Center for Teaching
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The Center for Teaching, located at 1114 19th Ave S (across from Peabody campus), offers services to the entire Vanderbilt University teaching community. They offer many programs geared specifically to graduate student teaching assistants and instructors.
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Overview
Teaching is viewed by the Center for Teaching as more than just getting up in front of a class and talking. Rather, it is about using research-based evidence and critical discussion to promote good teaching practices. As stated on its website [1], the mission of the Center for Teaching is to:
- Promote deep understanding of teaching and learning processes by helping both individuals and groups of instructors togather, analyze, and reflect on information about their own teaching and their students' learning.
- Cultivate dialogue about teaching and learning through orientations, workshops, working groups, and other programs.
- Create and disseminate research-based best practices, models, and approaches to university teaching and learning and facilitate access to resources that support them.
Graduate Student Programs
Fall TA Orientation
This event informs TAs about university policies and procedures, familiarizes TAs with teaching methods that serve their discipline’s needs, and provides initial opportunities for TAs to discuss teaching-related issues and concerns.
ITAP
The International Teaching Assistant Program provides support and practice in English, teaching, and cultural adjustment for international TAs. Most schools require ITAs to participate in this program. The program includes ESL and teaching courses, discussion groups, meetings with undergraduates, workshops, community service, and social events for ITAs.
GradSTEP
The Graduate Student Teaching Event for Professional Development is an annual conference held in January which provides graduate students with concurrent sessions on topics ranging from preparing for the job market to balancing teaching and research.
Teaching Certificate Program
The Teaching Certificate Program is a structured program of teaching activities, consisting of cycles of inquiry, experimentation, and reflection. It is available to graduate and professional students and post-docs. Individuals who successfully complete the program receive a Teaching Certificate from the Graduate School and the Center for Teaching.
Workshops
Offerings for workshops change each semester, but cover a range of pedagogical and teaching practices. Special workshops can also be arranged by request. The current workshops for the semester are on the Center for Teaching's website.
Future Faculty Preparation Program (F2P2)
F2P2 is a self-directed program of professional development for graduate students interested in pursuing academic careers. Designed to introduce graduate students to the range of faculty roles and responsibilities at various types of academic institutions, the program offers activities in the areas of professional development, teaching and learning issues, and the world of the university. Activities fall into five categories: workshops, mentoring, hands-on experience, field trips to partner institutions, and technological initiatives. Upon completion of the program, graduate students will have produced a web page documenting their research and teaching, developed a CV and teaching dossier, and will receive a graduate teaching certificate. All graduate students are eligible to participate in the program at any point in their career at Vanderbilt.
Resources
Online Materials
The Center maintains a number of online teaching resources for use by the Vanderbilt community [2]. Topics include teaching activities, assessment, self-reflection, pedagogy, technology use in the classroom, and advice for specific audiences.
Teaching Forum Newsletter
The Center published a teaching newsletter, Teaching Forum, each semester from 1998 until 2003. It focused on different pedagogical issues, innovations in teaching, and news about teaching from around the university. The newsletter archives are available online [3].
Center for Teaching Library
The Center maintains an extensive library of journals, newsletters, books, and videotapes, which are available for the entire Vanderbilt teaching community to browse or borrow [4]. Materials span a broad range of topics, including information on academic careers, pedagogical theory, teaching evaluation and techniques, and faculty and TA development programs from various universities. The available materials can be searched through ACORN.
External Links
| Academics | |||
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| Career Center | Center for Teaching | Dissertations & Theses | Honor System |
| Libraries | |||
