When I enrolled in this course, I wanted to learn how to use technology to create better learning experiences for the students I TA for. While I did learn about specific tech tools, I gained something I didn’t expect: a completely new perspective on what it means to be an effective educator. Below are three of the most important lessons I learned.

Lesson 1 – Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Before this course, when students struggled in my lab sessions, I often assumed it was because of their busy lives, such as juggling multiple classes, working part time jobs, or dealing with personal responsibilities. I never thought they weren’t trying hard enough. But I learned that even when students are putting in effort, they may still struggle simply because they learn differently. A student can be fully focused and motivated, yet still fall behind if the material is only presented in one way. Students come from diverse backgrounds, including different parenting styles, prior schooling, and even neurological wiring, and these factors directly affect how they learn. Not everyone retains information the same way. Some learn best from videos and illustrations, while others need text based explanations or hands on activities. As a TA, I will no longer automatically attribute struggles to a student’s busy life. Instead, I will first ask myself: Am I offering multiple ways to learn this concept? One size does not fit all.

Lesson 2 – Assessing Student Learning

I used to think assessments were just for grades. Now I see that different assessments serve different purposes. One type of assessment, formative assessment, helps me gauge how students are retaining information during a lesson. For example, I can use low stakes quizzes or a simple exit ticket asking, “What is still confusing?” Another type of assessment, summative assessment, measures overall mastery at the end, such as a final project or exam. As a TA, I plan to use quick, no grade check-ins after each lab session so I can adjust my teaching before students fall behind, regardless of how busy their lives might be outside of class.

Lesson 3 – Designing Effective Instructional Material

I learned that effective instructional material is not just about making slides look nice. Before this course, I focused on aesthetics. Now I prioritize clarity, accessibility, and active engagement. This means using readable fonts, adding alt text to images, breaking content into clear chunks with headings, and embedding questions directly into slides to keep students thinking. As a TA, I will redesign my handouts so that every student, regardless of their circumstances, can follow along and engage meaningfully.