Mentoring and the faculty–TA relationship: faculty perceptions and practices

Calkins, Susanna C; Kelley, Matthew R.

doi:10.1080/13611260500105915

Cited by 16 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The three most prominent approaches to training TAs in pedagogy are through the use of microteaching, holding discussions about teaching, and teaching about learning theories (e.g., Shannon et al, 1998;Sharpe, 2000;Luo et al, 2001;Luft et al, 2004;Calkins and Kelley, 2005;Kendall and Schussler, 2013). Sandi-Urena and Gatlin (2013) suggest training in inquiry-based instruction incorporate ''why to teach'' using inquiry (p. 1308), meaning TAs learn not only these pedagogical strategies but why these strategies are important.…”

Section: Ta Support In Laboratory Instructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…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).…”

Section: Ta Support In Laboratory Instructionunclassified

“…Luft et al, 2004;Calkins and Kelley, 2005;Nicklow et al, 2007;Sandi-Urena and Gatlin, 2013). Sharpe, 2000;Luft et al, 2004;Calkins and Kelley, 2005;Nicklow et al, 2007;Marbach-Ad et al, 2012). The literature focused on culture make the following recommendations: TAs and faculty collaborate on teaching, TAs assess faculty support of TAs, TA training involve faculty and department chairs, TAs be treated as professionals, a community of practice around teaching is developed, and TA training be required as a mandatory activity (e.g.…”

Section: Ta Support In Laboratory Instructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Wheeler

Maeng

Whitworth

2015

Chem. Educ. Res. Pract.

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The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to better understand teaching assistants' (TAs') perceptions of training in a guided inquiry undergraduate general chemistry laboratory context. The training was developed using existing TA training literature and informed by situated learning theory. TAs engaged in training prior to teaching (B25 hours) and attended weekly meetings throughout the year (B60 hours). Assessment of training utilized a constructivist framework to understand TAs' perceptions of training in supporting their implementation of guided inquiry in the laboratory. Participants included 20 graduate TAs and 8 undergraduate TAs of varying teaching experience. Data collection included three open-ended surveys across the academic year and two semi-structured interviews with a purposefully sampled subset of TAs. Data were analyzed using systematic data analysis (Miles and Huberman, 1994). Results indicated different aspects of the training were helpful for different subgroups of participants. For example, going over logistics and completing the experiments were most helpful for TAs with no previous teaching experience while discussing learning theory was least helpful for TAs whose future career goals were research-focused. Analyzing participants' experiences and perceptions through a situated learning theory lens suggested TAs with little prior teaching experience appreciated the authentic experiences (e.g., experiments and grading) provided by the training. The results of the study suggest TA training should address prior experiences, particularly language and teaching, as well as the larger context of research and future careers. Future research will focus on examining how TAs learn within a situated training and how that impacts TA beliefs, practices, and student learning.

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Section: Ta Support In Laboratory Instructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…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).…”

Section: Ta Support In Laboratory Instructionunclassified

Section: Ta Support In Laboratory Instructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Wheeler

Maeng

Whitworth

2015

Chem. Educ. Res. Pract.

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“…Instructors who rely on student teaching assistants in the traditional classroom often nd that the online environment does not alter the fundamental concept of the teaching assistant, but does make important changes in how that role is accomplished (Caulkins & Kelly, 2006;Fingerson & Bartoietti, 2001). It is helpful for the instructor to plan an orientation of online courses for student assistants and also provide a student manual which includes items such as online ofce hours, job duties, and a condentiality statement.…”

Section: Utilizing Teaching Assistantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One way this can be accomplished is by opening an additional online section only for teaching assistants. The instructor will then be able to post relevant information such as the teaching assistant manual, individual assignments, and other projects for the student assistants at this site, while at the same time modeling online expectations (Caulkins & Kelly, 2006).…”

Section: Utilizing Teaching Assistantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving Instructor Challenges in the Online Classroom

Elison-Bowers¹,

Henderson²,

Sand³

et al. 2010

The International Journal of Learning: Annual Review

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Do teaching assistants matter? Investigating relationships between teaching assistants and student outcomes in undergraduate science laboratory classes

et al. 2016

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This study explores the relationship between teaching assistants (TAs) and student learning in undergraduate science laboratory classes. TAs typically instruct laboratory courses, yet little, if any, research examines professional development (PD) for TAs or relationships between instructors and students in laboratory settings. The use of undergraduate TAs (UTAs) in the same manner as graduate TAs (GTAs) in inquiry-based lab settings has yet to be explored. This quantitative study explored how TAs' content knowledge, beliefs about teaching, and teaching confidence change as a result of PD and how TAs' prior experience, UTA/GTA status, content knowledge, beliefs, and teaching confidence relates to students' content knowledge learning in an inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory. Participants included 14 GTAs, 5 UTAs, and their 529 students at a public university. PD supported TAs to lead inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory classes, involving a week-long workshop and 14 weekly follow-up meetings. Results demonstrate that TAs' content knowledge improved following PD and teaching, t(18) ¼ À3.62, p ¼ 0.002, and students' content knowledge significantly improved across the semester, t(528) ¼ À36.27, p ¼ 0.000, d Cohen ¼ 1.3. Further, TAs with higher content knowledge post-PD tended to have students with higher end-of-semester content (r ¼ 0.517, p ¼ 0.000). No differences existed between UTAs or GTAs on any TA characteristic or student outcome measure. Using a hierarchical linear regression model, student postsemester content knowledge was predicted by student demographics; however, no TA characteristics or demographics were significant predictors of student content knowledge. Students who perceived their TA as more supportive also believed they learned more content (r ¼ 0.280, p ¼0.000). Thus, UTAs can be used in lieu of GTAs in our inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory context and could be a possible alternative for TA instructors at other universities. Continued work examining TA PD, TA characteristics, TA practice, and student learning in inquiry-based laboratory contexts is warranted. #

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Mentoring and the faculty–TA relationship: faculty perceptions and practices

Cited by 16 publications

References 21 publications

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

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

Resolving Instructor Challenges in the Online Classroom

Do teaching assistants matter? Investigating relationships between teaching assistants and student outcomes in undergraduate science laboratory classes

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