Biology graduate teaching assistants as novice educators: Are there similarities in teaching ability and practice beliefs between teaching assistants and K–12 teachers?

Abstract

Biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are a critical instructional group in the successful implementation of classroom reform efforts in higher education. Despite this, little is known about effective Teaching Professional Development (TPD) of this largely novice instructor group. This Idea to explore article proposes that a comparison of what we already know about novice K-12 science teachers beliefs about teaching and learning might inform future research into GTA TPD. As such, data related to teaching ability and practice beliefs is provided to compare and contrast these constructs in GTA and novice K-12 teacher groups.

From Theory to Practice: Teaching Assistants’ Role in Multi-campus Education

“…It was difficult for doctoral students to make a balance in terms of time and effort between their research and different assigned tasks as TA (role strain). This finding is in line with Gardner and Parrish [17]. Also, our finding supports the work of Lowman and Andreoli Mathie [20], as TAs were busy with non-teaching tasks, they could not establish a productive relationship with the students to help them in their learning process.…”

“…Cho, et al [16] classified their concerns into class control, external evaluation, role, time, and communication. Gardner and Parrish [17] identified the following challenges that TAs are facing: Lack of preparation, difficulties in balancing the time for research and teaching, lack of pedagogical knowledge, and reliance on previous class experience. Lueddeke [18] warned about assigning TAs in the classroom without proper preparation and training.…”

Graduate teaching assistants: sharing epistemic agency with non-science majors in the biology laboratory

“…The support provided might target more dialogic instructional moves (cf. Grinath & Southerland, 2019) that in turn foster development of a more genuine community; similar to reforms being advocated for in K-12 science classrooms within the U.S. (Gardner & Parrish, 2019;Miller et al, 2018).…”

“…Furthermore, GTAs may not have the skills necessary to teach scientific inquiry in a laboratory context and they may also hold naïve or inaccurate conceptions of the philosophical underpinnings of science (Aydeniz and Bilican 2014;Ferzli et al 2012;Honeycutt et al 2010;Park 2004;Wyse et al 2014). These novice instructors have been found to hold low expectations of their students, while also failing to capitalize on the value of their own research experiences in the lab when working with students (Gardner and Parrish 2019;Schussler et al 2015). Institutional challenges also present barriers, as upwards of 20 sections "run" each semester with 30+ students per section, often sharing the same resources and lab space.…”

“…Students also exhibited a level of disengagement and helplessness at times, which also convoluted this issue. One GTA later noted he felt students were "doing everything possible not to think" (GTA FG Interview), a belief that made it difficult for him to support his students' capacity to troubleshoot when challenges emerged (Gardner & Parrish, 2019). Given their limited teaching experience, this problem created distressing tensions for many GTAs that were often alleviated by supplying groups with easy-to-implement solutions at key transitional moments (i.e.…”