Graduate Teaching Program

Applications
are currently closed

A new round of applications will begin in May 2025 for the 2025-2026 cohort.

UVM’s Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL), Writing in the Disciplines Program (WID), and the Graduate College invite graduate students to participate in this program designed for graduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching in higher education. Graduate students completing the program can earn formal recognition from the Graduate College. The program is non-credit bearing and there are no out-of-pocket expenses for students.

The program provides:

  • Strategies and best practices to prepare you to teach a wide variety of students
  • A supportive community encouraging professional development
  • Support for preparing a teaching portfolio

The capstone experience of the program is the Teaching Portfolio created in Brightspace. Its preparation encourages development of reflective teaching practices and will document participation in the program. Portfolio components include:

  • Statement of a philosophy of teaching
  • Pedagogical growth through professional development activities
  • Observations of award winning faculty members on campus (This may is negotiable due to the current pandemic. Remote teaching observations and webinars may need to be substituted.)
  • Documentation and reflection of your own teaching

Program’s Requirements

  • Participation in the workshop and reflection on the workshop, Teaching in Higher Education
  • Participation in an online MOOC on Inclusive Teaching
  • Attendance at four additional professional development workshops provided by the CTL or other campus faculty development units (Written reflection papers must be provided for each workshop and observation attended)
  • Observation of at least two instructors in a UVM classroom
  • Experience in teaching at UVM for one semester (This is not something we coordinate for students.)
  • Participation in a book group and written reflections on the books
  • Teaching portfolio submission

Please see program details below for more information on each requirement.

Timeframe for Completing the Program

Participants have a maximum of two years to complete the program. If additional time is needed, this must be approved by the GTP coordinator, Holly Parker.

Program Details

  1. Teaching in Higher Education Workshop
    This session is open to all graduate students and faculty. In the session, participants will be introduced to research on teaching, such as Universal Design for Learning. Participants will also learn about how to create a classroom environment that facilitates learning. This workshop will be held once in the Fall semester and once in the Spring semester.
  2. Participate in an online, self-paced course (MOOC) about inclusive teaching (option to have a badge of completion) This online course experience will take 2-3 hours per week over a 5-week period. Topics covered:
    • Course climate
    • Universal Design for Learning
    • Critical Self-Reflection on Teaching
    • Creating community in the classroom
    » See MOOC Description

    Inclusive teaching is an issue that has received increased attention on college campuses around the country and around the world. Understanding how course climate impacts students and their learning is increasingly important to faculty and administrators alike across a wide range of educational contexts. Yet creating equitable learning environments that support all students’ learning can be a challenge, especially when one considers that course climate consists of a variety of factors (e.g., student-student interactions, faculty-student interactions, course content and policies). Despite the fact that creating an inclusive teaching environment is beneficial for all students’ learning, issues around inclusion and disinclusion are rarely discussed in practical terms.

    Participants in this course will consider multiple facets of inclusive teaching, including the creation of an equitable course climate, the design and implementation of accessible and inclusive classroom practices and assessments, and the selection and implementation of diverse course content. Participants will engage with key concepts in inclusive teaching and learn from experts in higher education who share their important research on student development, microaggressions, stereotype threat, and Universal Design for Learning. Participants will be equipped with tools to help them develop inclusive courses that support all learners.

  3. Four Professional Development Workshops
    Program participants must attend four teaching development workshops sponsored by the CTL, Writing in the Disciplines, and other approved professional development workshops from your department or program. Participants will write a reflection of each of the workshops, including what they learned and what they plan to implement in their own teaching.The four required workshops must include:

    • (1) at least one workshop on teaching with technology, such as:
      • Online pedagogy
      • iClickers
      • Brightspace
      • Screencasting
    • (3) three workshops are elective based on student interest. Workshop event listings can be found on the CTL Events Calendar for both the Center for Teaching & Learning and the Writing in the Disciplines program.
  4. Higher Education Teaching Experience (at least one semester)
    Program participants need to teach at UVM for at least one semester. (Contact your advisor or your department to set up your teaching assignment.) Documentation of teaching experience includes: a course syllabus, student evaluations, and a 3–5 page written reflection focusing on the teaching experience.
  5. Observing Teaching Excellence
    Each program participant will observe two UVM faculty members teaching a class and write a 3-5 page reflection about what they learned from their observations. These faculty members must be recipients of either the Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award or the George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award (or other faculty at the discretion of the department chair or program coordinator).
  6. Book Groups
    Participation in two CTL/GTP-cohort book groups
  7. Teaching Portfolio
    The teaching portfolio will serve as a culminating project for the graduate student’s experience in the GTP. Participants will meet individually with the program coordinator to make a plan for their portfolios.

If you have any questions, please contact the program coordinator, Holly Parker, Holly.Parker@uvm.edu (Email).