The University of New Mexico

Teaching Assistant Resource Center

The Teaching Assistant Resource Center (TARC) was developed during the 1982-83 calendar year to provide resources and training to graduate students at UNM for their instructional appointments and responsibilities.

What is TARC?

TARC is a program that provides a variety of resources and training to Teaching Assistants (TAs):

  • TARC offers a one-credit graduate course, Informatics 583, as an introduction to post-secondary classroom teaching. A separate section is designed for international teaching assistants.
  • A special non-credit workshop series is offered during each semester. These workshops address issues particular to the TA community.
  • TARC staff members participate in the selection process for the Susan Deese-Roberts Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award each year.
  • Staff may be contacted for individual consultations regarding teaching responsibilities and methods.

Description of Informatics 583: Graduate Teaching Instruction I

Description: Informatics 583 is a one-credit hour graduate course offered for students who are beginning their teaching careers in higher education.  Many students take the course during their first semester of teaching, but any graduate student is welcome to enroll. Topics covered in the class include characteristics of UNM students; learning styles; preparing class sessions; presentation methods including lectures and discussions; assessment of student learning; classroom management; and teaching philosophy. 

Each semester, one section of Informatics 583 is restricted to international students.  That section of the course includes the above-listed topics as well as an introduction to American higher education and its culture. 

Schedule: Beginning with Fall semester 2012, the courses for both domestic and international students will meet one hour a week for the full semester. The instructor of record will be the Dean of Graduate Studies or his or her appointee, and the courses will be taught primarily, though not exclusively, by advanced, award-winning teaching assistants from the University of New Mexico.

In Fall 2012, the TARC course for domestic graduate students, Informatics 583 001 (CRN: INFO 43835), meets from 2:00 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. in University Advisement and Enrichment Center (UAEC) B24. The I-TARC course for international graduate students, Informatics 583 002 (CRN: INFO 43836), meets from 3:00 to 3:50 in UAEC B24.

Upcoming Classes/Workshops: Throughout the semester, TARC and I-TARC students will be asked to attend workshops hosted jointly by OGS and the Office for Support of Effective Teaching (OSET).

Registration: The TARC/I-TARC courses are open to all graduate students regardless of whether or not they currently hold an assistantship position. Register through LoboWeb.

Questions: Contact the Office of Graduate Studies, 277-2711, for more information.