Broadly speaking, TAGSA seeks to raise the profile of TA and graduate student development in Canada and to provide leadership in highlighting initiatives to develop teaching skills and other professional skills in graduate students. In particular, this group intends to build a strong network of like-minded professionals and students who will work together to:
- expose graduate students, faculty members, administrators and employers to
the benefits of developing a wide range of skills in students undertaking a
graduate degree;
- help graduate students identify and practice the skills they will need in
order to work effectively as academics,
as public or private sector researchers, or as other educational
professionals;
- expose graduate students to the field of educational development.
SIG GOALS
To create a community of professionals dedicated to the
betterment of training and support of TAs and to the development of
professional skills in graduate students.
To develop a network of communication between TA training programs and graduate
skills development programs.
To provide a forum for the sharing of resources between TA and graduate student
developers.
To advocate, through the sharing of ideas and resources, for improved TA
support and training and improved skills development in graduate students
across Canada.
To identify funding for TA training initiatives and graduate student
professional skills development initiatives across Canada.
To offer professional development opportunities to those working to train TAs
or provide professional skills development and support to graduate students.
To promote ideas and scholarship that will enrich the training and support
offered to TAs and the services provided to graduate students across Canada.
To serve as a resource on TA training or graduate professional skills
development for other STLHE members, through publications, workshops,
concurrent sessions, roundtables, and posters at STLHE and regional
conferences.
To serve as a resource on TA training or graduate
professional skills development for the broader academic community, including
government organizations, Faculties of Graduate Studies and other bodies.
To provide funding for graduate students interested in presenting at the annual
STLHE conference, in order to defray registration and/or travel costs.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the TAGSA SIG is open to members-in-good-standing of STLHE who have current, former or imminent responsibility for the planning, organization or delivery of TA training or graduate student professional development activities within a postsecondary institution and who support the aims of the SIG. Membership is also open to faculty members and staff who work with TAs and graduate students, and students who are themselves TAs.
For more information on TAGSA, please contact Megan Burnett at the University of Toronto.
megan.burnett@utoronto.ca
416-946-0464