The University of Texas at El Paso Graduate School

Guidelines on the Employment of Teaching Assistants/Assistant Instructors & Research Assistants/Associates

Welcome to a new adventure and opportunity for personal and professional growth. There are many reasons why you have become a TA, not the least of which is financial support for your graduate studies. But, because your work directly impacts the lives of undergraduates and their learning, doing your job well is essential to fulfilling the university's mission. Through teaching and advising undergraduates effectively, we can impact student retention, build a sense of community and promote institutional loyalty. TAs have a wide range of responsibilities depending on their department and their assignment. TA duties range from the traditional ones of grading, leading review sessions and holding office hours, to leading field trips, writing exams and generating course web sites. Because responsibilities range so widely, as soon as you receive your assignment, arrange to meet with your supervisor. This initial conversation provides an opportunity for you to: get to know each other, share your skills, share your interests and expertise, learn more about the course and the students you'll be working with, and about the professor's expectations. In summary, recognize that teaching, like any other skill is learned. Be open to learning through workshops and classes. CETaL has a wealth of ideas on its web site on ways to gather feedback on teaching and learning. Procedure and Eligibility for Assistantships Students interested in applying for assistantships should contact their department to see what openings are available and to request an application. The departments provides information on the title, percentage time and length of appointment, minimum eligibility standards, student aid award level, description of duties, procedure and timing of reappointment and deadlines for acceptance. Eligibility requirements are generally as followed: Admission to a degree or certification program Full-time enrollment in courses required for the degree or completion of the certification program Good academic standing An approved Preliminary Degree Plan (PDP) on file at the Graduate School TAs, RAs, GAs and stipend recipients must be registered for 9 credit hours a semester Masters students are generally limited to two years of support as a TA , RA, or GA and may not work more than 50% time. TA designation of International Students may vary according to official TOEFL Scores. Appointments may be based on academic background, teaching/ professional experience, and, for international students, proficiency in English. Once the department and the Graduate School have approved the application, you will receive a letter informing you of the decision. Formal appointments and eligibility verification must be completed prior to beginning work. Evaluation and Re-appointment Evaluation is a crucial element of the experience of being a TA or RA, consisting primarily of continuous communication between the assistant and the faculty member. Formal evaluations are conducted at least once a year according to procedures established in individual departments or programs in order to identify areas of strength or weaknesses and to provide guidance as well as endure fairness in the determination of reappointment (or for summer appointment). Verification of eligibility is required. Should it be necessary to remove a student from an assistantship position or

a stipend, standard university procedures governing warning and dismissal are used. Additional details are available in the Human Resource Services Department. Situations involving student discipline or academic integrity will require intervention by the Dean of Students. Benefits The University health/ dental benefit package is available to graduate assistants employed as TAs, RAs, GAs and AIs at a minimum 50% (half-time) appointment for the entire term no later than Census Day (12th class day in Fall/ Spring, 6th class day in Summer.) Arrangements to upgrade the package to include spouse and/or dependent children may be made at Human Resource Services. Texas Resident tuition may be available to non-resident/ international students (and their spouses) who are appointed to a teaching/ research assistantship at the minimum 50% level for the entire term when the appointment is within their academic department or is directly supporting their academic degree. The student must submit the signed preliminary verification of support for a waiver of the non-resident tuition rate to the Residency Officer in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions prior to the beginning of classes for the term; no changes will be allowed after Census Day. Any student who submits the request and is later determined to be ineligible will be billed the tuition differential. Students supported by student aid awards are not considered university employees and are not generally eligible for university benefits. In some cases, the stipend source has been determined to be equivalent to a scholarship and may provide the non-resident student with a waiver of the out-of-state tuition rate. The stipend must meet the same eligibility requirements as a scholarship, including the $1,000 or more minimum academic year award. Students may verify information with the Graduate School or the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects. Orientation All TAs and RAs are required to attend the university-wide orientation and any departmental orientations. The Graduate School hosts the universitywide orientation the first week of Fall and Spring semesters. University representatives will explain benefits, policies, and campus resources. Departmental orientation session(s) discuss TA and RA duties and introduce you to specific laboratory operations, grading criteria, office resources, etc. Contact the Graduate School and individual departments for orientation schedules. Job Responsibilities The department or program will provide you with a clear statement of responsibilities and expectations. A fundamental responsibility of the graduate assistant is to work closely with the faculty supervisor in carrying out any assigned duties while making good progress toward completion of the degree program. Coordinate work and academic program. Maintain standards of academic integrity and honesty in labs, classrooms, offices, etc and report violations to faculty supervisor. Stay informed of departmental, college, and institutional regulations and follow them consistently. Keep careful records of any work assignments so that progress and problems are fully documented, decisions are traced and results are verified, and incomplete work is finished after you have left the position. Discuss expectations and assessments of the work experience with the faculty supervisor on a regular basis. Articulate goals early and work with the supervisor to achieve them. The Graduate School encourages formalization of the expectations via the completion of appointment summaries or a TA/RA Agreement. Teaching Resources

UTEP provides a number or resources to support teachers. The following are possible places to receive assistance: Your professor has a great deal of experience and training as well as knowledge of other university resources and services of use. Experienced TAs in your department or others can also provide insight and answers to many questions. The Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETaL) is geared towards assisting faculty with their teaching but is open to graduate students and houses numerous books, videos, and internet sources on teaching techniques, philosophy, and other teaching materials. The CETal office is located at the Undergraduate Learning Center (UGLC), Room 334, (915) 747-8794. Audiovisual Services are available through individual departments and through the Multimedia Teaching and Learning Center in the UGLC, Room 308, (915) 747-5058. Tips For Teaching Assistants Defining Your Role It is important to discuss with your supervising professor your role in the class as well as relevant policies and procedures. Other matters to discuss include the following: Goals of the course Methodology for the course Additional materials to read to help assist the students Procedures for handling student complaints about grades, student difficulties with the course, handling instances of plagiarism or cheating Exam and assignment types Grading policies Office hours In your position as both teacher and student, you can help your professor adjust his/her teaching techniques to meet student needs as well as relate your professors goals for the class to the students. Elements of Tutoring One of your most important duties will be to tutor students who are having difficulty with the course material. Announce your office hours and location and encourage the students to meet with you for extra help. The following are some of the characteristics of an effective tutor Motivating the Students: Motivate the students through positive reinforcement, stressing the practical uses of the course, appealing to student interests, rewarding progress, and giving immediate and comprehensive feedback. Accommodating Different Learning Styles: Try to learn about as many learning styles as possible. The basic types of learners include visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners. Introducing New Concepts: Students need to be able to connect previous and new concepts. As new topics are introduced, ask students to discuss what theyve learned in their previous experiences in order to correct misconceptions or outdated material and provide examples. Giving the Big Picture: Students need to understand the underlying structure of a course. Have the students create outlines or use charts and tables that illustrate how concepts relate to one another to help them learn a network of ideas. Moving from Abstract to the Specific: Use concrete examples whenever possible to demonstrate ideas and give more than one example so that students will be able to fix on at least one that is meaningful to them. Teaching Special Skills: Model a skill for the students first, then allow an opportunity for practice and timely feedback. Increasing Students Awareness of their Own Progress: Encourage students to keep track of their learning and periodically record their problem-solving processes in a journal.

Leading Discussion Sessions While the lecture is an effective format for dispensing information, discussion sessions are useful for students because they can formulate principles in their own words, follow-up on implied or less explicit ideas in the course, critique or challenge course content, and solve problems. Clarify the purpose of the discussion session and announce this to the students at the beginning of the session Set up the room to allow for communication among and between the students and yourself (ex. sit in a circle) Use open-ended questions to encourage discussion and explanations. Avoid rhetorical, yes/no or preprogrammed questions. Dont field all the questions. Encourage the students to respond to other students comments. Be patient with response time. Wait before rephrasing the question. If response time is slow, consider having the students write down their responses before opening the floor to discussion. Be inclusive. Let students know that you are interested in hearing from everyone.

Leading Lab Sections Running a lab requires extreme preparation. Perform the entire experiment yourself before class. Know the details and underlying principles of the experiment as well as what the students will be accountable for learning in the lab and how the lab connects to lecture. Strictly follow and enforce all of the laboratory rules, especially safety rules. Model what you want students to learn. Where possible, provide interesting historical anecdotes about the experiment or provide examples of common, practical uses of the principles or techniques involved. After presenting the initial procedures for the lab, circulate among the students to answer their questions. Expect the unexpected. Be patient, be prepared, and keep everyone on track

Evaluating Student Writing All courses should expect and require good writing in your course. Make expectations known early and offer help or refer to the Tutoring and Learning Center (TLC). Make the writing assignment clear and specifically tell the students what you expect in terms of form and content. Provide a clear audience for the students for the assignment to assess information type, tone, and level of explanation. Provide students with grading criteria for writing assignments. Explain plagiarism, how to avoid it, and what the penalties are for it. Be timely, constructive and specific in comments and feedback If students are having problems with writers block, encourage free-writing to help initiate the brainstorming process. Also show the student tips on breaking down the writing assignments into smaller, more manageable sections. Encourage students to bring drafts to your office hours for individual help and feedback prior to grade assignment.

Preventing Plagiarism and Cheating

Addressing plagiarism and cheating requires a direct and preventative approach. Make sure the students understand the definitions of plagiarism: Submitting the words or works of another as your own without permission or proper credit. Failing to present the work of others in written or oral presentations by giving credit for the exact words or phrase(s), unique idea or image, and/or individual opinion. Copying the sentence patterns or logical development of the written piece of another, substituting your own words as you go while keeping so closely to the original that you have in affect taken it without giving credit. If secondary sources are required in papers, be sure to explain the documentation style your discipline uses. Citations should be made not only for published materials but also class notes, papers written by other students, and internet and database sources. Also discuss restrictions on collaborations among the students (if allowed). The definition of cheater should also be clearly defined for the students. Copying from the test paper of another student, engaging in written/oral/ or other communication with a student during a test, or giving aid to or seeking the aid of another student during a test. Possession and/or use of unauthorized materials during a test such as class notes, books, or crib notes. Using, obtaining, or attempting to obtain by any means the whole or any part of a nonadministered test, test key, homework solution, or computer program or using a test that has been administered in prior classes or semesters, but which will be used again either in part or whole without the permission of the instructor; or accessing a test bank without the professors permission. Collaborating or seeking aid from another student for an assignment without authority Substituting for another person, or permitting another to substitute for ones self, to take a test Falsifying research data, laboratory reports, and/or other records or academic work offered for credit. Actions to prevent cheating are as follows: Discuss the consequences of cheating and plagiarism, which can range from zero on an assignment to expulsion from the university Encourage students to attend tutorials and office hours if they are feeling insecure about the material before a test Use alternate forms of exams with scrambled orders of questions Have students turn in their blue books before the exam. Check them, and redistribute them again randomly

If you suspect cheating or plagiarism, bring the case to the supervising professor. Do not seize exams or accuse students of academic dishonesty without first consulting your professor.