Undergraduate.Teaching Assistant Application Form

Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Contrac Form

Teaching Assistant Guidelines

Qualified undergraduate students may apply for selection as Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) in African and African American Studies each semester. Undergraduate TAs will work under the supervision of a faculty mentor and assist with an undergraduate African and African American Studies course. Prospective TAs must submit an application packet that includes the Application Form as well as supporting materials. Upon selection, the TA and the faculty mentor will complete the Undergraduate TA Contract. Copies will be provided to the TA, the faculty mentor, as well as the undergraduate adviser who will place a copy in the student's file in African and African American Studies. Questions about these guidelines should be addressed to the Undergraduate Adviser in African and African American Studies: Maureen Mulenga, at 814-863-8435 or via e-mail at mmulenga@psu.edu.

1. Undergraduate teaching assistants are not paid for their services. They receive 3 credits of AAAS 496A (Individual Studies). Additional requirements for this course may be worked out by the student and faculty member involved. Students may choose to complete an independent study research paper as part of their TA contract. If a student does the T A for credit for fall or spring semester - it is part of their semester bill. If they do it in the summer and are not doing any other course then the student is billed for the credits. If they do
not do it for credits – there is no cost.

2. TAs are participating in a learning experience. As time permits, faculty mentors are expected to discuss pedagogy and other relevant issues with them. While occasional clerical work may be necessary (for example, entry of grades into thegrade book), such work should not be a regular or primary duty.

3. TAs are expected to attend class. Exceptions to this are based on unique circumstances only. Faculty members may change this requirement based on their particular needs.

4. For 3 academic credits, TAs are expected to assist the faculty mentor 10 to 12 hours per week for a total of 150-180 hours for the entire semester. Time spent attending class or other duties directly related to assisting with the course count toward this total. Both TA and faculty mentor should anticipate the possible peaks and valleys in scheduling based on the course syllabus and discuss potential time conflicts, and possible adjustments to workload and duties, at the beginning of the semester. A research paper or other written coursework can replace some of the duties, if both faculty and student agree.

5. At the beginning of the semester, all TAs will receive a brief general orientation to review these guidelines and address general questions. It is the responsibility of the faculty mentor to outline sufficiently the specific duties and parameters at the beginning of the semester.

6. Undergraduate TAs should not be solely responsible for assigning letter grades on any work or assigning points to assignments that influence more than 20% of the final course grade. This proportion may be somewhat higher if it consists of objectively graded quizzes or grades assigned through a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory evaluation framework. In addition, TAs are expected to refer any conflicts or difficult situations to the faculty mentor immediately. When possible the mentor is expected to review all assignments evaluated by the TA before they are returned to the students.

7. It is up to the individual faculty member to determine if grading is part of TA duties. Faculty mentors are expected to meet with TAs regularly during the semester.

8. The responsibilities for a TA might include providing assistance with some or all of the following, depending on how much time is spent on evaluating assignments, as well as upon the individual experience and maturity and the TA's own goals for the teaching mentoring experience:

• Announcement of posting of campus events related to the course

• Preparation of research bibliographies and suggested project lists

• Facilitation of small group discussions on class reading assignments and other class material

• Maintaining a weekly journal of insights, questions, class observations, personal

   areas of growth in connection with the course

• Managing class resources such as slides, films, transparencies, etc.
• Development of questions for discussion, quizzes, and exams
• Planning of class discussion and other in-class activities

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