Podcast of the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program
Step into the vibrant world of teaching with The TA Table, the official podcast of the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program! Whether you’re preparing for your first contract, transitioning to a course instructor, or looking to incorporate active learning and decolonize your classroom, this podcast is your go-to resource for everything related to the craft of teaching.
Join us as we bring you insightful interviews with graduate student members of the TATP team (and beyond), sharing their experiences, observations, and strategies to help you excel in your role.
Listen:
The TA Table (available on YouTube and Spotify) is hosted by Estefania Toledo and Elliot Fonarev, Graduate Educational Developers at the TATP. Join us as we engage in creative and thought-provoking conversations about teaching and learning. Our podcast offers a wealth of knowledge, practical advice, and inspiring stories to help you navigate the complexities of the educational landscape. Tune in to gain valuable insights, discover innovative strategies, and connect with a community of passionate educators dedicated to making a difference.
Meet your TA Table hosts!
Elliot Fonarev:
“My name is Elliot (he/him) and I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology. My research interests are in the cultural sociology of everyday life, social norms and legality, and meaning-making around belonging and exclusion. I use qualitative methods to understand collective identity formation and differentiation. I am passionate about pedagogy and bringing theory to life for my students.”
Estefania Toledo:
“My name is Estefanía Toledo (she/her/ella) and I am PhD candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. My research focuses on advancing educational equity and belonging for historically marginalized students. In my teaching, I draw on critical pedagogy to co-construct learning environments that position students as knowledge producers and intentionally center their voices, lived experiences, and agency. The development of this podcast aligns with my ongoing commitment to bridging theory and practice through reflective, relational, and equity-oriented approaches. It offers a platform to foster critical dialogue about teaching as a transformative, collective practice, and to create spaces that support the pedagogical development of teaching assistants and course instructors within and beyond the traditional classroom context.”
Season 1
Episode 1: Preparing for your first Teaching Assistant contract
In this episode, we talk to Amanda Greer about preparing for your first contract as a new teaching assistant and battling imposter syndrome.
Show Notes
- bell hooks’ Teaching to Transgress (1994)
- Explore relevant TATP resources related to Preparing for Teaching
Episode 1 transcript [docx]
Episode 2: Making the leap from Teaching Assistant to Course Instructor
In this episode, we talk to Veronica Curran about making the leap from being a teaching assistant to being a course instructor, and how to prepare for your first course
Show Notes
- Explore TATP options for mandatory paid training for graduate student course instructors: Information for Course Instructors.
- Consult with various TATP Course Design resources, especially the Course Design guide, Fostering Student Resilience Through Syllabus Design, Effective Rubric Design, or Fostering Accessible Teaching And Learning.
- Review resources available on Course Design on the CTSI website (i.e., Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation).
Episode 2 transcript [docx]
Episode 3: Incorporating Active Learning Strategies in your Teaching
In this episode, we talk to Ally Tabaczynski and David Aceituno-Caicedo on active learning strategies and equitable practices in the classroom.
Show Notes
- Explore the TATP’s various resources on active learning: Active Learning, Active Learning in an Online Environment, Supporting Student Reading: Teaching Active and Effective Reading Strategies.
- Examine the UDL Guidelines (on the CAST website) and CTSI’s Universal Design for Learning site.
Episode 3 transcript [docx]
Episode 4: Decolonizing learning environments as a Teaching Assistant
In this episode, we talk to Amy Fox about decolonizing learning environments and how to personalize your land Acknowledgement as a teaching assistant or course instructor.
Show Notes
- Gregory Younging’s Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples (2018)
- The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action (2015)
- University of Toronto’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action: Answering the Call Wecheehetowin. Final Report of the Steering Committee for the University of Toronto Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2018)
- University of Toronto’s official Land Acknowledgement (through Indigenous U of T)
- Explore the Native Land Digital platform, “where Indigenous communities can represent themselves and their histories on their own terms”.
Correction: In this episode, when we mentioned Dr. Gregory Younging’s book, we mispronounced his last name.
Episode 4 transcript [docx]
Season 2
Generative AI in Higher Education
Season 2 examines how generative AI is transforming higher education. Through in-depth conversations with educators across disciplines, we highlight practical strategies for teaching with AI, including fostering critical thinking, designing effective assessments, and advancing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and human-centered pedagogy. We also explore instructor supports and the evolving policy landscape at U of T. Subscribe for insights on AI in education and inclusive teaching strategies!
Listen on YouTube {sneak peek of each episode or the full episode playlist) or Spotify
Episode 1: Roundtable Discussion
How is generative AI reshaping university teaching? Will AI replace teachers? In this episode, four educators from multiple disciplines share their experiences and insights on using AI tools in the classroom. From assessment design and academic integrity to digital literacy and pedagogical strategies, this roundtable explores the challenges and opportunities of integrating generative AI into higher education.
Guests: Stacy Butler, Sherry-Ann Ram, Sam Sanchinel, and Noah Khan
Resources mentioned:
Episode 2: Critical Thinking in the Age of AI: Activities and Assessments for Deeper Learning
How can educators foster critical thinking and information literacy in a world shaped by generative AI? In this episode, Dr. Robert Bentley shares strategies for designing assessments and classroom activities that help students engage deeply with course content while developing transferable academic skills. From grading and equity to transparency and student reactions, this conversation offers practical insights for teaching in the age of AI.
Guest: Dr. Robert Bentley, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Bentley is a cardiovascular physiologist and educator whose innovative use of generative AI is transforming student learning.
Resources mentioned:
Episode 3: Universal Design for Learning and Generative AI: Enhancing the Learning Experience
How can generative AI support inclusive teaching practices? In this episode, we explore how to integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles with GenAI tools to create accessible, engaging learning experiences. From creative assignments to ethical AI use, this conversation offers practical strategies for Course Instructors and Teaching Assistants working to support all learners.
Guest: Samantha Chang, Course Instructor in the Department of Art History and educational developer at the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation, University of Toronto. Her work focuses on accessibility, UDL, and inclusive pedagogy.
Resources mentioned:
Episode 4: Human Learning in the Age of AI: Supporting Educators at U of T
How is generative AI changing the way educators teach, design courses, and support student learning? This episode features insights from the Teaching, Learning & Technology team at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI). From faculty concerns and ethical implications to assessment design and AI literacy, the conversation explores how digital tools can support human-centered learning in higher education.
Guests: Victoria Sheldon & Derek Hunt
Victoria Sheldon is a PhD candidate in Anthropology whose work focuses on pedagogical design and learning outcomes in the age of AI.
Derek Hunt supports faculty in integrating technology with effective instructional strategies at CTSI.
Resources mentioned:
- Oregon State University’s Bloom’s Taxonomy Revisited
- The Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS): A Framework for Ethical Integration of Generative AI in Educational Assessment
- Goblin Tools’ Magic Todo
- University of Toronto’s pilot AI Virtual Tutor Bot: Cogniti
- U of T Teaching and Learning Calendar
- U of T Teaching and Learning Calendar University of Toronto’s AI Hub