Teaching assistants have a very important role in physics education as they interact with students and guide them in different contexts. A multitude of research has focused on how to prepare teaching assistants to implement high-quality, research-based teaching techniques. Video clubs, i.e., working with a group of teachers to watch and discuss…

Undergraduate laboratory courses can provide opportunities for students to participate in science practices. This requires rethinking both curricula and instruction. Science practice--based courses require students to be positioned as epistemic agents, implying a shift in instructor role. Teaching assistants (TAs) are the primary instructors for…

This study sought to develop, implement, and test an Artificial Intelligence Teaching Assistant (AITA) to enhance student engagement and instructor presence in online courses using AI models like OpenAI's 4o model and Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) solutions like Microsoft Power Automate. The AITA generated weekly announcements within…

Given the potential impact of introductory science laboratories on postsecondary students' science learning, careful thinking is needed about how to support teaching assistants (TAs) to create opportunities for their students to reason about science. Research suggests that teachers are best positioned to improve their teaching practices when they…

A course centered around transition-metal catalysis in modern drug discovery was designed to illustrate the central role of organic chemistry in driving small-molecule drug development. The course highlighted both fundamental and applied concepts, first with a focus on the drug discovery process, followed by foundational principles in catalysis…

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are important partners in practical chemistry teaching and learning, but they rarely receive direct instruction in inclusive teaching practices and equality, diversity, and inclusion principles. Here we describe the design, delivery, and evaluation of a workshop, along with the resources developed, to support…

The use of undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) has increased in recent years at a number of institutions, especially in active-learning and high-enrollment introductory courses. Currently, there is research demonstrating their benefit to the departments they work in, the students, and the short-term impacts of the experience on the UTAs.…

Student instructional assistants (IAs) are an integral part of most students' college experience in higher education. When properly trained, IAs can improve students' grades, engagement with course content, persistence, and retention. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the transition of nearly all instructional practices online. At the…

In 2000, Sharpe proposed a framework for graduate teaching assistant (GTA) training based on three key principles: departmental training, faculty training, and accreditation. Sharpe's paper culminated in a call for Higher Education (HE) institutes to adopt this framework. Whilst the principles of Sharpe's work remain relevant, the shape and…

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), or student instructors, are the crucial force in college for undergraduates' learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) disciplines. However, professional development of student instructors is often neglected. Providing adequate and appropriate teacher training for student instructors is a…

Background: Learning assistants (LAs) increase accessibility to instructor-student interactions in large STEM lecture classes. In this research, we used the Formative Assessment Enactment Model developed for K-12 science teachers to characterize LA facilitation practices. The Formative Assessment Enactment Model describes instructor actions as…

More students with more severe mental health conditions are entering college, putting ever greater pressure on university resources to meet the needs, both psychological and educational, of these students. Graduate student instructors and TAs (TAs) are uniquely positioned to connect these students to supportive resources, but may be underprepared…

It has been shown in the past that International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) struggle with phonological and communication issues in the classroom (Pickering, 1999; 2001). This issue leads to misunderstandings between ITAs and undergraduate students, frustrating them both as well as the parents of the students and the departments. However, studies…

Physics graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are tasked with multifaceted teaching assignments, such as leading tutorials and inquiry-based laboratories, yet their professional development rarely includes opportunities to rehearse complex pedagogical skills or receive feedback on their teaching. In this study, physics GTAs practiced specific…

Research suggests learning assistant (LA) programs can be a change lever to support the institutionalization of active learning in postsecondary education. Some research suggests LAs offer unique benefits for STEM courses, independent from other change levers, but more research needs to be done to understand how LAs support active learning…