cs 501: ta training seminar

CS 501: TA Training Seminar

William Eierscs.ucsb.edu/∼leadta

CS 501: TA Training Seminar

Week 1 : Elements of E�ective TA’ing

William Eierscs.ucsb.edu/∼leadta

CS 501: TA Training Seminar

Week 1 : Elements of E�ective TA’ing

William Eierscs.ucsb.edu/∼leadta

Teaching

Course Outline

Objective : Train new graduate students for college/university teaching

Course Outline

Objective : Train new graduate students for college/university teaching

Challenges

I was a TA in the past

I will know when I need to know

I have other important things to do

I know all this ..

Course Outline

Objective : Train new graduate students for college/university teaching

Challenges

I was a TA in the past

I will know when I need to know

I have other important things to do

I know all this ..

My Goal is to make sure

• You learn something new every week

• Sessions are not repetitive or super dry

Course Outline

Objective : Train new graduate students for college/university teaching

Challenges

I was a TA in the past

I will know when I need to know

I have other important things to do

I know all this ..

My Goal is to make sure

• You learn something new every week

• Sessions are not repetitive or super dry

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Knowledge of school policies, teaching ethics, etc

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Knowledge of school policies, teaching ethics, etc

Board-work/Presentation

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Knowledge of school policies, teaching ethics, etc

Board-work/Presentation

Fair and consistent Grading

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Knowledge of school policies, teaching ethics, etc

Board-work/Presentation

Fair and consistent Grading

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Knowledge of school policies, teaching ethics, etc

Board-work/Presentation

Fair and consistent Grading

No homeworks or exams, just in-class activities and assignments

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Knowledge of school policies, teaching ethics, etc

Board-work/Presentation

Fair and consistent Grading

No homeworks or exams, just in-class activities and assignments

Teaching Philosophy Statement due on last day of classes

Course Outline

TL;DR Meet and discuss techniques to improve teaching skills

Knowing the material well

What makes a good instructor?

Knowledge of school policies, teaching ethics, etc

Board-work/Presentation

Fair and consistent Grading

No homeworks or exams, just in-class activities and assignments

Teaching Philosophy Statement due on last day of classes

Logistics

• Attend and critique section of another TA

Logistics

• Attend and critique section of another TA

• In-class presentations for those not TAing this quarter

Logistics

• Attend and critique section of another TA

• In-class presentations for those not TAing this quarter

Any non-trivial topic of your choice of general interest

Logistics

• Attend and critique section of another TA

• In-class presentations for those not TAing this quarter

Any non-trivial topic of your choice of general interest

• Enroll in Piazza

piazza.com/ucsb/fall2018/cs501/home

Logistics

• Attend and critique section of another TA

• In-class presentations for those not TAing this quarter

Any non-trivial topic of your choice of general interest

• Enroll in Piazza

piazza.com/ucsb/fall2018/cs501/home

• TA accountability

Evaluations : Midterm / End of Quarter

TA Hour Tracking (No negative repercussions)

Elements of E�ective Teaching

Planning

Elements of E�ective Teaching

Planning

Implementing

Elements of E�ective Teaching

Planning

Implementing

Evaluating

Elements of E�ective Teaching

Planning

Implementing

Evaluating

Elements of E�ective Teaching

Planning

Implementing

Evaluating

Plan what you are going to teach

Elements of E�ective Teaching

Planning

Implementing

Evaluating

Plan what you are going to teach

Execute what you have planned

Elements of E�ective Teaching

Planning

Implementing

Evaluating

Plan what you are going to teach

Execute what you have planned

Evaluate how you did

On Planning What to Teach

On Planning What to Teach

1

1 The O�ce, S01E01

On Planning What to Teach

Pick an ‘interesting’ subset of topics

On Planning What to Teach

Pick an ‘interesting’ subset of topics

Clearly speci�y objective of the session

Ask how these topics connect to overall goal?

What order to present material in?

On Planning What to Teach

Pick an ‘interesting’ subset of topics

Clearly speci�y objective of the session

Ask how these topics connect to overall goal?

What order to present material in?

Try multiple ways of de�ning something – intuitive, formal

On Planning What to Teach

Pick an ‘interesting’ subset of topics

Clearly speci�y objective of the session

Ask how these topics connect to overall goal?

What order to present material in?

Try multiple ways of de�ning something – intuitive, formal

Try to keep an ‘element of surprise’

On Planning What to Teach

Pick an ‘interesting’ subset of topics

Clearly speci�y objective of the session

Ask how these topics connect to overall goal?

What order to present material in?

Try multiple ways of de�ning something – intuitive, formal

Try to keep an ‘element of surprise’ Why is this result/technique surprising?

Why is this better than naive way of doing things..

In-Class Example

Computing Convex Hull of a set of points

In-Class Example

Computing Convex Hull of a set of points

Was the objective clear?

Did the order of material make sense?

Was there an intuitive and/or formal explanation?

Was there an element of surprise?

In-Class Example

Computing Convex Hull of a set of points

On Evaluating How You Did

On Evaluating How You Did

• Explicitly ask

On Evaluating How You Did

• Explicitly ask

• A short quiz at the end

On Evaluating How You Did

• Explicitly ask

• A short quiz at the end

• Randomly select a person and ask a question to test they understand

On Evaluating How You Did

• Explicitly ask

• A short quiz at the end

• Randomly select a person and ask a question to test they understand

• Ask a question to the class and expect someone to volunteer

On Evaluating How You Did

• Explicitly ask

• A short quiz at the end

• Randomly select a person and ask a question to test they understand

• Ask a question to the class and expect someone to volunteer

• Ask True or false questions and survey the class

Evaluating the In class-example

Evaluating the In class-example

What is the complexity of the Gift-wrapping CH algorithm?

Evaluating the In class-example

What is the complexity of the Gift-wrapping CH algorithm?

O(n2)

Questions?