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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Auteurs principaux:	Kelly A. Schalk, J. Randy McGinnis, Jeffrey R. Harring, Amy Hendrickson, Ann C. Smith
Format:	article
Langue:	EN
Publié:	American Society for Microbiology 2009
Sujets:	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Biology (General) QH301-705.5
Accès en ligne:	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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The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience

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