Apprenticeship in College Teaching

The Apprenticeship in College Teaching Program is a free, non-credit-bearing program that prepares graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for teaching careers in higher education.

ACT seminars bring participants together across disciplines to engage important pedagogical questions. Classroom observations allow for discipline-specific discussion with faculty mentors in participants' departments. And the final Teaching Portfolio and reflective essay encourage participants to synthesize what they’re learning.  

The program can be completed at the participant’s own pace, and successful completion of the program results in a robust teaching portfolio and certificate issued by the Office of the Provost.

Assignment Design (Required)

Wednesday, September 11 & Thursday, September 12 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Francesca Minonne, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Programs

Working from a very broad definition of “assignment,” this interactive session invites participants to think through the qualities of an effective assignment as well as strategies for structuring assignments that are meaningful and motivating to students. We’ll also consider how learning science research can inform our thinking about assignment design. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than September 4th.

Teaching from the Margins: Strategies for Instructors from Underrepresented Groups (Elective)

Monday, September 16 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Kim Humphrey, Assistant Director for Equitable Teaching and Learning

For instructors who identify as belonging to historically underrepresented groups -- who don’t fit their students’ assumptions about who a “typical professor” should be (e.g. instructors of color, disabled instructors, LGBTQ+ instructors, etc.) -- the classroom can present unique challenges. In this interactive session, open to those who identify as underrepresented, we’ll discuss some of the common challenges faced by underrepresented instructors and share strategies for addressing them. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than September 9th.

Course Design (Required)

Wednesday, September 25 & Thursday, September 26 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Stacy Grooters, Executive Director

At the heart of every successful classroom is a well-designed course. In this interactive session, we will consider the basics of a “backwards design” approach to course development that seeks to align course goals, assessments, and instruction. We’ll also talk about how course structure can impact student learning and classroom climate. Stacy Grooters will facilitate this session. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than September 18th.

Active Learning (Required)

Wednesday, October 2 & Thursday, October 3 2024 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Sarah Castricum, Assistant Director for Faculty Programs

Hands-on activities such as problem solving and teamwork hold a lot of promise to transform learning, but they can also seem challenging to develop and evaluate. This interactive session will explore ways to structure activities that will meet your learning goals for your students and offer them the support they need to succeed. We will consider how to use active learning in any discipline, class setting and time frame. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than September 25th.

Planning for Better Discussions (Elective)

Thursday, October 10 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Francesca Minonne, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Programs

Whether you’re faced with a sea of silent students or trying to get a runaway conversation back on topic, leading class discussion can be one of the most challenging – and enjoyable – parts of your work as an instructor. In this interactive session, we’ll talk about strategies to help you and your students prepare for learning-rich discussions. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than October 3rd.

Encouraging and Evaluating Participation (Elective)

Tuesday, October 15 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Laura Seaberg, Graduate Programs Coordinator

The vast majority of US college courses count participation towards a portion of the final grade. Even so, instructor expectations of what constitutes participation vary wildly and may not be transparent to students. This interactive session will articulate the benefits of classroom participation and explore different activities that instructors might count as participation. We will also have the opportunity to consider some strategies for grading participation that encourage learning in different disciplinary contexts. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than October 8th.

Creating Effective Learning Environments (Required)

Wednesday, October 23 & Thursday, October 24 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Kim Humphrey, Assistant Director for Equitable Teaching and Learning

This interactive session provides a practical discussion of how to foster a positive classroom climate that promotes student learning. Participants will discuss strategies for facilitating classroom environments that foster belonging, agency, and transparency through course policies, norms, and habits. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than October 16th.

Grading for Learning (Required)

Wednesday, October 30 & Thursday, October 31 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Francesca Minonne, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Programs

Grades can be a significant source of feedback, both evaluating performance and guiding future learning. They can also be a source of doubt and anxiety -- for both students and instructors. In this interactive session, we will consider how learning science and psychology encourage us to think differently about how we approach grading. And we’ll talk about practical strategies -- including the use of rubrics -- for grading more consistently, effectively, and efficiently. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than October 23rd.

Responding to Student Writing (Elective)

Wednesday, November 20, 2024 12:00 - 1:00 PM, In Person (O'Neill 250)

Francesca Minonne, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Programs

When responding to student writing, it can be difficult to provide comprehensive feedback on an essay without overwhelming or discouraging your students. In this interactive session, we will ask you to identify some writing norms in your discipline. We will also examine a number of approaches to providing targeted feedback and review strategies to help students respond effectively to their own and their classmates’ writing. Enrollment is limited; please register as soon as possible, but no later than November 13th.

The Apprenticeship in College Teaching Program combines opportunities for group inquiry into important pedagogical questions with individual reflection on teaching practices. Successful completion of the program involves attending at least seven ACT workshops, participating in two
classroom observations, and compiling a teaching portfolio and reflective essay. Although it is possible to fulfill all ACT requirements in a single year, participants can take as long as they need, while they are students at Boston College, to complete the program. While we prefer for participants to complete the program by the time they graduate, we are willing to extend this deadline to two months past their graduation date. Please note that full program requirements are below and participants may enroll at any time.

Program Registration

Registration for the ACT Program is open to all Boston College graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, whether or not they will have any classroom responsibilities while at ĂŰĚŇ´«Ă˝. Registration is on a rolling basis, so
participants can sign up at any time:

  • Submit the online ACT registration form by clicking on the “Register” tab above.
  •  with the Graduate Programs Coordinator to discuss their goals for the ACT program and to answer any questions.

ACT Program Requirements

Successful completion of the program involves:

  • attending seven ACT workshops (five required seminars and two electives);
  • participating in two classroom observations (as observer and observed);
  • compiling a teaching portfolio that includes a teaching philosophy, sample syllabus, and other relevant teaching materials; and
  • submitting a short essay that critically reflects on what you’ve learned in the program.

More information about each of these requirements is available below.

Program Completion

Once you have completed all requirements of the program (including the submission of a portfolio that meets program expectations), the Assistant Director for Graduate Student Programs (francesca.minonne@bc.edu) will contact you about scheduling an Exit Interview to conclude your participation in the program.

All recent ACT graduates are also invited to participate in the annual Graduate Student Teaching Recognition Ceremony, where we award that year’s ACT Certificates. Students who wish to receive their certificate at the end of this academic year should plan to complete program requirements and submit their materials by Friday, February 28rd, 2025.

Observation And Portfolio Forms

ACT participants are expected to provide written reflections on two observations:

  • ±Ę±ô±đ˛ą˛ő±đĚý.

  • ±Ę±ô±đ˛ą˛ő±đĚý.

ACT participants are also expected to provide a completed Teaching Portfolio and Reflective Essay:

  • ±Ę±ô±đ˛ą˛ő±đĚý.

If you have questions regarding any of these forms, please contact centerforteaching@bc.edu.

Podio - done right