A Survey of Graduate and Undergraduate Teaching Assistants

Abstract

This study explores the responsibilities and benefits of serving as a teaching assistant (TA). Seventy participants from different parts of the United States, who had either been an undergraduate TA (UTA), graduate TA (GTA), or both (UTA/GTA), completed an online survey. Self-report results suggest that the perceived benefits of the UTA experience are high, that UTAs who were asked to complete formal self-reflections were more likely to be GTAs, and that having increased UTA responsibilities are associated with more satisfaction, enjoyment, and perceived benefits. We also found that UTA/GTAs rated themselves as using humor and an engaging teaching style significantly more often than those TAs that were GTAs only.