Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Guide
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Guide
Department of Health Sciences
Purpose: To provide undergraduate students in the Department of Health Sciences with the opportunity for academic enrichment and to receive mentoring by a faculty member as they gain experience with teaching and learning responsibilities.
Appropriate Tasks
(Note: Faculty will assign their undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) specific tasks from this list.)
| Appropriate Tasks | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Assist with facilitating class activities and discussions* | Help with ice breakers to get students talking; stimulate group interactions; pose debate questions (Note: Faculty supervisor must be present.) |
| Moderate discussion boards | Stimulate conversation by asking follow-up questions about discussion topics and helping students to feel more comfortable engaging in discussions (Note: Faculty supervisor must be present if class is not fully online (W) course.) |
| Moderate chats | Moderate the chat feature in Zoom during class lectures and discussions and alert the faculty supervisor to issues, questions, etc. |
| Respond to specific types of emails sent directly from students to the undergraduate teaching assistant (minor issues only – see examples) | Respond to questions sent directly to the undergraduate teaching assistant only if they pertain to factual content provided in course materials (e.g., syllabus or assignment directions; directions for accessing course materials; directions for using software/technology; etc.) (Notes: All email exchanges must be copied to the faculty supervisor. Undergraduate teaching assistants should ensure that they have full and correct information prior to responding. Faculty are responsible for responding directly to students who contact them and any emails received by the undergraduate teaching assistant that are deemed inappropriate for them to address.) |
| Identify potential readings and other types of reading materials to enrich the course | Conduct literature reviews to identify key references directly related to course content or identify other potential materials (e.g., websites, videos, etc.) for the instructor to use/consider for use in the course. All material must be reviewed and approved by the faculty supervisor prior to use in the course. |
| Hold office hours | Schedule and hold office hours separate from those held by the faculty supervisor. All parties need to understand the types of assistance that can be provided by the undergraduate teaching assistant during their office hours. Examples might include providing guidance on a course assignment; explaining a grading rubric; referring students to appropriate resources; etc. |
| Hold exam review sessions (based on faculty discretion) | Provide exam review sessions, with faculty discretion and only after the faculty supervisor has met with the undergraduate teaching assistant to discuss the structure and content of the review session. (Note: Faculty supervisors should refrain from sharing/providing copies of exams to undergraduate teaching assistants.) |
| Proctor exams with the faculty supervisor* | Assist with monitoring exams to discourage cheating and alerting the faculty supervisor to any issues. (Note: Undergraduate teaching assistants should not be put into a position where they are expected to intervene if there is suspicious activity or to answer questions about the content of the test, clarify “what the instructor meant”, etc.) |
| Create or assist with the creation of one or more learning activities | Create or assist with the creation of one or more learning activities, which may include games, videos, discussion prompts, etc. |
| Develop and/or present a lecture* | Present a lecture developed by the faculty supervisor or develop a lecture (based on topic of interest) and deliver the presentation to the class. (Note: Faculty supervisor needs to review and approve the lecture slides and content, conduct a practice session prior to the lecture and be present during the session presented by the undergraduate teaching assistant.) |
| Design surveys | Design surveys for the course using Qualtrics or other appropriate software using content provided by the faculty supervisor |
| Develop polling questions | Develop polling questions to solicit feedback regarding the course and/or to assess comprehension of learning objectives |
| Review Webcourses shell | Review the Webcourses shell for the course to check for navigability, accessibility, broken links, etc. |
| Review course materials | Review course handouts, PowerPoint slides, assignments, and other non-exam materials for clarity, typos, etc. |
| Participate in weekly meetings with the faculty supervisor* | Discuss progress and plans for the upcoming weeks with the faculty supervisor |
*These activities must always be conducted in presence of the faculty supervisor.
Inappropriate Tasks
-
- Grading exams, tests, quizzes or assignments.
- Having access to exams, tests, quizzes.
- Proctoring an exam in the absence of the faculty supervisor.
- Having access to student grades or personal information.
- Responding to emails regarding requests for extensions, a grade change, or anything that could affect a student’s grade.
- Holding group sessions regarding course material outside of class without the faculty supervisor’s knowledge and approval.
- Substituting for faculty in class and/or giving presentations requiring the presence of the faculty supervisor, except as described under Appropriate Tasks.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Expectations
- Attend class sessions as required by faculty supervisor. (Note: Some faculty may not require class attendance.)
- Attend sessions with faculty supervisor, as scheduled (maximum one time per week; minimum four times during the semester), to prepare for upcoming responsibilities and reflect on those completed during the previous week(s).
- Check the syllabus and plan of work weekly to ensure familiarity with the expectations and time frame for execution.
- Review content in advance to ensure adequate preparation for performing course-related roles and responsibilities outlined by your faculty supervisor (refer to list of Appropriate Tasks).
- Respond to faculty supervisor correspondence/messages within 24 hours.
- Treat all students with respect and kindness and promote an equitable learning environment in which students feel safe and included.
- Demonstrate adherence to the UCF Academic Integrity policies and expectations.
- Reflect on your interactions with students with whom you interact, your level of preparation, and ideas for how you will continue to grow and improve in your role.
Required Training
Formal Webcourses Training
- FERPA training
Potential Benefits of Student Participation
| Potential Benefits | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Appreciation | Receive a Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of Health Sciences pending a minimum rating of satisfactory on the performance evaluation and a grade of “S” in HSC4813. |
| Letter of recommendation | Obtain a letter of recommendation pending at least satisfactory performance in the role of undergraduate teaching assistant. |
| Listing on resume | List position on their resume to include position title, course, dates, examples of responsibilities. |