Teacher’s Assistant Roles and Responsibilities
ASSISTING THE PROFESSOR.
Help design the course, construct tests, prepare materials, grade assignments, etc.
Understand the objectives and learning goals the professor has set for the students so you can communicate course materials to them; know the professor’s expectations of you.
SUPPORT STUDENTS
Work with students one-on-one as needed; learn about problems they are having with the course material.
Schedule time to meet via Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, phone, etc., with students who needed help; motivate students to get help before they become overwhelmed with the material; Maintain a flexible schedule to accommodate students’ needs.
GRADING
Grade tests, exams, essays/papers, quizzes, discussion forums, etc., on time each week.
Understand the course content and be able to follow a student’s thinking to interpret answers that might not be complete; be consistent so that your grading is fair and reliable; know your department’s grading procedures and policies and work with your course supervisor to develop grading criteria; become familiar with your department’s and the Institution’s policies on academic integrity; develop strategies for dealing with angry or aggressive students.
Submit Grades on Time. At the end of the semester, within one week of the course ending, upload grades to electronic platforms (QuickSchools) and email them to the academic coordinator as well.
Ensure that all students are accounted for.
ONLINE CLASS SET UP
At the beginning of the semester:
-Enroll students in the course.
-Make sure all internal and external links are working.
-Ensure that all videos are embedded correctly, and there are no broken videos.
-Ensure that courses are turned on one week at a time (each Sunday evening for the upcoming week)
-Record videos for weekly intros if the teacher already hasn’t recorded any.
During the semester
-Turn on the weekly module on time each week (Sunday evening)
-Record weekly video intros.
At the end of the semester:
-Ensure that all students are unenrolled one week after the semester ends.
-Ensure that students complete the course evaluation.
-Ensure that students complete the pre-registration survey for the next semester.
-Ensure that students know other SU courses that they might take next.
-Turn off all the modules when all students are unenrolled.
-Submit the grade.
WHO MAKES A GOOD TEACHER’S ASSISTANT AT SU?
Someone who is:
Very good with technology and loves to learn new technologies
Has taken courses online, especially using platforms like Moodle.
Inquisitive, creative, and curious
Sociable and easy to talk to
Passionate about connecting with students
Patient and resourceful
Organized and careful about time management
Devoted to learning
Attentive to details
A lover of reading
Service-oriented
Able to laugh and have a sense of humor
Thoughtful about interacting with people from diverse backgrounds
Excellent at oral and written communication
Highly knowledgeable about their subject area
REQUIREMENTS
Have a master’s degree or doctorate in a field related to the subject they want to teach
Pursuing a master’s degree or doctorate in a field related to the subject they want to teach
Previous online teaching experience is not required (but preferred).
