World-class Teaching: What’s Next

The World-class Teaching series highlights the work of International Teaching Assistants at Georgia Tech; it is written in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning International Teaching Assistant Liaisons. The ITA Liaisons are graduate teaching assistants who also serve as ITA leaders, advocates, and mentors across campus. Interested in learning more? Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of the series.

Over the past several weeks, our World-class Teaching series has highlighted the valuable contributions of International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) at Georgia Tech. We began by introducing the ITA Liaisons, a group of dedicated ITAs who have taken on a leadership role to support their peers and build connections across campus and across disciplines. We then explored advice from ITAs to faculty and staff, offering insights on how to foster a more welcoming and collaborative learning environment. Most recently, we showcased how ITAs bring global perspectives to the classroom, enriching discussions and broadening students’ worldviews.

This series is more than just a collection of stories—it’s a call to action. Elevating ITA voices, recognizing their impact, and fostering stronger connections between ITAs, faculty, and students strengthens the entire Georgia Tech community. As we wrap up this initial installment of World-class Teaching, we want to share a few thoughts from Sarah Kegley, ITA Program Manager at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).

“This series actually started as a response to a program evaluation survey,” said Kegley. “Ximena Pizarro-Bore and I led a session for ITAs at CTL’s Fall 2024 TA Development Academy. A grad student who had attended our session stated that hearing from and about other ITAs made them ‘feel really happy and brave and proud to be taking on this adventure as an international student. It’s a nice reminder that we all bring something unique to GT.’ This feedback was wonderful because that was our goal with the session and of the ITA program as a whole. We wanted to share that feeling of inclusion with as many of the ITAs on campus as possible, and we hope this series is a good start.”

Kegley noted that the vision for World-class Teaching is twofold: “First, we want to elevate ITA voices and bring those voices to the larger Georgia Tech community. Second, we want the ITAs on campus to see themselves in the stories told and to see themselves as an incredibly valuable part of the Georgia Tech narrative.”

What’s Next?

Though this marks the conclusion of our first installment of World-class Teaching, we’re not saying goodbye—just see you later! The series will continue over time through blog posts, ITA spotlights on LinkedIn, and other avenues. In the meantime, here are some key ways to stay engaged:

International Teaching Assistants:

Connect with the ITA Program – Reach out to Sarah Kegley or the ITA Liaisons. Kegley’s work centers on supporting ITAs in the classroom and beyond, supporting their contributions to Tech’s global and internationalization efforts.

Register for Celebrating Teaching Day – This event showcases teaching excellence at Georgia Tech. The 2024-2025 ITA Liaisons will present a poster on the ITA program and their work, providing a great opportunity to connect with the group.

Join CTL’s TA Development Academy – Held every fall, this program helps TAs learn best practices, ask questions, and hear from seasoned TAs.

Follow CTL on LinkedIn & Subscribe to our Newsletter – Stay updated on World-class Teaching features, teaching workshops, and professional development opportunities.

For Faculty and Staff:

Engage with ITAs on Campus – Take time to connect with ITAs, recognize their expertise, and involve them in discussions about teaching and learning. Want to brainstorm ways to do this, or have a story to share? Email Sarah Kegley.

Be Purposeful in Your Collaborations – Actively seek ITA perspectives to enhance learning environments.

Embrace Global Perspectives – Encourage international viewpoints in your courses and work alongside ITAs to create meaningful learning experiences for all students.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating World-class Teaching at Tech!

A draft of this article was refined by AI.