GTA:Before Undertaking TA Work
TL;DR
- Have undertaken all required training modules.
- Effectively manage PhD and GTA work.
- Ensure you have a good understanding of Canvas.
- Ensure you have good writing and English skills.
- Ensure you have a good understanding of the subject for which you are a GTA to help students effectively.
- Add the SafeZone App to your device and know how to use it.
- Download any necessary software before the GTA sessions.
- Look at the course materials beforehand on Canvas and be well prepared for the session.
Required Training Modules
Before you begin your teaching assistant duties, you must complete all required training modules. These modules are mandatory and provide you with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for your role as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. The training typically covers essential topics such as safeguarding, equality and diversity, data protection, health and safety, and teaching methodologies that will prepare you for working with students.
These training requirements are specified in your contract of employment and are outlined in the GTA Handbook available through the FSE GTA Hub. You should complete all required training modules before your first teaching session, as failure to do so may affect your ability to work with students and could have implications for your employment status during your probationary period, which runs for nine months from your commencement date.
Additional guidance on training requirements can be found on the University's GTA pages on StaffNet. If you are unsure which training modules you need to complete, you should contact FSE GTA Admin or your GTA Lead, Simon Harper, for clarification.
Managing PhD and GTA Work
Effectively managing your time between your PhD research and GTA responsibilities is crucial to your success in both roles. As stated in your contract under Clause 47 on Exclusivity of Service, you are required to devote your full time, attention, and abilities to your duties during your working hours. However, it is recognised that as a postgraduate research student, you have significant commitments to your doctoral studies.
You should establish a clear schedule that allows you to fulfill your teaching commitments whilst making adequate progress on your doctoral work. Your GTA contract specifies that you will be paid for your contracted hours per week pro rata to a notional full-time week of 35 hours. These hours can be allocated asymmetrically across the four months of the semester, providing you with flexibility to manage peak periods of work in both your PhD and teaching roles.
It is important to communicate proactively with both your PhD supervisor and your GTA Lead if you feel the balance between these responsibilities is becoming unmanageable. As noted in the welfare section of the GTA guidance, you should notify your supervisor, unit leads, or GTA Lead if you feel you are undertaking too many GTA modules or hours, especially if you feel overwhelmed or are falling behind on your PhD work. Your wellbeing is paramount, and the University has support structures in place to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Remember that whilst you are contracted for specific hours agreed at the start of the semester, if additional hours are required, you must email Simon Harper and copy in the unit lead to request these. Hours over the contracted amount will be paid at the end of the semester or in the next month if you have exceeded your hours beforehand.
Understanding Canvas
Familiarising yourself with Canvas, the University's virtual learning environment, is essential for your role as a GTA. You should ensure you have a thorough understanding of how to navigate the platform, access course materials, locate student submissions, and understand the various communication tools available within the system.
Canvas is the primary platform through which you will access teaching materials, view student work, and potentially provide feedback. Before your first teaching session, you should log into Canvas and explore the structure of the course units you will be supporting. Take time to understand where lecture notes are stored, how coursework is released to students, and how the discussion forums operate.
The unit leads have a responsibility to prepare coursework on Canvas and release it to GTAs in time for you to study it before the teaching session. However, you should take the initiative to familiarise yourself with the materials well in advance. If you encounter any technical difficulties with Canvas, you should contact the School of Engineering support team, whose details are provided in your GTA documentation.
Understanding Canvas will enable you to support students more effectively during teaching sessions. Students will often ask questions about how to submit work, where to find resources, or how to access feedback, and your familiarity with the platform will allow you to assist them confidently.
Communication and English Skills
Strong communication skills are fundamental to your role as a GTA. As specified in your contract and the GTA guidance, you must ensure you have good writing and English skills, as you will be providing feedback to students, communicating with academic staff, and potentially contributing to course materials.
You should have good communication skills and be able to talk to students individually or in a group setting, such as tutorials or group work. This includes the ability to explain complex concepts clearly, to listen actively to student questions and concerns, and to provide constructive feedback in a professional and supportive manner.
When marking students' work, you must provide fair and unbiased feedback that helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Your written feedback should be clear, grammatically correct, and professional in tone. If English is not your first language and you feel you would benefit from additional support in developing your academic writing or communication skills, the University offers resources through People & OD that can help you develop these essential competencies.
Patience is also a key communication skill for GTAs. As noted in the guidance, you should have patience with students, who may need more time to understand new concepts. Not all students learn at the same pace, and your role is to support all students in their learning journey, regardless of their starting point.
Subject Knowledge and Preparation
Subject knowledge is paramount to your effectiveness as a GTA. You should ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the material you will be teaching. This means thoroughly reviewing the course content, understanding the learning objectives, and being prepared to explain concepts in multiple ways to accommodate different learning styles.
Before each teaching session, you must look at the course materials on Canvas and be well prepared for the session. This preparation should include reviewing lecture notes, working through exercises or problem sets yourself, and anticipating questions that students might ask. Unit leads are expected to prepare weekly guidance for GTAs, which could include answers to common questions, solutions to exercises, or tips for making the session run smoothly, but the responsibility ultimately rests with you to ensure you are adequately prepared.
If you are uncertain about any aspect of the subject matter, you should discuss this with the unit lead well in advance of your teaching sessions. It is far better to seek clarification before a session than to provide students with incorrect or incomplete information during the session. The guidance emphasises that if you have a problem, you should always speak with the unit academic staff, as there is always support available.
You should also consider shadowing more experienced GTAs when necessary, particularly if you are new to teaching or to a particular subject area. Learning from colleagues who have taught the material before can provide valuable insights into common student misconceptions and effective teaching strategies.
SafeZone App and Campus Safety
Safety is a priority at the University of Manchester. You must download the SafeZone App to your mobile device and familiarise yourself with how to use it before you begin your teaching duties. This app provides a direct link to Campus Security and enables you to request assistance quickly if needed.
The SafeZone App is available through the University's SafeZone information pages. This tool is essential for your safety and the safety of your students. In case of emergency, you should contact Campus Security on 0161 306 9966 and/or use the SafeZone App. For life-threatening emergencies, you should contact the Emergency Services on 99999 (from an internal phone) or 999 (from an external phone or mobile).
Understanding how to use this tool before an emergency arises is essential. You should familiarise yourself with the app's features, including how to trigger an emergency alert, how to request a virtual escort, and how to access safety resources. During your teaching sessions, if you feel unsafe and require assistance, you should go into the corridor and shout 'I need some help here', and use the SafeZone app to alert security.
Further information about campus safety and support can be found on the University's campus safety pages and the Health and Safety website. As specified in Clause 67 of your contract, your attention is drawn to the University's Health and Safety Policy Statement and to your own duties and responsibilities under Health and Safety legislation, including your obligation to comply with the University's procedures and to cooperate with those who have responsibility for health and safety.
The First Aid and Mother Baby room is located on the top floor of the Kilburn building on the Oxford Road Corridor. Additional information about first aid provision can be found on the Health and Safety First Aid toolkit.
Technical Preparation and Software
Technical preparation is crucial for ensuring smooth teaching sessions. You should download and test any necessary software before your GTA sessions begin. This includes any specialised applications required for the course unit, as well as ensuring you can access standard tools such as programming environments, statistical packages, or design software.
Testing these tools in advance prevents technical difficulties from disrupting your teaching sessions. You should ensure that you have the appropriate permissions and licences to access any required software, and that you understand how to use the tools sufficiently well to assist students who encounter technical problems.
During teaching sessions, you should not bring your laptop unless it is required for the TA work, and you should not play games on your phone or engage in your PhD work whilst you are supposed to be supporting students. Your full attention should be focused on the students and their learning needs during the allocated teaching time.
If the teaching session requires students to use specific software or online resources, you should familiarise yourself with these tools thoroughly before the session. This preparation enables you to troubleshoot common problems and to help students who are struggling with the technical aspects of the coursework.
Session Preparation and Professional Conduct
Preparation is key to delivering effective teaching sessions. You should access the course materials on Canvas well before each session and ensure you are thoroughly prepared. This includes reviewing lecture notes, working through exercises or problem sets yourself, and anticipating questions that students might ask.
You are expected to turn up for every scheduled session on time and stay for the entire session. Punctuality and reliability are essential professional attributes. You should introduce yourself to the unit lead before the sessions start, and you should be visible during sessions by wearing a lanyard or badge to help identify yourself as a GTA.
During sessions, you should engage actively with the students by participating in lab demonstrations, seeking out questions from students, and creating a positive learning atmosphere. If the session is quiet or there seems not much to do, you should actively seek out questions from students or have short conversations making small talk to create a good atmosphere.
You must be professional towards students, fellow GTAs, and academic staff at all times. You should be approachable, empathetic, and friendly to students, fellow GTAs, and staff. You must be fair to each of the students and not act in a biased manner towards any of the students. This professional conduct is not only expected of you as a GTA but is also required under Clause 41 of your contract, which states that the University expects all members of staff to conduct themselves with probity and propriety during the course of their employment.
By completing these comprehensive preparations before you begin your TA work, you will be well-positioned to provide high-quality support to students and contribute positively to the learning environment within the School of Computer Science. If you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of your preparation, you should not hesitate to contact your GTA Lead, Simon Harper, or the CS GTA Administration team for guidance and support. ```