CSci Classes Online: Tips for TAs
The purpose of this note is to provide some observations and advice for students who are doing some or all of their TA work online this semester. In addition to the information here, of course, you will need to work with your teacher and other TAs in deciding what works best for the course you will be TAing.
TAing online classes has some similarities to TAing in-person classes, but also some important differences. The following list is not exhaustive, but has some advice that might be useful.
Do “normal” things well.
Communicate.
Understand expectations.
Learn tools.
Figure out what works best for office hours (and labs, etc.)
If useful, help set up additional ways for students to communicate with course staff.
Be cognizant of students who don’t ask questions, but are struggling.
Don’t expect everything to work ideally.
Provide students with tips about how to learn effectively online.
Share what works; share your expertise, and learn from other TAs.
Take care of yourself.
Here is more explanation of those items:
Do “normal”’ things well. One key to a successful online class is that regular teaching and TA tasks are done well. This includes items such as ensuring that homework and lab descriptions are well-written (e.g., a poorly written lab problem can cause more problems in an online course than an in-person one), answering questions from students and other course staff in a timely fashion, ensuring that material is posted and updated on the class website, being present and on-time for TA work (even though it will be online rather than in-person), etc.
Communicate. Because the class will not meet in person, and the course staff might not meet in person, communication --- between the teacher and students, between the teacher and TAs, among TAs, etc. --- is especially important. Take special efforts to communicate with others so that everyone is clear about course procedures, that all TAs are “on the same page,’’ that questions are answered in a timely fashion, etc.
Understand expectations. Many online TA expectations will be the same as when the class was in-person: for instance, assignments still need to be graded in a timely fashion. However, there might be some new expectations. Make sure you are clear what the expectations are for when the course is online.
If needed, take time to learn about tools. If you are not already familiar with the tools the class will use for any labs or discussion sections, will use for office hours, will use for virtual course staff meetings, etc., then take time to learn them before you need to use them.
Figure out what works best for office hours (and labs, etc.). Online office hours (and labs and discussion sections) can be a challenge. Figure out what works best or what addresses, as much as possible, challenges like large numbers of students wanting to ask questions at the same time.
If useful, help set up additional ways for students to communicate with course staff. Because there might not be in-person class meetings, many students will find it more difficult to ask questions, get prompt answers from teachers and TAs, etc. Consider whether additional means of student-course staff communication would be useful. For example, if the class does not use an online forum, would that be helpful? If a class uses a forum, would it be helpful to use the forum even more? And remember that just providing additional communication tools is often insufficient – students need to be informed about the tools, and given advice about how to use the tools well; moreover, the teacher and TAs need to establish procedures such as to ensure that forum questions are answered promptly.
Be cognizant of students who don’t ask questions, but are struggling. In an online class it is easier for students who are struggling to get lost – they do not see the teacher or TAs in person, they might feel that they have less chance to ask questions, they might miss the class “community.” Take special steps to try to connect with students. This might consist of sending occasional special emails, of pointing out ways for students to get more involved with the class online, of instructing students how to use online tools well so they can participate better, of doing online community-building activities, etc.
Don’t expect everything to work ideally. There will be a variety of unexpected and expected issues including students unable to connect from off-campus, tools that don’t always work, etc. Try to anticipate these as much as possible, but also set aside some time for addressing them. (It is also a good idea to have a course staff communication plan so that when important issues come up, all course staff are informed, and that addressing the issue can be done collaboratively.)
Provide students with tips about how to learn effectively online. Some students will make the transition to online learning seamlessly, some will find it sufficiently different that they struggle with it. Help these students both with learning tools, but also with tips on online learning in general. And, if you have time, spend some time reading/listening to/watching resources on effective online teaching and learning.
Share what works; share your expertise, and learn from other TAs. Many TAs already have a good amount of experience with online tools, online teaching practices, etc. But no TA has experience or expertise with everything. So share tips, help each other with how to use different tools, discuss what best helps online students learn, etc. In particular, if you have never TAed an online class before, talk with TAs who have; they will be able to give you valuable advice.
Take care of yourself. Practice good hygiene, get enough sleep, avoid crowds, take appropriate steps if you are not feeling well, etc.