scholarly journals Does Instructor Type Matter? Undergraduate Student Perception of Graduate Teaching Assistants and Professors

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Denise Kendall ◽  
Elisabeth E. Schussler
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Instructional Style ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Instructional Perceptions

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are used extensively as instructors in higher education, yet their status and authority as teachers may be unclear to undergraduates, to administrators, and even to the GTAs themselves. This study explored undergraduate perception of classroom instruction by GTAs and professors to identify factors unique to each type of instructor versus the type of classes they teach. Data collection was via an online survey composed of subscales from two validated instruments, as well as one open-ended question asking students to compare the same class taught by a professor versus a GTA. Quantitative and qualitative results indicated that some student instructional perceptions are specific to instructor type, and not class type. For example, regardless of type of class, professors are perceived as being confident, in control, organized, experienced, knowledgeable, distant, formal, strict, hard, boring, and respected. Conversely, GTAs are perceived as uncertain, hesitant, nervous, relaxed, laid-back, engaging, interactive, relatable, understanding, and able to personalize teaching. Overall, undergraduates seem to perceive professors as having more knowledge and authority over the curriculum, but enjoy the instructional style of GTAs. The results of this study will be used to make recommendations for GTA professional development programs.

scholarly journals Evolving Impressions: Undergraduate Perceptions of Graduate Teaching Assistants and Faculty Members over a Semester

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Denise Kendall ◽  
Elisabeth E. Schussler
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Gateway Courses ◽  
Lower Division

Undergraduate experiences in lower-division science courses are important factors in student retention in science majors. These courses often include a lecture taught by faculty, supplemented by smaller sections, such as discussions and laboratories, taught by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). Given that portions of these courses are taught by different instructor types, this study explored student ratings of instruction by GTAs and faculty members to see whether perceptions differed by instructor type, whether they changed over a semester, and whether certain instructor traits were associated with student perceptions of their instructors’ teaching effectiveness or how much students learned from their instructors. Students rated their faculty instructors and GTAs for 13 instructor descriptors at the beginning and near the end of the semester in eight biology classes. Analyses of these data identified differences between instructor types; moreover, student perception changed over the semester. Specifically, GTA ratings increased in perception of positive instructional descriptors, while faculty ratings declined for positive instructional descriptors. The relationship of these perception changes with student experience and retention should be further explored, but the findings also suggest the need to differentiate professional development by the different instructor types teaching lower-division science courses to optimize teaching effectiveness and student learning in these important gateway courses.

scholarly journals STATISTICS GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS’ BELIEFS, PRACTICES AND PREPARATION FOR TEACHING INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 294-319
Author(s):  
NICOLA JUSTICE ◽  
ANDREW ZIEFFLER ◽  
JOAN GARFIELD
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Statistics Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Introductory Statistics ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Research Journal

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are responsible for the instruction of many statistics courses offered at the university level, yet little is known about these students’ preparation for teaching, their beliefs about how introductory statistics should be taught, or the pedagogical practices of the courses they teach. An online survey to examine these characteristics was developed and administered as part of an NSF-funded project. The results, based on responses from 213 GTAs representing 38 Ph.D.–granting statistics departments in the United States, suggest that many GTAs have not experienced the types of professional development related to teaching supported in the literature. Evidence was also found to suggest that, in general, GTAs teach in ways that are not aligned with their own beliefs. Furthermore, their teaching practices are not aligned with professionally-endorsed recommendations for teaching and learning statistics. First published May 2017 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives

scholarly journals Professional development of graduate teaching assistants in faculty-like positions: Fostering reflective practices through reflective teaching journals

2014 ◽  
pp. 96-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muriel Gallego
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Reflective Teaching ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Different Levels

This study explores the outcomes of reflective journaling among novice Graduate Teaching Assistants during the initial stages of their professional development. It seeks to establish whether there were common concerns addressed in their journals and if different levels of reflection were achieved. By means of content analysis of 177 entries, nine common themes were identified. Among these,  “methodology” and “classroom management” were the most prevalent. Three degrees of reflection were used to categorize the entries. Slightly over half of the entries achieved high levels of reflection, whereas 49% of the entries did not. Recommendations for teacher educators and facilitators of the professional development of graduate students are provided.  

Professional Development with Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) Teaching Online

2012 ◽  
pp. 26-42
Author(s):  
Denice Ward Hood ◽  
Wen-Hao David Huang
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Teaching Online ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Equal Importance ◽  
Online Course Development

As the number of online courses offered continues to increase, teaching online will become a standard expectation and responsibility for graduate teaching assistants (TAs). For TAs who will seek faculty positions, experience and self-efficacy teaching online are critical to their future career. The current and future university landscape and the higher education world these TAs will embody will require qualified individuals to be well trained in online course development and delivery. Of equal importance is the quality of teaching TAs provide for the large number of online undergraduate courses for which they have sole responsibility or provide instructional support. Colleges and universities need to develop professional development for TAs that reflects best practices in online teaching and learning and engages TAs in the instructional design as well as delivery process. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the literature on teaching assistant professional development and the implications for TAs teaching online.

Professional Development with Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) Teaching Online

2014 ◽  
pp. 212-228
Author(s):  
Denice Ward Hood ◽  
Wen-Hao David Huang
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Teaching Online ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Equal Importance ◽  
Online Course Development

As the number of online courses offered continues to increase, teaching online will become a standard expectation and responsibility for graduate teaching assistants (TAs). For TAs who will seek faculty positions, experience and self-efficacy teaching online are critical to their future career. The current and future university landscape and the higher education world these TAs will embody will require qualified individuals to be well trained in online course development and delivery. Of equal importance is the quality of teaching TAs provide for the large number of online undergraduate courses for which they have sole responsibility or provide instructional support. Colleges and universities need to develop professional development for TAs that reflects best practices in online teaching and learning and engages TAs in the instructional design as well as delivery process. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the literature on teaching assistant professional development and the implications for TAs teaching online.

Graduate Teaching Assistants' Enactment of Reasoning-and-Proving Tasks in a Content Course for Elementary Teachers

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Cervello Rogers ◽  
Michael D. Steele
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Elementary Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Mathematical Tasks ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Elementary Preservice Teachers

Graduate teaching assistants serve as instructors of record for numerous undergraduate courses every semester, including serving as teachers for mathematics content courses for elementary preservice teachers. In this study, we examine 6 teaching assistants' teaching practices in the context of a geometry content course for preservice teachers by focusing on their enactment of reasoning-and-proving tasks. Results indicate that teaching assistants engaged preservice teachers in a variety of reasoning-and-proving activities. For 42 of 82 tasks observed, preservice teachers' engagement in reasoningand-proving processes decreased relative to the potential for reasoning and proving in mathematical tasks. This investigation into teaching assistants' teaching practices identifies factors associated with their enactment of reasoning-and-proving tasks (e.g., generating student participation). This research has implications for professional development to support college mathematics instructors' teaching.

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