Pedagogical Preparation of the Science Graduate Teaching Assistant: Challenges and Implications.

Abstract

Abstract Graduate teaching assistants are often left out of the science teacher education reform agenda, but these science educators are responsible for significant amounts of undergraduate instruction especially at large research universities. Within science departments specifically, a number of courses and laboratories are taught by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). The role of GTAs in undergraduate science education, their pedagogical beliefs and instructional approaches are briefly discussed. An analysis of the structure, components, quality, and effectiveness of science GTA teacher preparation programs in the research literature is reviewed. Finally, goals for future science teacher education and sustained professional development of science GTAs are offered based on the results of the review. Keywords: science education, teacher education, graduate teaching assistants, professional development Introduction I am put in the mind of a dinner party I attended years ago at a major northeastern university. One guest (not affiliated with the university) made it clear that he thought that the education of undergraduates was the highest priority at this particular institution. After a moment's embarrassed silence from the assembled faculty, a senior member of the psychology department smiled sadly and said, How touching. (Trefil, 2008, p. 139). This anecdote illustrates the disproportionate reward system that exists in many larger institutions of higher education where faculty are more often recognized for their research and much less for their teaching. Undergraduate teaching at research universities often rests solidly on the backs of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who teach large proportions of the introductory curriculum. In most science departments GTAs teach most (if not all) the laboratory sections and in many cases also teach components of larger lecture sections. These GTAs play critical roles in educating the next generation of professionals but often receive little or no education or professional development to prepare them for these critical roles. Many universities are experiencing attrition rates of up to 40% of intended undergraduate science majors (Strenta, Eltiot, Adair, Matier, & Scott, 1994). This trend is particularly problematic for women and people of color in science fields (Seymour, 2002). These trends in reduced student retention are accompanied by caUs to improve the quality of science instruction at the undergraduate level through professional development and teacher education (Addy & Blanchard, 2009; Mcintosh, 2000). But where do GTAs fit in this educational reform? This group of teachers is almost invisible in the academic machinery that drives educational programs at large universities (Park & Ramos, 2002). The most logical point at which to implement reform in the quality of undergraduate instruction is with graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), for a couple of reasons. First, the increasing responsibility GTAs have for providing undergraduate instruction gives them a proportionately larger role over time in achieving university instructional objectives (Luo, BeUow, & Grady, 2000). These responsibihties are only increasing as student enrollment and a need for instructors in introductory post-secondary courses continues to rise (Nicklow, Marikunte, & Chevalier, 2007; Travers, 1989). Second, the experiential training GTAs receive in the classroom can be scaffolded with explicit pedagogical preparation and best-practice training prior to their faculty appointments thus breaking the reproduction of mentors with little formal pedagogical training (Addy & Blanchard, 2009). Unfortunately, increasing the quality of science instruction through teacher education and professional development has traditionally existed in the realm of K- 12 classrooms (Darling-Hammond, 2009). Because of this, teacher education has by-passed a group of instructors that have a disproportionately large role in the future of undergraduate science instruction. …