The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience

There has been a growing concern in higher education about our failure to produce scientifically trained workers and scientifically literate citizens. Active-learning and research-oriented activities are posited as ways to give students a deeper understanding of science. We report on an undergraduat...

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Autores principales: Kelly A. Schalk, J. Randy McGinnis, Jeffrey R. Harring, Amy Hendrickson, Ann C. Smith
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Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: American Society for Microbiology 2009
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Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/3a3f30afbd7c4645b67487ca662031e5
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:3a3f30afbd7c4645b67487ca662031e52021-11-15T15:03:08ZThe Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience10.1128/jmbe.v10.971935-78851935-7877https://doaj.org/article/3a3f30afbd7c4645b67487ca662031e52009-01-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v10.97https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7877https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7885There has been a growing concern in higher education about our failure to produce scientifically trained workers and scientifically literate citizens. Active-learning and research-oriented activities are posited as ways to give students a deeper understanding of science. We report on an undergraduate teaching assistant (UTA) experience and suggest that students who participate as a UTA obtain benefits analogous to those who participate as an undergraduate research assistant (URA). We examined the experiences of 24 undergraduates acting as UTAs in a general microbiology course. Self-reported gains by the UTAs were supported by observational data from undergraduates in the course who were mentored by the UTAs and by the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) with whom the UTAs worked. Specifically, data from the UTAs’ journals and self-reported Likert scales and rubrics indicated that our teaching assistants developed professional characteristics such as self-confidence and communication and leadership skills, while they acquired knowledge of microbiology content and laboratory skills. Data from the undergraduate Likert scale as well as the pre- and post-GTA rubrics further confirmed our UTA’s data interpretations. These findings are significant because they offer empirical data to support the suggestion that the UTA experience is an effective option for developing skills and knowledge in undergraduates that are essential for careers in science. The UTA experience provides a valuable alternative to the URA experience.Kelly A. SchalkJ. Randy McGinnisJeffrey R. HarringAmy HendricksonAnn C. SmithAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticleSpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691Biology (General)QH301-705.5ENJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 32-42 (2009)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Special aspects of education
LC8-6691
Biology (General)
QH301-705.5
spellingShingle Special aspects of education
LC8-6691
Biology (General)
QH301-705.5
Kelly A. Schalk
J. Randy McGinnis
Jeffrey R. Harring
Amy Hendrickson
Ann C. Smith
The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience
description There has been a growing concern in higher education about our failure to produce scientifically trained workers and scientifically literate citizens. Active-learning and research-oriented activities are posited as ways to give students a deeper understanding of science. We report on an undergraduate teaching assistant (UTA) experience and suggest that students who participate as a UTA obtain benefits analogous to those who participate as an undergraduate research assistant (URA). We examined the experiences of 24 undergraduates acting as UTAs in a general microbiology course. Self-reported gains by the UTAs were supported by observational data from undergraduates in the course who were mentored by the UTAs and by the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) with whom the UTAs worked. Specifically, data from the UTAs’ journals and self-reported Likert scales and rubrics indicated that our teaching assistants developed professional characteristics such as self-confidence and communication and leadership skills, while they acquired knowledge of microbiology content and laboratory skills. Data from the undergraduate Likert scale as well as the pre- and post-GTA rubrics further confirmed our UTA’s data interpretations. These findings are significant because they offer empirical data to support the suggestion that the UTA experience is an effective option for developing skills and knowledge in undergraduates that are essential for careers in science. The UTA experience provides a valuable alternative to the URA experience.
format article
author Kelly A. Schalk
J. Randy McGinnis
Jeffrey R. Harring
Amy Hendrickson
Ann C. Smith
author_facet Kelly A. Schalk
J. Randy McGinnis
Jeffrey R. Harring
Amy Hendrickson
Ann C. Smith
author_sort Kelly A. Schalk
title The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience
title_short The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience
title_full The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience
title_fullStr The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience
title_full_unstemmed The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience
title_sort undergraduate teaching assistant experience offers opportunities similar to the undergraduate research experience
publisher American Society for Microbiology
publishDate 2009
url https://doaj.org/article/3a3f30afbd7c4645b67487ca662031e5
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