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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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
LA experience
(PCK)
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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)
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
The LA Experience
L. Langdon and C. Ly, UC Boulder; https://serc.carleton.edu/49020
content knowledge
pedagogical content knowledge
(PCK)
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
The LA Experience
L. Langdon and C. Ly, UC Boulder; https://serc.carleton.edu/49020
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?
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
The LA Experience
L. Langdon and C. Ly, UC Boulder; https://serc.carleton.edu/49020
Faculty (head TA) must commit
to these weekly meetings
PCK check for TAs
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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/)
© 2016 University of Colorado at Boulder LA Program
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
LAs
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
LAs
are
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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
Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA)
44%
Prof 1 Prof 2
S. Pollack and N. Finkelstein, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 4, 010110 (2008)
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)
Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA)
LAs learning through the process of being an LA
LA pre
75%
LA post
90%
Grad pre
80%
Grad post
91%
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
© Nick Youngson| Alpha Stock Images
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!
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
Astrophysics
Chem/Bio Chem
and Geology
Math
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
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance 44
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance 45
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:
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance 46
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance 47
Number of Fully Operating LA Programs in
the International LA Alliance
© 2014 University of Colorado
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)
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
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
© 2016 University of Colorado at Boulder LA Program
Pedagogy course topics
*Includes project deadlines for formative feedback
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
44%
Prof 1 Prof 2
S. Pollack and N. Finkelstein, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 4, 010110 (2008)
© 2015 Learning Assistant Alliance
44% LA pre LA post
Grad pre Grad post
Prof 1 Prof 2