TA training/CoP meetings/March 26, 2015
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TA Handbook: Resources for TAs
Facilitator: Qian Wanf from Asian Studies
This page gathers notes and thoughts about this meeting.
Objective of this session:
- brainstorm criteria around making decisions for what resources are needed.
- develop a list of things that can be included in the TA handbook
- identify different formats for the presentation of the TA resources.
- develop strategies for how to gather TA resources (where to find the resources)
- develop strategies to get TAs/Faculty/others to engage with the development of the resource
- develop strategies for how to get TAs/Faculty/others to engage with the resource
- develop strategies for distributing the resource (who, where, how often, etc.).
Facilitated activities:
Brainstorming activity:
What’s the criteria around making decisions for what resources is needed?
- What TAs need to refer to (technical details)
- Emergency contact inffo (safety info)
- What TAs need to know:
- determined by experience (of TAs and Faculty)
- Job requirement
- consult other departments/universitites
- collective agreement
- what TAs ask for
- best practices (and common challenges)
- Survey to TAs
- things that closely link with TA Training sessions
- Department wide resources
- Things they can count on (facts such as protocols and processes; advice)
These go under two categories:
- Necessary info
- Go to resources (in case of need)
List of possible content for TA handbook
What are some of the things you think we need to include in the TA handbook?
- Marking and Grading
- Evaluation
- Guidelines and templates for how to do their job (marking, etc.)
- Copy of scoring rubric (offer and example - not something they can use as is)
- Grading schemes
- Grading standards (Passing grades)
- Best Practices (Marking)
- Department Specific course content
- Department context info
- Structure of the program
- Course outline Or expected background knowledge
- TA Skill Development
- Ways to get involved int he class (e.g.: guest lecture)
- Teaching awards
- Ways of conceptualizing the purpose of TAship
- UBC/Outside UBC resources (articles;conferences)
- (Effective) teaching tips and techniques
- Professional development resources (CTLT, GSS)
- Teaching/Prep resources (Web, papers, contacts)
- How to use technology (connect)
- Proactive strategies for managing challenges
- Boundaries (social media)
- TA-Faculty conflicts
- What would you do if ... (studies; point of view of experienced TAs and instructors)
- Rights and Responsibilities
- Note: refer to CUPE language
- CUPE rules (benefits and rights: TA hours, vacation, etc)
- Info about the union
- Expectation around roles (where their time should be spent - marking, etc.)
- Contractual requirements and terms (hours, duties, protocols, training, etc.)
- Work expectation (Arrival, availability, grading timeline/deadline, behavior towards students)
- TA Assignment guidelines
- Procedure for applying for TAship (department selection/sorting criteria)
- Worse Case (Academic dishonesty)
- Plagiarism
- UBC Policies Standards and procedure for academic dishonesty
- Policies (Exam invigilation)
- Emergency Contacts
- for TAs and to refer students (Access and diversity, plagiarism, security, writing centre, Student support centres, etc.)
- CUPE Rep
- Legal disclaim
- Acknowledgements
Format of the TA resource/handbook
What different formats have you seen? used?
- Online (department website)
- Different media (Video;online quizzes, etc.)
- Interactive space (with Questions)
- FAQ
- Hard Copy
- Bright colors
- Size/binding
- Length (concise)
- Also interactive
- Workbook (that they can use during training as well)
- fill in the blank
- avoid completeness (Note: participants may disengage)
- develop into portfolio
- Icebreaker/ownership
- Removable pages (as feedback)
- Should evolve (develop over time)
Who says what should be included and how we learn about that?
Strategies around how to gather resources (where/how to get the resources)?
- Point Person(s):
- TA Coordinator
- TA mentor
- Course instructor
- Interested faculty
- To gather info:
- Liase with faculty
- TA input
- Other handbooks
How do we get TAs/Faculty/others to engage with the development of the resource? And with the resource (after it is developed)?
- Faculty meetings (Pre-/post term)
- TA Orientation
- TA surveys (What would you like, did you encounter, etc.)
- sell as "job training"
- Develop methods to encourage students to go back to handbook (e.g.: statistics)
how do we distribute the resource?
- As part of training session
- Department blog where it is available
- At the beginning of each term (Catch all TA intake periods)