The Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching Internship (PDTI) is a teaching development program designed specifically for UBC postdocs who are interested in pursuing academic teaching as part of their career.This program is being offered by the PDFO in collaboration with the Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL).
By the end of the Internship, participants will be able to:
- Create a framework for how a typical university course operates
- Articulate how teaching and learning theories intersect with the practical requirements of a university course
- Design university lessons which incorporate learner-centred lesson planning basics, demonstrating the alignment of learning objectives, learning activities and assessment techniques
- Develop and refine a teaching portfolio using the evidence of teaching effectiveness gathered throughout the internship
Please contact cirtl.info@ubc.ca with any questions about the Postdoc Teaching Internship.
Program Components
The Postdoc Teaching Internship consists of two major components and a series of supporting workshops over approximately one academic semester.
A widely recognized 24-hour teaching intensive workshop where the participants learn and practice the fundamentals of lesson planning and adult learning theory in a peer-based environment. The PDFO and Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology offer two PDF-specific ISWs throughout the year.
Postdoctoral Fellows are also welcomed to attend Faculty ISWs held throughout the year
A one-term mentorship program where the postdoc mentor works with an experienced mentor instructor in their discipline to enhance their understanding and experience of teaching a university course. During the internship, postdoc interns will:
- observe mentors in their teaching,
- teach guest lectures and receive feedback on their teaching,
- discuss approaches to teaching with their mentors, and
- engage in group discussions of teaching with other postdoc interns from their cohort.
Throughout the internship, CIRTL offers a number of teaching development workshops to support participants in different components of the Internship. Supporting workshops are typically scheduled as one 2-hour workshop each month, and have included:
- Developing Teaching Philosophy statements
- Lesson planning clinic
- Discipline-based Educational Research
- Q&A sessions with a panel of teaching experts
Those who complete the Instructional Skills Workshop will lead to CIRTL Associate level. Those who complete all mandatory components and supporting workshops in the program will lead to CIRTL Practitioner level.
Upcoming Sessions
The next cohort will run online from November 2023 to April 2024:
- Thursday, November 16, 2023 – Asynchronous course opens (overview of program, requirements, etc.)
- Thursday, December 7, 2023 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM – Lesson Design Clinic
- Thursday, January 11, 2024 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM – Teaching Portfolios Workshop
- Thursday, February 1, 2023 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM – Introduction to Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Workshop
- Thursday, March 7, 2024 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM – Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion in Teaching Workshop
- Thursday, April 4, 2024 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM – Final Reflections & Expert Panel Discussion
Visit the CIRTL website for more information and upcoming schedules.
Registration
Register for the PDTI (November 2023 Cohort) by November 8, 2023
Once you have completed the Postdoc ISW (or if you have already completed the ISW, Foundations of Pedagogy, or CIRTL Summer Teaching Institute), you will be eligible to enroll in the next cohort of the Postdoc Teaching Internship. If you have any questions about the program, contact us at cirtl.info@ubc.ca.
The next Postdoc Teaching Practicum cohort is now open and will close on November 8, 2023. Registration will open in September to those who have completed an ISW or similar program. To prepare for this cohort, you can participate in either the postdoc ISW in November 2023.