Graduate Teaching Assistants' Concerns and Characteristics
Georgina Anderson, a PhD Candidate at the University of South Carolina, explores the complex teaching-related characteristics of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) and their concerns before Teaching Assistant Orientation. The study aims to identify concerns of STEM and non-STEM GTAs, particularly in Biology programs, and determine effective ways to address these concerns in a personalized GTA orientation experience.
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Understanding the complex teaching-related characteristics of graduate teaching assistants to provide a personalized teaching assistant orientation Georgina Anderson, PhD Candidate University of South Carolina Earth Educators Rendezvous 2022
Research Questions What are the concerns of new GTAs prior to attending Teaching Assistant Orientation? Do concerns of STEM and non-STEM GTAs differ? Can a characteristic set of concerns be identified for GTAs in Biology programs? What concerns can be addressed effectively in a TAO experience?
Theoretical Framework (Reeves et al. 2016)
Methods GTA Characteristics Quantitative data collection Qualitative data collection Future Work: Interviews and/or focus groups Pre-TAO Pre-TAO Mid-Semester End-of-Semester GTAs First Semester
Results GTAs are not a homogenous group entering or leaving TAO.
Results GTAs are not a homogenous group entering or leaving TAO. GTAs Overall Greatest Concerns: Balancing TA responsibilities with other roles Having adequate content knowledge to answer students questions GTAs Overall Least Concerns: Communicating in English Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries with your students
Results Time management is consistently rated as a top concern among novice GTAs Those GTAs who list time management and organization as major concerns but those GTAs who indicate they felt they plan their time well were more confident about their teaching ability and more excited about teaching both before and after TAO. tend to be veryconcerned about lots of issues (classroom management, communication with students, handling disruptions, etc.) as they start grad school. By knowing some characteristics of a GTA, we may be able to predict their teaching-related concerns. International GTAs, in general, are much less confident in their teaching-related roles and less excited about Though when International GTAs are initially excited to Though when International GTAs are initially excited to have a teaching role have a teaching role and our data shows this rarely changes during TAO. teaching they indicated they were very confident in their subject area knowledge. very confident in their subject area knowledge. they indicate they were Older GTAs returning to graduate programs in healthcare programs had the biggest gains in excitement about teaching from before to after TAO Younger GTAs in healthcare graduate programs and who have less teaching experience report more teaching self-confidence and our data shows this rarely changes during TAO. though high confidence levels were rarelyreported from these GTAs. than GTAs in the same programs with more teaching experience.
Conclusion Careful consideration of information essential to all novice GTAs in addition to a menu of optional sessions GTAs can choose from based on their own needs Sessions for GTAs with different roles on campus Teaching Assistant Orientation can provide customized trainings and supports. Many and varied opportunities for novice GTAs to interact with experienced GTAs a frequent request on post-TAO surveys. Continued updates to TAO as necessary to meet the changing needs of GTAs , their home departments and undergraduates. dialogue with GTAs and
Thank You: References: Gallardo-Williams, M. T., & Petrovich, L. M. (2017). An integrated approach to training assistants. Journal of College Science Teaching, 47(1), 43. graduate teaching Dr. Katherine Ryker Dr. Christopher Krause Meryssa Piper Annie Klyce Dr. Katie Kathrein Dr. Michelle Hardee Rushin J. W., DeSaix J., Lumsden A., Streubel D. P., Summers G., Bernson C. (1997). Graduate teaching assistant training a basis for improvement of college biology teaching and faculty development. Am Biol Teach 59, 86-90. Sundberg M. D., Armstrong J. E., Wischusen E. W. (2005). A reappraisal of the status of introductory biology laboratory education in US colleges and universities. Am Biol Teach 67, 525-529. Reeves, T. D., Marbach-Ad, G., Miller, K. R., Ridgway, J., Gardner, G. E., Schussler, E. E., & Wischusen, E. W. (2016). A conceptual framework for graduate teaching assistant professional development evaluation and research. CBE Life Sciences Education, 15(2), es2.
