The Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Program (GSTEP) is an introductory course designed for UNT graduate students who are currently in teaching positions or plan to be future educators. This interactive program will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about a variety of topics related to university teaching and student learning. Through online modules, student-centered activities, group interactions, practice opportunities, feedback, and teaching in a university classroom, participants will develop and refine their teaching skills and improve their understanding of how students learn. 

Why should graduate students participate in GSTEP?

1. The idea that we know how to teach because we have been taught is a myth. Teaching is an entire discipline, and the purpose of GSTEP is to introduce graduate students to the scholarship of teaching.
2. Graduate teaching assistants and fellows need effective teaching skills to facilitate learning in the classes that they teach.
3. Teaching skills are important in the non-profit sector and industry jobs, as well as in higher education. Learning the skills taught in GSTEP will help participants prepare for those demands.

Registration

Enrollment is now OPEN for Spring 2019. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2019 at 11:59 pm CST. 

All UNT graduate students are welcome to enroll in the course regardless of teaching experience. GSTEP will be offered as a zero-credit-option course, meaning that students can register for the class at no cost to them. Students who complete the course will receive notation on their transcripts. The duration of the course is 45 hours during the semester.

In order to enroll, students must:

• Be enrolled in at least one graduate-level 16-week course.
• Understand GSTEP does not count towards financial aid or full-time enrollment.
• Understand the grading scale for this course is pass/fail and will show on student transcripts. 

If you are interested in enrolling in the course, please complete this brief survey: GSTEP Enrollment Survey. The survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete. The information collected in this survey will enable us to better understand the students we serve and to manually enroll students in the course. 

Course Delivery and Organization

GSTEP will be delivered partially online via Canvas and through 3 face-to-face seminars. Online materials will include content modules, readings, interactive activities, project instructions, and supplemental resources. The face-to-face seminars will provide participants with an opportunity to interact and practice new skills with peers and mentors in the course. Each face-to-face seminar will be hosted multiple times; dates and times will be announced soon. 

This course requires 45 hours of participant time; approximately 3 to 4 hours a week.

Please contact Meranda Roy, Faculty Development Program Coordinator, with questions at meranda.roy@unt.edu