Association for Biology Laboratory Education

Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Professional Development Initiatives for Graduate?Teaching Assistants Facilitating Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs)
 

Amie Kern, David Esparza, Amy Kulesza, Corrie Pieterson, Seema Rivera, & Jeffrey T. Olimpo

Advances in Biology Laboratory Education, 2020, Volume 41

https://doi.org/10.37590/able.v41.abs39

Abstract

Within the last decade, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as a viable mechanism to engage students in authentic scientific opportunities. While numerous studies have focused on student outcomes (e.g., science process skills development) in CURE learning environments, few studies have examined instructor preparation and pedagogy in such contexts. This is especially true for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), who are frequently tasked with facilitating CUREs, yet who often receive little, if any, professional development (PD) to improve teaching skills that are vital to this type of instruction. In this workshop, we will address this need by engaging attendees in the following activities: (i) a brief introduction to existent GTA PD literature and programs, including sharing outcomes from our own research on CURE GTA PD; (ii) small- and large-group dialogue designed to identify core elements of CURE GTA PD; and (iii) development of a CURE GTA PD blueprint outlining one initiative that faculty can implement on their own campuses (with feedback provided from other participants via a gallery walk).

Keywords:  graduate teaching assistants, CURE, GTA, PD

University of Ottawa (2019)