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Summer Teaching APprenticeship Program

Graduate students and postdocs teaching as Instructor of Record during Summer Session 2024 and faculty interested in mentorship can apply for the Summer Teaching Apprenticeship Program (STAP)!

Offered by the Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation (DTEI) and Summer Session, this program offers a unique opportunity for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to receive teaching training, practice, and mentorship prior to and while teaching a summer course as Instructor of Record. Additionally, faculty mentors will receive a research/travel account allocation for their participation.

Please review our program guidelines and requirements below prior to applying. If you are scheduled to teach as an Instructor of Record during the Summer Session OR a faculty member interested in mentoring, please apply using this link.

Requirements and Program Overview:

Graduate students and postdoc STAP Scholars do not need to identify a faculty mentor prior to applying. DTEI will select Faculty Mentors to support small groups of Scholars based roughly on their departments and/or schools. This support includes guidance with course design and development (e.g., selecting curriculum, developing in-class activities, and creating assessments), as well as classroom facilitation and leadership.

  • Faculty Mentors will receive a research/travel account allocation for their participation. Mentors will receive a $2000 allocation for supporting a group of up to five Scholars. For more information, please visit the Faculty Mentors FAQ page.
  • Mentors must be faculty or lecturers with a research/travel account to receive the allocation.
  • Graduate students and postdoc Scholars will receive a Certificate in Summer Teaching.

Scholars will complete asynchronous training through Canvas during the Spring quarter. Scholars will receive pedagogical training covering various topics (e.g., designing student learning outcomes, creating assessments, and writing course policies). Completing these asynchronous modules will take approximately 10 hours.

Scholars will participate in several sessions facilitated by DTEI:

  • Information Session: We will hold an information session with all Scholars and all Faculty Mentors early in the Spring quarter.
  • Mid-Program Check-In Session: Scholars will attend a check-in session to share their progress and discuss questions with the rest of their cohort and DTEI staff.
  • Closing Session: Scholars will attend a one-hour closing session following Summer Session. The session will allow Scholars to share their experiences teaching and to celebrate their successes.

Scholars will complete a syllabus draft by the end of the Spring 2024 quarter and create a Canvas course page before the start of their course. By the end of the Spring quarter, Scholars must submit a draft of their course syllabus. At least three days prior to the start of their course, Scholars must complete their Canvas course page.

Scholars will meet with their Faculty Mentors at least three times during STAP.

  • Scholars and Mentors must meet at least once before, during, and after Summer Session instruction, though we invite them to meet more frequently, as needed. These meetings can be individual or group sessions. During these meetings, Scholars may wish to discuss the following topics with their faculty mentors: drafting a syllabus, identifying course goals, writing student learning outcomes, pacing and scheduling, selecting course readings and materials, developing assessments, and/or creating in-class activities.
  • Faculty Mentors must also hold weekly office hours (in-office or virtually).

Scholars must complete one midterm Summer Session course evaluation. Scholars will be required to administer a midterm course evaluation survey halfway through their Summer Session term and write a brief teaching reflection based on it. Scholars can discuss how to address student feedback with their Faculty Mentors and/or DTEI staff.

Scholars will need to have their teaching observed by their Faculty Mentor. Scholars will need to arrange to have their teaching observed at least once during the Summer. Faculty Mentors will observe the Scholar teach and provide feedback regarding instruction (e.g., pacing, student engagement, in-class activities). Scholars will be given materials to guide the observation consultation. Faculty mentors should also provide Scholars the opportunity to observe their own teaching if possible.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact:

Alex Bower, Educational Development Specialist for Graduate Students and Postdocs, at ahbower@uci.edu 

Danny Mann, Executive Director, at dmann@uci.edu 

Tom Radmilovich, Assistant Dean of Summer Session, at tmradmil@uci.edu