scholarly journals Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Professional Development Initiatives for Graduate Teaching Assistants Facilitating Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amie Kern ◽  
David Esparza ◽  
Amy Kulesza ◽  
Corrie Pieterson ◽  
Seema Rivera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Development Initiatives ◽  
Evaluating Professional Development

scholarly journals Benefits and Challenges of Instructing Introductory Biology Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) as Perceived by Graduate Teaching Assistants

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. ar43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley B. Heim ◽  
Emily A. Holt
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Introductory Biology Course ◽  
Time Required

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are often the primary instructors for undergraduate biology laboratories and serve as research mentors in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). While several studies have explored undergraduate perceptions of CUREs, no previous study has qualitatively described GTAs’ perceptions about teaching CUREs, despite the essential instructional role GTAs play. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe and ascribe meaning to the perceptions that GTAs have regarding benefits and challenges with instructional experiences in introductory biology CUREs. We conducted semistructured interviews with 11 GTAs instructing an introductory biology CURE at a 4-year public university. We found that, while GTAs perceived professional benefits such as experience in research mentoring and postsecondary teaching, they also described challenges, including the time required to instruct a CURE, motivating students to take ownership, and a lack of expertise in mentoring undergraduates about a copepod-based CURE. Feelings of inadequacy in serving as a research mentor and high levels of critical thinking were also cited as perceived issues. We recommend that the greater responsibility and increased time commitment perceived by GTAs in the current study warrants reconsideration by lab coordinators and administrators as to what content and practices should be included in pedagogical training specifically designed for CURE GTAs and how departmental and institutional policies may need to be adapted to better implement CUREs.

scholarly journals Enthusiastic but Inconsistent: Graduate Teaching Assistants’ Perceptions of Their Role in the CURE Classroom

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma C. Goodwin ◽  
Jessica R. Cary ◽  
Erin E. Shortlidge
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Value Theory ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Expectancy Value Theory ◽  
Expectancy Value ◽  
Graduate Teaching

Expectancy-value theory was used to explore how graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) value for teaching a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) impacts their motivation and perceptions of their role as CURE mentors. GTAs have varying perceptions of their role that do not closely correspond to their value for teaching CUREs.

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.  

scholarly journals The DoC IT: a Professional Development Tool to Support and Articulate Alignment of One’s Course with the Five Dimensions of CUREs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey T. Olimpo ◽  
Amie M. Kern
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Scientific Discovery ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Science Process Skill ◽  
Development Tool ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Powerful Approach

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) offer a powerful approach to engage students at all academic levels in the process of scientific discovery. In comparison to prescriptive laboratory exercises, CUREs have been shown to promote students’ science process skill development, positive attitudes toward scientific research, and persistence in STEM.

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.

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