Summer Teaching APprenticeship Program
Graduate students and postdocs teaching as Instructor of Record during Summer Session 2023 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 stipend 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, please apply using this link.
Requirements and Program Overview:
Fellows will need to identify a Faculty Mentor prior to applying. The Faculty Mentor will provide guidance and support with course design and development (e.g., selecting curriculum, developing in-class activities, and creating assessments).
- Faculty Mentors will receive a research stipend for their participation. Mentors will receive an $800 stipend for working with one Fellow. Faculty who serve as mentors for two Fellows (each serving as Instructor of Record) will be awarded a $1500 research stipend. Another $500 will be awarded for each additional Fellow mentored. For more information, please visit the Faculty Mentors FAQ page.
- Mentors must be senate faculty members. If you are unable to find a Mentor, we will provide a list of potential Mentors for you to select by order of preference. However, we strongly encourage Fellows to work with a Mentor who has taught the course before.
Fellows will complete asynchronous training through Canvas during the Spring quarter. Fellows will receive pedagogical training covering various topics (e.g., designing student learning outcomes, creating assessments, writing course policies). Completing these asynchronous modules will take approximately 10 hours.
Fellows will participate in five synchronous training and information sessions facilitated by DTEI:
- Information Session: We will hold an information session with all Fellows and all Faculty Mentors early in the Spring quarter.
- Synchronous Training/Workshop Sessions: Fellows will attend a minimum of three, one-hour training sessions. These will be facilitated by Dr. Alex Bower (Lead Educational Developer) and Dr. Danny Mann (Director, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Instructional Development). These sessions will allow participants to discuss concepts covered in the asynchronous training. In the last session, participants will also have the opportunity to peer review syllabi.
- Closing Session: Fellows will attend a one-hour closing session following Summer Session. The session will allow Fellows to share their experiences teaching and to celebrate their successes.
Fellows will complete a syllabus draft by the end of the Spring 2023 quarter and create a Canvas course page before the start of their course. By the end of the Spring quarter, Fellows need to submit a draft of their course syllabus. Three days prior to the start of their course, Fellows need to complete their Canvas course page.
Fellows have the option to attend weekly office hours prior to Summer Session. Fellows can sign up for “office hour” meetings held weekly with DTEI staff prior to Summer Session instruction. Our staff specialize in graduate student and postdoctoral professional development. Office hour sessions will be scheduled at various times to accommodate participants’ schedules.
Fellows will meet with their Faculty Mentors a minimum of three times prior to Summer Session instruction and one time after instruction.
- Fellows and Mentors need to schedule three consultations before the Summer Session terms begins. These consultations can be individual or group sessions, depending on whether a Faculty Mentor is working with several Fellows. During these meetings, Fellows 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.
- Following instruction, Fellows will meet with Faculty Mentors to discuss how the course went (e.g., what went well, what could be improved for next time).
- Fellows will be required to submit meeting notes for these four required meetings.
Fellows will need to complete one mid-term Summer Session course evaluation. Fellows will be required to administer a midterm course evaluation survey halfway through their Summer Session term, in order to collect midterm feedback from students. Fellows can discuss how to address student feedback with their Faculty Mentors and/or DTEI staff.
Fellows will need to have their teaching observed by their Faculty Mentor. Fellows will need to arrange to have their teaching observed at least once during the quarter. Faculty Mentors will observe the Fellow teach and provide feedback regarding instruction (e.g., pacing, student engagement, in-class activities). Fellows will be given materials to guide the observation consultation.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact:
Alex Bower, Lead Educational Developer, at ahbower@uci.edu
Danny Mann, Director of Grad & Postdoc Instructional Development, at dmann@uci.edu
Tom Radmilovich, Assistant Dean of Summer Session, at tmradmil@uci.edu