Three Day Intensive Problem Based Learning training session

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The LFS Learning Centre is pleased to offer our 3- day intensive Problem Based Learning (PBL) workshop again this summer. The 3 day workshop will run Aug 18-20th. The workshop is free and provides great training in Problem Based Learning. In this workshop you will learn how and gain experience working with PBL.  If interested please contact The LFS Learning Centre through cyprien.lomas@ubc.ca. The session runs all day for three days and participants are required to commit to attending all days.

 

GSS cIRcle Award – Applications are Open!

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Submissions are now open for the next instalment of the GSS cIRcle Open Scholar award, a lottery-based award that recognizes exemplary non-thesis manuscripts or projects from UBC graduate students.

The Award is based on a lottery system held twice a year. A random selection will be made from items submitted to cIRcle during the previous 6 month period – four awards will be made per annum, two in April and two in October.

The deadline for submissions is September 24.

GSS NEWS

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Dear Graduate Students,

The Celebration of Light kicks off this Saturday night at 10pm.  You may have heard that the U.S.A, France and Japan will be competing, with our neighbours down south starting things off! It will be very many blasts, and music, and fun times. You’ve been warned.

GSS Social & Recreational

Come with us on a 4-hr intermediate hike to Eagle Bluffs at Cypress Park on August 9th. We leave UBC at 9 am and return at 4pm. The $10-$15 cost includes the bus ride and a light breakfast. As usual, download and sign the waiver and bring it with you, along with your receipt if you buy a ticket online.

GSS Opportunities

The GSS is hiring 3 Summer Orientation Information Officers to support us in welcoming new Graduate Students to UBC between August 21st-August 29th 2014. Please apply by July 25th at5pm! Read the guidelines and responsibilities pertaining to these positions. It will be about 35hours worth of work, and will pay $400. We’d love to have you.

– Are you interested in serving on the Graduate Council? The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies works to maintain and enhance the quality of graduate scholarship at UBC primarily by encouraging a spirit of enquiry appropriate to each academic discipline, and by monitoring and improving the educational process which leads to a graduate degree. The legislative and administrative authority of the Faculty regarding graduate programs of study is vested in the Graduate Council. The Dean & Vice-Provost and Associate Deans act, with the Registrar, as administrative officers for the Council. There are five open graduate student positions. All graduate students are eligible. The GSS Council selects graduate student representatives for the Graduate Council. Interested students should contact info@gss.ubc.ca.

GSS Research & Conferences
We still want your voice in our Poll! It’ll take you 15minutes.

Tell us what you’d like the GSS to focus on in our advocacy work for graduate students on campus, and at the provincial and federal levels; what kinds of academic, social and professional events you’d be interested in having, and what you’d like to see in our communications this coming year.

We’re so grateful for your participation. It literally makes our day.

New UBC Publication in T.A. Development

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A new paper examining the effectiveness of traditional methods of TA training and development has been published in the Kwantlen teaching and learning e-journal, Transformative Dialogues.

TitleTeaching Assistants Thrive in a Collaborative Team: A TA Development Case Study

Authors: Alice Cassidy, Jaclyn Dee, Vivienne KY Lam, Ashley Welsh, Joanne Fox, University of British Columbia

Abstract: It is time to critically examine how Teaching Assistants (TAs) learn to teach and how they develop as educators. This exploration informs the design of courses to effectively foster TA professional development and deliver the best possible quality of instruction for undergraduates. Here we describe how the collaborative and multi-disciplinary First-year Seminar in Science (SCIE 113) educational team at the University of British Columbia (UBC), composed of graduate students and faculty members who teach the course, and a staff member who coordinates and supports the course, learn from and with each other. Our team approach creates a unique environment for TAs to grow and develop as educators, a higher level than the more common TA training. We describe multiple unique roles that TAs play in this course, showing that as contributing members of a team, they learn about teaching, curriculum development, mentorship, and leadership through observation, practice, collaboration, and reflection. The result of this approach is TAs who are well-prepared for the immediate demands of the classroom, have experienced and contributed to curricular design, have the opportunity to create and reflect on their own teaching philosophies and to apply the skills, knowledge and attitudes honed in SCIE 113 to other teaching endeavours.

(Link to full document)

Graduate Pathways to Success Opportunities: Essentials of Productive Teams Workshop and Orientation Volunteering

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2014-07-29-gps_announcement-Productive_Teams

Registration is now open for:

GPS/Mitacs Step Workshop:Essentials of Productive Teams (formerly Managing Projects)

Tuesday, July 29, 2014, 9:00am – 5:00 pm (Graduate Student Centre)

For a session description, please visit: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/about-us/events/11539-gpsmitacs-step-event-essentials-productive-teams

To register, see: https://www.surveyfeedback.ca/surveys/wsb.dll/s/1g3660

 

New Graduate Student Orientation, hosted by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, International Student Development, and the Graduate Student Society (GSS), is quickly approaching.  All incoming graduate students have been invited.  Events include:

*        Wednesday, August 27: International Student Welcome – an afternoon session designed to help international students make the most of their UBC experience

*        Thursday, August 28: Main Orientation Day – a warm welcome and opportunity for all new graduate students to learn important campus and academic information.

*        Friday, August 29: GSS Orientation – an opportunity to tour campus and learn more about arts, culture and clubs at UBC from the Graduate Student Society.  The evening will end with a boat cruise, the first of several outings planned by the GSS for orientation.

The complete schedule of events will be posted here by early August: http://orientation.grad.ubc.ca/schedules/august-2014/

 

Interested in getting involved in Orientation?  The following opportunities are available for current graduate students:

To volunteer for Main Orientation Day or other orientation events, please register here: https://www.surveyfeedback.ca/surveys/wsb.dll/s/1g366d

To learn about and apply for a position as an Information Officer (35 hour paid position), please click here: http://gss.ubc.ca/main/gss-opportunity-summer-orientation-info-officer/

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you,
Jacqui.

Jacqui Brinkman

Manager, Graduate Pathways to Success Program | Office of the Dean | Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

The University of British Columbia | Vancouver Campus

Phone 604 827 4578 | Fax 604 822 5802

170 – 6371 Crescent Road | Vancouver, BC  Canada V6T 1Z2

jacqui.brinkman@ubc.ca | www.grad.ubc.ca