Teaching Assistants: Onboarding and Beyond

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Overview and Introduction: The WHAT and WHO

Teaching Assistants (TAs), or Graduate Teaching Assistants, are Master’s or Ph.D. students whose primary responsibility is to provide general assistance in the instructional process under the direct supervision of a faculty supervisor. This includes lecturing, leading discussion groups, assisting in laboratory classes, tutoring students, proctoring examinations, and grading tests and papers. Employing TAs in your courses is an effective way to manage large classes while still offering students individualized help and support. This QRG provides insights into the TA experience, along with practical strategies for faculty to onboard, support, and effectively utilize TAs in their courses.

Research indicates that students often perceive TAs as more approachable than their professors [1] and that TAs can positively impact students’ sense of belonging [2]. Because TAs have recently studied the same material, they are well-positioned to recall the challenges and pitfalls students may face while learning [3]. However, it is important to remember that the TA role can be demanding [4], and success in the role depends on the support and guidance provided by faculty [5].

TAs Versus UGTAs

Both TAs and Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UGTAs) contribute significantly to fostering active learning in the classroom. However, their roles, responsibilities, and expectations differ.

Teaching Assistants (TAs): Provide instructional support to faculty while enhancing the educational experience for students, often in advanced or large-scale courses.

  • Role and Responsibilities [6]:
    • Hosting lab sessions, workshops, recitations, and seminars.
    • Tutoring students during lab sessions.
    • Taking attendance.
    • Grading assignments (referred to as “Graders” if grading is their sole responsibility).
    • Holding office hours to support students.
  • Who They Are:
    • Graduate students pursuing Master’s or Ph.D. programs.
    • Often awarded teaching assistantships, which may be half-time (20 hours per week) or quarter-time (10 hours per week).
    • International graduate students must meet English language proficiency requirements [7].

Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UGTAs): Support peer engagement and collaborative learning, particularly for first-year students adjusting to university life.

  • Role and Responsibilities [8]:
    • Assisting with discussions and in-class activities.
    • Tutoring or providing support during lab sessions.
    • Hosting exam review sessions and guiding lab tours.
    • Serving as peer role models and providing advice to first-year students.
  • Who They Are:
    • Successful undergraduate students, typically assisting with foundational or introductory courses.
    • Required to complete a UGTA-specific training course each semester.
    • Commit to approximately 5 hours per week in this role.

By understanding the distinct roles of TAs and UGTAs, faculty can make informed decisions about how to effectively incorporate these assistants into their teaching strategies. For more details on UGTAs, including hiring processes and expectations, refer to the dedicated UGTA QRG. As a reminder, this QRG focuses on preparing and supporting TAs.

Implementation and Timing: The WHEN, WHERE, and HOW

Although TAs may have recently taken the course they are supporting, being a student in the class versus serving as a TA are distinctly different roles. While general training and orientation are offered for TAs to prepare them to manage their duties and adhere to policy guidelines; these are not typically tailored to specific courses or teaching practices. Therefore, it is crucial for faculty to onboard TAs in their courses and clearly outline course expectations, responsibilities, and organization. It can also be necessary to have demonstrations, training sessions or provide instructions for specific tasks in each course. Such as, how to report attendance, how to use a grading rubric for an assignment or how to upload recorded sessions. Despite thorough preparations, unforeseen challenges often arise, necessitating ongoing faculty support and communication throughout the semester. Regular check-ins, follow-ups, and performance evaluations—conducted both during and at the end of the semester—can help TAs grow and improve in their roles.

Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication with TAs is essential [5], [9]. Choose a communication format that works best for everyone involved. Weekly online check-ins might be effective for regular updates, while tools like Slack or similar platforms can facilitate on-demand communication. Scheduling bi-weekly or monthly meetings can help ensure everyone on the teaching team stays aligned and informed. Make sure to record or take notes to share with those who could not make it.

Reflect on the need and best use of a TA

Engaging TAs meaningfully can enhance the learning experience for students while alleviating some of the instructor’s workload. However, to maximize their impact, it is important to actively involve TAs in supporting both the instructor and students. TAs should do more than basic tasks like taking attendance; they should be directly involved in facilitating learning. For instance, they can answer student questions, guide hands-on activities, or provide targeted support to students with specific needs. TAs can also enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of office hours, host review sessions before exams, or offer workshops for challenging concepts.

TAs can be instrumental during interactive lectures or lab sessions, moving throughout the classroom to assist students in real-time as the instructor leads the lesson or demonstration. Their involvement can enable faculty to incorporate innovative assignments, such as open-ended projects that assess students’ problem-solving skills, by providing extra support for grading and feedback. Several active learning QRGs outline strategies that TAs can incorporate, including:

Many active learning strategies can be adapted for online and hybrid modalities. To fully leverage TAs, faculty should first assess their course needs and consider restructuring class sessions or assessments as needed. This reflection can lead to meaningful improvements in both teaching and student outcomes.

Onboarding TAs

Clearly outline the specific roles and responsibilities TAs are expected to fulfill during the semester. This includes establishing expectations for communication, class attendance, meeting participation, and more. At the start of the semester, review these expectations with the TAs, even if they are experienced, as requirements may change between courses or semesters. Provide detailed instructions but also ensure TAs know how to seek help or support when needed.

  • Provide Clear Directions: If TAs are involved in grading, provide explicit instructions and detailed rubrics to minimize grading inconsistencies [9], [10]. When multiple TAs are grading the same assignment or exam, ensure they understand and adhere to uniform grading criteria. A good practice is to assign each TA a specific question or section to grade, ensuring consistency across the board. Additionally, having TAs compare initial grading samples can help identify discrepancies and improve fairness. Similarly, if TAs are tasked with creating instructional materials, set clear guidelines to ensure uniformity across different sections. Leaving these tasks entirely to individual TAs may lead to varied student experiences and potential confusion.
  • Schedule Check-Ins and Meetings: TAs bring a unique perspective that can provide valuable insights into student progress and challenges. Faculty can use regular meetings with TAs to collect feedback, which can guide adjustments to teaching practices and course organization. These sessions also provide an opportunity to address any challenges or concerns the TAs may have.

Evaluate and Gather Feedback

Evaluating the course structure and the effectiveness of TA utilization is an ongoing process. If the current approach is not working, consider making adjustments in subsequent semesters. Seek advice from colleagues or resources like the Learning and Teaching Hub to explore alternative strategies. Gather feedback from your students and TAs. Constructive feedback ensures that ineffective practices are addressed while fostering good teaching habits and skills. It is also equally important to evaluate and provide feedback to TAs for their professional development. Highlight their successes and areas for improvement to help them grow.

Rationale and Research: The WHY

TAs are valuable contributors to student success by enhancing interaction, providing timely support, and fostering a welcoming learning environment [1-3]. While the use of TAs in higher education is a long-standing and valuable practice, evidence suggests that TAs often face challenges in their roles and sometimes lack adequate support [4], [5]. Although basic training is an important first step in preparing TAs, the specific responsibilities and dynamics of their assigned courses can present unique challenges that require additional guidance and resources [11]. For TAs to thrive and grow in their roles, faculty must provide ongoing support, tailored training, and access to appropriate resources beyond the standard initial preparation. Their effectiveness depends on strong communication, effective management, and robust training practices [5], [11].

Additional Resources and References

See below for additional resources on peer review and references from throughout this guide.

Acknowledgments 

This guide would not have been possible without the contributions of Dr. Emma Riese, a Visiting Scholar at ASU during the Fall 2024 semester. Dr. Riese’s work was supported by STINT, The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education. Based at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, her research has focused on TAs/UGTAs since 2017.

 

References

[1] E. Riese and S. Stenbom. “Engineering Students’ Experiences of Assessment in Introductory Computer Science Courses,” IEEE Transactions on Education, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 350-359, Aug. 2023, https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2023.3238895
[2] L. Perlmutter, J. Salac, and A. J. Ko.”A field where you will be accepted”: Belonging in student and TA interactions in post-secondary CS education. In Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research – Volume 1 (ICER ’23), Vol. 1. Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, pp. 356–370. 2023 https://doi.org/10.1145/3568813.3600128
[3] D. Mirza, P. T. Conrad, C. Lloyd, Z. Matni and A. Gatin. “Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in Computer Science: A Systematic Literature Review”, Proceedings of the 2019 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research – ICER 19, pp. 31-40, 2019 https://doi.org/10.1145/3291279.3339422
[4] E. Riese, M. Lorås, M. Ukrop, and T. Effenberger. “Challenges Faced by Teaching Assistants in Computer Science Education Across Europe”. Proceedings of the 26th ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 1 (ITiCSE ’21). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, pp. 547–553, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1145/3430665.3456304
[5] E. McDonald, G. Arevalo, S. Ahmed, I. Akhmetov, and C. Demmans Epp. “Managing TAs at Scale: Investigating the Experiences of Teaching Assistants in Introductory Computer Science”. In Proceedings of the Tenth ACM Conference on Learning @ Scale (L@S ’23). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 2023, pp. 120–131. https://doi.org/10.1145/3573051.3593384
[6] Arizona State University, “Arizona State University Teaching/Research Assistant/Associate (TA/RA) Policies and Procedures Handbook” graduate.asu.edu. https://graduate.asu.edu/sites/default/files/ta-ra-policies-and-procedures-handbook-8-4-2017_0.pdf (accessed October 22,2024)
[7] “International Teaching Assistant English Qualifications” globallaunch.asu.edu. https://globallaunch.asu.edu/learn-english/other-services/international-teaching-assistant (accessed October 22,2024)
[8] “Undergraduate Teaching Assistants” lth.engineering.asu.edu. https://lth.engineering.asu.edu/2021/12/ugta/ (accessed October 22,2024)
[9] E. Riese.”Teaching Assistants’ Experiences of Lab Sessions in Introductory Computer Science Courses,” 2018 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), San Jose, CA, USA, 2018, pp. 1-5, 2018 https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2018.8659243
[10] K. Willey and A.P Gardner. “Improving the standard and consistency of multi-tutor grading in large classes”. ATN Assessment Conference. Institute for Interactive Media and Learning, University of Technology Sydney, 2010 http://hdl.handle.net/10453/16662
[11] E. Riese and V. Kann. “Training Teaching Assistants by Offering an Introductory Course”. Proceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education – Volume 1 (SIGCSE 2022), Vol. 1. Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 745–751. 2022 https://doi.org/10.1145/3478431.3499270