Graduate Assistants Teaching Policy

SCHULICH GRADUATE STUDENT TEACHING POLICY
This document sets the Schulich School of Engineering's guidelines for the appointment and training of Graduate Assistants (Teaching), assignment of duties and measure of the GA(T)'s performance. The guidelines are designed to be flexible to accommodate the norms for each department of the SSE. The guidelines are also informed by and are consistent with the policies of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS).

The Teaching Assistant is very important in the delivery of instruction to undergraduate students. New TAs shall normally be assigned to grade assignments, quizzes and reports. Other duties such as invigilation of tests may be required. A diligent and conscientious performance of TA duties is very important in the undergraduate student perception of the overall quality of teaching of a course. While the TA is not expected to set tests or assignment problems and the solutions, he or she must be able to follow an instructor's solution key, define and apply a fair grading scheme, give appropriate feedback to students and keep good contact with the instructor. Other TAs may be assigned to be in direct contact with undergraduate students and conduct laboratories, tutorials or participate in teaching. Doctoral students who have previously performed TA duties successfully may be assigned a course to teach after appropriate training.

(a) Eligibility for a GA(T) appointment

Graduate students in the Schulich School of Engineering may be appointed as teaching assistants. Priority for appointment to GA(T) is to be given to full-time thesis-based graduate students.

Graduate students are not guaranteed GA(T) positions, and remuneration for doing teaching duties may or may not be part of minimum student support to be provided by supervisor and/or the department.

The Head (or delegate), as related to the teaching needs of a department, may assign GA(T) duties to a graduate student but the student's supervisor shall be consulted.

(b) Language Proficiency and Content Knowledge Qualifications for a GA(T)

Each department is responsible for determining the suitability of each GA(T) candidate for appropriate duties for courses offered by the department. This may take the form of interviewing the graduate students for English language skills (spoken and written) and content knowledge of the course material to which the graduate student may be assigned.

In addition, for common core courses, each department shall be responsible for determining the suitability of the potential GA(T) nominated for a course. The course coordinator shall have the opportunity to assess and accept or refuse the nomination. The Associate Dean (Academic) will be consulted if necessary.

For each course with a laboratory, the instructor-of-record is responsible for the proper running of the laboratory and knowledge of the subject matter being delivered in the laboratory. It is the instructor's responsibility that the work assigned a GA(T) is done, whether the GA(T) does it or not. Issues and concerns about TA duties or performance are to be referred to the Head by either the instructor or the GA(T).

The department or an instructor, according to the teaching unit's system or practices, assigns or chooses a GA(T) for a course. Efforts are to be made to assign a graduate student to a course in the area of the graduate student's research interest and expertise.

(c) Training Policy

All new graduate students who are going to be involved in any way with teaching undergraduate students are required to attend the SSE's training session offered annually in the first week of September, before classes start for the Fall term. For graduate students who unavoidably arrive late on campus, another session may be conducted either during the Fall term or at the start of the Winter term. The training session will include an orientation about the Schulich School of Engineering and expectations on duties assigned to teaching assistants.

All continuing graduate students with prior GA(T) experience are required to attend a SSE teaching workshop held annually in August. This workshop is on "best teaching practices" and focuses on teaching duties that involve interaction with undergraduate engineering students, such as running laboratories, conducting tutorials and office hours, or facilitating "active learning" exercises for undergraduate students. Also discussed are "critical incidents" and case studies.

Many advanced graduate students excel at TA duties. Such a GA(T), normally a senior PhD student with an interest in a future academic career, may be nominated by a department for specialized training. This would take place over a Spring/Summer month or during a semester, after which they may be assigned a course to teach as the "instructor-of-record". The appointment may involve a FGS Teaching Fellowship in addition to a sessional instructorship. A mentor shall be appointed by the Department Head, in consultation with the GA(T)'s supervisor, to monitor the progress of such a new instructor.

Failure to attend the training/workshop sessions offered by the SSE, without prior agreement with the Associate Dean (Teaching & Learning), will result in a graduate student being denied a GA(T) position.

(d) GA(T) Duties and Responsibilities

Departments are to be fair, equitable and consistent in terms of load and demands on the GA(T)s. In assigning GA(T)s, the size of the class and the work load should be factors. The course instructor is required to prepare the GA(T) adequately for his/her duties.

Some instructors (particularly sessionals) often ask for more time and effort than what is fair of GA(T)s. Examples are setting problems for quizzes, assignments and major examinations; copying extensive notes and papers for classes; and being often requested, in place of the absent instructor, to conduct office hours or extra tutorials for students. This is unacceptable.

The offer to do TA duties is to be made in writing and the graduate student, the Head of the department (or designate) and the course instructor (or the supervisor) will sign the document. The instructor shall have the right to refuse a GA(T) on the basis of competency.

GA(T)s who do not perform or fulfill the reasonable expectations placed on them will be penalized by termination of the appointment or by not renewing the teaching offer. The need for termination of appointment is to be determined by the instructor and the Head.

Graduate students who have performed poorly will not be assigned additional teaching duties until they have shown improvements through special training sessions. The judgment that a graduate student can resume GA(T) duties is to be made by the Head of department and reinstatement must be consistent with the eligibility criteria in part (b) above.

The GA(T) is to behave professionally and avoid emotional involvement with the students in his or her class.

(e) Evaluation of GA(T) Performance

The course coordinator or instructor is responsible for evaluating the GA(T)'s performance for the course. The instructor's role is both that of a mentor and an employer. Evaluations may include components from the instructor and undergraduate students, or either.

A review of the GA(T)'s performance is to be conducted towards the end of each term. Both the GA(T) and instructor are to sign the summary of the review results, after discussing the content. The signed summary (on a form) is to be submitted to the TA's department. The fact that the student signs the form does not signify agreement with the assessment, only that it has been discussed.

GA(T)s who have performed in exemplary ways will be publicly recognized through awards which may take several forms.

March 2006