I'm not sure how big your class is, but even with 26 and now 50
students, I believe my faculty deserve administrative help to
effectively and efficiently run the TBL sessions. (I use admin staff,
but I may think about hiring TAs too?)
There is a lot of work in preparing the material. I don't know if this
is a good justification but:
* I insist that the faculty have a peer review of their TBL
sessions (promoting teamwork with our faculty). That requires help in
scheduling meetings and getting all the draft material together.
* Then there is the formatting the IRA/GRA/Application
questions, creating the code sheet for the IF-AT, and making copies.
That can be fairly extensive and important to keep the instructor's
material separate from the student material.
* Then the material needs to be packaged for distribution to the
teams (folders for each team) and distributed during the session. If
the class is large, it can be time consuming if you do not have help (or
students come up and get their packets).
* We use clickers - so the scoring of the IRAs are easy - but it
does require someone to manage the audience response system - distribute
and collect clickers, make sure they work, attend to the computer, print
the results.
* The staff also scores the GRAT - so that the faculty know
which questions they got wrong and which options chosen. This is a
great help in facilitating the discussions (Group 1 - you chose A & B
before D the right answer. What was your thinking on A & B. Why didn't
you choose D first?, etc.)
* The biggest challenge is then collecting the IRAT/GRAT
material afterwards. We do collect and count to make sure everything is
turned in by all the teams.
* Then there is the distribution ad collection of the
application folders - again could be a time sink if large class.
* Also, with the applications, there is the recording of the
application answers (again, we use clickers - but if you score the
applications, you need to know their answers - before they flash their
cards). Also, sometimes we have short answers - which require flip
charts (paper), posting up, and someone to record the decisions on how
each item is scored.
* Lastly, as you said, is the clean up, which can take time.
I would not have asked my faculty to do this without help - they never
would have been able or been willing.
Sandy
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-----Original Message-----
From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Christine Kuramoto
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 9:10 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Do you have a TA in your TBL classes?
Hello All,
I have a somewhat lame question. I have always done my classes alone
without a TA because I've had quite small classes--I'm a language
teacher. I'm turning to TBL in the hopes of keeping up the small class
atmosphere while dealing with a very large class. Now I have to write a
rationale for why I need a TA. Frankly, when they told me this-- I
began to doubt whether I really do need one and am wondering if you all
can advise me.
I couldn't get a scanner for grading the iRATs so I was hoping the TA
could be hand-grading those while I administer gRATs and start students
on other tasks. I also thought the room set-up (getting tables set up
for teams and putting them away again at the end) might be a little
tough on my own--though once it becomes a routine I'm sure the students
could do this. My TBL is all hand-made. No clickers, just laminated
A,B,C,D cards for teams to hold up. I do have the IF-AT forms--but
that's all the budget I've been given.
I'm not as young and spry as I used to be, but am I just being wimpy in
thinking that I need a helper? Do I have good reasons for getting a TA?
Thanks for your input!
Christine
--
*******
Christine Kuramoto, Assistant Professor: Medical English
Kyushu University, Department of Medical Education
Faculty of Medical Sciences
3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582 Japan
Phone: (+81)92-642-6186 Fax: (+81)92-642-6188
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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