Development & Evaluation of a Teaching Assistant Institute to Build Near-Peer Teaching Capacity in Delivering...

Area of Science:

• Education
• Public Health Pedagogy
• Higher Education Training

Background:

• Teaching assistants (TAs) are crucial for student learning but often lack training in non-curricular support.
• Academic institutions can perpetuate inequities; TA training is essential for fostering inclusive environments.
• Near-peer teaching dynamics present unique challenges for graduate student TAs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a required TA Training Institute designed for an interdisciplinary public health Core curriculum.
• To assess the impact of the training on TAs' confidence and skills in supporting students and managing classroom dynamics.
• To identify areas where TAs require additional support, particularly in addressing challenging classroom situations.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted with 181 participants in a required TA Training Institute.
• The study assessed 12 learning objectives related to teaching, student support, and inclusive practices.
• Confidence levels in performing job functions were measured pre- and post-training.

Main Results:

• Confidence in performing most TA job functions was high (87-100%) and significantly increased post-training.
• All learning objectives showed statistically significant improvement after the training.
• The lowest confidence level (87%) was reported for responding to heated, offensive, or tense (HOT) moments in the classroom.

Conclusions:

• The TA Training Institute effectively improved TAs' confidence and skills, demonstrating a replicable model.
• Training is vital for TAs to foster student belonging and inclusion.
• Further targeted training and support are necessary to equip TAs for managing challenging classroom interactions (HOT moments).