Delivering a collaborative, discipline-specific, and equity, diversity, and inclusion-centered teaching assistant...

Area of Science:

• Life Sciences Education
• Graduate Student Training
• Pedagogical Development

Background:

• Canadian universities increasingly offer teaching assistant (TA) training.
• The University of British Columbia's Life Sciences Institute (LSI) developed a discipline-specific TA training program.
• This program is a faculty-student partnership focused on life sciences teaching.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the LSI TA Training Program's history, values, and initiatives.
• To present evidence on the program's impact on teaching confidence.
• To discuss lessons learned in developing and sustaining cross-departmental TA training.

Main Methods:

• Historical overview of the LSI TA Training Program.
• Description of program initiatives: boot camp, workshops, mentorship.
• Presentation of evidence on participant confidence in teaching strategies.

Main Results:

• Participation boosts confidence in evidence-based teaching strategies.
• The program fosters confidence in creating inclusive and equitable classrooms.
• Faculty-student collaboration is key to program success and sustainability.

Conclusions:

• Discipline-specific TA training grounded in inclusive teaching equips TAs with practical skills.
• The LSI program prepares TAs to be confident and inclusive educators in the life sciences.
• Sustaining TA training requires adaptability and faculty-student partnerships.