ERIC Number: EJ749887
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Feb
Pages: 11
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Catalyzing Graduate Teaching Assistants' Laboratory Teaching through Design Research
Bond-Robinson, Janet; Rodriques, Romola A. Bernard
Journal of Chemical Education, v83 n2 p313 Feb 2006
We report on a study of a laboratory teaching apprenticeship program designed to improve graduate teaching assistant (GTA) performance. To catalyze GTAs as laboratory teachers we constructed learning goals, synthesized previous literature into a design model and a developmental path, and built two instruments to measure 12 strategic pedagogical interactions. The resulting model is a cognitive apprenticeship. The instructors encourage GTAs to teach chemical knowledge by guiding their undergraduates' reasoning--in addition to explicit transmission of chemical knowledge. The new graduate course was refined over 5 fall semesters and 83 graduate students. Qualitative audio-video supplemented statistical data. Valid and reliable data, collected from coding 12 strategic interactions while GTAs taught a lab, were used to judge effectiveness of teaching in terms of pedagogical chemical knowledge (PChK). Three types of laboratory PChK are defined and described. The results show that 45% of new GTAs developed higher forms of PChK. Exemplary GTAs found that the extended time in lab is an advantageous occasion to teach UGs how to reason with chemical concepts; their actions utilized a constructivist learning model focused on directing students to reason, thereby increasing students' abilities to reason. Some 8% of new GTAs developed only the lowest form of PChK, procedural teaching.
Descriptors: Graduate Students, Chemistry, Teaching Assistants, Laboratory Training, Program Development, Cognitive Measurement, Instructional Effectiveness, Professional Development, Curriculum Development, Apprenticeships, Teacher Education Curriculum
Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society. Subscription Department, P.O. Box 1267, Bellmawr, NJ 08099-1267. Tel: 800-691-9846; Tel: 856-931-5825; Fax: 856-931-4115; e-mail: jchemed@egpp.com; Web site: http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A