HKUST

httpceiusthkresearch-postgraduatestaprogusthk

SPRING 20182019

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play an important role at the University carrying out responsibilities significant to the learning experience of students in their schools and departments They are accountable to their students the course instructor the University and to themselves for the quality of their teaching performance It is expected that GTAs in collaboration with the course instructors offer the best-quality teaching to help students fulfill the course requirements Having double obligations to their own studies and to their teaching GTAs have to make an effort to balance their loads and functions in the University GTA Training Program provided by Center for Education Innovation (CEI) every Fall and Spring semester is offered to all GTAs in preparation for their teaching duties All new GTAs are required to fulfill the program requirements by attending all core workshops to get acquainted with hands-on teaching skills applicable to various teaching roles The program also helps GTAs find value of teaching in their own learning and professional development

GTA Training Program aims to

Introduce the roles and responsibilities of GTAs in HKUST

Introduce the basic teaching and presentation skills to facilitate new GTAsrsquo teaching in HKUST

Familiarize GTAs with the teaching and learning resources at HKUST

Foster and enhance GTAsrsquo communication with faculty Teaching Assistant Coordinators (TACs) of the department Postgraduate Programs Coordinators (PGCs) and CEI

Enhance the professional development of GTAs to prepare them for lifelong career development

Introduction

elcome to the Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Training Program

In this booklet you are provided with all the important information about the Program including

An overview of the Program

Program schedule arrangement in Spring 2018-19

Detailed descriptions and schedule of workshops available in Spring (Appendix 1 to 2)

Details about registration procedures

Contacts of Teaching Assistant Coordinators (TACs) and Postgraduate Programs Coordinators (PGCs)

Information in this booklet may be changed in future You are suggested going to the Program website (httpceiusthktatahome04htm) for the most up-to-date information

W

2 3

GTA Training Program

Taking up the GTA role can be quite challenging at HKUST and it requires a combination of knowledge and skills together with right attitude to deliver effective teaching A series of six mandatory core workshops are offered covering fundamental teaching skills applicable to teaching across all disciplines

TA104 Canvas Basics TA1 1 1 Effective Teaching SkillsTA112 Marking amp GradingTA113 Effective Presentation Skills for TeachingTA122 Classroom Management TA123 Techniques for Interactive Teaching

The program also offers elective workshops for GTAs to further develop teaching and learning-related skills

Canvas Extended

In the core workshop (Canvas Basics) GTAs have learnt the basic functions of the learning management system used in HKUST For GTAs who want to know more about Canvas and use it to its full potential they can register for the workshops below

TA104 II a Canvas Extended (Assessments and Grading)TA104 II b Canvas Extended (Turnitin Assignments)TA104 II c Canvas Extended (Student Group Work)

Learning through Practice

The following workshops allow GTAs to master apply and practice teaching strategies learnt in the core workshops as becoming effective in teaching requires practice and feedback In these workshops GTAs can try and experiment the knowledge and skills acquired in a supportive environment and receive feedback from peers and instructor for further improvement

TA201 Developing Instructional StrategiesTA202 Teaching Demonstration ndash Advice and StrategiesTA203 Engaging Students with Learning ActivitiesTA204 Facilitating Group Work and Discussions

lective Workshops

ore Workshops

The full briefing sessions were completed in Fall 2018-19 In the Spring semester only Departmental GTA Briefing Session will be offered All new GTAs who have completed program registration on 18 and 19 January 2019 are expected to attend the session on 23 January 2019 (Wednesday) It gives GTAs an opportunity to meet departmental peers and members of the faculty and staff who will work closely with them on GTA duties

New GTA Briefing Session

6 Mandatory Core Workshops

Program Requirements

Facilitating Group Work and Discussions

Engaging Students with Learning Activities

Teaching Demonstration - Advice and Strategies

Developing Instructional Strategies

Canvas Extendedcanvas

lective Workshops

Techniques for InteractiveTeaching

Effective Presentation

Skills for Teaching

Effective Teaching Skills

ClassroomManagement

Marking andGrading

Canvas Basics

canvas

ore Workshops

GTA Training Program Structure

The program provides training in basic teaching skills for all new GTAs before assuming duties for the department It is compulsory for all new GTAs to participate in the 6 core workshops (totaling 9 training hours) which give GTAs foundation and knowledge to be able to handle a tutorial or a laboratory session with confidence The program also offers a series of optional extended workshops covering more supplementary teaching techniques to build GTAsrsquo capability of teaching effectively All GTAs are required to attend the core workshops in the first semester to become acquainted with essential skills before being assigned to teaching duties GTAs who successfully complete the program requirements in the two years of program admission will obtain the Certificate of Achievement

GTA Training Program 2018-19

4 5

Who needs to register

Online registration is required for all GTAs (HK-graduate non-HK-graduate current with incomplete workshops) who want to attend Core Elective workshops offered from January to March Students are recommended to register early to secure a seat in the workshop of your choice

What do I need for registration

An ITSC network account is required to enable online registration You can activate the account at httpwwwusthkitscaccountstuaccenquiry

Where and when can I register

You can check the schedule of workshops on offer and register for the preferred session through the TA Online Registration System by visiting httpceiusthktaprog from 24 January 2019 After registration is completed you can check your enrollment status on the website and a reminder will be sent to your ITSC email account a day prior to the workshop

Can I register for a workshop if it is full

All seats are filled on a first-come-first-served basis If the workshop session is full the system will still allow you to register for the session however you will be put into the waitlist If a seat becomes available due to drops and withdrawals the registration system will generate an email to the ITSC account notifying you of the available seat As such if you are waitlisted for a workshop you must check your email regularly

What do I need to do if I cannot attend a registered workshop

If you cannot attend the registered workshop you need to unregister from the workshop through the system to release the seat for others Since the system does not accept double registration if you have not successfully withdrawn yourself from an unattended workshop before it starts your re-registration request for another session of the same workshop will not be accepted

Online Registration

Duty Commencement

GTAs whose degree is NOT obtained from a university in Hong Kong

Non-HK graduatesHK graduates

Definition GTAs whose degree is obtained from a university in Hong Kong

bull All new GTAs admitted in Spring 2018-19 should commence duty in the following Fall semester

bull Since HK-graduate GTAs are more familiar with the educational settings in Hong Kong they may expect earlier commencement of duty as assigned by their departments

bull The assignment of GTA duties is at the discretion of departments GTAs should consult their general office for the details of arrangement

bull The core and elective training workshops are offered from 30 January 2019 to 27 March 2019

bull The core workshops are offered in multiple repeated sessions New GTAs can choose to register

for a preferred session which works best for their schedule (Detailed program schedule can be

found in Appendix 2)

bull Online registration is required for all core and elective workshops

bull New GTAs are streamed into two groups according to their education backgrounds

GTA Training Program

Tips Download the mHKUST App to nd the classrooms easily Apple users click here | Android users click here

ClassroomDivision

Interdisciplinary Programs Office

ENVR 2127B

School of Humanities and Social Science

School of Business and Management

ClassroomDepartments

School of Engineering

CBECIVLEVNG

CSEECEIEDAMAE

2131A2131B2131C2132A2132B2132C

Departments

School of Science

LIFSOCESCHEMMATHPHYS

Classroom2126B2126C2129A2129B2129C

bull All newly admitted GTAs are required to attend the Departmental GTA Briefing SessionDate 23 January 2019Time 1030am ndash 1130am Venue See the classroom arrangement in the tables below

bull No online registration is required

bull Arrive at the classroom about 5 minutes prior to the start of the session for attendance-taking

bull Classroom arrangement

New GTA Briefing Session

Program Schedule and Arrangement

6 7

Who needs to register

Online registration is required for all GTAs (HK-graduate non-HK-graduate current with incomplete workshops) who want to attend Core Elective workshops offered from January to March Students are recommended to register early to secure a seat in the workshop of your choice

What do I need for registration

An ITSC network account is required to enable online registration You can activate the account at httpwwwusthkitscaccountstuaccenquiry

Where and when can I register

You can check the schedule of workshops on offer and register for the preferred session through the TA Online Registration System by visiting httpceiusthktaprog from 24 January 2019 After registration is completed you can check your enrollment status on the website and a reminder will be sent to your ITSC email account a day prior to the workshop

Can I register for a workshop if it is full

All seats are filled on a first-come-first-served basis If the workshop session is full the system will still allow you to register for the session however you will be put into the waitlist If a seat becomes available due to drops and withdrawals the registration system will generate an email to the ITSC account notifying you of the available seat As such if you are waitlisted for a workshop you must check your email regularly

What do I need to do if I cannot attend a registered workshop

If you cannot attend the registered workshop you need to unregister from the workshop through the system to release the seat for others Since the system does not accept double registration if you have not successfully withdrawn yourself from an unattended workshop before it starts your re-registration request for another session of the same workshop will not be accepted

Online Registration

Duty Commencement

GTAs whose degree is NOT obtained from a university in Hong Kong

Non-HK graduatesHK graduates

Definition GTAs whose degree is obtained from a university in Hong Kong

bull All new GTAs admitted in Spring 2018-19 should commence duty in the following Fall semester

bull Since HK-graduate GTAs are more familiar with the educational settings in Hong Kong they may expect earlier commencement of duty as assigned by their departments

bull The assignment of GTA duties is at the discretion of departments GTAs should consult their general office for the details of arrangement

bull The core and elective training workshops are offered from 30 January 2019 to 27 March 2019

bull The core workshops are offered in multiple repeated sessions New GTAs can choose to register

for a preferred session which works best for their schedule (Detailed program schedule can be

found in Appendix 2)

bull Online registration is required for all core and elective workshops

bull New GTAs are streamed into two groups according to their education backgrounds

GTA Training Program

Tips Download the mHKUST App to nd the classrooms easily Apple users click here | Android users click here

ClassroomDivision

Interdisciplinary Programs Office

ENVR 2127B

School of Humanities and Social Science

School of Business and Management

ClassroomDepartments

School of Engineering

CBECIVLEVNG

CSEECEIEDAMAE

2131A2131B2131C2132A2132B2132C

Departments

School of Science

LIFSOCESCHEMMATHPHYS

Classroom2126B2126C2129A2129B2129C

bull All newly admitted GTAs are required to attend the Departmental GTA Briefing SessionDate 23 January 2019Time 1030am ndash 1130am Venue See the classroom arrangement in the tables below

bull No online registration is required

bull Arrive at the classroom about 5 minutes prior to the start of the session for attendance-taking

bull Classroom arrangement

New GTA Briefing Session

Program Schedule and Arrangement

6 7

TA104 Canvas Basics

Canvas is a comprehensive and user friendly Learning Management System acquired by the University to support its changing learning and teaching needs This hands-on session will introduce you to the suggested workflow of Canvas and guide you through key basic features such as creating course content managing the course learning path communicating with students and monitoring their learning progress

TA111 Effective Teaching Skills

This workshop intends to equip GTAs with some practical teaching skills By the end of the workshop GTAs should be able to (1) describe the roles and duties of being a GTA at HKUST (2) recognize what is needed to prepare for the first class and (3) identify effective instructional techniques that facilitate student learning

TA112 Marking amp Grading

Basic principles of marking and grading will be introduced by engaging GTAs in a simulated marking exercise By the end of the workshop GTAs should be able to (1) describe some basic principles of marking and grading (2) mark in a fair and consistent manner (3) provide meaningful feedback and (4) deal with cheating and plagiarism

All new GTAs should complete the core workshops offered in Spring 2018-19 For detailed workshop timetable please refer to Appendix 2

TA Training Program ndash Core Workshops

GTA Training Program Briefing Session (Not offered in Spring 2018-19)

This briefing session was offered in Fall 2018 for the participation of all new Research Postgraduate (RPG) students as they were appointed as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) and were required to perform teaching-related duties either in the Fall or Spring semester of 2018-19 This session let GTAs have a better understanding of the program structure and requirements schedule arrangement and registration details This session is not offered in Spring 2018-19

Departmental GTA Briefing Session (on 23 January 2019)

In this session GTAs can meet their departmental Postgraduate Programs Coordinator (PGC) andor Graduate Teaching Assistant Coordinator (TAC) to understand the specific arrangement and requirement of the teaching duties in their department and learn from experienced GTAs on strategies to perform teaching duties effectively GTA duties range from marking and grading assignments running tutorial or lab sessions invigilating tests or examinations holding office hours to answer studentsrsquo questions and managing courses in the learning management system

New GTA Briefing Sessions

Appendix 1 Detailed Workshop Descriptions Attendance Record

You can check your attendance on the online registration system after the workshop is held For walk-in participants who sign-in to the workshop manually there may be a delay of a few days in attendance upload

GTAsrsquo attendance records for all sessions will be reported to the Department and PG Programs Coordinator by the end of every Fall and Spring semester

Signing attendance for others or signing in without attending is strictly prohibited Attendance for such cases will NOT be counted and will be reported to the departmental PG Programs Coordinator The instructors reserve the right to conduct second attendance-taking in class to confirm class attendance of students

Latecomers or early leavers are tolerated for a window of 10 minutes (except for the Canvas Workshop Series the maximum allowance of which is 5 mins) Instructors have the right to decline entry to late students in order not to disrupt the class in progress Class attendance of the latecomer and early-leaver who have exceeded the time limit mentioned above will not be counted

Program MaterialsThe PowerPoint slides and teaching materials used in the workshops will be uploaded on Canvas (learning Management System) for viewdownload

Accept the course invitation through httpscanvasusthk to access the course materials

Bad Weather ArrangementIf a Black Rainstorm Warning is issued within 2 hours before the workshop starts the workshop will be canceled In-progress workshops will continue until the end

If a Typhoon Signal No 8 is to be issued within 2 hours before the workshop starts the workshop will be canceled In-progress workshops will be suspended immediately

If Signal No 8 or a Black Warning is canceled 2hours before the workshop starts the workshop will be held as scheduled

If the Amber or Red Rainstorm Warning or Typhoon Signal No 1 or 3 is issued all workshops will be held as scheduled

Cancellation of WorkshopCEI reserves the right to cancel any workshop with less than 10 registrants Notice of cancellation will be sent to the registrantsrsquo ITSC network account All students are recommended to check email for updates before coming to the workshop

General enquiryFor further enquiry about the GTA training program please feel free to contact your graduate TACs or CEI staff (taprogusthk) You may also visit the GTA Homepage (httpceiusthktaindexhtml)

Note The GTA Training Program complies fully with the Universityrsquos regulations for student conduct and academic integrity (httpacadregusthkgeneralreghtml)

Further Information about GTA Training Program

8 9

TA201 Developing Instructional Strategies 6 March 2019

This workshop is designed for GTAs to work out meaningful learning objectives for different types of classrooms develop instructional skills to facilitate learning in class in order to meet learning objectives GTAs are encouraged to bring along some course examples to make the practice more specific to their teaching needs

TA202 Teaching Demonstration ndash Advice and Strategies 13 March 2019

Having sound subject knowledge does not mean that one can teach well It is important for GTAs to go through the whole process from planning and rehearsing to teaching and reflecting This participant-led mini-teaching session allows GTAs to teach a topic or explain a conceptual theory by applying all the pedagogical skills learnt By the end of this workshop they will receive feedback and advice from instructors and master more strategies for clearer presentation and explanation

TA203 Engaging Students with Learning Activities 20 March 2019

Are you trying to make the classroom more interactive and engaging Designing suitable tasks aligned to the learning objectives and assessments is as important as facilitating them to student learning In this workshop GTAs will be given chances to incorporate interactive teaching techniques in their lesson plan and try facilitating them for feedback

TA204 Facilitating Group Work and Discussions 27 March 2019

To maximize student learning GTAs are often encouraged to facilitate group discussion or design group activities Yet many GTAs are distressed by the silence and unresponsiveness of students or confronting tensions built in groups In this workshop GTAs can utilize different facilitation tools reflect about the dynamics of group learning and foster bring forward ways to cope with challenges

TA104 IIa Canvas Extended (Assessments and Grading) 12 March 2019

This is one of the Canvas Extended series that focuses on the advanced setup and grading of assignments The hands-on session will cover available options when setting up assignments assignme weighting various types of quiz questions grading with SpeedGraderrubricpeer review using gradebook and viewing quiz statistics (TA104 Canvas Basics is a prerequisite)

TA104 IIb Canvas Extended (Turnitin Assignments) 19 March 2019

This is one of the Canvas Extended series that shows you how originality check can be done on student assignments The hands-on session will guide you through the setup of assignments with Turnitin and the interpretation of Turnitin reports We will also share with you Dos and Donrsquots when working with Turnitin in Canvas (TA104 Canvas Basics is a prerequisite)

TA104 IIc Canvas Extended (Student Group Work) 26 March 2019

This is one of the Canvas Extended series that focuses on the facilitation of group work The hands-on session will guide you through the creation and management of student groups for online discussion collaboration and submission of group work (TA104 Canvas Basics is a prerequisite)

All elective workshops are offered for registration in Spring 2018-19 Please refer to Appendix 2 for the workshop timetable

TA Training Program ndash Elective Workshops

TA113 Effective Presentation Skills for Teaching

This workshop aims to introduce some effective in-class presentation strategies for GTAs Group activities and discussions will be used to ensure that after the workshop GTAs will be confident in preparing developing and delivering successful presentations for teaching GTAs will also learn how to cope with stage fright

TA122 Classroom Management

In this workshop GTAs will learn how to manage a class for more effective teaching and learning GTAs will be provided with (1) basic key strategies to minimize the chance of having classroom disruptions and (2) advice on handling different disruptive situations when they occur

TA123 Techniques for Interactive Teaching

The aim of this workshop is to enhance the effectiveness of classroom teaching by increasing interaction between teachers and students and student peers By the end of this workshop GTAs will be able to (1) describe the benefits of interactive classroom (2) experience various interactive activities and (3) identify common issues when implementing interactive activities and (4) find ways of handling different issues

10 11

AM 1030 ndash 1200 Noon 1230 ndash 1400 PM 1500 ndash 1630

Noon TA104IIa

Noon TA104IIb

Noon TA104IIc

AM TA201

AM TA202

AM TA203

AM TA204

AM TA123PM TA123

1

8

15

22

29

7

14

21

28

6

13

20

27

5

12

19

26

4

11

18

25

31

MARCH

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

AM 1030 ndash 1200 Noon 1230 ndash 1400 PM 1500 ndash 1630

AM TA111PM TA111

AM TA104PM TA104

AM TA112PM TA113

AM TA123PM TA11 1

AM TA113PM TA113

AM TA122PM TA122

AM TA113PM TA104

AM TA113PM TA122

AM TA104PM TA112

AM TA123PM TA123

AM TA202PM TA122

AM TA113PM TA113

AM TA122PM TA123

AM TA112PM TA112

AM TA123PM TA123

AM TA112PM TA112

Noon TA104IIa

AM TA123PM TA123

PM TA112

AM ---PM ---

AM TA122PM TA113

AM TA112PM TA104

AM TA123PM TA123

AM TA112PM TA122

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

28

6

13

20

27

5

12

19

26

4

11

18

25

FEBRUARY

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

AM TA11 1PM TA11 1

AM TA104PM TA112

3130

JANUARY

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

This schedule is for your reference only GTAs will need to register for the required workshop at the preferred time slot through the online registration system to secure the seat The availability of workshops may change according to the enrollment situation and should any alteration be made regarding the schedule only the information on the online registration system will be updated In the event of any discrepancy in the information between the two versions the online information shall prevail

Classroom arrangement All core and elective workshops are conducted in Room 6558 (lift 2728) All participating GTAs need to arrive at the classroom 10 minutes earlier for attendance-taking

Appendix 2 Detailed Workshop Timetable

12 13

AM 1030 ndash 1200 Noon 1230 ndash 1400 PM 1500 ndash 1630

Noon TA104IIa

Noon TA104IIb

Noon TA104IIc

AM TA201

AM TA202

AM TA203

AM TA204

AM TA123PM TA123

1

8

15

22

29

7

14

21

28

6

13

20

27

5

12

19

26

4

11

18

25

31

MARCH

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

AM 1030 ndash 1200 Noon 1230 ndash 1400 PM 1500 ndash 1630

AM TA111PM TA111

AM TA104PM TA104

AM TA112PM TA113

AM TA123PM TA11 1

AM TA113PM TA113

AM TA122PM TA122

AM TA113PM TA104

AM TA113PM TA122

AM TA104PM TA112

AM TA123PM TA123

AM TA202PM TA122

AM TA113PM TA113

AM TA122PM TA123

AM TA112PM TA112

AM TA123PM TA123

AM TA112PM TA112

Noon TA104IIa

AM TA123PM TA123

PM TA112

AM ---PM ---

AM TA122PM TA113

AM TA112PM TA104

AM TA123PM TA123

AM TA112PM TA122

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

28

6

13

20

27

5

12

19

26

4

11

18

25

FEBRUARY

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

AM TA11 1PM TA11 1

AM TA104PM TA112

3130

JANUARY

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

This schedule is for your reference only GTAs will need to register for the required workshop at the preferred time slot through the online registration system to secure the seat The availability of workshops may change according to the enrollment situation and should any alteration be made regarding the schedule only the information on the online registration system will be updated In the event of any discrepancy in the information between the two versions the online information shall prevail

Classroom arrangement All core and elective workshops are conducted in Room 6558 (lift 2728) All participating GTAs need to arrive at the classroom 10 minutes earlier for attendance-taking

Appendix 2 Detailed Workshop Timetable

12 13

Dept PGC Faculty in charge Email

School of Science

LIFS Prof Zilong WEN zilong

OCES Prof Hongbin LIU liuhb

CHEM Prof Hongkai WU chhkwu

MATH Prof Yang XIANG maxiang

PHYS Prof Gyu Boong JO gbjo

School of Engineering

CBE Prof Tom LUO keztluo

BIEN Prof Shuhuai YAO meshyao

CIVLEVNG Prof Ilias DIMITRAKOPOULOS Ilias Prof Chii SHANG cechii

CSE Prof Ke YI yike

ECE Prof George YUAN eeyuan

IEDA Prof Rachel ZHANG rzhang

MAE Prof Kai TANG mektang

School of Business and Management

SBM Prof James LANCELOT lancelot

School of Humanities and Social Science

HUMA Prof Jingtao SUN hmjtsun

SOSC Prof Li HAN lihan

Interdisciplinary Programs Office

ENVR Prof Jianzhen YU chjianyu

Dept Graduate TAC Email

School of Science

LIFS Miss YOU Ying Ying yyouaa Miss ZHAO Qirui qzhaoaf

OCES Mr YAN Neng nyanaa

CHEM Mr WANG Dong dwangan

MATH Mr ZHANG Lian lzhangay

PHYS Mr YAN Caishan cyanae

School of Engineering

CBE Miss LIU Zhenjing zliubp Mr WU Hsiwen hwu

BIEN Ms ZHAO Mingqian mzhaoad

CIVLEVNG Mr WANG Xueying xwangai Mr WANG Chao cwangbh

CSE Mr YUE Xuanwu xyueaa Ms WANG Pei pwangai

ECE Mr CHEN Xuanqi xchenbr Mr WANG Li lwangbk

IEDA Miss FU Xiaojin xfuab

MAE Mr YANTO Jefry jyanto

School of Business and Management

SBM Miss CHEN Yi-Chun ychenci Mr XU Chenjie cxuab

School of Humanities and Social Science

HUMA Miss ZHOU Yingyi yzhoubm

SOSC Ms LUO Wei wluoad

Interdisciplinary Programs Office

ENVR Mr WONG Wai Hin whwongaq

You are encouraged to contact your departmental TACs for any query about the GTA Training Program and your duties and responsibilities as a GTA in HKUST

Appendix 3 Contacts of Graduate Teaching Assistant Coordinators (TACs) and Postgraduate Programs Coordinators (PGCs)

14 15