Factors Contributing to the Development of Graduate Teaching Assistant Self-Image

Abstract

Laboratory graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) play a prominent role in undergraduate chemistry education. Although the success of a laboratory program relies significantly on the performance of GTAs, only rarely have they been considered actual partners in instruction or have their experiences in the academic lab been investigated. This paper reports on an embedded multiple case study designed to investigate how chemistry graduate students in two independent and very different learning environments constructed their GTA selfimage and what aspects contributed to this process. Participants in this study included 13 GTAs from an expository-based program and 11 GTAs from an inquiry-based program. Interviews, memos, training artifacts, laboratory manuals, and course syllabi were collected to generate case reports for each program. Findings suggest that GTAs' construction of their selfimage is shaped through the interaction of several factors: prior experiences, training, beliefs about the nature of knowledge and about the nature of academic laboratory work, and involvement in the laboratory setting. Findings from this study encourage laboratory coordinators to reconsider GTA participation in instruction in a new and different light and, when applicable, to look at their training and support from a new angle. Instead of focusing exclusively on what and how to teach, lab coordinators may design training and support programs that also target the factors that influence construction of GTA self-image. A more fruitful experience is attainable for students and GTAs insofar as the graduate students develop a teaching assistant self-image consistent with the specific instructional objectives.

Teaching assistants' perceptions of a training to support an inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory course

“…Luft et al, 2004;Calkins and Kelley, 2005;Nicklow et al, 2007;Sandi-Urena and Gatlin, 2013). Luft et al, 2004;Calkins and Kelley, 2005;Nicklow et al, 2007;Sandi-Urena and Gatlin, 2013).…”

“…Bomotti, 1994;Kendall and Schussler, 2013;Sandi-Urena and Gatlin, 2013) and have been shown to impact students' understanding of chemical concepts in an inquiry-based laboratory . Bomotti, 1994;Kendall and Schussler, 2013;Sandi-Urena and Gatlin, 2013) and have been shown to impact students' understanding of chemical concepts in an inquiry-based laboratory .…”

Using cluster analysis to characterize meaningful learning in a first-year university chemistry laboratory course

“…In their 2003 re-examination of their 1982 review, Hofstein and Lunetta stand by their claim that ''the assumption that laboratory experiences help students understand materials, phenomena, concepts, models, and relationships, almost independent of the nature of the laboratory experience, continues to be widespread in spite of the sparse data from carefully designed and conducted studies'' (Hofstein and Lunetta, 2004, p. 46). Since these reports, studies have been published on reformed laboratory curricula (Cooper and Kerns, 2006;Sandi-Urena et al, 2011a, 2011b, the role of the graduate teaching assistant (Herrington and Nakhleh, 2003;Sandi-Urena et al, 2011a;Sandi-Urena and Gatlin, 2013), and of faculty goals for student learning (Bruck et al, 2010;Bretz et al, 2013;Bruck and Towns, 2013). Since these reports, studies have been published on reformed laboratory curricula (Cooper and Kerns, 2006;Sandi-Urena et al, 2011a, 2011b, the role of the graduate teaching assistant (Herrington and Nakhleh, 2003;Sandi-Urena et al, 2011a;Sandi-Urena and Gatlin, 2013), and of faculty goals for student learning (Bruck et al, 2010;Bretz et al, 2013;Bruck and Towns, 2013).…”

Effects of Online Instructional Design Training on TA’s Perceptions of Efficacy, Competence, and Knowledge Satisfaction

“…They support the development of expertise (Hardré, Ge & Thomas, 2006;Reeve, 1996), and also enable innovation that supports ongoing learning (Pintrich & Schunk, 1996). In addition, prior experiences, training received and satisfaction with current knowledge and skill, practice opportunities, views about knowledge, and learning environments all influence TA self-perceptions (Hardré & Chen, 2006;Sandi-Urena & Gatlin, 2013).…”

“…Much of the current literature focuses on TAs in the sciences (Dotger, 2011;Harris, Froman, & Surles, 2009;Linenberger et al, 2014;Lockwood, Miller, & Cromie, 2014;Marbach-Ad et al, 2012;Pentecost et al, 2012;Sandi-Urena & Gatlin, 2013), while a few studies address TAs more generally (Buskist, 2013;Gallego, 2014;Hardré & Burris, 2012;Santandreu et al, 2011). Some examples of TA training include discipline-specific pedagogy as an important part of the design (e.g.…”