Teaching Assistant Training Mediates Success of Inquiry Based Education

Abstract

This study analyzed how teaching assistant(s) (TA) training affects TA attitudes and student achievement during infusion of inquiry into an introductory biology lab. A respiration lab was redesigned to incorporate a more inquiry based approach. TA attitudes towards the new lab, TA confidence in students' understanding of material, and student achievement were monitored for two years. During year one (Y1) of the study, TA's (n=18) were trained on the mechanics of the lab, but received minimal instruction on how to teach in an inquiry based fashion. The second year (Y2) of the study, TA's (n=15) received extensive training on the benefits of inquiry based education and training on the mechanics of the lab. Survey results indicate that when educated on the benefits of inquiry based education, TA's were more satisfied with the lab (80% of TA preferred Y2 lab to Y1 lab; 73% were interested throughout the Y2 lab vs. 44% in Y1) and had more confidence in student's understanding of concepts (80% felt students understood respiration in Y2 vs. 72% in Y1; 80% felt students understood obstructive airway diseases in Y2 vs. 67% in Y1). Student quantitative assessment scores did not decrease during the study. Thus, in addition to receiving training on the lab itself, TA must be specifically instructed on the benefits of teaching a lab in an inquiry based fashion if they are to feel confident in their students' abilities during infusion of inquiry into a science classroom.