Utilising graduate teaching assistants to implement active learning at university level

Abstract

Active learning is recognised as a crucial component of university courses in enhancing performance and retention. However, universities face numerous challenges in broadening the provision of active learning, including time constraints, and a lack of staff training and confidence to develop appropriate activities. This article outlines an approach taken at the University of Southampton to engage a team of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in the process of developing, delivering, and evaluating active learning resources to support small-group teaching in chemistry on a Science Foundation Year programme. A team of four GTAs developed nine activities during the 2015/16 academic year, with evaluation supporting their enhancement for 2016/17. The article outlines the progress of this work over two academic years, providing evidence of a positive impact on students and teachers alike.

Supporting student collaboration in online breakout rooms through interactive group activities

“…As reported previously, postgraduate teaching assistants (PGTAs) have played a key role in designing and evaluating activities they have created for the SFY programme (Read, Barnes, Harrison, Koramoah, & Ivanova, 2017). A number of these active learning resources were adapted for use in breakout rooms during online synchronous workshop sessions (1 hour) running on Thursday afternoons throughout the year.…”

Design and Delivery of a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Program in a UK University: Experiences and Perspectives

“…GTAs often take the initiative to develop or improve teaching methods or practices for experiments that they demonstrate. 8 Following staff approval, improvements made by GTAs are subsequently adopted by other PG demonstrators, resulting in a culture of change and improvement across the department teaching laboratories. A range of additional outputs have been created as a result of GTA involvement, some of which are listed below:…”

“…Regardless of country, the teaching laboratory setting is a common location for PG demonstrators to work, offering a situation where they offer help with hands-on demonstration, give small-group technique demonstrations, and can grow into leaders of the lab. 1,4,5,7,8 T h i s c o n t e n t i s The crucial role played by PG demonstrators/TAs has received increasing recognition across a wide diversity of programs and disciplines. 1−3,10,19,22,23,25,29−32 The benefits of PG demonstrators/TAs in academic departments are many and invaluable, not just from an economic standpoint.…”

“…6,7,32,34 PG demonstrators/TAs are also accepted and valued among undergraduate students. 2,5,8,12,16,18,19,29,32 The PG demonstrator/TA will often have a different educational background or ultimate authority compared to the main lecturer, which can make them more approachable; previous studies report that students value their accessibility, specific knowledge, enthusiasm, and guidance. 12,16,19,29,32 PG demonstrators/TAs can be empowered by the choice of title for their role and can even act as role models for the students they teach.…”

“…The restrictions of growing teaching requirements and an increasing number of undergraduates have presented a challenge that higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK are working to resolve. − UK HEIs are progressively hiring postgraduates (typically Ph.D. students) to provide assistance in the teaching of science undergraduates. In science degree programs in the UK, this teaching commonly takes the form of a demonstration in the teaching laboratory or practical sessions, as well as small-group teaching including tutorials. ,− Both in the UK and abroad, postgraduate (PG) demonstrators in chemistry have been shown to promote safety procedures, technical teaching skills, and guidance in academic knowledge. ,,,− ,− Involvement of PG students in chemistry undergraduate teaching has been well-documented in other countries such as the United States of America, ,,− Australia, , New Zealand, and Canada, , in a variety of academic fields including anatomy, biology, ,, engineering, law, politics, and psychology . While the titles of these postgraduate teachers vary, they are commonly referred to as teaching assistants (TAs) in North American universities, whereas they are known as PG demonstrators in the UK.…”