Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are an essential part of engineering education, particularly as student numbers continue to grow. However, it’s not often that we stop to consider what teaching is like from their perspective and think about how we can support them as developing educators whose contributions matter.
In this episode, we speak with Harry Day, Sarah Plumb, Matteo Di Benedetti and Lucy Farquhar from the University of Sheffield about their work to transform the GTA experience. Drawing on research and practical experience, they explore how a more supportive, structured approach can benefit GTAs, academic staff and students alike.
Join Dr. Natalie Wint (University College London) and Prof. Neil Cooke (University of Birmingham) to learn more about the how we can support GTAs in engineering education.
Timestamps
0.00 Welcome and introduction to episode
0.30 Podcast Intro
0.55 Experiences with GTAs from Natalie and Neil
3.24 Introduction to Harry, Sarah, Matteo and Lucy
4.58 University of Sheffield, UK
6.29 What is a TA or GTA? Why are they used?
8.10 What are the challeneges involved in working with GTAs?
12.50 Lucy's exprience as a GTA
16.35 The importance of overcoming the challenges; training and community building
19.20 Introduction to the MIJ (Mattering, Integration, Justice) Framework
31.22 Provision for training and the need for discipline specific training
36.38 Identifying the key areas for development
49.50 The training model and its alignment
55.26 A roadmap of qualification requirements
1:06:40 The journey of a GTA from recruitment to their first time in the classroom
1:12:10 Diversity, equity and inclusion
1:24:13 Student Feedback
1:26:41 What is next?
1:32:29 Key takeaways from Natalie and Neil
Resources
Plumb, S., Day, H., & Di Benedetti, M. (2024). Effective development and recognition of Teaching Assistant practice: An aligned model. Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Conference of SEFI, Lausanne, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14256709
https://zenodo.org/records/14256709
Matteo Di Benedetti, Sarah Plumb & Stephen B. M. Beck (2023) Effective use of peer teaching and self-reflection for the pedagogical training of graduate teaching assistants in engineering, European Journal of Engineering Education, 48:1, 59-74, DOI: 10.1080/03043797.2022.2054313
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03043797.2022.2054313
https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/oer-gtadevelopmentprogram/0-home?authuser=0
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