Transforming teaching assistant roles into co-creators of instruction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v8i2.5555Keywords:
student-faculty partnership, student engagement, empowerment, pedagogical gains, power dynamicsAbstract
This case study explores the implementation of a collaborative initiative that transformed the traditional role of teaching assistants (TAs) into student-faculty partners in two psychology courses. The objective of the collaboration was to leverage the insights and contributions of undergraduate students as co-creators of instruction for students’ engagement and meaningful learning experience. The case study highlights the processes, impacts, and challenges of these partnerships, revealing opportunities for student partners to develop pedagogical and assessment literacy, enhance communication and leadership skills, and gain insights into student behaviors and preferences. Pedagogical and curricular gains were observed, including the incorporation of student insights into instructional activities and improved teaching materials. However, challenges related to power dynamics and student perceptions of privilege were also identified. The findings emphasize the importance of careful navigation and the creation of meaningful opportunities for student engagement in higher education.
Downloads
References
Cook-Sather, A. (2020). Respecting voices: How the co-creation of teaching and learning can support academic staff, underrepresented students, and equitable practices. Higher Education, 79(1), 885–901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00445-w
Cook-Sather, A., & Agu, P. (2013). 16: Student consultants of color and faculty members working together toward culturally sustaining pedagogy. To Improve the Academy, 32(1), 271–285. https://doi.org/10.3998/tia.17063888.0032.020
Cook-Sather, A., Bahti, M., & Ntem, A. (2019). Pedagogical partnerships: A how-to guide for faculty, students, and academic developers in higher education. Elon University Centre for Engaged Learning. https://doi.org/10.36284/celelon.oa1
Cook-Sather, A., Bovill, C., & Felten, P. (2014). Engaging students as partners in learning and teaching: A guide for faculty. John Wiley & Sons.
Healey, M., Flint, A., & Harrington, K. (2014). Engagement through partnership: Students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education. Higher Education Academy. https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/engagement-through-partnership-students-partners-learning-and-teaching-higher
Kaur, A. (2020). Students as partners: Challenges and opportunities in the Asian context. International Journal of Students as Partners, 4(2), 145–149. https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v4i2.4366
Kaur, A., Awang-Hashim, R., & Kaur, M. (2019). Students’ experiences of co-creating classroom instruction with faculty: A case study in eastern context. Teaching in Higher Education, 24(4), 461–477. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2018.1487930
Kaur, A., Kumar, V., & Noman, A. (2022). Partnering with doctoral students in research supervision: Opportunities and challenges. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(3), 789–803. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1871326
Kaur, A., & Noman, M. (2020). Investigating students’ experiences of Students as Partners (SaP) for basic need fulfilment: A self-determination theory perspective. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.53761/1.17.1.8
Kaur, A., & Tang, Y. (2023). Listening to students’ voices through pedagogical partnerships in higher education: Insights from China. In J. Conner, R. Raaper, C. Guzmán-Valenzuela, & L. Gauthier (Eds.), The Bloomsbury Handbook of Student Voice in Higher Education (p. 399). Bloomsbury Publishing.
Kaur, A., & Yong Bing, T. (2020). Untangling the power dynamics in forging student-faculty collaboration. In A. Cook-Sather & C. Wilson (Eds.), Building courage, confidence, and capacity in learning and teaching through student-faculty partnership (pp.63–72). Lexington Books.
Kuh, G.D., & Hu, S. (2001). The effects of student-faculty interaction in the 1990s. The Review of Higher Education, 24(3), 309–332. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2001.0005
Matthews, K. E., Groenendijk, L. J., & Chunduri, P. (2017). We want to be more involved: Student perceptions of students as partners across the degree program curriculum. International Journal for Students as Partners, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v1i2.3063
Park, C. (2004). The graduate teaching assistant (GTA): Lessons from North American experience. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(3), 349–361. https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251042000216660
Smith, K. S., & Kalivoda, P. L. (1998). Academic morphing: Teaching assistant to faculty member. To Improve the Academy, 17(1), 85–102. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2334-4822.1998.tb00344.x
Wise, A. (2011). Supporting future faculty in developing their teaching practices: An exploration of communication networks among graduate teaching assistants. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 23(2), 135–149. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ946138.pdf
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Amrita Kaur, Wei Zou, Ziyu An, Yuhao Ma, Kehan Lu, Qingqing Zhou
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process - this applies to the submitted, accepted, and published versions of the manuscript. This can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (see The Effect of Open Access).
