Enhancing Student Leadership in Flipped Calculus Classes with TA Support
Explore how utilizing Teaching Assistants (TAs) for a day in flipped calculus classes can foster student leadership, improve classroom dynamics, and tackle common educational challenges like negative attitudes towards math and metacognition issues. Discover the responsibilities, logistics, and benefits associated with this innovative approach, along with insights on professional skills development aligned with employer expectations.
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Presentation Transcript
TA for the day: Student Leadership in Flipped Calculus Classes Trefor Bazett , University of Cincinnati
During Class Traditional Class: 1) Foundational knowledge 2) Work on Problems After Class Before Class Flipped Class: 1) Foundational knowledge 2) Work on Problems During Class
Before class: Video-based Learning Modules During class: Collaborative Problem Solving
Responsibilities of TA for the day: 1) Each TA given one day per semester 2) Before Class: Work on problems of the day 3) Before Class: Meeting with instructor 4) In Class: Go between groups answering questions
Logistics Problem: Used in 45-65+ person classes Groups of four One instructor talking to a small group is valuable but inefficient WITH TA FOR THE DAY: ~2 student TAs per class releases the pressure
Attitude Problem: Negative attitude towards math I m bad at math or math is hard WITH TA FOR THE DAY: Get to experience being the expert Combats fixed mindset
Metacognition Problem: Students can be poor judges of their learning Students can lack effective study habits WITH TA FOR THE DAY: See benefit of learning deeply enough to teach Broader notion of what understand math means
Professional Skills Employers Want 1. Ability to work in a team structure 2. Ability to make decisions and solve problems (tie) 3. Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization 4. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work 5. Ability to obtain and process information 6. Ability to analyze quantitative data 7. Technical knowledge related to the job 8. Prociency with computer software programs 9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports 10. Ability to sell and influence others Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2015
Professional Skills Problem: Low stakes good for first years Presenting technical information a unique experience Feedback means you have to be sensitive to your audience
Professional Development Logistic Problem TA for the day Attitudes to math Metacognition
Community & Connection Office visit develops personal connection to instructor Get to meet each other The direct connection encourages reciprocity Everyone in the same boat Joking around is okay! (to some extent)
Negatives? Few TAs make things worse, but many are ineffective It can be stressful even though low stakes Takes up 20 min x (# of students) of your time Need to be prepared well in advance
Thank you! Trefor.bazett@uc.edu
It was cool to be able to walk around and help people because you could see common mistakes people made, and then explaining to them the right way really expanded your knowledge on the topic. Honestly, having a peer that is able to explain a subject in a way that they know we will understand (because they were recently just as lost as we seem to be in class) just makes for a more enjoyable learning experience and it creates an atmosphere that is more conducive to actual retention.
I discovered that I have difficulty explaining things to people. I understand the benefit of being able to do so however, and now I will try to integrate that into my learning process Being TA for the day can be a little stressful, but going and meeting with Trefor for his office hours makes understanding the material easier and therefore it's easier to explain the material in class.
Thank you! Trefor.bazett@uc.edu
