Partners in Innovation Teaching Assistants in College Science Courses

by Seymour, Elaine; Melton, Ginger; Wiese, Douglas J.; Pedersen-Gallegos, Liane

• ISBN13: 9780742540200
• ISBN10: 0742540200
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-10-01
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

"Partners in Innovation draws on three intensive interview studies of college science innovations, two in chemistry and one in astronomy. The data reveal the TAs' contribution, including their ability to explain and address common problems such as student resistance and creating structural and intellectual course coherence. The author addresses TAs' undermet need for professional development (in both conventional and innovative courses) and the conditions that shape the spectrum of TAs' responses to new pedagogy - from passive resistance, even sabotage, to collaborative engagement. Seymour argues from evidence that effective deployment, adequate professional education, and collegial collaboration between faculty and their TAs; are critical in ensuring the future quality of science education."--BOOK JACKET.

Author Biography

Elaine Seymour is director of Ethnography and Evaluation Research at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Table of Contents

Tables	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
1 Introduction	1	(6)
2 The Importance of Teaching Assistants to Undergraduates in the Sciences	7	(8)
3 The Role of Teaching Assistants in Three Classroom Change Initiatives	15	(12)
4 The Benefits to Teaching Assistants of Working in Innovative Courses	27	(12)
5 The Nature and Consequences of Teaching Assistants' Evaluations of the Three Classroom Initiatives	39	(62)
6 Teaching Assistants' Explanations for Undergraduate Responses to Innovative Teaching and Learning: Student Learning Difficulties versus Student Resistance	101	(34)
7 Redefining the Teaching Assistants' Role in Innovative Courses: Expansion of Traditional Work Roles	135	(48)
8 Redefining the Teaching Assistants' Role in Innovative Courses: New Facets of the Teaching Assistants' Role	183	(46)
9 The Relative Contributions of Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching Assistants	229	(18)
10 Professional Development for Teaching Assistants	247	(32)
11 Fostering Collegial Engagement among Teaching Assistants Working in Innovative Courses	279	(20)
12 Conclusions	299	(14)
References	313	(8)
Index	321	(6)
About the Authors	327