the Class of 1940 Course Survey Teaching Effectiveness Award, is one of a number of annual recognition initiatives from the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to honor outstanding teaching.
Specifically, the award recognizes faculty members with exceptional scores and response rates on the Course Instructor Opinion Survey (CIOS). The CIOS is completed by students at the end of each semester to provide feedback to instructors about the learning experience in their respective courses.
Open to full-time instructors of both small (15-30 students) and large classes (at least 40 students), recipients were selected based on the sum of the following three CIOS items: #16 instructor’s respect and concern for students; #17 instructor’s level of enthusiasm about teaching the course; #18 instructor’s ability to stimulate my interest in the subject matter. Ties were broken by response rate.
“Faculty who receive the award often remark what an honor it is, especially since it’s based on students’ feedback about their work in the course,” said Joyce Weinsheimer, director of CTL. “At least 85 percent of their students have taken the time to complete CIOS, and these students highly value the instruction they received. There’s definitely consensus among the students that this person has helped them learn — and that’s always great to hear.”
Congratulations to the following individuals:
The 18-member advisory search committee is comprised of faculty and staff, as well as students from the undergraduate and graduate student government associations. The committee will be co-chaired by Charles Isbell, dean of the College of Computing and Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences.
Two town halls are scheduled for students, faculty, and staff to hear about the search process and provide feedback on the candidate considerations:
Additional town halls are planned for later in the semester as the search progresses.
The full search committee includes:
Georgia Tech will be assisted by Jackie Zavitz, Ellen Landers, and Kaley Palanjian of Heidrick & Struggles. Nominations and applications should be directed to GTProvost@heidrick.com.
Once finalized, an application link will be provided, as well as ongoing search updates, via the search site.
]]>IVAN ALLEN COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
The PTLF cohort from the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts will address the challenge of teaching the liberal arts at a technology-focused school. In the spring, the fellows hosted a panel discussion titled “Controversial Topics in Contentious Times: Teaching the Humanities & Social Sciences at Georgia Tech.” Moving forward, each fellow will develop a separate project to address the challenge. Associate Professor Narin Hassan in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication will explore strategies to create a more mindful, empathetic, and just environment in which to discuss social justice issues. Associate Professor Carla Gerona in the School of History and Sociology will write an essay that analyzes the pedagogies of digital history. Associate Professor Gordon Kingsley in the School of Public Policy will focus on the integration of online education into the liberal arts.
In addition, here are the goals for the other respective colleges at the Institute:
SCHELLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
The PTLF cohort from the Scheller College of Business will explore opportunities to apply a blended-learning approach to courses. The group is examining how peer business schools, as well as other colleges within Georgia Tech, have incorporated digital platforms into their courses. A second focus area will look at ways to integrate more leadership topics into the curriculum, in addition to the leadership programs already offered. Toward this end, the fellows have gradually begun to infuse leadership topics into their own courses.
For example, D.J. Wu, professor and Ernest Scheller Jr. Chair in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Commercialization, recently invited Lalit Dhingra, founder and CEO of EnSignis, to address leadership in his course on Electronic Commerce (MGT 4056). The fellows also participate in the Dean’s Advisory Board, where they contribute to discussions about other ways to integrate leadership into the curriculum.
COLLEGE OF COMPUTING
The PTLF cohort from the College of Computing set a goal to enrich the graduate computer science curriculum by offering crosscutting courses with topics that integrate multiple areas of research. Associate Professor Santosh Pande in the School of Computer Science is part of the current cohort and shared thoughts on addressing issues through such an approach.
“While cutting-edge research in the field requires the expertise of experts from multiple areas, graduate students traditionally focus on building expertise in one primary area,” said Pande. “These crosscutting courses will enhance graduate education in the College of Computing by helping graduate students see how they can use their area of expertise to contribute to these emerging research topics.”
The courses will be team taught by multiple professors with expertise in different research areas. In the spring, the fellows hosted an event at which those who have taught crosscutting courses discussed how to make these types of courses most effective. Several faculty members interested in the initiative have been identified to foster dialogue as they plan and teach courses next academic year.
COLLEGE OF DESIGN
The College of Design’s PTLF cohort plans to increase awareness of excellence in teaching within its college through a teaching award. Specifically, it plans to collaborate with student organizations within each school in the College of Design to select and honor the winning faculty member at an annual event. This award will be funded by the dean, but winners will be chosen by students.
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
The PTLF cohort within the College of Engineering found that its increasing enrollment numbers have made student experiences in lab courses more difficult. For example, students are not getting enough hands-on experience with the experimental platforms that are representative of realistic and complex engineering systems because there is simply not enough equipment to go around. The College of Engineering cohort of fellows plans to address this problem in the coming academic year through the integration of an augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) platform into select courses.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCES
The PTLF fellows from the College of Sciences will identify opportunities to improve the professional development of teaching assistants (TAs) to help them become effective teachers in today’s learning environment. To do this, the cohorts are collecting information about teaching resources offered by the Institute, what is currently being done for TA professional development in other institutions, and surveying graduate TAs on what they believe could be added to improve TA training. They will use this data to develop a TA competency model to set a clearer standard of performance for training students to be teaching assistants.
During the 2019-20 academic year, the Center for Teaching and Learning will partner with the cohorts to support their initiative and update the campus community on the progress of these efforts.
Learn more about the 2018-20 Provost Teaching and Learning Fellows.
This story has been edited from the initial story, which was prepared by Georgia Tech's Office of the Provost.
]]>“As a Provost Teaching and Learning Fellow, I needed to create a project related to my work at Tech,” said Dhongde, an associate professor in Economics. “When I was talking to the dean of Ivan Allen College about possible projects, I mentioned my worry that larger classes in the School of Economics meant a greater need for graduate teaching assistants who had less experience — especially those from other countries. From that conversation, came my idea to create this program.”
The Center for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) Provost Teaching and Learning Fellows (PTLF) program brings together a group of 17 professors interested in improving Georgia Tech’s teaching community.
Fellows serve a two-year term and meet monthly to discuss new projects. (Faculty members can apply to the program or be nominated by their deans, and all participants receive an annual stipend during the fellowship.)
Dhongde was part of the first group of fellows in 2017. Read on to learn more about her and the work she’s done to help students transition into teachers.
Did you always want to go into teaching, or was it a career you came across later in life?
I worked as a graduate teaching assistant when I was at the University of California. The university's program for teaching assistants (TAs) was very structured. But, during my first section, I remember thinking that I really enjoyed this, and that maybe I wasn’t bad at it.
What I enjoyed most of all was that the students could connect a lot better with graduate students as their TAs, so I felt really comfortable with them. And the students seemed so excited. It didn’t feel like teaching the same course over and over, because every class approached it in a new way. That connection helped me decide that this was where I wanted to be.
What brought you to Tech?
Since Tech is known for its engineering program, the economics program is slightly smaller here. But, I worked in a similar situation at another university, and I really liked that the students could work well with numbers. Economics is like math and physics in that it uses a lot of quantities, and I knew students here would be well trained in that.
What do you enjoy most about teaching at Tech?
I enjoy interacting with students. The students here are very smart; they take interest in any challenging problem, regardless of their major. I remember a few years ago, I was teaching a master’s class in economics, and I had one graduate student from Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) who was very close to finishing his Ph.D. He was taking the course because he was interested in economics, but he became so excited about the subject by the end of the semester. Later in the year, he told me that he'd decided to go for another degree — in economics (after finishing his degree in ECE). I was surprised that he wanted to go for another Ph.D., but it felt great to have this connection with a student.
Something like that won’t happen every time, but it was great to see an engineering student who has this interest in social topics, who actually decided to use it. A lot of my students here come up and ask if they can do something beyond what the class requires them to do. I’ve even had some students present their papers at undergraduate research conferences on their own. I enjoy seeing that initiative in our students.
What are some of the challenges that international students face when they transition from students to teachers?
International students aren’t always familiar with the undergraduate class structure, especially how undergraduate students at Tech approach the class and the instructor. For example, many students in our program are from different countries in Asia, so a couple of them have had to adjust to students being very direct in their questions to the professor. Another thing our international students struggle with is confidence in the language. Usually, they are very good at reading and speaking English, but they lack confidence in their presentations.
Tell us more about what the program you’ve created for international students entails.
As part of the program, students go through CTL’s Teaching Assistant Orientation and Tech to Teaching program. We included these components to help students think more scientifically about the art of teaching and help international students learn about classroom structures in the United States. Students then move on to a teaching capstone where they teach a course by themselves or with a mentor.
The program generally lasts two semesters. So far, we’ve had 11 students participate. Any graduate student can join, but we tend to see the most interest from international students looking to gain more expertise in teaching in this country. We’re building a website for the program. But, for now, visit the Tech to Teaching page for more information about the required courses.
How have students benefited from participating?
The participants have a chance to learn specific teaching skills in the CTL classes or from their mentors, such as how to write syllabi well and how to give presentations.
One of the most beneficial parts is the capstone where they teach a course with a mentor. The student that I mentored last semester got to see the process of building a course over time and observe lectures, and even got to give some lectures herself. She was able to observe how professors deal with things like student questions and if you run out of copies of something — all the things that can happen in a classroom. The program also helped her in getting feedback from students regarding things like projecting her voice so they could hear her. Students also get a Tech to Teaching certificate and a letter of recommendation from CTL.
Going forward, what are a few of your goals for your program?
We’re working to institutionalize the program within Economics and share it with other schools at Tech. I’m glad that Laura Taylor, the new chair of Economics, has recognized the importance of this initiative and has been very supportive in helping it grow.
Why would you recommend that other faculty members participate in the PTLF?
The program provides the opportunity to think creatively about teaching. It’s an opportunity to learn what you’re doing well and what you can improve about your methods. We as faculty rarely share our classroom experiences and our thoughts on teaching with each other, even though teaching is an important part of our lives. The PTLF program helped me make these conversations with colleagues across campus happen.
For more information about the Provost Teaching and Learning Fellowship, visit ctl.gatech.edu/faculty/groups/PTLF.
]]>Center for Teaching and Learning
]]>“When you’re working on a Ph.D., you don’t typically get to connect with undergraduate students, because you’re always doing research,” said Al Kurdi, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry and Biochemistry. “I became a TA because I wanted to interact with students and challenge myself to be a better teacher.”
Al Kurdi took home both a Thank A Teacher award and the Graduate TA of the Year award for Chemistry and Biochemistry at the 2019 TA and Future Faculty Awards Day, which was held in April.
The annual event is sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning, and celebrates students and postdoctoral scholars who have contributed to the learning environment at Georgia Tech.
This year, 51 students received school-level TA Awards, and 91 students received Thank A Teacher awards. Also, 34 Tech to Teaching participants and 48 Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) members received teaching certificates.
“It was exciting to win these awards, because it shows my work is paying off and that my students care enough to take the time to express that they appreciate my teaching,” Al Kurdi added.
During the event, the following individuals also received institutewide TA of the Year awards, which include $500 prizes sponsored by the Georgia Tech alumni classes of 1957 and 1972:
Undergraduate TA of the Year
Graduate TA of the Year
Graduate Student Instructor of the Year
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PAGE Day on Capitol Hill is Tuesday, Feb. 19. in partnership with the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) and the Georgia Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (GACTE) again this year.
Learn more about hot education issues such as teacher pay, educator retirement, student assessment, and local school calendars. You’ll meet other politically-minded educators from across the state and advocate for teachers and students under the Gold Dome. Gov. Kemp is invited to deliver the keynote address at our luncheon at the Sloppy Floyd building. Please make your plans to attend and register HERE.
]]>“I got my offer letter pretty close to the start of the semester,” said Nguyen, a master’s student in Mechanical Engineering. “So, it was like, I’m a TA now — what do I do?”
But, thanks to the Center for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) Teaching Assistant Orientation (TAO), Nguyen wasn’t left wondering for long.
If you are a new TA who could use some insight into topics such as interacting with students and tips for grading, you can choose from two upcoming TAO sessions on Jan. 8 in the Peachtree Room, Student Center Commons, and on Jan. 23 in the Piedmont Room, Student Center. Both sessions will occur from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
A special orientation session for international TAs will be held on Jan. 25 from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Here, students who are new to the United States will learn about the culture, students, and teaching techniques typically used in the American college classroom.
TAOs are led by a team of eight experienced Graduate Teaching Fellows who present interactive sessions that help new TAs understand their roles and how to do them well.
“I definitely recommend attending TAO,” Nguyen said. “The sessions will help you learn the basics of what it means to teach at Tech, such as how to grade effectively and consistently, as well as how to help students learn vs. just talking at them. You’ll also learn about the numerous resources you can use beyond what you pick up at orientation.”
Register for TAO and International TAO.
]]>Center for Teaching and Learning
]]>“It was time to make the switch because the vendor of the prior clicker — PRS — discontinued the product,” said Clay Fenlason, director of educational technology. “We also learned that the PRS clicker wouldn’t work with more recent versions of Microsoft Office, so an alternative needed to be found in fairly short order.”
Clickers are devices that allow faculty members to gauge student knowledge and engagement during class. For example, a professor might ask a question, students would respond by pressing a button on their device and the professor could measure response.
At Tech, clickers are used primarily in chemistry, physics, biology, math, computing and management courses, with around 3,000 students using them each semester, Fenlason said.
A faculty-led task force was organized to review four products based on features, support, pricing, technical reliability and T-Square integration. In the end, the unanimous choice was the TurningPoint system.
Benefits of the new system include the following:
“A couple of classes are piloting the new clickers this summer to help pave the way and identify last-minute issues,” Fenlason said. “The bookstore should begin to stock the new clickers later this summer, and they should be the sole, supported clicker beginning in the fall.”
Faculty will receive a free instructor kit, which includes a receiver and a clicker, and the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) will offer training on the devices for faculty and teaching assistants at the beginning of each semester. Online tutorials are also available here.
The price that students will pay has yet to be determined by Barnes & Noble @ Georgia Tech, which will sell the devices.
Contact Chaohua Ou in CETL at to obtain your system and to learn more about training opportunities.
]]>"CTL’s programming is designed to create time and space for faculty to engage with a community of their peers, focusing on specific themes, projects, initiatives, new ideas, old ideas, evidence-based teaching practices, and more,” said Ruth Poproski, assistant director of Faculty Teaching and Learning Initiatives. “Whether it be a practical issue that needs attention or the intellectual curiosity that leads you to question the grounding of various teaching practices, our goal is to help you move forward in your work as educators.”
Read on to find out if one of these opportunities is a fit for you:
For more information, about any of the options mentioned, email Poproski.
]]>“Plagiarism cases make up 38 percent of all cases we process, and we know there are some cases we never hear,” said Bonnie Weston, director of the Office of Student Integrity (OSI).
Tech’s policy on plagiarism is straightforward. It states that all cases need to be reported to OSI, and then students who want to challenge the accusation may do so.
But that’s where the simplicity ends. So you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, we’ve asked Weston and a few of your Tech colleagues for some insight into how they’ve dealt with plagiarism on campus. Read on for their strategies.
Why Do Students Plagiarize?
At Tech, there are two primary reasons for plagiarizing. Some students do it because they consider the class unimportant, as it isn’t one of their core classes. The other major reason is lack of time.
“Most of the students I see plagiarizing are trying to get everything done within their packed schedules,” said Andy Frazee, associate director of the Writing and Communication Program in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication. “They’re stressed, tired, and think they can’t get it done in time, so they copy someone else’s work.”
David Smith, senior lecturer in the College of Computing, noted that non-computer science students often view his classes as a formality, and some fail to learn anything because of this. These students copy work done by others or ask others for help with their programming assignments and fail to learn the programming skills they need to succeed.
“Every semester, I’ll get students whose failure to do their own work causes them to have to come back and retake my class,” Smith said. “I had one student have to repeat my class several times, because he refused to do his own homework, and had no idea how to solve the problems placed before him on the tests.”
How Do You Spot It?
According to Frazee, the first question any professor should ask himself when presented with suspicious work is, “Does this answer the question I’ve asked?” Plagiarizers often take their material from sources where the question answered doesn’t match the one being asked by the professor. So, a paper or answer that fails to fit the question is a warning sign of plagiarism, Frazee added.
Another sign is sudden changes in the spacing or fonts in a student’s work. So, for example, if the font size or type isn’t consistent, this can indicate that information was copied and pasted from another document, Frazee said.
Many professors use plagiarism checking software, such as Turnitin, especially when it comes to work submitted online. These “cheat catchers” — a term that Smith uses to describe the software — will let professors know if portions of essays or homework were copied. However, Smith acknowledges the limitations of these services.
“We first introduced a cheat catcher in our computer science classes in 2000,” Smith said. “But, the result was that students progressively learned how to get around the program. They weren’t learning anything, and those we caught faced severe academic penalties.”
What Can You Do to Prevent It?
Just one instance of plagiarism can have a tremendous impact on a student’s academic career. For example, it’s unlikely that the student will ever be able find teaching assistant positions or internships on campus, Smith said. For this reason, he does all he can to try and prevent plagiarism from occurring.
One way he accomplishes this is by basing his tests (worth 45 percent of his grades) off his homework, which is only worth 15 percent. Students who cheat on the homework usually fail his courses as a result.
“Just waiting for plagiarizers to get caught and then punishing them doesn’t work,” Smith said. “I advocate a two-pronged approach, dissuading people from cheating through incentives, as well as punishing plagiarizers after they’re caught. There’s no room for negotiation once a student is caught, so it’s essential to keep as many students as possible from trying in the first place.”
Weston reminds all professors to include a copy of the Student Honor Code at the beginning of their syllabi and to go over the correct formatting for citations and references. It is her hope that this clarification can prevent cases of ignorant plagiarism and prevent many of the cases that come to OSI.
And to help mitigate the dangers of time crunches, Frazee has a solution.
“You have to be willing to be a little flexible,” Frazee said. “While setting deadlines is important, you should make it clear to your students that you can be approached if work is piling up. If you’re willing to give an extra day or two to complete an assignment, it can encourage students to write their own work.”
For more information about dealing with plagiarism at Tech, visit http://osi.gatech.edu. Also, in an effort to safeguard academic integrity and prevent plagiarism, the Office of Graduate Studies now offers a limited number of iThenticate plagiarism detection licenses for use by dissertation advisors. For details, visit http://www.grad.gatech.edu/iThenticate.
]]>Shatakshee Dhongde is looking forward to sharing what she’s learned over the past 10 years in higher education — not about sharing what she teaches, but about how she teaches.
“Typically, faculty discuss teaching only when there is a problem, and they need to fix it,” said Dhongde, an assistant professor of Economics. “I think the big challenge is to encourage faculty to spend more time talking about what works or not in classrooms, and to think of ways in which they can help their colleagues become good teachers.”
Dhongde is one of 17 faculty selected for the Center for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) new Provost Teaching and Learning Fellows program. The program is a partnership between CTL and the faculty of each of the colleges, with participants nominated by deans and department heads.
Phil Ackerman, Greg Blekherman, and Tamara Bogdanovic are the inaugural fellows from the College of Sciences.
“The fellows have a proven track record of being effective problem solvers within their own educational field,” said Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “By fostering communication among these professionals, we hope to facilitate intercollege collaboration and find innovative best practices directly from the experience of these faculty members.”
Each college has a minimum of two fellows, with additional fellows available for the larger colleges. These scholars will meet once a month over the next two years to discuss teaching and learning needs, mentorship, and dissemination of teaching and learning lessons, and techniques for wider use. Individual fellows will work closely with CTL to develop college-specific initiatives to address issues raised at the wider meetings.
“Faculty approaches to teaching tend to be discipline-specific,” said Joyce Weinsheimer, director of CTL. "If the Center for Teaching and Learning wants to have an impact on the quality of the learning environment at Georgia Tech, we must connect with our disciplinary colleagues. The Provost Teaching and Learning Fellows program has opened the door for such partnerships."
Congratulations to the following members of the inaugural class:
College of Computing
College of Design
College of Engineering
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
College of Sciences
Scheller College of Buisness
“Typically, faculty discuss teaching only when there is a problem, and they need to fix it,” said Dhongde, an assistant professor of Economics. “I think the big challenge is to encourage faculty to spend more time talking about what works or not in classrooms, and to think of ways in which they can help their colleagues become good teachers.”
Dhongde is one of 17 faculty selected for the Center for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) new Provost Teaching and Learning Fellows program. The program is a partnership between CTL and the faculty of each of the colleges, with participants nominated by deans and department heads.
“The fellows have a proven track record of being effective problem solvers within their own educational field,” said Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “By fostering communication among these professionals, we hope to facilitate intercollege collaboration and find innovative best practices directly from the experience of these faculty members.”
Each college has a minimum of two fellows, with additional fellows available for the larger colleges. These scholars will meet once a month over the next two years to discuss teaching and learning needs, mentorship, and dissemination of teaching and learning lessons, and techniques for wider use. Individual fellows will work closely with CTL to develop college-specific initiatives to address issues raised at the wider meetings.
“Faculty approaches to teaching tend to be discipline-specific,” said Joyce Weinsheimer, director of CTL. "If the Center for Teaching and Learning wants to have an impact on the quality of the learning environment at Georgia Tech, we must connect with our disciplinary colleagues. The Provost Teaching and Learning Fellows program has opened the door for such partnerships."
Congratulations to the following members of the inaugural class:
College of Computing
College of Design
College of Engineering
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
College of Sciences
Scheller College of Buisness
“After more than 40 years in education, I thought it might be time to retire,” said Weinsheimer, who is now director of CTL. “But, the opportunity to create a culture at this university that promotes and rewards excellence in teaching — something I’ve always been passionate about — presented itself. And I couldn’t say ‘no’ to the challenge.”
Recently, Weinsheimer shared her thoughts on CTL’s new name, other changes, and more about why she’s excited about her new role. Read on to find out more.
So, why change the center’s name?
We wanted our emphasis to be on teaching and learning. When newcomers read “the enhancement of” in our name, they thought our focus was on fixing poor teaching. We sent out a survey to faculty and administrators, and 90 percent thought the change to Center for Teaching and Learning was a good idea.
Who can use CTL's services?
Anyone teaching at Georgia Tech — whether the person is a faculty member, a temporary/part-time instructor, a postdoctoral scholar, a graduate student, an undergraduate who serves as a teaching assistant (TA) or tutor, or a staff member who teaches GT 1000. There are a lot of different teaching roles on our campus, and CTL connects with them all.
What are some of the challenges that instructors at Georgia Tech face, and how can CTL help?
Having enough time to do everything well is difficult. This especially can pose a challenge to those who want to excel in both teaching and research. So, CTL provides a variety of ways to explore best teaching practices. Those who choose to invest just a little time can attend a workshop, consult about a particular class, or join our book club. Those who want to go into more depth can participate in a faculty learning community on a topic of their choice or participate in the future faculty program.
What are you looking forward to most about your work as director?
As I’ve mentioned, I’m really passionate about creating a culture at Tech that promotes and rewards excellence in teaching. I want our students to have an educational experience that energizes them and prepares them for the future. We have instructors here who are using innovative strategies that engage students in the hard work of learning. As CTL’s director, I want to highlight what these folks are doing and help more of our instructional staff use evidence-based practices that enhance student learning. In addition, I enjoy working with my campus colleagues on “Creating the Next” in teaching and learning. How will we respond to the challenges that are emerging? What bold actions will we take to ensure that the educational experience we offer is worthwhile? I like being part of the “next” and helping it take shape at Tech.
Are there any new additions to the CTL staff?
I’ve changed the structure of CTL a bit this year. David Lawrence is now associate director, and we have organized CTL into three areas: learning and technology initiatives, TA development and future faculty initiatives, and faculty teaching and learning initiatives. We’ve welcomed two new staff members — Kate Williams and Tammy McCoy — both of which will work with our TA development and future faculty initiatives. We also hope to have a postdoctoral fellow join us soon.
What changes will CTL make in the next few months?
I want to lead us into a new era of collaboration among administrators, instructional staff, and support units to maximize student learning on this campus. We have two new important partnerships underway:
What are some of the highlights of CTL’s recently redesigned website? How is it more useful to the campus community?
There was just so much information to digest on the old site. Now, whether you’re a faculty member, a postdoc, or a student, the information is easier to find. Also, our events page breaks out teaching and learning-related events according to audience. Best of all, the homepage now features news and information related to teaching and learning for the whole campus — so, it’s easier to know what’s happening at Tech.
Can you share a few new publications that you’d recommend to instructors trying to learn more about best practices?
Right now our book club is looking at Are You Smart Enough? by Alexander W. Astin. Next, we’re reading Minds Online: Teaching Effectively with Technology by Michelle D. Miller. We’ll discuss this book during the Oct. 28, and Nov. 11 meetings — so stop by CTL to pick up a book, then join us in book club for a glass of wine and a great discussion!
To learn more about CTL, visit ctl.gatech.edu
]]>Teaching at Georgia Tech: A Handbook for Faculty, Instructors, and Teaching Assistants
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