TA training/CoP meetings/December 18, 2014
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TA Participation in TA Training Programs
The topic of the discussion for this meeting was TA Participation in TA Training Programs.
This page gathers notes and thoughts about this meeting.
Agenda
- Intro
- Outstanding issues
- TA participation
- UBC Wiki
- Next CoP session
Objective of this session:
Identify different strategies to encourage TA Participation in TA Training workshops
Elements of discussion
What are some of the strategies we can use to encourage TA participation in TA Training Programs/workshops?
Why did it work? Why didn't it work?
- Pre-survey: Identify the needs of TAs
- Chalenges: Response rate - How to have a better response rate: Highlight relevance - Send personalized e-mails - It's important who sends out the e-mail (Faculty, Dept. Head, Coordinator, Course instructor (Note: We need buy-in from faculty))
- Timing (When to offer what workshop)
- Scheduling (TA availabilities)
- Make Training Mandatory (For new TAs OR for all TAs) (Note: We need buy-in from faculty) --> Take attendance; Follow-up (Threat factor!)
- Offer Options (Several workshops TAs can choose from)
- Offer one mandatory Orientation for all and optional workshops
- Motivation for learning
- Make topic relevant to needs of TAs
- Send out a pre-workshop e-mail (Include objectives to the session; Include a scenario as a "Bridge In" for the workshop, i.e.: "Do you know what will happen if ...?"
- Peer Motivation (Connect new TAs with senior TAs - Get them to have a conversation around the value of the Training Program)
- Establish a cohort (informal gathering for all TAs, etc.)
- Food
- A "venting session":
- have food and invite TAs to talk about their experiences
- Feedback session: What did you learn? What have you implemented in your practice & Re-emphasize resources
- Challenges: Power dynamics - supervisors and TAs (Make sure to create a safe space - Or have a session for only TAs)
- Feedback - distribute feedback survey after the workshop(s)
- Respond to TA feedback from sessions - build on feedback - revise based on feedback and share the changes you have made with the TAs
- Name of the TA Training Program: Should it be TA Training? Professional Development for TAs? TA Peer Group? TA Forums? TA Lunch series?
- Letter of recognition (for those who have completed all the workshops/ for those who have completed additional/optional TA Training workshops)
How do we involve returning/senior TAs in TA Training?
- Get them involved in facilitating the workshops
- Give them a mentoring/support role
- Get them to share their challenging experiences and help facilitate discussions with new TAs around those challenges.