Shaping Graduate Teacher Identity: A Model for the Training and Support of GTA Skills Development and Graduate Attributes

Campbell, P., Lacsny, A. and Mathers, H. (2023) Shaping Graduate Teacher Identity: A Model for the Training and Support of GTA Skills Development and Graduate Attributes. 16th Annual University of Glasgow Learning and Teaching Conference, 29 Mar 2023.

Abstract

In the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences (GES) Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are crucial to our teaching community, where they are responsible for delivering practical classes (labs and tutorials) across early years' (Level 1 and 2) undergraduate programs. In these spaces, GTAs act as near-peer role models for both undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts. Consequently, investment in the support and training of GTAs has an important knock-on effect on the quality of learning and community creation throughout the school. Increasing professionalisation of GTA roles, as facilitated by both the shift to fixed term contracts and through emphasis in the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), has prompted a positive shift in the profile of GTAs within the Higher Education (HE) sector. However, wider GTA-impacting issues around casualisation of contracts (Rawat and Meena, 2014; Young, 2006), lack of training (Austin, 2002), detachment from the development of module content (Pearson, 2018), and hierarchical departmental culture(s) (Watson, 2018; Zotos et al, 2020) remain concerns across the University and wider HE. We believe it is imperative that GTAs are supported and mentored to feel confident, respected, and valued as teachers and facilitators of learning. The GTA support and progression structure in GES is key to developing confidence and independence for an evolving teaching practice. Development is enabled through engagement with our teaching identity framework, where guidance and training are tailored across three stages of GTA maturation: ‘hatchling’, ‘fledgling’ and ‘on the wing’ (Mathers et al., 2021). The University of Glasgow Graduate Attributes are embedded in our approach, promoting ‘career learning’ (Watts, 2006), which aims to build awareness of transferable skills, and empower student and GTA voices within the community of practice. Here, we present our graduate teaching identity framework as a transferable model for professional training, underpinned by both the UKPSF and the University’s Graduate Attributes frameworks. Our three-tiered interdisciplinary model aims to support GTAs through a trajectory of teacher identities, embedding transferable skills and graduate attribute development at each stage, in addition to core pedagogical and teaching skills. Our findings drawn from two data sets (including Mathers et al., 2021) from past and current GTAs between 2019-2021, demonstrate how our framework supports ‘career learning’ and recognised attainment of selected UofG graduate attributes. We also outline some of the challenges and limitations of our model, which include the casualisation of contracts, the integration and visibility of GTAs within the department, and a lack of funding for in-house training.

• Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
• Keywords: Graduate Teaching Assistants, graduate attributes, teaching identity, SoTL
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Mathers, Dr Hannah and Campbell, Dr Pamela and Lacsny, Dr Alice
• Authors: Campbell, P., Lacsny, A., and Mathers, H.
• Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General); L Education > LB Theory and practice of education; Q Science > QE Geology
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences