The goal of this orientation is to prepare you for your upcoming teaching responsibilities at Cornell. Whether you are teaching for the first time or have prior teaching experience, this orientation will introduce you to Cornell’s teaching community and teaching values. It also offers suggestions for preparing to teach, teaching essentials, university policies, resources related to instruction, and a suggested framework for making the most of your teaching at Cornell in relation to your future career goals.

It should take you approximately 4-5 hours to complete all 5 modules in the orientation. We recommend spacing your engagement with the content over several sessions. At the end of module five, you will have access to a form to document your completion of this training program, which you can save for your records.

What is the Teaching Assistant Online Orientation?

The TA Online Orientation is a voluntary, online option for training teaching assistants at Cornell. It can be used on its own or as a complement to department or college-level TA training programs. Learn more about incorporating the TA Online Orientation into your existing TA training program.

The orientation consists of the following 5 modules:

• Module 1: Welcome to Cornell - An overview of teaching at Cornell and the roles of teaching assistants at the university
• Module 2: Getting Ready to Teach - Preparing for the first day of class, warming up the learning environment, and tips for working with a teaching team
• Module 3: Teaching Essentials  - Strategies for engaging students, leading discussions, implementing group work, assessing student learning, and grading
• Module 4: Cornell Policies and Resources - Introduction to Cornell University policies and resources related to teaching
• Module 5: Next Steps - Opportunities for developing your teaching skills and preparing for your future career

How do I access the TA Online Orientation?

The TA Online Orientation is a Canvas course. Enroll to access the course through your Canvas account (If you receive an error message, you may need to upgrade your browser).

Information for Facilitators

We have developed a Facilitator's Guide to help with integrating the TA Online Orientation into existing college, department, or course TA training programs. The guide offers tips, information, and additional resources that can complement your existing orientation programming.

If you have any questions about the TA Online Orientation or would like more information, please send us an email.

Develop Your Teaching Journey

Our approach to teaching is anchored in five elements: innovation, diversity, evidence-based practices, assessment, and technology. Through our programming, you have the opportunity to learn more about how people learn, explore evidence-based teaching strategies, develop pedagogical skills, and reflect on and document your teaching journey at Cornell. 

For more information on our graduate programming and developing your teaching journey, visit our page dedicated to graduate programming.