TA Principles and Strategies (TAPS) is a comprehensive asynchronous short course designed to support teaching assistants in developing essential skills across key areas of teaching and learning. The course covers pedagogical principles, course design, effective teaching practices, assessment and feedback strategies, classroom management, time management, and professional communication. Through a thoughtfully sequenced series of modules, participants gain a deeper understanding of their responsibilities as TAs and are empowered to contribute meaningfully to student success and the overall academic environment.
- Reflect on effective instructional strategies across multiple formats to actively engage students and support meaningful learning
- Apply useful assessment strategies to support quality learning and provide effective feedback to students
- Create a quality learning environment to support different learning preferences
- Build professional effectiveness through clear communication, active listening, time management
Audience & registration
This short course is designed for teaching assistants to develop essential skills across key areas of teaching and learning. Course access is limited to participants at CIRTL member institutions, or alumni of CIRTL programs. When registering, you will be asked to confirm your current institution and your alumni status in order to confirm your eligibility for this short course.
Accessibility & short course content
If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact CIRTL’s help desk (support@cirtl.net) to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. Course content includes written text, readings, and videos. Student work includes quizzes to show what you’ve learned.
About CIRTL Programming
CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants with an introductory, intermediate, or advanced learning experience.
This short course supports the following CIRTL learning goals at an introductory level:
- Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
- Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
- Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.