Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) play a crucial role in supporting student learning and assisting professors in teaching-related duties. When GTAs come from outside of the United States, they bring with them a variety of cultural and linguistic norms that may align or conflict with American student expectations. This study investigates how International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) who we define as GTAs who have received their undergraduate degree outside of the United States and have a non-English native language, may benefit from professional development designed to support their unique needs. Providing ITAs an opportunity to practice teaching in a simulated environment, that values mistakes and reflection, is a promising way to boost confidence and increase success of implementing evidence-based teaching practices in an American classroom. This presentation will include a summary of themes from the semi-structured interviews that guided the creation of the professional development simulator module as well as findings from the simulator sessions of three ITA participants. Reflections from interviews immediately following the simulator sessions will be presented to describe the participants’ perspectives. Findings from this research can be used to increase instructional support for ITAs and improve instruction for undergraduate students.

Professional development of international teaching assistants through a mixed-reality teaching simulator module

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.