HOW TO ASSIST THE TEACHING OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Leuven Engineering & Science Education Center KU Leuven, 14 March 2019

Dr. Cynthia Heiner

TA Training Programs

Three common barriers to implementing TA professional development:

financial constraints time limitations TA buy-in to being an (active) instructor (limited pedagogical content knowledge, PCK)

A. Gretton et al., Am. J. Phys., 85, 381 (2017)

UC Boulder course transformation

TransformedTraditional

Students

LA model program goals

Teacher Recruitment &

Preparation

Curriculum &

Course

Transformation

Institutional

ChangeDiscipline-Based

Education

Research

Every LA Program incorporates each of these four major goals with varying emphasis

Who are Learning Assistants?

definition:

“Learning Assistants are undergraduate students who, through the guidance of weekly preparation sessions and a pedagogy course, facilitate discussions among groups of students in a variety of classroom settings that encourage active engagement.”

https://www.colorado.edu/program/learningassistant/

undergraduate students who have already successfully taken the course (> 80% final grade)

application process stipend or class credit for assistance

LA experience

The LA Experience

The LA is not there to move a single student further but to assist

the group in working together toward a useful answer. (SERC)

The LA Experience

BEST-suited activities:

student-centered and discussion based

e.g., Peer Instruction, interactive tutorials,

homework help sessions, group projects (UMD)

challenging; need for student collaboration

ILL-suited activities:

individual worksheet activity

recitation – LA presenting an extended lecture

fact-based questions

https://serc.carleton.edu/49020

The LA Experience

“Board Talk”

What went well this week?

What did not go well this week?

What is one improvement that

can be done for next week?

L. Langdon and C. Ly, UC Boulder; https://serc.carleton.edu/49020

The LA Experience

content knowledge

pedagogical content knowledge

The LA Experience

What questions will students have?

What questions could help guide

students?

What do I still not understand?

How else can I explain this concept?

Any analogies or real life applications

How many students may struggle?

Should we help students get started

on this problem? How?

The LA Experience

Faculty (head TA) must commit

to these weekly meetings

PCK check for TAs

The LA Experience

Shift LAs concerns from

“What if I don’t know the

answer?” to “How can I

better assist my students?”

Pre-reading (literature)Learning goalsclass activities(https://sites.google.com/a/colorado.edu/la-resources/implement)(https://sites.google.com/view/laa-resources/pedagogy)

Reading reflection questions (due before class)Teaching reflection questions (due before class)Videos: Periscope Lessons (https://www.physport.org/periscope/lessons/)

Weekly pedagogy course sessions

image Credit: learningassitantalliance.org |Chicago State University

CORE TOPICS:Classroom DiscourseQuestions and Questioning StrategiesMental Models; Learning Theory Student Ideas as Resources “Bridging” / Formative Assessment

Additional key topics*Metacognition; Student Conceptions in the Content Areas Motivation; Implicit Bias Diversity and Equity; MindsetEvaluating Teaching Practices; Instructional ValuesDifferentiated Instruction

https://sites.google.com/view/laa-resources/pedagogy

Pedagogy course topics

*often includes course-long project with multiple deadlines for formative feedback

https://sites.google.com/a/colorado.edu/la-resources/home

The LA Experience

What was good / bad in your session? Did anyone give you a hard time? Were there times you weren't sure what the answer was? Did you realize, after the fact, that you explained

something wrong?

LA community

LAs are still learners

Important to encourage a sense of belonging, e.g., by assuring students that it is OK to NOT know everything

https://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/learning_assistants/how.html

Remember: this is a learning experience for the LA

are...Catalysts for student

group learning

Work with faculty to implement

student-centered environments

Guide student discussions to

facilitate learning

Undergraduates who

receive extensive

training and mentoring

Close mentoring from faculty

instructors

LA pedagogy course

not...

Typical “teaching

assistants”

De-emphasize 1-on-1 office

hours and grading

No classic problem-solving

recitation sections

Supplemental

instructors

Work intimately with faculty

instructors

Significant classroom presence

Learning Assistant

Alliance

RESEARCH RESULTS: LEARNING ASSISTANT MODEL

Prof 1

S. Pollack and N. Finkelstein, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 4, 010110 (2008)

PRE (Fall ‘04) POST (Fall ‘04)

Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA)

Conceptual understanding of E&M

Prof 1 Prof 2

PRE (Spring ‘05) POST (Spring ‘05)

tutorials with LAs improve student learning

L. Landon, (2010) in prep. Retrieved Mar 11, 2019, from https://serc.carleton.edu/download/images/25367/gen_chem_conceptual_survey.jpgLast Modified: 2010-07-28 14:58:32

Transformation vs. LAs

Use of LAs improves student learning

RESEARCH RESULTS: PROBING LA-LEARNING

LAs learning through the process of being an LA

V. Otero et al., Am. J. Phys., 78, 1220 (2010)

(Spring ‘05; Prof 2)

LAs learning through the process of being an LA

LA pre

LA post

Grad pre

Grad post

Learning Assistant Resources Site, CU Boulder, Last update Spring 2016; Retrieved 11/03/19 from https://sites.google.com/a/colorado.edu/la-resources/research/products/data-slides

prepared for grad school

LAs’ Attitudes about physics

V. Otero et al., Am. J. Phys., 78, 1220 (2010)

LAs potential teachers

Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS)

W. K. Adams et al., Phys. Rev. Spec. Topics - Phys. Educ. Res., 2, 010101, (2006)

performance gap in student learning*

LA learning LA (TA) physics identity** teacher recruitment l LA teaching styles/protocols***

LA model research

Lots of exciting research questions, e.g. :

*B. Van Dusen et al.,. arXiv preprint, arXiv:1607.07121 (2016)

What are the core transferable components?

**A. Gretton et al., Am. J. Phys., 85, 381 (2017)

***K. Gray et al., Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res., 12, 020126 (2016)

image Credits: learningassitantalliance.org |University of Colorado - Boulder

goals: “To get new TAs thinking critically about their own learning experiences, allow them to gain exposure to effective classroom pedagogies … and to develop their teaching skills” New TAs are also given course-specific training New TAs feel prepared, comfortable & supported

https://www.phas.ubc.ca/~phas_ta/programs.html

Fall workshop: 2.5 days of training

plus TA-mentor meetings for first time TAs

weekly course specific meetings

mandatory for all graduate students

run by senior TAs

Teaching Assistant Professional Development (TAPD)

From Learning to Teaching: creates buy-in for active learning approaches by exploring TAs’ positive and negative learning experiences

Teaching by Questioning: analyze videos of TA-student interactions (from periscope) and practice questioning

Learning Goals in the Lab: TAs practice developing measurable, specific, and attainable learning goals and how to clearly communicate them to students

Creating Inclusive Classrooms: explores the student-TA relationship in the context of culture and identity, and examines how it can affect learning

TAPD fall workshop topics

N. G. Holmes et al., Phys. Teach, 51, 218 (2013)

https://www.phas.ubc.ca/~phas_ta/programs.html

Course-specific training: weekly meetings throughoutthe year provide further (feedback on) practical teaching techniques (and) course-specific PCK

TA-mentor: ongoing opportunities for training, reflection, and personalized feedback shift the training focus away from generaltools toward the specific and complex circumstances of each TA’s classroom.

TAPD semester support

N. G. Holmes et al., Phys. Teach, 51, 218 (2013)

The year-long program addresses several shortcomingsthrough focus on practical tools, and ongoing follow-up

and feedback.

• Students encouraged to discuss concepts

• Solution strategies are shared

• Mentor poses questions to students to help them use their own knowledge (Socratic dialogue)

• About 1/3 of students regularly participate

Mentoring ‘Learning Rooms’

Weekly small group discussions facilitated by a Mentor (‘Fachmentor’)

A proposal to have a ‘fachmentor’ training is underway

www.goodfreephotos.com

Mentoring at the FU Berlin

Higher-semester students support first-semester students with tips for their studies

Workshops developed from physics students for physics students targeting ‘implicit’ knowledge and skills

LaTeX & Python crash courses

practice exams

lab report writing & scientific presenting

Info-talks, e.g., scholarship programs for physics

Mentoring Outlook

• 60% of first-semester students participate

• Workshops developed from physics students for physics students

• Students recognize benefit from peer-based learning

„... so the learning rooms are a goodway to balance the wasted time ofthe regular tutorials.“ (translated)

• Use Peer-based discussions in mandatory recitations

FUTURE PLANS

Learning Assistant model (based at CU Boulder)

Graduate TA Professional Development (UBC)

Mentoring Learning Rooms (Freie University Berlin)

Common features

• encouraging reflection

• incorporating research on learning

• moving TAs from tutor to facilitator

• supporting network for TAs

• supporting PCK

LA/TA Training Programs

Consider how you might emulate rather than replicate a program

image Credit: flickr |Center for Teaching Vanderbilt University

Thank you for your attention!

Astrophysics

Chem/Bio Chem

and Geology

Ecology/

Evolutionary

Biology

Education

Atmospheric/

Oceanic

Sciences

Applied Math,

Physics, and

Molecular

Biology

Engineering Plus

and Psychology/

Neuroscience

Number of LAs Hired Annually at CU Boulder

Home Reports Assessments Workshops Resources Data About

Discipline # Departments # Faculty # Courses # LAs # Students

Engineering 10 2 2 14 494

Physics 63 81 74 188 4721

Other 12 4 4 16 498

Chemistry 35 30 28 82 2368

Biological Sciences 34 14 10 54 2048

Mathematical Sciences 30 27 18 44 1541

Astronomical Sciences 14 2 2 8 0

Education 3 0 0 0 0

Geoscience and Env. Sciences 7 2 2 5 316

Computer Science 1 9 6 9 330

Behavioral and Cog. Sciences 2 2 2 4 80

Totals 211 173 148 424 12396

Departments:

Number of Fully Operating LA Programs in

the International LA Alliance

Boulder

Who are the LAs?

image Credits: learningassitantalliance.org |University of Colorado - Boulder

image Credits: learningassitantalliance.org |Rutgers University

LAs used in

active learning

environments

Student Feedback

Die Zusammenarbeiten fand ich sehr gut, da man sich gegenseitig geholfen hat.

Besonders geholfen hat mir der Austausch mit Kommilitonen ... Außerdem hilft es mir den Lernstoff zu festigen, wenn ich meinen Kommilitonen erkläre.

Jeder löst bzw. eignet sich das Wissen anders an, wodurch auch Fehl-interpretationen sich unterschleichen können. [Dafür ist] ein Lernraum besser geeignet [um dieses zu diskutieren].

Im Dialog Probleme zu lösen, macht es oft einfacher die Themen zu verstehen. Gegenseitiges erklären ist eine gute Lernmethode

Mentors role

QUALIFICATION for MENTORS

• 3 days training on facilitation; may earn LP credits

• 12 hours training by the department

• Mentoring Handbook in Wiki

• Mentors are paid 12,50 €/hr up to 60 hours (750€)

Mentors need to apply; Look for engaged, open, and empathetic students;Not necessary to have top grades

Entering university presents new challenges

• study skills may no longer suffice

• new place

• new experiences

• new social environment

• sense of belonging is questioned

Design Engineering at UMD

REFERENCE

> important info

image (if possible)

The LA Experience

https://sites.google.com/view/laa-resources/pedagogy

Pedagogy course goals

Shift LAs concerns from “What if I don’t know the answer?” to “How can I better assist my students?”

1. Eliciting student ideas and helping all group members become active and engaged in the class

2. Listening and questioning

3. Building relationships

4. Integrating learning theories with effective practices.

1 - Orientation-Open and Closed Questions2 - Discussion Techniques: Univocal/Dialogic Discourse3* - Questioning Strategies and Question Types4 - Mental Models5* - Student Conceptions and Formative Assessment6 - Teaching Videos and Semester Assignment Consulting7 - Student Conceptions in the Content Areas8 - Motivation and Cooperative Learning9* - Argumentation and Metacognition10 - Learning Theory11 - Student Evaluations and Classroom Observations12 - Scientific Practices and the NGSS (K-12 Science Standards in US)13* - Multiple Intelligences and Differentiated Instruction14 - Qualities of Effective Teacher15 POSTERS

Pedagogy course topics

*Includes project deadlines for formative feedback

Prof 1 Prof 2

44% LA pre LA post

Grad pre Grad post

Prof 1 Prof 2

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