Publication:
Mentor and mentee: bridging two perspectives on GTA training a case study on GTA training needs in the department of English at UPRM

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Authors
Sanabria-Morell, Jeniffer
Embargoed Until
Advisor
Casey, Judith K.
College
College of Arts and Sciences - Arts
Department
Department of English
Degree Level
M.A.E.E.
Publisher
Date
2010
Abstract
This case study investigated the opinions that Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) from the English Department at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez have regarding the training they received during their placement in the University Teaching Development (UTD) course, as well as the expectations that the coordinators of this course had. Thirteen GTAs and their two UTD coordinators participated in the research. The methods employed for data collection were GTA questionnaire, GTA focus group interview and UTD Coordinators‘ interview. Results showed that GTAs perceived the training course as redundant, as the materials assigned in the course were repeated for the three-semester time period graduate students were requested to take the course. GTAs stated that the course needed to include more hands-on activities dealing with topics such as teaching strategies and classroom management. The UTD coordinators identified classroom management, promoting active learning, and constructing a teaching philosophy as the main GTA training needs.

Este estudio de caso investigó las opiniones que los asistentes de cátedra (GTAs, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Inglés tenían sobre el adiestramiento que recibieron en el curso University Teaching Development, así como las expectativas y opiniones que las encargadas del entrenamiento tenían sobre el mismo. Trece GTAs y las dos coordinadoras del curso participaron en la investigación. Los datos se recopilaron mediante cuestionarios y entrevistas. Los resultados indican que los GTAs percibían que el curso era repetitivo, ya que los temas discutidos en los tres semestres que se requiere tomar el curso, son los mismos. Éstos también indicaron que se necesitaban más actividades prácticas que aborden temas como estrategias de enseñanza y manejo del salón de clases. Las coordinadoras, por su parte, identificaron manejo de salón, promoción de aprendizaje activo y redacción de una filosofía de enseñanza como las necesidades primordiales de entrenamiento de los GTAs.
Keywords
Graduate teaching assistants,
University teaching development course,
Classroom management,
Active learning
Cite
Sanabria-Morell, J. (2010). Mentor and mentee: bridging two perspectives on GTA training a case study on GTA training needs in the department of English at UPRM [Thesis]. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11801/884