Analyzing the Needs of Engineering Teaching Assistants: Examining Hidden Deficit Ideas

Karina Ivette Vielma; Joel Alejandro Mejia

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Equity, Culture & Social Justice in Education Division (EQUITY) Technical Session 7
Tagged Divisions: Equity and Culture & Social Justice in Education Division (EQUITY)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--42664
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/42664
Download Count: 101

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Karina Ivette Vielma The University of Texas, San Antonio orcid.org/0000-0001-5452-8888

visit author page

Dr. Karina I. Vielma is a first-generation college student who dreamed big. As the eldest of five children, Dr. Vielma became very resourceful, attributing her skills to growing up in poverty. Her parents had high expectations for school and this prepare

visit author page

biography

Joel Alejandro Mejia The University of Texas, San Antonio orcid.org/0000-0003-3908-9930

visit author page

Dr. Joel Alejandro (Alex) Mejia is an Associate Professor with joint appointment in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio. His research has contributed to the integration of critical theoretical frameworks in engineering education to investigate deficit ideologies and their impact on minoritized communities. His work seeks to analyze and describe the assets, tensions, contradictions, and cultural collisions many Latino/a/x students experience in engineering through testimonios. He is particularly interested in approaches that contribute to a more expansive understanding of engineering in sociocultural contexts, the impact of critical consciousness in engineering practice, and the development and implementation of culturally responsive pedagogies in engineering education.

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

Although many graduate students in engineering, at some point in their education, serve as teaching assistants or research assistants, many are not prepared through formal engineering education training offered by their universities. This is not only a missed opportunity to provide professional development for graduate students for their future careers, it also contributes to a lack of knowledge about reflective educational practices and innovation in teaching courses. Deficit ideologies are very often unconsciously reproduced (Delpit, 1995; Valencia, 1997), contributing to the hidden perpetuation of ideas that impact the marginalization of underrepresented students in engineering. In order to prepare future faculty for their role in mentoring and educating the next generation of engineers, it remains critical to provide education and guidance to help graduate engineering students better serve as teaching assistants and research assistants. Identifying and addressing deficit ideologies is one way to think critically about preparing engineering students to lead courses and research that can impact students broadly. The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution, established a requirement for graduate students to participate in an engineering education course. This case study sought to learn about the various needs of teaching assistants (TAs). Several of the needs included knowledge about resource to support undergraduate students as well as resources that help graduate students in their education. One of the key findings included how deficit ideologies were embedded in the responses of the TAs. In this paper, deficit ideologies of engineering teaching assistants are analyzed closely to learn about the various types of deficit notions, which arose as a result of asking students about their experiences in the course they are leading. They are grouped thematically using themes constructed by Garcia and Guerra (2004). Discussion includes how deficit notions vary and impact students. Deficit ideologies passed down and reproduced at a systemic level may go unnoticed and perpetuated through faculty mentoring as well as in the students’ previous educational experiences.

Citation
Format

Vielma, K. I., & Mejia, J. A. (2023, June), Analyzing the Needs of Engineering Teaching Assistants: Examining Hidden Deficit Ideas Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--42664

TY - CPAPER
AB - Although many graduate students in engineering, at some point in their education, serve as teaching assistants or research assistants, many are not prepared through formal engineering education training offered by their universities. This is not only a missed opportunity to provide professional development for graduate students for their future careers, it also contributes to a lack of knowledge about reflective educational practices and innovation in teaching courses. Deficit ideologies are very often unconsciously reproduced (Delpit, 1995; Valencia, 1997), contributing to the hidden perpetuation of ideas that impact the marginalization of underrepresented students in engineering. In order to prepare future faculty for their role in mentoring and educating the next generation of engineers, it remains critical to provide education and guidance to help graduate engineering students better serve as teaching assistants and research assistants. Identifying and addressing deficit ideologies is one way to think critically about preparing engineering students to lead courses and research that can impact students broadly.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution, established a requirement for graduate students to participate in an engineering education course. This case study sought to learn about the various needs of teaching assistants (TAs). Several of the needs included knowledge about resource to support undergraduate students as well as resources that help graduate students in their education. One of the key findings included how deficit ideologies were embedded in the responses of the TAs. In this paper, deficit ideologies of engineering teaching assistants are analyzed closely to learn about the various types of deficit notions, which arose as a result of asking students about their experiences in the course they are leading. They are grouped thematically using themes constructed by Garcia and Guerra (2004). Discussion includes how deficit notions vary and impact students. Deficit ideologies passed down and reproduced at a systemic level may go unnoticed and perpetuated through faculty mentoring as well as in the students’ previous educational experiences.
AU - Karina Ivette Vielma
AU - Joel Alejandro Mejia
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Analyzing the Needs of Engineering Teaching Assistants: Examining Hidden Deficit Ideas
UR - https://peer.asee.org/42664
DO - 10.18260/1-2--42664
ER -