The Spring 2025 Learning Assistant Quick Start Program will take place during the first three weeks of the semester. The D2L page will open Monday, January 13th, 2025.
The Learning Assistant program is entirely online and asynchronous (delivered via D2L) and can be completed in 4-5 hours. Students receive a certificate of completion at the end.
The topics covered in the program include:
Day 1: Learning Assistant Overview, Humanizing learning
Day 2: Active Learning (part 1)
Day 3: Learning Assistant Roles & Responsibilities
Day 4: Small changes, big impacts
Day 5: Active Learning (part 2)
If you would like to sign up for the program or have any questions, please contact Dr. Kate Bunton (bunton@arizona.edu(link sends e-mail))
**This is a no cost, non-credit, online, asynchronous course offered entirely via D2L.**
The University of Arizona Learning Assistant Quick Start Program is a mini-course offered for Graduate Teaching Assistants and undergraduate learning assistants and preceptors who will act as Learning Assistants (LAs). The program is intended to supplement on-going sessions offered by the teaching and learning assistant's departments. The program is expected to take 4-5 hours to complete.
Instructors who wish to enroll Learning Assistants in the Quick Start Program should contact Dr. Kate Bunton, bunton@arizona.edu. Please include student name(s) and email address(es) in your enrollment email.
More than 80% of Learning Assistants who participated in the initial offering of the program recommended that instructors who have Learning Assistants enroll their LAs in the Quick Start Program. Below find some of the positive comments from LAs who participated in the Quick Start program:
"This course taught me all of the skills I need to deal with several different types of students, and reflecting on what I have learned will remind me how to help certain students and ensure that they are understanding the material."
"This course gave a me a greater appreciation and understanding of what it means to be an educator. As a student, I really only wanted my professor to give me the answer so I can study the material on my own. However, now I know that much more time and dedication is allocated towards truly teaching students so that they can understand the material. I am now more motivated to help students learn the information and assist those who are having more difficulty."
"I kept the document of tips from previous learning assistants. I found that very helpful and it eased my nerves for the first day of class. I also feel better knowing more about students with disabilities, and how to incorporate things to help them learn easier."
"After attending this course, I finally understand why the TAs/LAs I encountered in the past as a student were so adverse to giving us the 'straight' answers to questions, even when that caused both sides (the TA/LA and the students) to be frustrated with each other. However, I know understand why exactly TAs/LAs need to refrain giving the students the 'easy' answer, since doing that in the long run can hamper the student's ability for critical thinking, which is vital for their success in more difficult courses. I will try my best not to commit that mistake. I also learn different techniques on how to engage students during discussions (like sitting down at the table with the students and asking them what they think about x subject,) which, from my past experience as a student, seems to be fairly effective in situations where the students do not seem to engage in the materials."