Experimental Study Report: Graduate Teaching Assistant Effectiveness

This report presents an experimental study design to evaluate the effectiveness of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) on undergraduate students. The study investigates the impact of GTAs on student performance by comparing groups taught by GTAs and lecturers. It addresses research questions regarding the variations in GTA training, their contribution to student performance, and student satisfaction levels. The report also highlights the benefits of being a GTA, including career development, administrative skills, and improved teaching strategies. The study uses sampling methods and variable analysis to assess the GTAs' influence on student outcomes, including course marks and satisfaction levels, and considers the GTAs' role in fostering student learning and research opportunities. The study aims to fill gaps in existing research and provide insights into the value of GTAs in higher education.

Graduate Teaching Assistance
Student Name:
Institution:

Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................3
Experimental Study Design......................................................................................................................4
Research Questions...................................................................................................................................5
Importance of Graduate Teaching Assistants.........................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
This study will apply the use of experimental study design to conduct the survey. An
experimental research design is a study design that applies the use of a controlled experimental
factor that undergoes the experiment process for a purpose of comparing them with other factors
which are kept constant (Ya-Ting & C, 2008). Based the literature review, we can have several
distinct experimental designs for the various research questions at hand.
The research problem is to determine the performance of the undergraduate students
taught in their introductory classes by the teaching assistants and the effect the training of being a
teaching assistant has on the graduate students. The specific objectives include; to study the
effectiveness of a Graduate Teaching Assistant, to study the epistemological and metacognitive
development of graduate teaching assistance and to study the potential development or utilization
of an instrument. These objectives will form the scope of the study (Xiao, et al., 2011).
Sampling will be done from a population of all university students. Students from various
different courses will be used as samples. Sampling is study in order to make the study
manageable and for easy inferencing about the population (Williams, Keith, O'Connor, & Marie,
2012).A maximum of five courses is sufficient for the study. The sample will involve two groups
of students; those that are taught purely by the lecturers and those taught by lectures and graduate
teaching assistants. Those who are purely taught by the lectures will act as control for the
experiment.
The variables will include students’ identity (name), course, marks scored at the
beginning of the semester, marks scored at the end of the semester and satisfaction level.

Specific design structures are outlined in the section that follows. Specific experimental study
designs suitable for every objective are also outlined in the sections that follow.
Experimental Study Design
In order to study the effectiveness of a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) on
undergraduate students, we will use two different samples of students. One sample will consist of
those students who are taught by graduate teaching assistants while the other used as a control
for the experiment, will consist of those who are purely taught by lectures. In our scenario, we
will pick the samples from the same course.
The two groups will be given the same test at the end of the semester and their
performance evaluated. From this, one would be able to evaluate effectiveness of a Graduate
Teaching Assistant (GTA) on undergraduate students.
Research Questions
Based on the review of various literatures of the numerous work that have been done on
graduate teaching assistants, it is very evident that several gaps still exists. Several research have
been done on this subject matter and in different dimensions. However, there are still other gaps
that exists and that requires further research. Some of these areas or research questions are
outlined below.
Does the training by GTA and by main lectures exhibit any significant variation? A study by
(DeChenne, Kiziol, Needham, & Enochs, 2015) on modelling the sources of self-teaching, it is
demonstrated that there exists variations in the trainings of graduate teaching assistants by
professional teachers. The study, however, failed to clearly outline whether such variations are

important or significant and the extent to which such variations can affect the delivery of the
graduate teaching assistants. Therefore, such studies are important and critical as they directly
influence the output of the students as well.
Do graduate teaching assistants have any significant contribution towards the overall
performance of the students? Several studies have indicated that indeed graduate teaching
assistants have some contributions in the overall performance of the students. A study by
(Goertzen, et al., 2010) demonstrate that graduate teaching assistants contribute much to the
students’ understanding of the practical concepts of the course by assisting in the step by step
handling of such areas. Furthermore, a study by (Jeffrey, 2009) demonstrate that graduate
teaching assistants helps in improving the critical thinking abilities of the students. These are
indeed very important concepts as far as students’ academics are concerned. However, none of
these studies indicate the significance of these contributions towards the overall performance of
the students. Therefore, a study needs to be conducted in order to find out whether such
contributions are significant towards the overall performance of the students.
What is the level of satisfaction of the students with the graduate teaching assistants? A study
by (Kinchin, et al., 2009) reveals that a significant of students are indeed generally satisfied with
the graduate teaching assistants. In fact, the reveals that a significant of students are comfortable
with consulting the graduate teaching assistants rather than their lecturers. This is very important
as far as improving students’ performance is concerned. The study, however, failed to point out
the level of satisfaction of the students of being handled by the graduate teaching assistants.
Therefore, a study needs to be done to find out or investigate the level of satisfaction of the
students with the graduate teaching assistants.

A further study needs to be done find out whether there is a significant difference in the
performance of students in the units taught by experienced lecturers and those taught by graduate
teaching assistants. A study by (Nicole, 2011) as well as a study by (Miller, et al., 2014)reveals
that there is indeed a difference in performance in the units handled by graduate assistants and
lecturers and those handled by lectures alone. The studies, however, did not outline how
significant or important this difference is towards academic performance of the students.
Therefore, a further study needs to be done to find out how important the differences re towards
the overall academic performance of the students.
Importance of Graduate Teaching Assistants
Graduate teaching assistance have a wide range of benefits or importance to those who
are involved. These benefits assist them in their career development and their future career
progress both as teachers as well as in other roles. Some of the major benefits of being assistant
teacher to an individual are outlined below.
A teaching assistant learns to be a responsible teacher by helping the main teachers to
carry out their daily activities (Gilmore, et al., 2014). This means that they finally develop as
very important and well- rounded teachers or lecturers in the end (Henderson & Barbara, 2010).
For example, graduate teaching assistant must ensure that the classroom is conducive for
learning (Gonsalves, et al., 2009). They also help the main lecturers in ensuring that the
classroom is neat, clean and sufficiently fresh to inspire learning (Cho, et al., 2011). This is an
extremely important preparation of the involved individuals who would later become lecturers.
Another important benefit of being a graduate teaching assistant is that it prepares one to
be a proper administrator as far as the teaching job is concerned (Damiani, Michelle, Harbour, &

Wendy, 2015). This is because a teaching assistant will be available to assist the main lecturer in
their daily administrative work (Eulsun, Lynn, & Mark, 2012). Therefore, by being a graduate
teaching assistant, one is in the process of learning by experience. This is very important in
developing a proper leader or administrator.
Moreover, graduate teaching practice helps an individual in learning by practicing the
various learning strategies that are appropriate for efficient content delivery (Eulsun, Seung,
Lynn, & A, 2010). This implies that an individual is able to evaluate themselves in the process
and decide on the most appropriate teaching strategy or delivery methods (Saches, Teviah, &
Timothy, 2015). A graduate teaching assistant may be able to even assess the students they are
handling to ascertain whether they are using the right strategies and delivery methods.
A graduate teaching assistant learns by helping the lectures to manage various lesson
activities (Lachman, et al., 2013). By providing support during activities such as practical lessons
or activities that requires demonstration and the students cannot handle on their own, they gain
proper mastery of the concepts (Saches, Teviah, & Timothy, 2015). They gain proper mastery
and understanding of various course concepts and activities. This is important as it helps them in
becoming confident of what they will be teaching in future as much as it improves on their
mastery and knowledge of the courses they are handling. Furthermore, by constant interaction
with the students, and from various concepts or parts that might not be clear, the teaching
assistants are at better position of developing on their research and studies. This is very critical
and important in advancing on their degrees as much as getting various links from the various
institutions that might be interested in their research or might find their research to be important.
A graduate teaching assistant works in a team (Saches, Teviah, & Timothy, 2015). A
graduate teaching assistant is in the team that helps in building a happy and healthy relationship

between the students, the lectures and other stakeholders like the parents and guardians (Trent &
John, 2014). They contribute to the growth of skills of the students and helping them achieve
their dreams (Miller, et al., 2014). These stallholders later become very important links to the
graduate teaching assistant in future (Webstar, et al., 2013). Therefore, by taking part as a
graduate teaching assistant, they develop important powerful network which has the potential of
being very important in the future.
Graduate teaching assistants have got ample time to carry out their research. This is
because assisting in teaching is usually less time consuming (Gonsalves, et al., 2009). Therefore,
graduate teaching assistant is able to find their time and complete their class work and advance
their studies which is an important aspect in their future career developments.
Graduate teaching assistants also have a great growth opportunity in terms of the various
soft skills that are important for their career growth and developments (Eulsun, Lynn, & Mark,
2012). Some of the greatest skills that a graduate teaching assistant is able to learn and develop
are the communication skills and the presentation skills. By taking part in daily class activities
and teaching sessions, those who have undergone the graduate teaching assistantship develop
strong and very effective communication skills (Nicole, 2011). They are able to know some of
the best delivery ways for effective learning, a skill that is very crucial for those who intend to
further their career in lecturing. Moreover, according to the research done by (DeChenne, Kiziol,
Needham, & Enochs, 2015), a graduate teaching assistants have to make several presentations
from time to time thereby enabling them to develop proper and effective presentation skills that
they require in various occasions in their teaching career as well as outside the teaching career.
References

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