PS 10-83
Effective use of undergraduate assistants in a large-enrollment course
We present results for the third year the authors have been co-teaching a large-enrollment introductory biology course. During this time the undergraduate assistants have been conducting four outside-of-class sessions per week, answering student questions during group activities during class, individually meeting with at-risk students as well as learning how to present material in an interactive manner, write and grade exam questions and develop and assess learning goals and objectives. All these activities are developed and coordinated during weekly meetings between the undergraduate assistants and the faculty member. We present results of the impact undergraduate assistants have on student learning as well as the impact the experience of co-teaching an introductory biology course has had on the undergraduate assistants.
Results/Conclusions
During the fall 2013 semester 32 students attended 0 sessions, 136 attended 1-8 sessions, 79 attended 9-16 sessions, and 68 attended 17 or more sessions. An ANOVA indicates that students attending more sessions have a higher grade in the course (P < 0.0001) supporting our hypothesis that, as in past years, students attending more sessions do better in the course. A Tukey’s test indicates that final course grade is different among all four of the above categories with the students in the 17 or more sessions category having the highest average course grade. 26 of the 39 at-risk students (67%) who attended individual meetings with one of the co-instructors made a C or better in the course but only 34 of 89 at-risk students (38%) who did not meet with one of the co-instructors made a C or better in the course. We believe our data indicate that undergraduate assistants who have a high-level role in the course enhance student learning.