Context at a Glance:

• Research 1 Institution- ~30,000 undergraduate students

• Large Enrollment Service Courses- enrollments between 500 – 100 each semester

• Multi-Component Course

• Large Lecture

  • Enrollment in each lecture section is between 100 – 450 students

  • PowerPoint presentation supplemented with  problem solving on a document camera and live demonstrations

  • Daily use of classroom response system

• Required Weekly Recitation Sessions

  • 1 hour per week

  • Enrollment in each recitation section is approximately 20 students

  • Weekly recitation activities are published in a workbook that students purchase and bring to recitation every week. 

  • These materials are designed to encourage group work and conceptual learning.

  • Each section is co-facilitated by a Graduate Teaching Assistant and a Learning Assistant

• Co-requisite Lab Course

  • 2.5 hours per week

  • Enrollment in each lab section is approximately 20 students

  • Weekly lab activities are published in a lab manual that students purchase and bring to lab each week.

  • Each section is taught by one Graduate Teaching Assistant

LA Hiring – approximately 1 LA is hired per 60 students enrolled in the course

Use of LAs

• Lecture

  • LAs attend one lecture section throughout the semester

  • LA move around the lecture hall during in-class concept tests (clickers) and help students with their thought process

  • LAs are interacting with students approximately 30% - 40% of the lecture period

• Recitation

  • LAs co-facilitate 3 – 4 recitation sections per week with a Graduate Teaching Assistant

  • LAs and TAs move between groups of 4 - 5 students, checking their understanding, pushing them to articulate their reasoning behind their answers and assisting students in their learning

  • LAs are interacting with students 100% of the recitation period

LA Weekly Preparation: LAs and TAs for each course meet as a group for one hour per week with one of the lecture instructors.  During these meetings, the previous week’s sessions are reviewed and content for the upcoming week’s activities are discussed. Common student misconceptions are presented and strategies are developed to help students strengthen their understanding.