Teaching Assistant Workshop
Mechanical Engineering
Fall 2013
Outline
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Overview of TA expectations
Demo.. Class room scheduling, moodle site features
TA presentations on key topics
Handouts: To do list, FERPA summary guide, Topics to
discuss with course instructor
Overview of TA Expectations
TA appointment dates: Augsut 26 through
January 8, 2014
Last final date: xxx
Final grades due: xxx
25% appt = 10 hrs/week 196 hours
12 hrs/week
Possible
tasks
grading
teaching labs/recitations
Proctoring exams
copies
office hours
preparing homework solutions
creating and maintaining course
website
How to Get Great TA Evaluations
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What are the evaluation criteria?
Read your evaluations (see Jeanne Sitzmann)
Student Comments
Positive
Had very helpful discussion sessions and provided examples
Very well prepared both in examples and to answer questions
Very approachable
Homework solutions were clear
Got better at teaching as the semester progressed
Negative
Late (for office hours) which was very aggravating
Late for Lab
I suggest TA’s work problems ahead of time so that they know the
concepts better
During recitation, worked through example problems from the book…
pointless to stay for recitation because I could just read it
Did not seem like s(he) understood the material nor appreciated the subject
Got flustered or confused in a problem easily and was not confident in work
Messy writing on board
Didn’t have anything prepared (for recitation)
Comments From the Students
Communication Skills
Speak loudly
Talk to class not the board
Too slow
Too fast
Don’t read from the book, solution manual
Confident
Knowledge of Material
Work through problems before office hours, recitation
Set up lab before students arrive
Promptness
Respond to emails
On time for office hours/labs/recitations
Offices, Keys, and Copies
Offices
TA resource room in Shepherd Labs 452:
work space, computers, a printer and lockers.
Access this room with your U-card.
Keys
Access to the building and the TA resource room is with
your U-card
Copies
Please use the copier on the 1st floor, ME 116 (opposite
ME 125), access after hours with your U-card
Books, solution manuals
Request from course instructor
Office Hours
Please hold office hours in a location separate
from your “shared” office space
Request a room for office hours
If expecting less than 8 students: contact Jennifer
Dahal (jdahal@me.umn.edu)
Otherwise, work through room scheduling
(https://astraprd.oit.umn.edu/AstraProd/calendars/default.asp
x)
• Locate a room, be sure to check all
weeks of the semester, check both the
departmental and the general classroom
schedule (check ME 321 or ME 460)
What is FERPA?
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR
Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the
privacy of student education records.
http://onestop.umn.edu/faculty/grades/records_policies.html
FERPA: Educational Records
This means the education record includes, but
is not limited to: grades, transcripts, WebCT
/Moodle information, advising information,
financial aid information, student information
in UM Reports and the Data Warehouse, and
student photos. If you have student
information in your possession, you have a
legal responsibility to protect it.
Public Vs Private Information
Name
Address
Email address
Grades
Course taken
Major
Advisor
Schedule
Student ID number
Test Scores
Telephone number
Academic Awards and Honors
Enrollment Status (full time/part time)
Public Vs Private Information
Public
Name
Address
Electronic (E-mail) address
Telephone number
Dates of enrollment
Enrollment status (full/part time, not
enrolled)
Major
Adviser
College
Class
Academic awards and honors
Degree received
Private
Grades
Courses taken
Schedule
Test scores
Advising records
Educational services received
Disciplinary actions
Social Security Number
Student ID Number
Student Record Privacy in ME
Classes
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Emails: Use bcc
Grades:
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Record grades on a secure site
Do not save grades to a laptop (must be
encripted) or flashdrive
Delete grades after 1 year
Returning Hw, Exams, Labs:
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Return in an envelope, or other to the individual
Do not leave unattended (outside office door, etc)
More details in the FERPA handout
To Do List
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Request a room for office hours
 If expecting less than 8 students: contact Jennifer Dahal
(jdahal@me.umn.edu)
 Otherwise, work through room scheduling to locate a class room:
https://astra-prd.oit.umn.edu/AstraProd/calendars/default.aspx;
 Have Instructor Request a moodle
(http://www1.umn.edu/moodle/) site
Complete required University course:
https://moodle2.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=8265&topic=1
Email web@me.umn.edu with a 1 page pdf of your course syllabus
for our ME website http://www.me.umn.edu/courses/index.shtml
Develop a secure method to record grades and return homework
Former TA’s must see Jeanne Sitzmann (in 1120) to read past TA
evaluations
Review Checklist for discussion with supervisor