ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT:
As part of their 495 pedagogy course, all new TAs are required to complete basic pedagogy training covering the following five foundational areas:
- How Students Learn
- Creating Inclusive Classrooms
- Active Learning Strategies
- Assessment and Grading
- Lesson Planning
TAs satisfy this requirement in one of three ways:
- Pathway 1: Completing the Foundations of Teaching curriculum developed by the Teaching and Learning Center.
- Pathway 2: Completing an equivalent departmental curriculum.
- Pathway 3: A combination of Pathways 1 and 2.
Which pathway students follow depends on which department they enroll under for their 495 pedagogy course. View this chart to determine which pathway is being used by a specific department.
When new TAs enroll in a 495 course that is using the TLC’s evidence-based curriculum, they can expect to complete short asynchronous lessons in Bruin Learn about each Foundations of Teaching area required by their department, as well as facilitated discussions and/or assignments in class. This hybrid delivery model provides an integrated and flexible professional learning experience for TAs, a predictable and supported teaching experience for 495 instructors. The model also helps ensure consistency and efficiency in the delivery of TA training for the campus.
ENROLLMENT AND TRACKING:
When graduate students enroll in a 495 course that is using any portion of TLC’s Foundations of Teaching curriculum, they will be enrolled automatically in the associated Foundations Bruin Learn site(s). No further action should be needed but if questions about access arise, students should consult their 495 instructor or email the TLC at gspse@teaching.ucla.edu. TLC will collaborate with 495 instructors to monitor and track student progress through the curriculum during the pilot. Each component of the curriculum includes an exit quiz. TAs can retake this quiz multiple times but are required to complete the exit quiz with a passing grade of 80% or better in order to satisfy UCLA’s Foundations of Teaching requirement for TAs.
DEPARTMENTAL EXEMPTIONS:
Department may apply for an exemption from some or all of the TLC’s Foundations of Teaching curriculum on a case by case basis if equivalent content is covered in the 495 pedagogy course. A list of departments that received exemptions prior to Fall 2024 can be found in this chart, with a text-only version also available. The exemption application process is currently on hiatus while the TLC pilots the new hybrid Foundations of Teaching curriculum. Departments can contact the TLC at gspse@teaching.ucla.edu with questions.