We may not have hit Thanksgiving yet, but Canvas sites for IAP and Spring are available today, November 15, which makes this is the perfect time to start thinking about next semester’s prep. You may still be busy with Fall classes and activities, but the more you can plan for now, the less stress you’ll experience in January. Here's some information and recommendations to help you plan your preparations.
Check your courseload
Make sure you’re aware of your full roster of classes. Check your Canvas dashboard and compare it to your faculty’s “My Future Teaching” profile. If any course(s) seems to be missing or wrongly linked to you, contact your AD to make sure the primary course admin is correct. For problems with the Canvas sites themselves—missing Blueprint site, incorrect details, etc—reach out to the STS TLT team.
Get the syllabi
Connect with all of your teaching faculty to request copies of their syllabi. Then, take the time to review them and familiarize yourself with how the courses will be run; check for course material needs and identify any non-standard class events or activities that will require additional support. We also strongly recommend arranging a meeting with the faculty to walk through the syllabus together and confirm you fully understand their needs and expectations.
Syllabi should also be posted to the Sloan Course Browser before course bidding opens on December 2. Students will use them to explore classes more thoroughly while making decisions about their course schedule. Follow these instructions to post:
- Navigate to the MySloan Faculty Portal: http://mysloan.mit.edu/faculty
- Filter to the appropriate term
- Click the "Document" Icon in the appropriate course (& section) entry
- Click "Add New Document", select your document and click "Save"
Begin TA hiring
The MIT Graduate Student Union collective bargaining agreement requires TA appointments to be set up 30 days before start of term: by December 6 for IAP, January 3 for Spring. TA applications should be submitted as early as possible to help Student Funding meet these deadlines. Ask your faculty if they’ve decided on TA(s), and if not, offer the TA Opportunities website for advertising; when TAs have been identified, direct them to studentfunding.mitsloan@mit.edu to complete the application.
Any questions about the GSU or CBA requirements can be directed to gradunionquestions@mit.edu.
Refresh your knowledge
However long you’ve been here, we encourage you to review the resources available to you to ensure you’re aware of all the latest tools and best practices for course management. Explore the trainings offered by STS, from basics like Canvas Essentials and the Gold Standard Guide to deep dives into classroom technology. For help with Study.Net, review this guide created by our office.
Consult both the MIT Academic Calendar and the STS Key Dates Calendar to note important dates and holidays; also find a PDF of Sloan-specific details on this page from SES.
To facilitate your planning, our office has instituted the following deadlines. Please keep these in mind as you think through your preparations and share them with your faculty early to ensure you’re all on the same page.
- Draft Syllabi to Assistant: Monday, December 16
- Faculty/Admin Course Prep Meeting: Friday, January 10
- Final Syllabi to Assistant: Monday, January 13
- Canvas Sites Published: Monday, January 27
Email templates for communicating with your faculty—regarding the syllabus, prep meetings, and TA hiring—can be found here.
As always, the Office of Teaching and Learning is here to help with every step. Whether you have specific questions about your Canvas build or just want another set of eyes to review your syllabus, don’t hesitate to reach out to sloanteachingandlearning@mit.edu.
Best,
Stephanie