Evaluation of a Teaching Assistant Program for Third-Year Pharmacy Students

Abstract

Objectives. To determine if a teaching assistant (TA) program for third-year pharmacy students (PY3s) improves confidence in teaching abilities. Additionally, 3 assessment methods (faculty, student, and TA self-evaluations) were compared for similarities and correlations.Methods. An application and interview process was used to select 21 pharmacy students to serve as TAs for the Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory course for 2 semesters. Participants' self-perceived confidence in teaching abilities was assessed at the start, midpoint, and conclusion of the program. The relationships between the scores were analyzed using 3 assessment methods. Results. All 21 TAs agreed to participate in the study and completed the 2 teaching semesters. The TAs confidence in overall teaching abilities increased significantly (80.7 vs 91.4, p,0.001). There was a significant difference between the three assessment scores in the fall (p50.027) and spring (p,0.001) semesters. However, no correlation was found among the assessment scores. Conclusions. The TA program was effective in improving confidence in teaching abilities. The lack of correlation among the assessment methods highlights the importance of various forms of feedback.

Improving Academic Performance of Sport and Exercise Science Undergraduate Students in Gross Anatomy Using a Near‐Peer Teaching Program

“…Generally, academic institutions offer peer and near‐peer teaching programs to stimulate students' knowledge and interest in a career in academia (Bradley et al, ); to improve teaching and communication skills and confidence (Lachman et al, ; Agius et al, ); and to improve the academic performance of students who participate (for a review, see Santee and Garavalia, ). Indeed, previous studies comparing the academic performance of students who received peer teaching to that of students who received no additional teaching found an improvement in the academic performance of students who participated (Benè and Bergus, ; Han et al, ).…”