Consultations
Teaching Consultation
Who can request a consultation?
Why request a consultation?
What topics might be discussed in a consultation?
What does the consultation process entail?
How is a mid-semester evaluation conducted?
How should I prepare my students for the data collection phase on the consultation process?
What does a videotaping or classroom observation involve?
Professional Development Consultation
Communications Consultation
Schedule a Consultation
Teaching Consultation
Who can request a consultation?
Any graduate or undergraduate student who is employed in a role that involves teaching Georgia Tech students as part of an official course may request a consultation. This includes lead TAs, TAs, discussion leaders, etc. who may teach an entire course, a discussion or recitation section, a laboratory, or other component of a course. Because of the diversity of these roles across campus, the word “TA” is used broadly throughout our website to mean any of the above job descriptions.
There are two main purposes of a consultation: (1) professional development for the TA, and (2) an improved learning experience for the TA’s students for rest of the semester.
Consultations are free and confidential. They give TAs the opportunity to have a one-on-one discussion about their teaching with a professional consultant and get feedback on their teaching from someone outside their department.
By finding out early in the term what helps your students learn, you can maximize the effectiveness of the teaching strategies you already use, and you can implement student-requested changes for the remainder of the semester. The result? Your efforts set the stage for better student learning, your students appreciate that you care about their learning, and you avoid surprises on end-of-the-term evaluations (if applicable).
What topics might be discussed in a consultation?
During a consultation, a TA works with the consultant to identify his or her strengths as a teacher as well as areas that can use improvement. The discussion also includes concrete strategies for bringing about desired improvements.
Topics might include:
- Delivery techniques such as presenting/public speaking, writing on the board or
overhead, Powerpoint, etc.
- Teaching problem solving
- Grading, including rubrics
- Teaching/managing laboratory classes
- Classroom management and/or behavior issues
- Generating student discussion
- Motivating students/capturing interest
- Improving student participation and learning
- Using technology to improve student learning
- Office hours
- Review sessions
- Using groups and managing group work
- Designing a class activity
- Writing and/or organizing lectures or presentations
- Setting learning goals/objectives/outcomes
- Writing/designing assessments (homework, quizzes, tests, exams,
essay prompts, etc.)
- Writing a syllabus
- Learning styles
- Course Design
- Other teaching or learning issues
What does the consultation process entail?
There are three steps to a consultation.
- Discuss with a consultant what you hope to get out of the consultation
- CETL collects data about your teaching
- Mid-semester evaluation (by survey or Classroom Dialogue)
AND/OR
- Videotaping or classroom observation
- Meet with a CETL consultant who helps you analyze and interpret the data and brainstorm ideas that can help improve your teaching and more importantly, student learning
During a consultation, we're as interested in validating your good teaching skills (so you continue to do them) as in suggesting concrete techniques for improvement. Consultations are customized to meet your needs and address your most pressing concerns. A consultation generally lasts one hour.
You do not have to be videotaped/observed or have a mid-semester evaluation done in order to have a consultation with us, but we strongly recommend it, as a consultation is most effective when we have data to guide the direction of the consultation.
How do you conduct a mid-semester evaluation?
A mid-semester evaluation can take several forms. You may choose to conduct a short survey (Link to: http://www.cetl.gatech.edu/services/cios/midterminfo.htm) administered online via T-square or on paper during the first or last 10 - 20 minutes of a class period. You can also choose to have a CETL consultant conduct a Classroom Dialogue.
A Classroom Dialogue is a technique that uses guided discussion to generate clear, prioritized, and confidential student feedback on classroom instruction or curriculum. Typically the process includes the following steps:
A) You set aside 20-25 minutes of class time for the consultant to conduct the
Class Dialogue.
B) You announce to your students that you have invited a consultant from CETL “
to talk with them about how the course is going. The consultant will use the
part of class time you have set aside to gather students’ input.
C) After you leave the room, the consultant asks students to work in small groups
to answer the following questions:
1. What helps you learn in this course? (Consider the lectures, class
activities, text, homework assignments, tests, instructor’s teaching style,
etc.2. What changes in this course would improve your learning?
D) The consultant asks the small groups to share their ideas with the class. The
consultant clarifies and facilitates discussion on each point before conducting
a class-wide vote to determine the extent of student agreement about each
idea. When the idea is supported by the majority of students, the consultant
probes for specifics on how the change might best be implemented.
E) The consultant asks students to return to their small groups and summarize
their thoughts from the discussion. Each group provides a written response to
the question “What is the most important feedback you want your instructor to
hear?”
F) Following the Class Dialogue, the consultant prepares a written summary of
the student feedback and meets with you for a confidential discussion of the
student feedback. Together you consider possible next steps.
G) At the beginning of the class period following the Classroom Dialogue, you “
thank students for their input and spend a few minutes summarizing what you
learned from the process. You let them know which of their suggestions you
will implement and why. There may be some suggestions which you are
unable to implement and it is important that you explain why you can’t make
the suggested changes.
How should I prepare my students for the data collection phase on the consultation process?
We encourage you to let your students know in advance that they'll be filling out a mid-semester evaluation, participating in a Classroom Dialogue, or being videotaped or observed and share that you appreciate their help in your efforts to improve your teaching and their learning. Also, you should let them know that you will share what you learned and what, if anything, you will be changing and why (or for things you can’t change, why not).
What does a videotaping or classroom observation involve?
Typically the process includes:
A) A Pre-Observation/Videotaping Discussion
The purpose of this discussion is to share with the CETL Consultant more about the context of the consultation with regard to your goals for students, your style of instruction, typical class activities, departmental requirements, etc. If you like, you can identify specific areas you would like the consultant to focus on, such as your interaction/rapport with students, your organization/clarity during a lecture, the level of student response/involvement in activities, etc.
B) Classroom Observation/Videotaping
While observing your class (live or via videotape), the consultant will take descriptive notes on what is said and done as well as chart teacher-student interaction, student-to-student interaction and student behavior. It can be very helpful to have the class period the CETL consultant visits be videotaped so that you and the Consultant have data (in the form of the videotape) to discuss during the consultation.
C) Post-Observation Meeting
The consultant will share the descriptive notes from the class with you (and if available, review the videotape) and ask you to reflect on the class: was this a typical (or atypical) session? What did (or did not) go according to plan? When did you feel most comfortable (or least comfortable) with the class? What did you think you did well? What would you like to change, and how might you go about it? This hour-long confidential session will conclude with an action plan and options for follow-up.
Professional Development Consultation
Graduate Students can request a professional development consultation to discuss any of the following topics:
- Teaching philosophy or teaching portfolio*
-Options for gaining additional teaching experience beyond what is typically available in your department
- Differences between faculty career options (research university, comprehensive university, community college, small liberal arts college, etc.)
-Academic Job Search Strategies
-Writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Academic Cover Letter*
-Academic Interviewing
* Consultations are interactive discussions, we are unable to offer copy editing or proofreading services.
Communication Consultations
Graduate Students can request a communication consultation to discuss any of the following topics:
-Academic Writing (Dissertation, Thesis, Grants, Fellowships, Journal or Research Paper, Curriculum Vita, Academic Cover Letter, Teaching Philosophy, etc.)*
-Presentation Skills (Job Talks, Chalk Talks, Conference/Paper/Poster Presentations, Academic Interview, etc.)
* Consultations are interactive discussions, we are unable to offer copy editing or proofreading services.
Schedule a Consultation
Teaching Consultations
Although the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) will conduct teaching consultations with TAs any time during the semester, we recommend that you schedule a teaching consultation between week 5 and 8 so that you can put your new teaching ideas to work with those students who gave you feedback. To schedule a teaching consultation, call 404-894-1355 or email lydia.soleil@cetl.gatech.edu.
Professional Development Consultation:
Email lydia.soleil@cetl.gatech.edu or call 404-894-1355.
Communication Consultation
Email karen.head@cetl.gatech.edu or call 404-385-7357.