Abstract:

Teaching assistants (TAs) occupy a special place in higher education. They are often teacher, researcher, student and employee at the same time. These roles are interrelated; for instance, there is evidence that teaching also provides them with the chance to improve some essential research skills. In order to optimize the quality of their own learning opportunity as well as their student mentoring, TAs must receive proper training. However, the guidance they receive for their teaching duties are in some cases minimal and little feedback is given on their teaching performance. Many novice TAs therefore experience that mentoring students is not an easy task at all.

The five faculties of the Science, Engineering and Technology Group (the SET Group) at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) are joining forces to meet this need. The STEAM-TA project was launched in the spring of 2019 to bring the already existing TA training programmes at three faculties at the SET Group to the next level and to help the other two faculties with the start-up of such a programme. Focusing on the specific STEAM context within the SET Group, where all traditional STEM disciplines as well as Architecture are gathered, online modules are developed. Only minimal adjustments are then required to make these modules completely appropriate for each faculty-specific context. Moreover, STEAM-TA will offer the faculties a whole series of ’puzzle pieces’ to compile a TA training programme themselves based on their facultary wishes and needs. STEAM-TA also elaborates on certain typical misconceptions students struggle with in specific STEAM topics and teach TAs how they can tackle these in a targeted manner. Hereby, the incorporation of STEAM-TA in the Leuven Engineering and Science Education Center (LESEC) guarantees the integration of related latest research findings, but also the co-creative approach of the project.

At the beginning of the 2020-2021 academic year, three online modules were deployed in the existing TA training programmes at three faculties. These modules address the guidance of master theses students, the preparation of group sessions and the guidance of lab classes. They will be evaluated and adapted before offering them to the other faculties at the start of the next academic year. By that time, some new online modules will have been completed about supervising exams, scientific integrity and guiding practice sessions.

Valuable input was gained from a survey among teaching assistants of the SET Group with 800 respondents, input to keep the project on track and to ensure that we are developing material that TAs are looking for. For example, TAs ask online modules to guide them in providing feedback and motivating/activating students. Additionally, sessions with TAs are planned about subject matter misconceptions among students and how to tackle them during group sessions. By September 2022, the project-phase of STEAM-TA will end and the training of a new generation of TAs in the SET Group will be truly incorporated in the faculties.

Keywords:

Teaching Assistant, training programme, STEM, Higher Education.