Graduate Teaching Assistants
Thank you for joining our Fall 2025 Orientation!
Thank you for joining us for Fall 2025 GTA Orientation! If you were unable to attend, please contact Michelle Rodems for your required training and review resources below.
Welcome to a community of Graduate Teaching Assistants! Whether you're new to teaching or have significant experience, teaching is a skill we continually develop throughout our careers. While it can be demanding, the good news is that we are all lifelong learners, constantly improving.
The University of Louisville and the Graduate School require certain preparation and training in order to serve as a GTA. Additionally, you can find a number of programs and resources to support you in your GTA role and teaching development. We’ve happy to be a part of your journey!
2025-2026 Required Training
All new Fall 2025 Graduate Teaching Assistants are required to complete the Fall 2025 New Graduate Teaching Assistant Orientation Module. In this module, you’ll find the materials you’ll be required to know and some immediate resources. Please complete the module before the first day of classes, and ideally prior to the required in-person component of Fall 2025 New Graduate Teaching Assistant Orientation.
Fall 2025 New GTA Orientation Online Module
Please sign in with your UofL credentials.
| 9:00am | Welcome & Introduction Beth Boehm, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School, Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs, Professor of English Michelle Rodems, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Student Success |
| 9:20am | Addressing Common Questions: Small Group Discussion Graduate School Staff and GTAs |
| 10:00am | Concurrent Explanation & Transition Michelle Rodems, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Student Success |
| 10:10am | Transition |
| 10:20am | Concurrent Sessions I |
| 11:00am | Transition |
| 11:10am | Concurrent Sessions II |
| 11:50am | Transition |
| 12:00pm | Concurrent Sessions III |
| 12:40pm | Transition |
| 12:50pm | Lunch |
| 1:30pm | Advanced Graduate Teaching Assistant Panel Funmi Babarinde, School of Public Health; Hossam Balaha, Speed School of Engineering; Max Stearsman, School of Medicine |
| 2:15pm | Teaching in the Current Environment Beth Boehm, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School, Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs, Professor of English |
| 2:30pm | Preparing for a Successful First Week Beth Boehm, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School, Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs, Professor of English Michelle Rodems, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Student Success |
| 2:50pm | Resources & Wrap Up Michelle Rodems, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Student Success |
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
W116 | W117 | W118 | SAC MPR | |
Session I 10:20am-11:00am
| What GTAs Need to Know about AI (Cline-Douthitt and McDonald) | Effective Teaching in the Lab (Nicholas) | Discussion Strategies for Engagement (Babarinde and Stearsman) | Experienced Teachers Track (Boehm, DeMarco, Rodems) |
Session II 11:10am-11:50am
| What GTAs Need to Know about AI (Cline-Douthitt and McDonald) | Effective Teaching in the Lab (Nicholas) | Classroom Assessment Techniques for Student Learning (Rodems) | Experienced Teachers Track (Boehm, DeMarco) |
Session III 12:00pm-12:40pm
| What GTAs Need to Know about AI (Cline-Douthitt and McDonald) | Creating a Welcoming Learning Environment (Bittner) | Discussion Strategies for Engagement (Babarinde and Stearsman) | Experienced Teachers Track (Boehm, DeMarco, Rodems) |
Experienced Graduate Teaching Assistants (those who have had previous pedagogical training, an education degree, or who have more than 3 semesters of prior teaching experience) may attend the “Experienced Teachers Track”. Each session in this track is designed to “dig deeper” into pedagogical concepts, evidence-based approaches, real-life situations, and practiced strategies.
Sessions will be driven by participant interest and experience, require critical reflection and evaluation, and provide a bank of tools, resources, and ideas for taking your teaching to the next level. GTAs will consider teaching dilemmas in real-world situations, design strategies to address problems, and practice innovative approaches to student learning.
This may not be added to your blackboard shell until a few weeks into the semester in which you are teaching. If by the end of August, it's still not there, please reach out to michelle.rodems@louisville.edu to let us know.
- Visit http://blackboard.louisville.edu,
- Find "My Organizations Plus" on your dashboard
- Go to "Organizations in which you are participating"
- Click on "PS Ferpa organization"
- Complete the FERPA review and statement of responsibility, which will prompt the availability of the "FERPA Quiz"
- Complete the "FERPA Quiz"
Your information will be sent to your department and they will confirm that you have passed your quiz in order to teach at UofL.
- Complete the Sexual and Discriminatory Harassment Training Module
- Complete the Title IX Mandatory Training Module
- Complete the Online Training Certificate of Completion Form
- You must complete this after you complete steps 1 & 2
Pursuant to Kentucky law* Non-native speakers of English who wish to serve as a graduate teaching assistant, with the exception of those teaching a foreign language, must provide evidence of spoken English language proficiency.
International graduate students who receive graduate teaching assistantships from their departments will be contacted to provide evidence of spoken English language proficiency.
If you are a new Graduate Teaching Assistant who is unable to complete training during the fall, please contact Michelle Rodems about how to complete your required training.