Six Lessons from Administering a Biology Teaching Professional Development Course

 

Erica Szeyller & Judith S. Ridgway

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2019, Volume 40

Abstract

Teaching professional development (TPD) is nationally recommended for improving biology education, however the community lacks information on how to successfully implement TPD programs. To help bridge that gap, we discussed six transferable lessons from 10 years of experience in administering a biology TPD course at The Ohio State University. These lessons are: make TPD mandatory; support TAs with variety in TPD options; help TAs plan for the course; don’t do all of the TPD by yourself; take advantage of technology for TPD delivery and marketing; and be aware that buy-in by the TAs, faculty, and administrators will happen. At the end of this workshop, participants reflected on their current and potential TPD program components, recalled best practices for a TPD course, analyzed the usefulness of TPD components to their own situation, and identified initial steps to instigate change to their own TPD program. Participants engaged in solo reflection, as well as small- and large-group discussion.

Keywords:  teaching assistants, professional development, graduate student, undergraduate, biology

The Ohio State University (2018)