ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Teaching opportunities

You want to be a teaching assistant?

Inquiry-based laboratory curricula employing active learning strategies have proven to enhance deep learning, learner-centeredness, and critical thinking. However, it demands a very different teaching strategy and also more one-on-one engagement between the students and the instructors. Per semester, we offer ~25 lab sections, made of 36 students each, to over 40 majors on campus which demands considerable student-instructor ratio (~ 6:1) and adaptability to meet the needs of different students’ backgrounds and educational pursuits.  In order to effectively teach these modern, cutting-edge microbiology labs, we have established “Teaching Teams”, consisting of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs), and lab management. To formalize this approach, we have developed a curriculum that further enhances the UTA’s experiences by training them in scientific and professional competencies, familiarizing them with the use of instrumentation and advanced technology, helping them develop interpersonal skills, and enhancing their teaching aptitude through classroom experience and online modules. The culmination of the semester is the creation of an ePortfolio with a personal reflection on their teaching experience. UTA contribution to the teaching team heightens the students laboratory experience by providing individualized support throughout the learning process and creates a more nurturing atmosphere. This multidimensional teaching experience positively impacts the UTA’s future profession through the development of lifelong skills not obtained in a traditional student role. Our UTA opportunity makes students more empowered and competitive for STEM graduate and professional degree applications.