Speaker
Description
We examine the evolution of the teaching identity of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) during their first year as they engage in teaching professional development and gain experience in the classroom. This study is part of a larger project that aims to increase active and collaborative learning in Math, Physics, and Computer Science at George Mason University. To prepare and support GTAs, the project has established pre-semester and academic-year professional development initiatives. The pre-semester workshop spans two days and aims to ready new GTAs for their classroom responsibilities. It covers practical teaching skills, emphasizing active learning, making a positive first day impression, available resources, and fostering a welcoming and inclusive classroom atmosphere. Academic-year professional development varies among departments but typically involves weekly meetings of GTAs, serving as a platform for discussing teaching methods and strategies. Following the two-day workshop in August 2023, we conducted seven focus groups, each comprising 3-4 GTAs. Currently, we are conducting one-on-one interviews to gain a deeper understanding of how GTA teaching identities evolve over time and to examine potential differences in experiences for international GTAs. The data collected from these focus groups and interviews provide preliminary insights into the development of teaching identity for new GTAs.
