The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience

Abstract

There has been a growing concern in higher education about our failure to produce scientifically trained workers and scientifically literate citizens. Active-learning and research-oriented activities are posited as ways to give students a deeper understanding of science. We report on an undergraduate teaching assistant (UTA) experience and suggest that students who participate as a UTA obtain benefits analogous to those who participate as an undergraduate research assistant (URA). We examined the experiences of 24 undergraduates acting as UTAs in a general microbiology course. Self-reported gains by the UTAs were supported by observational data from undergraduates in the course who were mentored by the UTAs and by the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) with whom the UTAs worked. Specifically, data from the UTAs' journals and self-reported Likert scales and rubrics indicated that our teaching assistants developed professional characteristics such as self-confidence and communication and leadership skills, while they acquired knowledge of microbiology content and laboratory skills. Data from the undergraduate Likert scale as well as the pre-and post-GTA rubrics further confirmed our UTA's data interpretations. These findings are significant because they offer empirical data to support the suggestion that the UTA experience is an effective option for developing skills and knowledge in undergraduates that are essential for careers in science. The UTA experience provides a valuable alternative to the URA experience.

Teaching assistants' perceptions of a training to support an inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory course

“…GTAs have been described as the ''first line of defense for instruction'' (Nicklow et al, 2007, p. 89) and the ''bridge between faculty and students'' (Dotger, 2011, p. 158). Schalk et al, 2009;Romm et al, 2010) due to growing numbers of undergraduate students enrolled in introductory courses (Sana et al, 2011;Weidert et al, 2012). More recently, undergraduate students have been used to supplement GTA laboratory instructors (e.g.…”

Strengthening STEM performance and persistence : influence of undergraduate teaching assistants on entry-level STEM students.

“…Most GTAs and UTAs increased content knowledge of general chemistry concepts after teaching a semester of CHEM 201, which supports the findings of studies reporting cognitive benefits for those who prepare to teach others (Bargh & Schul, 1980;Schalk, McGinnis, Harring, Hendrickson, & Smith, 2009;Weidert, Wendorf , Gurung, & Filz (2012). That there was no substantial difference between UTAs and GTAs in learning gains on the pre/post content knowledge test suggests that in-depth review of the material in preparation for teaching, which was performed by all TAs, supported their own learning gains.…”

A Case Study Documenting the Process by Which Biology Instructors Transition from Teacher-Centered to Learner-Centered Teaching

“…The teaching and learning center director and the biological sciences administration offered to involve ULAs who are unpaid but receive alternative benefits, such as leadership and teaching experience and undergraduate course credit. This model was reported to be successful in our university (Schalk et al ., 2009) and in other institutions (Otero et al ., 2010). …”