Originally posted in our February 2022 Top of Mind Newsletter.
Thinking beyond early childhood learning, how can we better improve classroom outcomes for college students? According to Virginia Tech, one way is to enlist the help of undergraduate teaching assistants (TAs).
In a recent post about campus experience, the university highlights the impact of their Engage Undergraduate TA Program. The program benefits students, faculty, and learning experiences. From offering more engaging group work to enabling more extensive facilitator/student interaction, the growing TA program could be a model for the value of peer-to-peer learning in other teaching environments.
With the continued complications of COVID-19 for our education systems, teaching assistants allow for a more robust and rewarding learning experience. Even outside of the pandemic conditions, this more collaborative teaching and learning offer us a viable path towards our educational goals.