Flash Observations For Improved Teaching Quality Among Graduate Teaching Assistants In Engineering Education

To maintain high quality, when teaching practical activities at scale, sufficient Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) must be employed. However, their pedagogical skills are inconsistent. This research is a pilot study to test the reliability and validity of research methods which will be scaled up in their application to the primary research to identify GTA pedagogical skills requiring further training. In the primary study, staff and GTA perspectives will be collected using surveys, and the emerging deficient skills will be further investigated using novel twenty-minute “flash” skills-based teaching observations of GTAs. Observation time will be split among the GTAs, and the focus will be on using one of the single skills identified in the surveys by GTAs across the lab rather than how an individual uses it. This paper documents a pilot study conducted to trial a selection of three bespoke observation forms based on asking questions (i.e., the observed skills). Reflections by four observers after eighteen observations indicated that twenty minutes was sufficient time to get a fair assessment of how the observed skill was being used. The format allowed researchers to give individual feedback to GTAs who requested it and provide insight regarding the use of that skill in the lab. The researchers identified two critical factors for the successful launch of the primary study; assessing the lab settings - to avoid significant interference with the teaching - and identifying when in the session GTAs are expected to use the observed skill– ensuring that the short observation is timed effectively.