Level 2: Practicum

Become a better teacher

In Level 2: Practicum, you'll gain the essential skills needed for classroom instruction rooted in teaching scholarship. Building upon Level 1: Foundations, you will translate your knowledge into practical application. Through a process of intentional reflection, personal goal setting and peer engagement, you will create a statement of teaching philosophy that serves as the basis for skill-building in lesson planning, development and delivery. Using your statement of teaching philosophy as a functional document, you will also develop a preliminary teaching dossier for use in academic job applications. 

Prerequisite: Level 1: Foundations

Time Commitment

Level 2: Practicum is offered in the fall, winter and spring. It is a free, pass-fail, non-credit, hybrid course equivalent to 18 hours of classroom instruction. 

The course is organized around six modules, each of which requires approximately two hours outside of class to complete assessments.

Upcoming Sessions

Fall 2024

Dates: November 12-15 (live sessions, online), 2024; Time: 1 - 4 p.m. (Tuesday-Friday)

• To account for the additional three hours of instructional time, additional asynchronous lectures will be available on the course site. Their completion will be required in the two weeks following the course.

Registration + Enrolment

Level 2: Practicum is open to current graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (PDF). Participants who successfully complete Level 1: Foundations will be invited via email to register for Level 2 through campusBRIDGE. Level 2 is offered in fall, winter and spring, and is limited to 45 participants each term. Qualifying participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Staff and alumni do not qualify for the course.

Learning Objectives

• Expand knowledge of teaching scholarship in higher education
• Expand skills in classroom management, leadership and student support and inclusion
• Deepen workplace professionalism and ethical principles in university teaching in a peer-supported environment
• Gain practical experience in:
  • Developing intended learning objectives and outcomes
  • Lesson planning and delivery
  • Writing a statement of teaching philosophy
  • Setting and evaluating teaching development goals
  • Evaluating and providing feedback on teaching skills and competencies as a critical colleague

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Apply self-reflection practices in instructional development and delivery
• Set and monitor personal learning outcomes
• Demonstrate interpersonal and communication strategies for effective peer feedback and classroom discussion
• Write a statement of teaching philosophy and create a preliminary eDossier
• Construct an effective lesson plan, including learning outcomes
• Exhibit professionalism and ethical conduct in teaching
• Demonstrate knowledge acquisition and integration in two microteaching presentations

Completion Requirements + Transcript Notation

Successful completion of Level 2: Practicum includes the development of a course portfolio consisting of your:

1. Teaching development goal
2. Statement of teaching philosophy
3. Lesson plan and microteaching
4. Written peer feedback
5. Preliminary dossier
6. Course completion survey 

Attendance and peer engagement is mandatory and makes up a significant component of the completion requirements.

Graduate students who complete Level 2 will receive the following notation on their transcripts: Graduate Teaching and Learning Program: Practicum. All participants will receive completion letters for their teaching dossiers.

Professional Development Requirement

This course may be counted towards the Professional Development Requirement. All professional development activities must be approved by your department.

Contact Us

Questions regarding the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program (GTLP) can be directed to: gradpd@ualberta.ca