CUES Mapping Educational Challenges (MECha) workshops explore challenges in university education by bringing together cross-disciplinary experts on the workshop theme.

About the Teaching & Learning Assistants in the Classroom MECha Workshop

This in person two-day workshop will bring together cross-disciplinary UArizona faculty to explore questions on the impact and value of undergraduate and graduate teaching/learning assistants (TAs/LAs)* who support teaching and learning across the disciplines.

Participants will work collaboratively to map current practices, share experiences, and identify research directions to understand the impact and value of teaching and learning assistants in university education. 

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Roles teaching assistants play across disciplines
• Teaching assistants' impact as peers and near-peers
• Teaching assistants' strengths, including identity & achievement
• Enhancing teaching assistant capacity: Training and assessment
• Experiential and professional value of teaching assistantships
• Teaching assistants in active learning/authentic practice spaces

* For the purposes of this workshop, TAs/LAs include all types of student assistants in teaching and learning in UArizona classrooms.

Organizing Committee

Deb Hughes Hallett (chair): Professor, Mathematics, College of Science;  Adjunct Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Amy Graham: Associate Professor of Practice, Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science
Joela Jacobs: Assistant Professor, German Studies, College of Humanities

Registration

Please pre-register to express interest in participating.  Please note that pre-registration does not guarantee a spot. Invitations to participate will be extended one to two weeks ahead of the workshop.

Participation is limited to UArizona faculty.

Workshop Reading Materials

Readings forthcoming

Workshop Agenda

Fri., April 21 | 10am - 4pm

Agenda forthcoming

Sat., April 22 | 9am - 4pm

Agenda forthcoming

Past CUES MECha Workshops

Links to Organizing Committee, Abstracts, Agendas, and Recommendation Reports

2021 | Civic Engagement and Service Learning, Across Disciplines

2019 | Quantitative Intuition, Across Disciplines

Funded CUES Spanning Boundaries Challenge Grants

MECha Workshops set the stage for a CUES sponsored 100K collaborative grant on the previous MECha theme

2022 | Community Stories of Sustainability and Resilience: Promise for the Learning Experience

2020 | Developing Socially-Aware Quantitative Intuition

Accessibility

With questions about access or to request any disability-related accommodations for this event such as ASL interpreting, closed-captioning, wheelchair access, or electronic text, etc., please contact cues@arizona.edu.

COVID-19 Safety Protocols

This event complies with the University's current COVID-19 mitigation policy for Events & Gatherings.

Social distancing will be maintained by limiting attendance to less than full capacity. Facial coverings are recommended indoors when not actively eating or drinking. Hand sanitizing stations will be positioned at entrances/exits. Disposable masks, gloves, and sanitizing wipes will be available for use.