The Graduate Teaching and Learning Program
My name is Dr. Kathleen (Kat) Danser. I was conferred a PhD in Music in November and it was the thrill of a lifetime! I would have never guessed that I would obtain a PhD, let alone become a teacher at the same time.
I began my graduate work because I developed a deep interest in pursuing higher education. Frankly, I love to learn. The more challenging, the better. I remember being altruistic in the beginning years of my graduate studies but that idealism soon became a reality check. As the years rolled by, it became evident that I needed to broaden my skillset while in the University of Alberta community.
Over a number of years, I watched as the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research adapted to the needs of its graduate students. In particular, I was thoroughly impressed by the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program (GTLP) educational sessions that begin each semester. I connected with now program director, Dr. Deanna Davis, and asked for professional mentorship as I was already tasked with fulfilling the duties of primary instructor. Her steadfast encouragement, critical analysis, pedagogical skills, and sound research were continually uplifting at a time when all seemed in question. Over time, I realized that I could use the skills I developed before graduate work — and the scholarship I learned during — to develop my growing passion for pedagogical design and new frameworks in educational delivery at a post-secondary level.
I have now completed all four levels of the GTLP and I feel a greater sense of excitement about how my future as a researcher, musician, and instructor will unfold. Most surprising is that I realize that pedagogical excellence is driven by continual mentorship and a strong interconnectivity with other graduate students seeking to teach in higher education. In 2017, I was honoured to receive both the Faculty of Arts Graduate Student Teaching Award and the Graduate Student Associations’ Graduate Teaching Award, and I am honoured to be the primary instructor for GTLP 2 and GTLP 3 in the winter term 2019. I hope that I can extend the same levels of inspiration, kindness, and encouragement so that the lives of other graduate students flourish.
— Dr. Kathleen (Kat) Danser
Dr. Kat Danser is an instructor for the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program at the University of Alberta and a Faculty Member at MacEwan University, Centre for Arts and Communication. She is also a professional, touring musician involved in numerous arts-driven social action projects across Canada. Danser has been recognized for her scholarly, performance, and teaching excellence having recently received both the Graduate Student Teaching Award and the GSA Graduate Student Primary Instructor Award at the University of Alberta.