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Photo by Paula Yu / UW–Madison

 New Campus-Wide Survey 

If you are an International Teaching Assistant (ITA), please participate in a new campus-wide survey designed to enhance support for ITAs at UW. The purpose of this survey is to provide insight that will inform initiatives and optimize support for ITAs across campus. Please take a moment to complete the survey or copy and paste this link in your browser: https://forms.gle/WFAt99ADdPZPhv4q8.

  Make Assignments More Authentic  


Struggling to motivate students who view classwork as separate from "real life"? This article provides Teaching Assistants with simple, actionable strategies to infuse authenticity into assignments. Discover practical changes that will close the relevance gap and significantly boost student engagement and learning.

Find supportive research and examples in this article from the Instructional Design Collaborative.

Teaching Tips from Experienced TAs  

Teaching Mentors facilitate the annual Fall TA Training event. Those selected to be Teaching Mentors have a proven track record of excellence as educators and a strong desire to mentor TAs.

This Week's Teaching Mentor:
Rachel Hutchins is a Doctoral Student in Communication Science.

"AI in the classroom" with Rachel Hutchins

The thought of AI in higher education might fill you with excitement, dread, or a bit of both. Like it or love it, though, AI is likely here to stay. Here are some tips that might make it easier for you.
  • Define your AI policy for students before the semester starts.
  • Consider how you can leverage AI to enhance aspects of your course.
  • Be transparent with students about how you use AI to avoid perceived double standards and address ethical concerns.
  • Clearly communicate specific AI expectations for each major assignment (e.g., allowed for brainstorming, disallowed for writing).

TA Networks Sanity Hour (Therapy Dog Edition)

This event, for all TAs and LSAs, features a paws and de-stress theme. Take a break with us at the next Sanity Hour, featuring a very special guest: a certified therapy dog! Unwind, recharge, and get some furry affection—no agenda, just good vibes and community. This event will take place next Thursday, November 20 from 4:00-5:00PM in Van Vleck B115.

Please visit our TA Networks page for more information and to fill out an interest form.

Save the Date

The annual Teaching and Learning Symposium returns May 14, 2026. The symposium provides an opportunity for the UW–Madison teaching and learning community to share best practices, celebrate accomplishments, and discuss learning and teaching in a forum dedicated to enriching the student learning experience.
Learning Forward is brought to you by the L&S TA Training & Support Team.
 
 
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