CogSci 3 TA and IA Duties

CogSci 3
TA and IA Duties

What's in it for you?

As a CogSci 3 IA (undergraduate Instructional Apprentice, course number 195) or TA (graduate Teaching Assistant, course number 500), you can expect the following rewards:

4 units of credit. The course code is 195 (for IAs) or 500 (for TAs). The credit is Pass/No-Pass only (not a letter grade).
You will learn more about different computer systems (UNIX, Windows, Macintosh), and different software packages.
You will get the satisfaction of helping students learn! This is absolutely the best reason to TA/IA any course.

Requirements for IAs

You must have upper division standing.
You should have a 3.0 or better overall GPA.
You should have taken the course (CogSci 3), and received an "A" in it. We will also consider other courses as prerequisites; for example, CogSci 18, or CSE 10.

Overview of Duties

As a CogSci 3 TA or IA, your normal weekly duties will consist of:

Heading 1 or more sections.
Proctoring the weekly quiz (Mondays), makeup quizzes. (2 per quarter, usually 5th and 10th week), and final.
Grading a quiz (2 quizzes if there is also a makeup that week).
Suggesting quiz questions. (Generally via email).
Grading an assignment.
- In the past, the first few assignments have been graded by software programs. Each TA or IA will be "in charge" of one of the programs, and overlook it's output. That is, you will be responsible for grading one of the early assignments. We may use the software programs again this quarter, or (more likely) we will grade all the assignments by hand.
- Later in the course, we divide each assignment among all the TAs and IAs. You will have to grade only a portion of the assignment.
- The later assignments can take several hours to grade (your portion).
Grading the final.

Overall, you can expect about 10 hours of work per week:

3 hours attending lecture (encouraged).
Proctoring the quizzes is expected; it's the first 10-15 minutes of lecture on quiz day. Additionally, you might be asked to "drive" (work the computer) while the instructor speaks. You may also be asked to give a lecture, especially if you are interested in doing so. This is particularly good practice in public speaking! And it's fun, believe it or not.
1 hour grading the weekly quiz -- the "grade-athon". Makeup quizzes take about 1.5 hours; there are 2 makeup quizzes per quarter (in addition to the weekly quiz).
3+ hours grading the weekly assignment. The load varies. At the beginning of the quarter, the assignments may be graded by software with one TA or IA in charge. Toward the end of the quarter, the assignments are graded by hand, with each TA or IA taking a portion of the assignments.
1 or 2 hours of section.
1 scheduled office hour. Perhaps more time for office hour appointments. If no students come during the scheduled office hour, you can grade assignments or do other work.

Details on Sections

Supervise/lead at least one section per week.
Section times can be nasty! Often, 8-9 AM or 9-10 AM.
Your role in section is to help students complete the weekly (or old) assignments.
Sections are held in one of the ACS Computer labs, check with the instructor for the lab(s) being used and times.
Sections last 1 hour, but you may have back to back sections if you are doing more than one per week if you wish.
Cogsci 3 students have "priority" during the assigned section time. Other students are free to use the lab during section, but if there are not enough seats, you may have to ask non-cogsci 3 students to leave.

Details on Quizzes

There is a quiz given in lecture each week. There may also be a make up quiz given (there are 2 during the quarter).
The quizzes are multiple choice, fill in the blank, or matching; about 15 questions and it takes the students about 15 minutes. There is a lecture following the quiz.
Please suggest new questions for the quiz, or modifications of the current questions.
Help duplicate (print) the quiz.
Help pass out the quiz in lecture, proctor, and collect the quiz.
There is a grading session once a week to grade the quizzes, and enter the scores into the class spreadsheet.
- Grading generally takes about 3/4 hour, depending on the number of TAs and IAs and number of students. Make up quizzes take longer (because there are more questions).
- Alphabetizing the quizzes takes another 15 minutes or so. (Some quarters, the TAs will sort/alphabetize the quizzes during the lecture that follows the quiz.)
- Entering the scores takes another 15 to 20 minutes.

Details on Make Up Quizzes.

There are 2 make up quizzes given, the first about week 5 or 6, the second is given the last week of class.
The make up quizzes are just like a regular quiz, except that they are about twice as long.
The TAs select which questions from previous quizzes will be used.
The same duties regarding thinking about new questions, duplicating the quiz, handing it out, proctoring, collecting, and grading apply.

Details on the Final

There is a final.
Suggesting new questions or re-writes of old questions.
About 60-90 matching and multiple choice questions
Help duplicate/print the final.
Students generally finish in less than an hour.
There is a grading session for the final; in the past, it has taken about 3 hours to grade the final and enter the scores into the class spreadsheet.
Once the final has been graded, the TAs and instructor (and interested IAs) set the class curve for the course.

Details on Office Hours

You should hold at least one office hour a week.
Students rarely seem to come to office hours.
If you have a comuter in your office, then you may wish hold your office hour there. Otherwise, we try to arrange to use a lab that has the computer software used in the class for office hours. In the past, this has been CSB 114.
You should also be willing to make appointments with students to help them, if they are unable to make it to a section or your office hour.

Help the Students!

This course is all about helping students learn how to use computers more effectively. If they recognize you, they may ask you for help anywhere: RIMAC, in line at Wendys', the library, anywhere. Please be receptive! Schedule an appointment if it's not convenient right there-- usually sitting a computer is better for working out CogSci 3 problems. Be receptive to non-office-hour, non-section appointments.

Stuck with a Tough Question?

Almost certainly you will get questions that you can't answer. Don't be embarassed. Just tell the student you don't know the answer, but you will get the answer for them. Then take their name, email address, and the question/problem. And email the info to the cogsci3 email list.

Provide as much info on the problem as possible:

Under UNIX, open a second Telnet section and copy their screen and paste into an email in the second/new Telnet window. Tell us what files they are having problems with, etc.
Under Windows, use the Print Screen function (Prt Sc). Then open Start->Programs->Accessories->PaintBrush, and Paste. You should see your screen shot appear. Save it to your personal PC file server and include it as an attachment when you send your email.
On the Macintosh, use Shift+CMD+3 to take a screen shot. That produces a file called Picture0 on the Hard disk of the Macintosh. Save that to your personal Appleshare server and include it as an attachment in your email.