Growing a garden without water: Graduate teaching assistants in introductory science laboratories at a doctoral/research university

Julie A. Luft; Josepha P. Kurdziel; Gillian H. Roehrig; Jessica Turner

doi:10.1002/tea.20004

journal article Feb 26, 2004

Growing a garden without water: Graduate teaching assistants in introductory science laboratories at a doctoral/research university

Julie A. Luft Josepha P. Kurdziel Gillian H. Roehrig

Jessica Turner

Journal of Research in Science Teaching Vol. 41 No. 3 pp. 211-233 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/tea.20004

Abstract

AbstractGraduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in the sciences are a common feature of U.S. universities that have a prominent mission of research. During the past 2 decades, increased attention has been paid to the professional development of GTAs as instructors. As a result, universities have created training programs to assist GTAs in selecting instructional methods, curricular formats, and assessments when they serve as laboratory, lecture, or discussion group instructors. Unfortunately, few studies explore the educational and instructional environment of GTAs in these reformed settings. This study was conducted to address this specific need. As a constructivist inquiry, qualitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data to elucidate the educational and instructional environment of science GTAs at a doctoral/research university in which various training programs existed. We found that GTAs worked autonomously, that traditional practices and curricula existed in laboratories, and that instructors frequently held limited views of undergraduates' abilities and motivation. Findings in this initial study about GTAs suggest that developers of GTA training programs draw on the literature regarding science teacher education, and that reward systems be instituted that recognize faculty and staff for their participation in GTA training programs. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 211–233, 2004

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Details

Published: Feb 26, 2004
Vol/Issue: 41(3)
Pages: 211-233
License: View

Authors

J

Julie A. Luft

Science and Mathematics Education Center, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX 78712

J

Josepha P. Kurdziel

Departmednt of Teaching and Teacher Education, University od Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721

G

Gillian H. Roehrig

Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120

J

Jessica Turner

Cite This Article

Julie A. Luft, Josepha P. Kurdziel, Gillian H. Roehrig, et al. (2004). Growing a garden without water: Graduate teaching assistants in introductory science laboratories at a doctoral/research university. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41(3), 211-233. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20004

Growing a garden without water: Graduate teaching assistants in introductory science laboratories at a doctoral/research university

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