STEM Program courses are assigned one Teaching Associate (TA) when the class is confirmed and two Teaching Associates if the class reaches max capacity. Based on the specific nature of the STEM Program, it is highly recommended that you consider at least one TA as they would be best suited to support the unique needs of the student population and extended academic day.
*Note: 1) instructors who are co- or team- teaching are subject to a different TA assignment policy; 2) undergraduates cannot serve in the TA role. Please email pcsugcourses@brown.edu with questions.
While we expect that instructors will be monitoring their course enrollments, we will contact instructors if it appears their course will warrant course support. We look to instructors to identify the individual with whom they will work and what type of support they request, and to convey this information to us. While teaching support is provided based on enrollment, it is our expectation that whatever type of course support is provided not only provides the instructor with a more manageable workload but also adds significantly to students’ educational experiences. Indeed, the type of teaching support provided instructors depends not merely on the size of the class, but more specifically on the goals of the course and the kinds of activities in which the students are engaged. In considering which type of teaching support they request, instructors should carefully consider the different kinds of teaching support available in relation to their course objectives and syllabus.
If you have identified an individual to support your course, please advise pcsugcourses@brown.edu. If an instructor requires assistance in locating course support, SPS can aid in recommending one. Instructors should email pcsugcourses@brown.eduwith their requirements. All teaching support personnel must be I-9 compliant before the first day of class.
Teaching Associates
Teaching Associates are typically Brown graduate students who serve as Associates for summer courses offered through their home department, and in areas in which they have a developing expertise. Associates typically attend all classes and, through their engagement with students and the instructor in the subject matter of the course, provide additional support to the instructor and the students in ways that increase – in quality and quantity – student contact with content experts and in this way supports student learning. Frequently Associates go on to teach the courses they support in subsequent summers. While a Teaching Associate should be viewed by students as an instructional resource supplementing an instructor, an Associate is not a co-instructor. They are not responsible for creating a syllabus, designing and delivering course content independent of the instructor, individual class modules, lectures, or being the primary or regular leader of the class. This is a salaried position.
QUALIFICATIONS: Current enrollment at the graduate level in the discipline being taught, and with content expertise in the special area being taught; prior experience as a teaching assistant or training in pedagogy required.
Among the tasks a Teaching Associate is expected to do are:
- Lead or facilitate discussion sections during class
- Augment an instructor’s role in discussing material
- Assist students when doing hands-on experiments and ask them appropriate questions to help deepen student understanding
- Grade and provide students with feedback on homework, exams, and tests
- Lead tutorials and review sessions outside of class
- Tutor students on how to learn (i.e. going over study strategies)
- Assist the instructor with administering pre-instruction and/or post-instruction slips, review homework preparation and provide students with guidance on assignments
- Provide formative feedback to the instructor regarding student learning
- Act as a “liaison” between instructor and students
