Teaching assistants (TAs) can assist online instructors with managing their course loads. Online TAs may be used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of teaching. Refer to section 4.2 "Teaching Assistants" in the Online Handbook for specific policies.
Process (See below for additional notes and info)
Process Notes
- (A): TA requests typically begin as improvement projects in which a designer is investigating ways to solve a course problem. The addition of a TA is only one solution that may be viable when investigating course problems. For example, if the goal is to reduce load, the designer may look at the amount of content, number of auto-graded assignments, etc.
- (B): The Teaching Assistant Resource Plan (TARP) is a tab on each course's course map.
- (C): If the TA is hired for an existing course, the curriculum designer will add the info to the existing course map and their group leader will provide a link on the change workflow.
- (D): Course Councils determine criteria/qualifications for TAs according to course needs.
- (E): Each TA is typically assigned to one section of a course. If a course has multiple sections, multiple TAs are needed.
- (F): TAs are trained to use the LMS through a course managed by Online Instruction.
- (G): The online delivery specialist monitors the change workflow and notifies the hiring specialist of approved TA Requests.
- (H): The hiring specialist confirms details with Course Lead and gets student recommendations prior to posting job.
- (I): The hiring specialist sends lists of TAs to Online Training Coordinator and Course Support Coordinator each semester.
Designers should work with the hiring specialist (Ira Young) to coordinate the timing of hiring. Generally, to have a TA ready for an upcoming semester, TA Requests also should be submitted by the maintenance deadline. Contact the course support coordinator (Julie Quilter) for more details on deadlines.
(J): One week prior to the semester, Ira Young (from Employment and Scheduling) gives the TA training instructions and provides contact information to both the TA and instructor. The TA completes the training modules during Week 1.
Best Practices
- When a TA is added to a course/section, changes must be made to the lesson notes, syllabus, and/or other areas to indicate which responsibilities belong to the TA and which to the instructor.
- If the need for a TA is temporary or urgent, check the availability of existing TA's within the department.
- Designers need to indicate the TA's duties on the TARP form.
Associated Policies
- Look at the Online Handbook 4.2 "Teaching Assistants" to see in-depth policies about TAs.
Designers must complete alterations to a course on the same timeline as other improvement projects so section creation and setup can occur on time.
- TAs are managed through Workday by Ira Young in Employment and Scheduling and are listed as his employees.
- TAs are evaluated by the online instructor during the mid-course survey.
- TAs on campus can also work in online sections as long as they do not go over their allowable hours.
- TAs must be campus-based students.
Responsible*: Steven Willis (planning & coordination manager)
Accountable*: OLC
Consulted*: Ira Young (online hiring specialist), Curriculum designers
Informed*: Julie Quilter (course support coordinator), Brad Barson (online training coordinator), Organizational Learning Team
Sharing: Unrestricted
*Note: The assignments above do not indicate responsibility or roles in individual implementations of this process. Instead, they assign roles in documenting, overseeing, and improving the process as a whole.
For example, the planning and coordination manager (Steve Willis) is responsible for coordinating the documentation and improvement of this process, but has no role in individual implementations. See "How are Core Processes developed and approved?" for more information.
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