Classroom Observation

Classroom Observation

As a complement to the Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Training Program, Center for Education Innovation (CEI) provides opportunities for GTAs who are keen on further developing teaching skills to sign up for classroom observation. This experience also serves as a professional development opportunity for GTAs who would like to pursue a career in academia, because the participants can work with the consultants to understand more about their own teaching style and come up with plans for future improvement.

Objectives

All participating GTAs can practice their teaching skills in a classroom setting of the department and gain feedback on strategies to increase classroom engagement and presentation. Classroom observation aims to help participating GTAs to:

1. discuss the teaching plan/tool;
2. identify good teaching practice;
3. practice teaching skills;
4. reflect on teaching;
5. gain feedback on teaching skills; and,
6. plan for future improvement.

All classroom observation should be performed in a positive manner, supporting the teaching and learning functions of GTAs in the context of HKUST, and other academic institutions alike. The process involves formative discussions and feedback to improve the teaching skills of GTAs for future teaching.

Participants

All full-time GTAs who have finished all the core workshops of the GTA Training Program (preferably with teaching experience of at least one semester), are welcome to join this observation.

Upon the approval from the course, participating GTAs can meet with our consultants to discuss their teaching assignment and approach, and schedule an observation in one of their classrooms (tutorial / laboratory) for feedback.

Observation Process

Observation may be carried out on a single or joint basis by:

• consultant(s) of Center for Education Innovation,
• graduate Teaching Assistant Coordinator(s) of the department.

There will be three meetings:

1. Pre-observation Meeting
2. Actual Observation (Tutorial / Laboratory)
3. Post-observation Meeting

Sign-ups

This can be signed up on a voluntary basis. Sign-ups can be completed by:

1. Interested GTAs (voluntary):
   Interested GTAs can sign up for this opportunity by emailing taprog@ust.hk or application through the graduate Teaching Assistant Coordinators (TACs) of the department.
    
2. Course instructors:
   Professors / Course instructors who would like to have their GTAs participate in this observation can email taprog@ust.hk a) the contact details of the GTAs, and b) their roles in the course for our follow-up.

Note: All participants need to obtain the consent and approval from the course instructor prior to observation meetings.

Confidentiality

Observation signed up by GTAs is for teaching and self-enhancement purposes only. The feedback will not be used for evaluation of the GTA’s performance; however, all records related to the observation and feedback process will be kept by Center for Education Innovation for the use of program development.