| Teaching assistants have been a part of the American higher education system since the nineteenth century. Increased dependence on teaching assistants has led educators to evaluate the kind of training given to them. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to assess the effect of a teaching assistant training program designed to prepare TAs to lead class discussion groups of undergraduate students in a university setting. Participants took part in a teaching assistant training seminar focusing on the principles of adult education and discussion group leadership. A three-interview methodology was utilized as the main data gathering tool. Participants were interviewed prior to the seminar, immediately following, and again at the conclusion of the semester, after having experience as teaching assistants. Results demonstrated that the teaching assistants benefited from the training and were able to apply principles learned to their teaching. A multi-discipline training program can augment a discipline-specific program by focusing on essential principles necessary to serve successfully in the teaching assistant role. |
