Faculty

STEM Laboratory Teaching Assistants

Hello! from the STEM Lab TA Workshop

The STEM Laboratory TA Workshops provide professional development designed to recognize and take advantage of the TA's close interaction with, and influence on undergraduate students. By providing thoughtfully designed and consistently implemented professional development for TAs they are better prepared to serve as teachers and role models helping to engage students, enhance their learning and maintain their interest in science.

In the STEM lab TA training program, TAs receive content-specific training, including strategies for facilitating inquiry-based labs, discussions, and group work, as well as classroom management, grading, and presentation skills. To better support and meet the needs of their students, TAs also receive training on inclusive teaching practices for the diverse classroom.

The initial 3-day workshop, prior to fall semester each year, is for all new TAs in Chemistry; Cell, Micro, Molecular Biology (CMMB); Integrative Biology; and Physics. The morning sessions are facilitated by seasoned faculty providing TAs with classroom interactions, followed by afternoons becoming acclimated to the lab environment guided by their lab coordinators. Content of the follow up sessions is informed from TA feedback to address areas they want to explore further and are offered once each semester.

The summer workshops for 2020 and 2021 involved Canvas modules as pre-work for a 2 day  virtual training using MS Teams. 

USF STEM Laboratory TAs 2019

    STEM Laboratory TAs - August 2019

Facilitated by: Dr. Robert Potter, Professor of Chemistry, Sr. Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences and Dr. Ruthmae Sears, Associate Professor, College of Education.

Lab Coordinators: Dr. Laura Anderson and Dr. Chris Tang, Chemistry; Colbi Gemmell, CMMB; Mary Mangiapia, Integrative Biology; Dr. Gerald Woods, Physics.

 

Hello fellow USF Bulls from the STEM Lab TAs

Professional Development for STEM Lab TAs

STEM Lab TA Trainings

Teaching STEM at USF Handbook

Here is an electronic copy of this handy resource used at the trainings:

Book cover Teaching STEM at University of South Florida

 Edited by Dr. Amanda Helip-Wooley

Teaching STEM at University of South Florida

Topics include:
- The Science of Learning
- Framing & Solving Problems w/Greater Expertise
- Effective Presentations
- Evidenced-based Teaching - Examples
- Questioning Strategies
- Tips for Facilitating Group Work
- Classroom Management in Science Courses
- Assessment and Grading
- Professional Development
- Emergency Situations and Lab Safety

 

 

 2020 NSEC National Conference presentation

Using Professional Development to Support Equitable Learning Opportunities in STEM Lab Settings - June 2020

 This material is based on work supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant #DUE 1525574. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.