Register for one of the three concurrent options that run from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m.:
Being a Well-Rounded AI: Taking Care of Yourself as an AI
Location: GISB 1100 | Facilitators: Ayman Elbarbary & Elizabeth Ray
Register for “Being a Well-Rounded AI.”
What does it mean to be a well-rounded AI? What is our teaching identity? How can we take care of ourselves while being an AI? What resources does IU have for AI’s self-care and routine building? In this workshop, we will discuss our teaching identities, the role of growth mindset in teaching identities, boundary-setting strategies as an AI, and opportunities for self-care and routine building at IU. Leave this workshop knowing opportunities you have as an AI at IU to take care of yourself through your teaching identity, boundary setting, self-care, and routines.
By the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to:
- Define teaching identity
- Explain how to develop teacher identity
- Explain the relationship between AI’s, students, and professors
- State how to build a healthy graduate student-advisor relationship
- Highlight how to build a healthy instructor-student relationship
- Set boundaries as an AI
- Build routines for self-care and good habits at IU as an AI
Adapting to Your New Role as a Graduate Student and Associate Instructor
Location: GISB 1106 | Facilitators: Macy Maas & Xian Wang
Register for “Adapting to Your New Role.”
This workshop discusses topics related to graduate student life at Indiana University and the role of being an Associate instructor. This workshop will discuss methods of creating your individual teaching identity and consider the role authority plays in it. You will also learn about fostering professional relationships such as mentor-mentee and student-professor. Lastly, we will discuss methods of finding a work-life balance while keeping up with the responsibilities of being a graduate student and Associate Instructor.
Learning outcomes:
AI/Teaching Identity
- Participants will be able to describe the role and expectations of an AI.
- Participants will be able to identify methods of cultivating their individual teaching identity.
- Participants will be able to implement a variety of methods to cultivate their individual teaching identity.
Relationships and Boundaries
- Participants will be able to explain the expectations of the parties in a mentor-mentee relationship/student-professor relationship/AI-supervisor relationship.
- Participants will discuss ideas on how to foster healthy professional relationships, for example, how to approach a faculty member to initiate a mentor-mentee relationship.
Work/Life Balance and Self-Care
- Participants will identify the responsibilities of being an AI, graduate student, and person and be able to organize those responsibilities by their priority (time management and prioritization).
- Participants will be able to specify multiple methods of de-stressing and balancing their personal and academic life (self-care).
Cultivating a Positive Classroom Culture: Identifying Values, Defining Boundaries, and Establishing Course Expectations
Location: GISB 1118 | Facilitators: Michael Gannon & Meaghan Murphy
Register for “Cultivating a Positive Classroom Culture.”
The first day of class is scary! This workshop will help participants lay a strong foundation for cultivating a positive and effective classroom culture. Participants will identify and articulate their core values as educators, define and practice setting healthy boundaries with students, and clarify their specific expectations for the course. Through role-playing scenarios, interactive activities, and thoughtful discussions, participants will leave ready to set a productive tone for their classroom that supports them throughout their first semester.
Workshop Outcomes:
- Identify your values as an instructor as well as specific techniques for expressing them in the classroom.
- Define healthy boundaries as an instructor and learn how to set them, using specific examples from participants’ own experiences.
- Establish clear course expectations for yourself and your students to promote shared understanding and accountability.
Register for one of the eight concurrent options that run from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.:
A Discussion on Discussion Sessions: Navigating the “What” and “How”
Location: GISB 1134 | Facilitators: Morgan Familo & Alex Tran
Register for “Discussion on Discussion Sessions.”
Leading a discussion section can be difficult, even for seasoned Associate Instructors. Working with a professor you don’t know is nerve-wrecking, coming up with content that is educational AND engaging is a big challenge, and learning how to navigate a room of 20 + blank stares (O.O) is overwhelming to say the least.
In this workshop, we'll help you tackle the "what" and "how" of running your own discussion section. Together, we will discuss ways to collaborate with the instructor-of-record to (1) set tangible goals and discussion plan, and (2) develop engaging activities to keep students engaged and fulfill your predetermined goals.
Learning Outcomes:
- “What”:
- Learn ways to communicate and collaborate with the Instructor of Record to identify potential goals for discussions.
- Utilize backward design to create generative discussion questions that effectively meet the goals for the discussion session.
- “How”:
- Identify active learning techniques that align with the goals of the lesson plan and enhance student engagement.
- Be able to articulate how active learning techniques are beneficial for students’ learning and engagement in discussion sessions, and how they align with lessons’ goals.
Pipettes & Pedagogy: Mastering the STEM Lab Classroom
Location: GISB 1128 | Facilitators: Grace Garner & Anna Lennon
Register for “Pipettes & Pedagogy.”
STEM laboratory courses can be overwhelming for students and instructors alike. However, STEM labs are a unique opportunity for instructors and students to learn and fall in love with the wonders of STEM. During this training, we will explore the duties of AI’s in a lab setting including enforcing and maintaining lab safety, facilitating experiments, providing feedback, and cultivating lab culture. At the end of this training, participants will leave able to understand the foundations of facilitating a supportive learning environment for STEM students. Pipettes not included.
Upon successful completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- apply active learning in STEM labs.
- evaluate safe laboratory practices to teach and implement them in the lab setting.
- apply practical tips in providing feedback to students and create goals for providing feedback for the semester.
- describe key resources and begin to create their own practices to develop a supportive and caring lab culture.
From Showing to Guiding: Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills in STEM
Location: GISB 1100 | Facilitators: Greg Siering & Madeleine Gonin
Register for “From Showing to Guiding.”
Are you preparing to be a teaching assistant in a STEM course? This workshop will help you guide students through problem-solving activities in lectures, labs, discussions, or office hours. Learn to model and guide the problem-solving process, engage students throughout the process, and empower them to tackle problems independently.
Learning Outcomes:
- Differentiate between showing and guiding students through problem-solving in STEM courses
- Develop a way to model the problem-solving process to students
- Identify in-class strategies that support student problem-solving.
- Use questions to encourage students to attempt solving problems
- Recognize and respond to common student difficulties in the problem-solving process.
Dynamic Lecturing: Active Learning in Large Classes
Location: GISB 1106 | Facilitators: Shannon Sipes & Drew Heiderscheidt
Register for “Dynamic Lecturing.”
Active learning and lecture are not mutually exclusive. Instead, the default lecture approach often taken in large classes can be made more effective when combined with active learning techniques; an approach referred to as dynamic lecturing. In this session we will explore the importance of active learning in student success and realistic strategies to incorporate in large enrollment classes.
Learning Outcomes:
After completing this workshop, instructors will be able to:
- Describe the basics and importance of active learning.
- Identify practical examples of applying active learning in large enrollment courses.
- Develop active learning strategies for their own classes.
Active Learning in Small & Medium Classes
Location: GISB 1112 | Facilitators: Leslie Drane & Sarah Pedzinski
Register for “Active Learning in Small & Medium Classes.”
In this workshop, we’ll participate in an “Active Learning Block Party!” The "Active Learning Block Party" will kick off with a discussion on what active learning is and the compelling evidence that supports it. The majority of our time will be spent in an interactive "block party," where participants will explore various active learning strategies, exchange insights with fellow instructors, and participate in conversations about evaluating the effectiveness of these techniques. By the end of the session, you'll walk away with 50 active learning strategies ready to implement in your classroom immediately.
Upon successful completion of the workshop, participants will:
- Identify active learning and the evidence that supports it
- Discover new strategies via an active learning block party
- Compare and contrast strategies and decide what will work best for their classrooms
Best Practices in Grading & Feedback
Location: GISB 1122 | Facilitator: Layli Miron
Register for “Grading & Feedback.”
Why give feedback? And how to do so in a way that balances students' learning with instructors' limited time? In this workshop, we'll tackle some of these big questions while considering practical grading methods. First, we will discuss how, informed by your personal philosophy of commenting on student work, you can implement strategies that distribute the responsibility of providing feedback to the student, the classroom community, and other sources. Second, we'll consider the benefits of specifying evaluation criteria, which might take the form of a rubric.
Outcomes:
- Conceive of a response system where the instructor is one node, not the sole source of feedback
- Consider using holistic or analytic rubrics to communicate your expectations
Tackling Teamwork: Facilitating Successful Group Work and Collaborative Learning
Location: GISB 1060 | Facilitators: Mary Helen Truglia & Michael Valliant
Register for “Tackling Teamwork.”
Group work and collaborative learning practices are powerful teaching strategies that not only deepen student understanding but also build essential skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. However, facilitating effective group work requires more than just putting students together — it takes thoughtful planning and scaffolding, clear expectations that are frequently communicated, and intentional support.
In this interactive 75-minute workshop, participants will engage in active learning activities that model effective group facilitation techniques. We'll explore strategies for setting up group work for success, troubleshooting common challenges, and creating an inclusive environment where each student has clear roles and contributes meaningfully. In addition to discussing practical tips and examples, participants will reflect on the broader value of group and collaborative learning in their discipline, considering how these experiences assist students in developing academic, professional, and interpersonal competencies.
Whether you’re thinking of incorporating shorter in-class group activities or assigning more complex semester-long projects, this workshop will equip you with foundational tools to foster collaboration among your students and manage group dynamics effectively.
After completing this workshop, instructors will be able to:
- Explain the benefits of group work and collaborative learning for student development and success to their students.
- Identify key strategies to plan, structure, and facilitate group activities that promote equitable participation.
- Apply active learning techniques that support effective collaboration among students.
- Anticipate and address common challenges in group work, including managing conflict and uneven participation.
How to Prepare for the First Day of Classes
Location: GISB 1118 | Facilitator: Maggie Gilchrist
Register for “First Day of Classes.”
Feeling anxious about the first day of class? Not sure what to do on Day 1 beyond reading the syllabus? The first day of class can have a significant impact on students’ perception of and expectations for your course. In this interactive workshop, we will address best practices for engaging students from the very first day. Our goal is to ensure you have a personalized plan for welcoming students to class and helping them recognize you as an advocate for their learning and success in college.
In this workshop, participants will:
- Identify ways to make a positive first impression
- Create a plan for getting to know students
- Decide how best to introduce the course syllabus
- Outline how to clarify course expectations and ensure accountability
