Mapping of TAs to duties

An instructor should be free to utilize TAs to carry out the various TA-related course duties, as defined by UCR's Graduate Division, in a way that best utilizes TAs strengths, subject to the following constraints:

• Obeying the quarter hour limits of 220 hours per quarter (20 hrs/wk average) for a 50% TA and 110 hours per quarter (10 hrs/wk average) for a 25% TA. While weekly work fluctuations are expected, instructors should strive to balance the TA's workload across the quarter and not create an extremely heavy load at the end.

• Providing each TA with a well-rounded TAing experience.

In the past, mapping of TAs to duties was done in a very rigid, ineffective manner, where each TA was simply assigned to cover one, two, or three lab sections. This method has several serious deficiencies:

• The lecture portion of the course is greatly under-assisted or completely un-assisted. Students therefore do not get needed help on lecture material. Instructors do not get help creating lecture materials (quizzes, exams, homeworks, etc.). The rigid TA mapping method does not leave TAs time to attend lecture and help with lecture.

• TA efforts are highly redundant and thus this method wastes resources.

• New TAs are thrown into a difficult situation of running their own sections, creating a lot of stress.

• The TAs do not develop a sense of being part of a team -- rather, they just cover their own sections.

A flexible TA-assignment method is a more effective arrangement, involving perhaps:

• Having one (or more) TA assigned to assist with lecture. This TA attends lectures, reads the textbook, helps prepare homeworks/ quizzes/exams, helps grade those items, holds office hours specifically to help students with lecture material, and may also help with maintaining grades, handling regrades, etc. A TA with more lecture responsibility typically will have reduced or no lab duties to obey the workload hours constraint. This TA takes on the duties of a TA for a course that has no lab (having a lab does not invalidate the need for a lecture TA -- there's still a lecture part to the course!).

• Having certain lab TAs focus more on creating lab assignments, other lab TAs focus more on grading assignments, others focus on at-home programs, etc.

• Having more than one TA in a lab during critical times, such as during practical exams, when questions are more frequent due to a challenging assignment, or when assignments are due in lab.

• Having experienced TAs in the lab with new TAs, sharing the teaching duties. Towards the beginning of the quarter, the experienced TA may talk, and gradually during a quarter (or even during a year) the newer TA will take an increasingly larger role.

• A much greater feeling from the TAs as being part of a team.

The point to this flexible approach is to make best use of TA resources to create the best possible learning situation for undergraduates, and the best possible teaching experience for TAs, while respecting the constraints on TA workload and ensuring all TAs receive a well-rounded experience.