The EDC has implemented two changes to the Certificate in Teaching Assistant Skills (CTAS), one administrative and one programmatic, that will impact anyone who registered in the program prior to May 2015. All program registrants were sent an email on this subject, but just in case, we are re-broadcasting it here. Please take note of the following two items detailed below.
Administration Change: CTAS is Now on cuLearn
In terms of program administration, the CTAS program is now housed entirely on cuLearn.
If you have already made progress in the program (i.e., have submitted at least one written piece — a Response Paper, TA Article, or TA Training Transcript), we have manually enrolled you in the new cuLearn space and captured any progress to date in the grade book there. This means you don’t need to take any new action — you are still registered and your progress to date remains what it was. However, we encourage you to take a few moments to check out the new cuLearn space and review your progress in the program via the grade book. If you notice that we have made any errors in transposing your progress in the program, please email us to review your case.
If you have not yet submitted any written pieces (i.e., a Response Paper, TA Article, or TA Training Transcript) and still want to continue pursuing the certificate, you just need to re-register for the program by enrolling in the new cuLearn page. Instructions for how to do so are provide on this webpage, but in brief, all you need to do is click on the link on that page and enter the enrolment key password (“CTAS”) when prompted. Once you’ve done that, you have successfully re-registered in the program.
The new cuLearn page will offer a number of advantages for program participants, including
- The ability to check/track your progress in the program at any time;
- Automatic acknowledgements for every written submission; and
- A communal space for participants to ask questions, interact, and receive timely updates from the program coordinator.
Programming Change: The Online Workshop on Academic Integrity
In terms of program requirements, we have made one slight adjustment. Participants still need to complete 2 response pieces, 1 TA Article, and 10 EDC-credited training sessions, but for that final element, 1 of your 10 EDC-credited training sessions must now be the online workshop on Academic Integrity — see “Option #2” on this page. Every element of the program otherwise remains the same.
Note that this change applies to all new registrants to the program and to participants who registered prior to May 2015 who have not submitted any written pieces (i.e., a Response Paper, TA Article, or TA Training Transcript). Program registrants who have already made progress in the program in the form of one or more written pieces that have been reviewed and approved, however, have been grandfathered in, meaning that this new requirement does not apply to you — registrants in this situation simply need to complete, as before, your 2 response pieces, 1 article, and 10 EDC-credited training sessions of your choosing.