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Adopt a Bacterium: a professional development opportunity for teacher assistants
N P Taschner1, L G de Almeida1, R A Pose2
1Institute of Biomedical Science, Department of Microbiology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
FEMS Microbiology Letters
|August 7, 2020
Summary
Teacher assistants (TAs) in Brazilian universities used an online tool, Adopt a Bacterium, to gain experience with student-focused teaching methods. TAs assessed the tool's potential for developing essential teaching skills beyond traditional lectures.
Area of Science:
- Science Education
- Higher Education Pedagogy
- Educational Technology
Background:
- Traditional science teaching in Brazilian universities relies heavily on lectures.
- Opportunities for developing modern, student-centered teaching skills are limited.
- Teacher assistants (TAs) often lack formal training in pedagogical approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the utility of an online tool, "Adopt a Bacterium," for developing teaching skills among TAs.
- To explore how TAs perceive the potential of a social media platform for pedagogical training.
- To gather TA feedback for enhancing student-focused learning initiatives.
Main Methods:
- Development of an online tool, "Adopt a Bacterium," utilizing a Facebook group.
- Facilitation of interaction between TAs and students within the online environment.
- Collection of TAs' self-assessments regarding skill development and tool enhancement.
Main Results:
- TAs engaged with students through the "Adopt a Bacterium" platform.
- The tool provided initial exposure to student-focused learning strategies for TAs.
- TAs identified specific ways the platform could be further developed to improve their teaching competencies.
Conclusions:
- The "Adopt a Bacterium" tool shows promise for supporting TA professional development in science education.
- Online platforms can supplement traditional methods to foster pedagogical skill acquisition.
- Further development of the tool could enhance its effectiveness in preparing future educators.
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