Abstract:

The digitalisation of higher education has fundamentally transformed teaching assistants' roles, yet the scope and nature of this transformation remain poorly mapped. This scoping review follows Arksey and O'Malley's framework to systematically map and synthesise existing literature (2015-2024) on teaching assistants' evolving roles in digital academic spaces. The review addresses three key questions: How has technological integration reshaped teaching assistants' roles and responsibilities? What support structures exist for teaching assistants' digital professional development? What gaps exist in the current understanding of teaching assistants' experiences in technology-enhanced learning environments? Through analysis of peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, institutional reports, and policy documents, this review charts the landscape of teaching assistants' digital transformation across diverse geographical and institutional contexts. The mapping exercise reveals five emerging themes: digital competency development, virtual mentorship models, online pedagogical practices, identity formation in digital spaces, and institutional support frameworks. Significant knowledge gaps emerge around Global South perspectives, resource-constrained environments, and sustainable models for digital capacity building. This review provides a comprehensive mapping of current knowledge whilst identifying critical areas for future research and practice. Findings inform evidence-based recommendations for institutions developing technology-integrated teaching assistant support frameworks, particularly in resource-varied contexts.

Keywords:

Digital pedagogy, Teaching assistant development, Technology integration, Scoping review, Higher education transformation, Global South perspective, Knowledge mapping.