Center for University Teaching and Learning

The Teaching Assistant Qualification Program at the Center for University Teaching and Learning is aimed at all students and graduates at the University of Zurich who want to acquire basic qualification in academic teaching and related competencies like presentation skills, the use of eductional technology and critical thinking and reflection. It supports them in their commitment to teaching with practical, low-threshold basic didactic training courses and workshops. The didactic skills that are gained can be used both during the student’s studies as well as in his or her subsequent professional career.

The training is offered completely online via the UZH-learning platform OLAT in combination with meetings/peer reviews and workshops on Microsoft Teams or ZOOM. “Start!” is structured in a modular manner: The program is comprised of four basic modules, which can be supplemented and amplified with subject-specific consolidation modules. The basic modules provide basic information about and fundamental skills necessary for conducting a tutorial in combination with exercises. In particular, these include:

• coming to grips with the new role of teaching assistant,
• organizational aspects of tutorial planning and instructional design,
• providing feedback and evaluating performance,
• presentation skills,
• tutorial planning, meeting structure, and motivating students.

The consolidation modules are delivered as OLAT-courses or workshops. The courses cover subjects like planning E-Tutorials, the use of game-based learning or teaching in the virtual space. The workshops intend to deepen specific teaching-related subject like e.g. the production and use of instructional videos and methods for student activation in academic teaching.

The qualification program is aimed at all students and graduates at UZH who want to acquire basic qualification in academic teaching. Individual courses and the entire program may also be completed even without a concrete tutorial appointment.

Schedule and Dates of the program are related to the lecture period of the spring and autumn semester.

Online courses: The assessment of the online courses is comprised of a PDF folder containing individual exercises, which must be completed during the course. The folder is submitted to OLAT. There is no final examination.

Workshops: The workshop assessment is determined by the specific topic. Usually, it consists of several exercises.

Students must pass at least six courses or workshops to successfully complete the basic program (four mandatory basic and two freely selectable consolidation modules). Following completion of the entire basic program, participants receive attestation of the Education Office.

In principle, it is possible to receive 1 ECTS Credit for the basic program. The requirement for this is the consent of the respective faculty.