The Program for Instructional Excellence

The Program for Instructional Excellence (PIE), a unit of The Graduate School, strives to enrich the learning experience for undergraduate students at FSU by supporting the teaching efforts of graduate student teaching assistants through its various services. PIE offers professional development programs that create opportunities to foster a sense of collaboration and community among all graduate student teaching assistants, and any graduate student interested in learning best practices in teaching and learning while at FSU.

For more information about PIE, please see our Informational Brochure.  

See below for information about our Fall 2022 Coffee Hour & Teaching Workshops!

Experienced TAs can apply to become PIE Associates and serve as a mentor for TAs in their own academic department and university-wide.

Come join us for our signature PIE Coffee Hour & Teaching Workshop Series! All are welcome to attend our teaching workshops, which are geared toward fostering professional development in teaching across a wide range of topics.

Fall 2022 Coffee Hour & Teaching Workshop Series

Managing Your Mental Health as a Teaching Assistant

Rescheduled to Thursday, October 6th

11:00 am - 12:30 PM 

Honors, Scholars and Fellows House (HSF), Nancy H. Marcus Great Hall (HSF 4003)

Join PIE on Thursday, October 6th as we discuss how to nurture your mental well-being as you balance the many roles and responsibilities of being a graduate student TA at FSU. In collaboration with FSU Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), this special in-person workshop will introduce students to stress- and conflict-management techniques as well as mental-health resources available at FSU. 

Click here to Register

Using Canvas to Create Rubrics and Build Assignments

Tuesday, September 13th

12:30 pm - 2:00 PM

Virtual via Zoom

Join PIE staff and special host Darius Robinson, PhD student in Higher Education and 2022-2023 PIE Teaching Associate, as we explore the pedagogical value of creating detailed rubrics that align well with assignments. We will also offer live Canvas rubric demonstrations. Feel free to bring questions! 

Click here to Register

Workshop Materials

Check out our Workshop Materials archive, where you can find recordings, PowerPoints, and handouts from recent PIE Coffee Hour & Teaching Workshops!

Click here to access our archives

Save the Dates!

Fall 2022 Biannual PIE Teaching Conference

August 15th (asynchronous assignments due via canvas) & 17th-18th, 2022 (synchronous Zoom platform)

Registration Information is now available below - please read carefully

Update: The Canvas site is now live! Read through the instructions below to locate the self-enrollment link if you missed the launch email. 

Download the Fall 2022 Biannual PIE Teaching Conference Agenda Here!

Who should attend?

• New graduate student TAs: A graduate student cannot hold a TA position unless they satisfy mandatory University-wide TA Standards, so be sure to review these carefully!

• New graduate students who do not yet hold a TA assignment, but will likely do so in the future

• Returning graduate students who have never attended PIE or a departmental equivalent, but who may teach in the future are also encouraged to attend.
• Post Docs
• Faculty and staff are also welcome!

About the Conference

• PIE’s Biannual Teaching Conference includes sessions that provide graduate students (and all participants) with teaching policy training requirements as stated in the current University-wide TA Standards, along with best practices in grading, communicating with students, encouraging active learning and critical thinking, creating inclusive and equitable learning environments, and technology usage. 
• By the end of this training, participants will be able to explain and have procedures in place to address University policy issues related to the Academic Honor Policy, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Discrimination-Sexual Harassment-Retaliation.
• Participants will also be equipped with strategies to help navigate the use of Canvas features essential to their role as a TA, communicate effectively with students, and provide productive, inclusive, and equitable student feedback.

Fall 2022 Conference Dates

• August 15th, & 17th-18th, 2022 
• Note that the PIE Program will provide the Biannual Teaching Conference and the Category 5 TA Training in both spring and fall semesters, but NOT in summer semesters. Please plan accordingly.

Conference Location

• Online via Canvas and Zoom: The Biannual Teaching Conference training consists of two portions for both Day 1 and Day 2 of the required training. The first portion of each day's training is provided asynchronously via Canvas, while the second portion of the day's training is provided synchronously via Zoom.

Registration information

• Registration link for the Fall 2022 PIE Biannual Teaching Conference: https://fsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2hmPUNTHdosVOjc
• TAs will be required to self-enroll in the Fall 2022 PIE Biannual Teaching Conference Canvas site.
• Please monitor our website for updates.  
• Please also check your email for PIE's announcements to departments.. 
• IMPORTANT: It is the trainee's responsibility to self-enroll in the training site by clicking on the enrollment link.

Conference schedule and Training Requirements

Be sure to carefully read and understand all training requirements, as follows: 

1. If you have questions or do not fully understand what training you are required to complete, please contact your academic department. Academic departments may contact the Program for Instructional Excellence at: PIE-Info@fsu.edu. Failure to understand requirements will not count as an acceptable reason for not completing required TA training.

2. This training satisfies the required graduate student TA policy training, as determined by University-wide TA Standards.

• Day 1 covers policies and practices essential for all TAs & Teaching Postdocs.
• Day 1 training REQUIRES completion of asynchronous portions of the Canvas site clearly marked as DAY 1 requirements (due 11:59 PM, Mon., 8/15/22) PLUS ALL synchronous ZOOM sessions on Wed. 8/17/22 Zoom session details will be available in the Canvas-based portion of the Conference, which will open in Summer 2022.
• Attendance for Zoom sessions is required for the duration of ALL sessions required. You will not receive credit for Zoom Day 1 if you arrive late, leave early, or skip sessions. 

• Day 2 of the conference focuses on topics especially helpful if your TA or Postdoc assignment includes providing the primary instruction for the course.

  Day 2 training REQUIRES completion of asynchronous portions of the Canvas site clearly marked as DAY 2 requirements (due 11:59 PM, Mon., 8/15/22) PLUS ALL synchronous ZOOM sessions on Thurs. 8/18/22. Zoom session details will be available in the Canvas-based portion of the Conference, which will open in Summer 2022.

• Attendance for Zoom sessions is required for the duration of ALL sessions required for your position; You will not receive credit for Zoom Day 2 if you arrive late, leave early, or skip sessions.

  If you are unsure if you are required to complete both days, please contact your academic department. However, anyone at FSU is welcome to complete the training sessions.

  NOTE: This training is not the same as the Category 5 TA training, which is for graduate students who will be appointed as "Category 5" TAs assisting with graduate-level courses. Consult with your department to determine if you need to complete the Fall 2022 PIE Biannual Teaching Conference training, the Category 5 TA training, or both Category 5 AND Day 1 and Day 2 training sessions of the Fall 2022 Biannual Teaching Conference.

• It is the registrant's responsibility to regularly monitor the email address provided in the registration survey for updates and details sent from PIE. Please use your FSU email address for all PIE training purposes, including signing up for Zoom sessions.

• The due date for the Canvas portion of the Conference is 11:59 PM, 8/15/22. 

The Canvas site for the Fall 2022 Biannual PIE Teaching Conference is now live! If you missed the site launch email, you can enroll yourself into the Canvas site via this link: https://canvas.fsu.edu/enroll/9MFHKF

Save the Date!

Fall 2022 Category 5 TA Training 

August 19th, 2022

Update: The Canvas site is now live! Read through the instructions below to locate the self-enrollment link if you missed the launch email

Who should attend?

• Graduate students whose TA appointment includes assisting with instructor-supervised grading for graduate-level or co-listed courses

Registration

• All Category 5 TAs must register to attend this asynchronous Canvas-based training: https://fsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4UE5S03idWKCMnA
• It is the responsibility of the registrant to regularly check that email address for training updates and details.
• Please use your FSU email for all PIE training purposes. 

Completion Deadline

• Graduate students are required to complete this asynchronous Canvas PIE Category 5 TA Training by a firm deadline of 11:59 PM, Friday, 8/19/22. Trainees are encouraged to complete it sooner, if desired; all content is entirely asynchronous. 
  • Any graduate student that has not successfully completed the PIE Category 5 TA Training will not be allowed to be appointed as a Category 5 TA. Note: Category 5 TAs must also have completed both Days 1 and 2 of the Biannual PIE Teaching Conference, either during the Fall 2022 iteration of the Biannual PIE Teaching Conference or in previous semesters. 

The Fall 2022 Category 5 TA Training site is now live! If you missed the site launch email, you can enroll yourself into the Canvas site via this link: https://canvas.fsu.edu/enroll/ATNMNB