The Center for Teaching Innovation has developed a new Cornell Teaching Assistant Orientation program in Canvas to help prepare all teaching assistants for success in their teaching duties at Cornell.

This optional online orientation includes information to help new TAs get started, as well as details on campus teaching support resources. It should take approximately 4-5 hours to complete all 5 modules in the orientation. Upon completion of module 5, TAs will be able to access an online form to document completion for their records.

The orientation program consists of the following 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

To participate in the program, use this link to enroll through Canvas (if you are not already signed in, you will be asked to sign into your Canvas account).

We are also developing information and resources for incorporating the online orientation into your own College or Department teaching assistant development program.

Please contact us with any questions or for more information about the orientation.