Graduate Students’ Development of Teaching Skills and Identity

Nishchal Thapa Magar; Jill K Nelson; Jessica Rosenberg; Marco Brizzolara

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Faculty Development Division (FDD) Technical Session 5
Tagged Division: Faculty Development Division (FDD)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47512

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Jill Nelson is the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University and an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Prior to taking the role of associate dean, she spent three years as a Program Director in the Division of Undergraduate Education at NSF where she managed programs that support innovation in STEM education, STEM education research, and education research infrastructure. Dr. Nelson’s research and leadership efforts focus on improving STEM education with particular emphasis on faculty development. She is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award (2010) and the inaugural (2017) recipient of the George Mason University John Toups Medal for Excellence in Teaching.

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Jessica Rosenberg

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Jessica Rosenberg is an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy and the Director of Education for the Quantum Science and Engineering Center at George Mason University. She is as an astrophysicist focusing on what we can learn about galaxy evolution from the gas and star formation properties of galaxies. She is also working to improve STEM education with a focus on the education and retention of a diverse group of students in the STEM disciplines. She has developed and implemented education programs that span K-20, researched improvements to STEM classroom education, and is working to develop a career-ready quantum workforce.

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Marco Brizzolara George Mason University

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Abstract

This Work in Progress paper focuses on exploring how graduate teaching assistants’ (GTAs’) identity around teaching evolves during their time as a GTA. Studies have shown that there is an acute need to prepare graduate students for their immediate responsibilities as a GTA and, in many cases, for future faculty roles. In this paper, we explore if and how GTA teaching identity changes over time with a focus on the impact of pre-semester and academic-year teaching professional development. Specifically, we aim to examine how professional development in combination with teaching experience contribute to GTAs’ understanding of their role and agency in classroom instruction and student learning.

This paper is part of a larger project that aims to transform the culture in STEM departments at a large, regional, R1 institution to one that values and prioritizes active and inquiry-based learning. The project leverages course-based communities of transformation which include instructors, GTAs, and undergraduate learning assistants. The CCTs aim to make active learning the default method of instruction in highly enrolled gateway courses in the participating departments. Early in the project it became clear that GTAs play a significant role in introductory courses, largely because of their responsibilities as instructors in recitations and labs. To prepare and support GTAs in their role, the project has developed pre-semester and academic-year professional development. The pre-semester workshop takes place over two days and is designed to prepare new GTAs as they enter the classroom. Content includes practical teaching skills with an emphasis on active learning, first day impressions, available resources, and how to create a welcoming classroom environment. Professional development during the academic year is different in each of the departments, but typically revolves around weekly meetings of GTAs and provides a forum for discussion of teaching pedagogy. The academic-year sessions may be structured as a course-like seminar, as a meeting of the GTAs for a particular course, or as a less formal gathering for sharing and reflection.

After the two-day workshop in August 2023, seven focus groups were conducted with 3-4 GTAs in each group. We are now conducting additional one-on-one interviews to gain a deeper understanding of how GTA teaching identities evolve over time and explore whether there are differences in these experiences for international GTAs. The data from these focus groups and the first five interviews provide initial findings for understanding new GTAs’ teaching identity before they start their graduate teaching.

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Thapa Magar, N., & Nelson, J. K., & Rosenberg, J., & Brizzolara, M. (2024, June), Graduate Students’ Development of Teaching Skills and Identity Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47512

TY - CPAPER
AB - This Work in Progress paper focuses on exploring how graduate teaching assistants’ (GTAs’) identity around teaching evolves during their time as a GTA. Studies have shown that there is an acute need to prepare graduate students for their immediate responsibilities as a GTA and, in many cases, for future faculty roles. In this paper, we explore if and how GTA teaching identity changes over time with a focus on the impact of pre-semester and academic-year teaching professional development. Specifically, we aim to examine how professional development in combination with teaching experience contribute to GTAs’ understanding of their role and agency in classroom instruction and student learning.

This paper is part of a larger project that aims to transform the culture in STEM departments at a large, regional, R1 institution to one that values and prioritizes active and inquiry-based learning. The project leverages course-based communities of transformation which include instructors, GTAs, and undergraduate learning assistants. The CCTs aim to make active learning the default method of instruction in highly enrolled gateway courses in the participating departments. Early in the project it became clear that GTAs play a significant role in introductory courses, largely because of their responsibilities as instructors in recitations and labs. To prepare and support GTAs in their role, the project has developed pre-semester and academic-year professional development. The pre-semester workshop takes place over two days and is designed to prepare new GTAs as they enter the classroom. Content includes practical teaching skills with an emphasis on active learning, first day impressions, available resources, and how to create a welcoming classroom environment. Professional development during the academic year is different in each of the departments, but typically revolves around weekly meetings of GTAs and provides a forum for discussion of teaching pedagogy. The academic-year sessions may be structured as a course-like seminar, as a meeting of the GTAs for a particular course, or as a less formal gathering for sharing and reflection.

After the two-day workshop in August 2023, seven focus groups were conducted with 3-4 GTAs in each group. We are now conducting additional one-on-one interviews to gain a deeper understanding of how GTA teaching identities evolve over time and explore whether there are differences in these experiences for international GTAs. The data from these focus groups and the first five interviews provide initial findings for understanding new GTAs’ teaching identity before they start their graduate teaching.

AU - Nishchal Thapa Magar
AU - Jill K Nelson
AU - Jessica Rosenberg
AU - Marco Brizzolara
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Graduate Students’ Development of Teaching Skills and Identity
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47512
ER -