Associate Instructor Preparation at IU: Reflections and Proposals
On April 11, 2008, 40 faculty members explored their successes and challenges in preparing graduate students for current teaching responsibilities and future academic careers at the annual Breakfast and Discussion about Associate Instructor Preparation at IU. Sponsored by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and coordinated by Campus Instructional Consulting, this event acknowledges the work of IU faculty in preparing graduate students to teach, shares best practices, encourages critical reflection, and connects departments to resources. It is also an opportunity to propose new resources, such as guides for teaching mentors and enhancement of departmental and campuswide orientation programs.
Discussions at the event were facilitated by members of the Preparing Future Professors Faculty Learning Community (PFP FLC), a faculty forum and advocacy group for improving associate instructor (AI) preparation campuswide. The discussions were enriched by eight graduate student panelists who shared their experiences as teachers as well as constructive suggestions.
At Indiana University Bloomington, our academic departments retain most of the responsibility for preparing graduate students as both excellent researchers and inspiring teachers. Despite research and teaching specializations, our departments share common goals in fostering undergraduate learning and helping graduate students adjust to the professional expectations of academic life.
The graduate student panelists identified structured teacher preparation, including continued support throughout graduate education, as the most valuable contributions to their teaching success. While orientation programs, panel presentations by experienced AIs, practice teaching sessions (microteaching), and co-teaching opportunities were said to be useful for new teachers, the panelists appreciated access to additional instructional guidance as they gained experience. Successful teaching support for advanced AIs included increasingly complex teaching assignments, workshops on engaging critical thinking in the discipline, assistance with teaching and assessing writing, teaching mentoring by experienced peers and faculty members, and access to others' teaching materials through Oncourse. The graduate student panelists also requested clearer explanations of AI rights and responsibilities, especially guidance on managing student incivility, gender dynamics, academic dishonesty, and student disabilities.
Faculty participants agreed that structured and ongoing teaching preparation for graduate students is an effective model present in many departments. They suggested that successful strategies be shared among programs so graduate students have equal access to good teaching preparation. Participants suggested future directions for AI preparation, both at the discipline and campuswide level, aligned along the following common themes.
Beyond teaching tips
Participants promoted a comprehensive approach to associate instructor preparation, including teaching tips, pedagogical theory, and research on teaching and learning. Furthermore, definitions of teaching should include research mentoring and clinical supervision, in addition to classroom experience. Teaching certificate programs, available in a few departments and schools, expand graduate students' definitions of teaching beyond "tips" and "survival." Additional campuswide pedagogy courses, which would supplement existing department-based pedagogy courses and support smaller departments with insufficient enrollment, can help students develop this broad view of teaching.
Improving communication
Disciplines experience challenges in preparing international graduate students for the cultural and communication demands of our classrooms. Further language preparation services from the university, such as accent reduction programs and programs in effective communication, would help these international students adapt more quickly. Participants also proposed additional course-specific professional communication development for all of our graduates.
Teaching and assessing writing
Teaching and assessing writing were common concerns among both graduate student panelists and faculty participants. Assignment-specific grading guidelines from supervisors can help AIs appropriately weight content, style, and mechanics in a paper. AIs also should be connected with campus writing resources. For example, a tutor from Writing Tutorial Services may be asked talk to the class about a specific assignment and work directly with students on that assignment. In addition, librarians may be asked to prepare custom library Web pages to help students write research papers.
Evaluation of teaching
Participants are exploring methods for assessing the teaching effectiveness of their graduate students. It was proposed that a modified end-of-semester teaching evaluation form for AIs be developed to more accurately reflect graduate student teaching responsibilities. Participants also proposed assessment strategies that go beyond the formal teaching evaluation forms. For example, instructors can conduct anonymous electronic mid-semester evaluations using the Original Test and Survey Tool on Oncourse to make appropriate changes mid-way through a course. End-of-semester debriefs with new AIs have been helpful in linking departmental training practices with successful teaching and learning.
Challenges for AI supervisors
Participants encouraged teaching experiences which give graduate students increasing control over course content and mentoring which helps graduate students balance teaching and research demands. Yet finding time and receiving recognition for mentoring AIs were common challenges for faculty participants. While collaborations among associated departments improve efficiency in providing AI preparation programs, participants hoped that departments and campus administration will identify creative ways to recognize faculty members who supervise AIs. For example, broader definitions of teaching will give credit to faculty who co-teach with AIs, observe student teaching, and participate in clinical supervision.
Faculty resources
Faculty members interested in creating and/or modifying their AI preparation program may:
- develop collaborations with related disciplines;
- connect with campus resources:
- Teaching and Learning Gateway (http://teaching.iub.edu),
- the annual campus summary, Associate Instructor Preparation for Teaching 2008, available online at (http://www.aiprep.indiana.edu/) or in hard copy from Campus Instructional Consulting (teaching@indiana.edu),
- Campus Instructional Consulting (http://www.indiana.edu/~teaching/allabout/prepare/), and
- Campus Writing Program (http://www.iub.edu/~cwp/);
- consult with Instructional Support Services (http://www.iub.edu/~iss/);
- apply for course/program development grants from the Office of Academic Affairs and Instructional Support Services (http://teaching.iub.edu/awards_faculty.php).
Questions about this event or associate instructor preparation at IU and requests for resources from the event may be directed to Katie Kearns ( kkearns@indiana.edu).
