SELECTED LINKS | GTA INITIATIVES | BASELINE
GTA Preparation & Ongoing Support
... from Provost Edward J. Ray, letter to Deans and Department Chairs, April 17, 2003
Many instructional units are already training and then supporting their Graduate Teaching Associates (GTAs) very well, sometimes with local programming, sometimes through a joint effort between the department and the Office of Faculty and TA Development (FTAD). This policy statement is designed to identify the essential elements in an adequate training and support program and then to provide for an annual reporting mechanism so that the University call assure that instruction across the institution is being attended to in appropriate ways.
Institutional oversight will be provided through an annual report to the Office of Academic Affairs (effective July, 2003) in which the unit will explain how it is meeting the objectives outlined below. Annually thereafter, units will submit reports describing significant changes or enhancements in their programs. A committee consisting of the Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, Executive Dean of Arts and Sciences, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies, President of the Council of Graduate Students, Director of Faculty and TA Development (or their designees), three additional faculty members, and three graduate students appointed by the Provost will review these reports, offer feedback to departments, and verify that programs meet the baseline standards defined below.
Upon request FTAD will provide programming in support of these efforts and will consult with faculty in devising departmental programs.
The methods for providing appropriate preparation and support can include:
- some face-to-face training, possibly in the form of workshop series, seminars, or courses. If courses are sufficiently rigorous, they might be credit-bearing and thus partially fund themselves
- information resources for ongoing support
- feedback from students, peers, and supervisors, and assistance in using that feedback
The content for preparation and support will include at least the following baseline areas:
- Introduction to Ohio State Students, and the diversity of those students, including demographics, prior preparation, learning styles, motivation, and student culture.
- Understanding learning styles and strategies
- Managing the classroom
- Teaching for the inclusive classroom
- Cross-cultural communication and the culture of the American university (for International GTAs and interested others)
- Introduction to the university and unit policies that apply to GTAs and inform their teaching and relationships with students
- guidelines about grading and fairness
- academic conduct and misconduct
- ADA and disability accommodations
- sexual harassment.
- Contexts of teaching, including the items here that are appropriate to the GTAs' assignment and the usual GTA duties in the unit.
- Teaching an independent course
- Teaching a recitation section
- Teaching in the laboratory
- Teaching in the studio
- Tutoring and office hours
- Serving as a grader
- Working in an instructional team
- Specific teaching skills and methods including the items here that are appropriate to the GTA's assignment and the usual GTA duties in the unit.
- Effective presentation skills
- Facilitating classroom discussion
- Using student groups
- Getting and using student feedback
- Assessing student learning
- graduate-code
- Teaching with technology
- Problem solving assignments
- Other discipline- and unit-specific issues and practices
GTAs shall also be introduced to university support services that will help them understand and abide by these policies.