CS&E TA Training: Tools

CSci classes will use a variety of different software tools. These range from commonly used ones, like the Canvas learning management system, to more specialized ones used in a few, specific classes.

As a TA you will need to be familiar with and use these tools. This tutorial contains the following sections:

Specific Tasks to Do Before Class Starts
General Advice on Tools
Some Commonly Used Tools
Links to Some Tool-Related Information
Some Workshops
More Detailed Advice on Tools (TA Survey Summary)

Specific Tasks

Here are specific tasks to do before the class starts:

Ask your professor which tools will be used in the class you are TAing. Moreover, ask what you will be expected to know about these tools. For example, if you are leading office hours using Zoom, you will need to know how to host Zoom meetings, not just how to participate in them.
If the professor leaves it up to you which tool(s) to use, make tool choices with the advice
in the next section in mind.
Familiarize yourself with the tools before you need to use them.
Learn not only how to use the tools, but how to use them well in terms of teaching and student learning. Some of the online CEI (Center for Educational Innovation) or OIT (Office of Information Technology) workshops, or other online resources might be useful. See the “Links” section below for more information.
Help students learn how to use the tools well. It is highly recommended that each class has information for students about using any unfamiliar tools in general, as well as any specific expectations and best practices for tool use. (For example, when should a student post a question to a discussion forum rather than emailing a TA or asking the question in office hours?)

General Advice on Tools

Here is some advice on tools.

Keep tool use as simple as possible. This will make it easier on students, particularly students unfamiliar with tools.
Whenever possible, select tools that are commonly used (rather than specific only to one or two classes). One concern we hear from students and TAs is that different classes use different tools, and keeping track of all of them is cumbersome.
Use tools consistently within a class. For example, if one TA uses Zoom for office hours, another uses Microsoft Teams, and another uses yet another tool, students will get confused.
Learn from other TAs — especially TAs who already have experience with tools.
Be familiar with tools before you need to use them. This was mentioned prominently by many past TAs as advice for future TAs.
Learn not only how to use the tools, but how to use the well. More important than what tools are used is how they are used. In past semesters it was not uncommon for different TAs to have widely varying experiences with the same tool, for example, some commenting positively and others saying it was a disaster. Likely this was not due to the tool itself, but how it was used.
Teach students how to use tools well. Knowing how to use the tools, and use them well, is something many (or at least some) students will not know coming into the class. Consider “teaching students to use course tools well” as one of the course goals. Additional advice on tools is in the last section below.

Some Commonly Used Tools

Here is a list of commonly used tools. See the “Links” section immediately below for information about these tools. Of course —in addition to using some of these tools — many classes will need to use class-specific tools based on the class content. Moreover, tool possibilities and teacher preferences change over time, so talk with colleagues about what tools they find most useful.

Learning management system: Canvas.
Pre-recording material: Most people use Zoom, although there are a number of options here, and because this is usually done individually, people can use which tool they wish.
Media management (e.g., storage): Kaltura is integrated into Canvas.
Online meetings (lectures, labs, recitations) : Usually Zoom, although there are other possibilities depending on meeting size and characteristics.
Online discussions forums: the Canvas discussion tool, or Piazza.
Online grading: Gradescope or Canvas Speedgrader. (Gradescope is usually preferred, and is now integrated into Canvas.)
In-class polling: There are several possibilities, including using chimeIn or Google forms.
Version control and collaborative work: git or Google Docs.
Quizzes and exams: Some classes used Canvas for online, timed quizzes or exams. Some used Gradescope. Some used Zoom for proctoring online tests. Others tried other tools although there was nothing that met with large-scale endorsement.
Office hours: Zoom for online office hours, although other tools are possible. For online office hours, some queue management system is highly recommended, such as using Slack or Discord to communicate to students where they are in the queue.

Some Workshops

Here are links to training and events sites for three University groups:

CEI: CEI (the Center for Educational Innovation) has short workshops and other training on a variety of topics. Some workshops are on general teaching and learning issues, but many also involve use of a particular tool.
OIT: The U’s Office of Information Technology has various training resources focusing on online tools. Some are “getting started” materials, e.g., on using Zoom or Canvas. Some are more detailed or advanced, or involve not only use of the tool, but related pedagogical issues.
ATSS: The OIT’s Academic Technology Support Services groups has its own Course Re/design and Development page listing various technology-related workshops and other resources. (This site is more focused on certain tools and concerns than the wider-ranging OIT site in the past item.) Also see the ATSS Explore Resources page.

More Detailed Advice from Spring 20 TAs

At the end of the Spring 20 semester, the CS&E Department surveyed TAs about online TAing.

Although their replies were based on online TAing, much of their feedback is also applicable to
in-person classes. Here is a summary of the most prominent results.

When asked what advice they would give other TAs about online TAing, TAs provided a variety of suggestions. Common themes were being familiar with technical tools in advance, learning useful advanced features of the tools, and establishing communication norms both with other course staff and with students.
When asked if there was anything else they would want the department to know, TAs again provided a variety of responses. Some of these reiterated previous points, such as certain tools not working well. And a few TAs pointed out specific important issues like needing to juggle too many different tools among the classes they were involved with. (“I wish online classes had a more shared structure — it was a bit chaotic because every class had a different method of using office hours, lectures, getting assistance etc.” "However office hours/labs/lectures are handled, they should be done consistently throughout the department so that students don't have to juggle between different services.”)
Sometimes there were opposite responses on the same topic, e.g., some TAs reported they were able to use Zoom effectively for office hours; some said they had significant
problems using Zoom for office hours. (“We still hold office hours using zoom which is convenient and organized. The sharing screen, share a file, online texting makes the teaching just as in person. Also, it supports multiplayer chat, which is like overcasting in the ta office room.” versus “Zoom doesn't have good functionality for holding office hours. It's difficult to get through long queues.”)
Communication/interaction was mentioned particularly often, and involved many different aspects of communication, from some TAs being swamped with email, to lack of communication among course staff, to general frustration with the limitations of remote communication.
TAs who reported a positive experience mentioned items such as some tools being particularly useful for office hours, grading, or other TA duties.