This paper reports on the results of a critical literature review that focusses on the classroom deployment of teaching assistants (TAs) in England between 2010 and 2020, a period marked by an upward trend in the number of these adults in school workforces internationally. The study utilises the theory of practice architectures (Kemmis, Wilkinson,…

While social location substantially impacts faculty experiences on university campuses, comparatively little research has explored the experiences of undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants (TAs). Drawing on semi-structured interviews, this study explores how TAs at one Canadian university construct their identities as they teach. We employ…

Providing quality education for all pupils requires cooperation from members of the entire school community. One group of professionals is school assistants, who, together with teachers, play an important role in supporting pupils and inclusive education. Due to pupils' diverse needs, the responsibilities of school assistants in schools have…

This article presents findings from qualitative research on school exclusion. The study was conducted in a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), part of alternative education provision, in England. Mixed methods used included ethnographic approaches, drama-based group work, focus group discussions and interviews. Research participants were teenage boys (age…

The goal of better medical student preparation for clinical practice drives curricular initiatives worldwide. Learning theory underpins Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as a means of safe transition to independent practice. Regulators mandate senior assistantships to improve practice readiness. It is important to know whether meaningful…

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are doctoral researchers who are paid to teach. Building on work exploring identity construction in doctoral education and in the GTA context, this study uses role identity theory (McCall and Simmons 1978) as a theoretical framework to explore the factors influencing GTAs' teacher identity development. Role…

This paper considers issues around identity for teaching assistants (TAs) in mainstream English primary schools. We discuss the concomitant problems TAs experience around role definition and role-creep as well as the challenges inherent in equivocally defining their evolving and flexible role. We used key themes drawn from the literature…

In recent years, the wellbeing of students and staff in Higher Education has received increased attention in pedagogical research. However, the experiences of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), or PhD researchers who teach alongside their doctoral studies, are notably absent from this literature. In this mixed-methods study, we examined…

Discussions about the contributions of teacher assistants (TAs) are mainly limited to Western contexts, such as Australia, the UK, and the United States, and studies have consistently explored the role of TAs in inclusive learning environments despite their continuous deployment in special schools. This study attempted to understand the…

In this paper, we describe our approach to mentoring Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) as teaching and learning protégés within the context of a challenging undergraduate honours thesis course. An approach to mentoring GTAs in this multifaceted course is outlined, while providing practical strategies that expose GTAs to various aspects of the…

This study provides a detailed picture of how the on-going challenge of teacher shortages in England and Wales is driving the deployment of teaching assistants (TAs) to cover classes in place of teachers. Analyses of data from a survey of nearly 6000 TAs in mainstream and special schools found that TAs cover classes for up to 4 h a week, with one…

Despite significant research on racialized inequity in higher education, little research examines the experiences of TAs who are Black, Indigenous or people of colour (BIPOC) in Canada. Based on 37 semi-structured interviews with BIPOC domestic graduate student TAs, this article explores the racialized and colonial oppression of BIPOC TAs: They…

The formation of teacher identity is a complex and strenuous process. Teachers are expected to form multiple identities based on institutional values and regulations; however, these identities can sometimes conflict with one's personal values and goals, leading to less integration. According to self-determination theory, forming an integrated…

This article investigates whether experiences of the PhD trajectory during the first year of enrolment predict dropout during a later stage. More specifically, we studied how supervisor support, time pressure and passion for research relate to dropout among PhD students and assessed the role of discipline in this process. We used longitudinal data…

This study investigates how graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) differ from regular graduates in terms of input characteristics (i.e., who they are), process characteristics (i.e., how they experience the PhD trajectory), and the self-estimated likelihood of successfully completing the PhD. Additionally, it assesses to what extent and how the…