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Effective GTA Development:

An Aligned Model

Sarah Plumb, Harry Day, Matteo Di Benedetti

EATS

20th June 2024

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Why are we here?

  1. Tell you about our GTA Development Program
  2. Describe its benefits & impact (FHEA)
    • Skip a lot of detail, cover a lot of ground
  3. Opportunities
    • Share resources with you (OER)
    • To hear from you (feedback)

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Why are we talking about GTAs?

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Why are we talking about GTAs?

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Why are we talking about GTAs?

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…because we have to,�if we care about teaching at scale.

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Why are we talking about GTAs?

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Why are we talking about GTAs?

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  • Student learning
  • Student experience

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Aligned with what?

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Aligned with what?

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Aligned with what?

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Aligned with what?

Effective GTA Development: An Aligned Model

Experience in:

  • Teaching design
  • Delivery
  • Student support
  • Feedback
  • Assessment

Competencies about:

  • Subject knowledge
  • Pedagogical knowledge

Integration of professional values:

  • Respect individuals
  • Diverse groups
  • ED&I

  • Scholarship & CPD
  • Promote equal opportunity

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Aligned with what?

Effective GTA Development: An Aligned Model

Professional Standards Framework (PSF)... at D2, Fellow level

Experience in:

  • Teaching design
  • Delivery
  • Student support
  • Feedback
  • Assessment

Competencies about:

  • Subject knowledge
  • Pedagogical knowledge

Integration of professional values:

  • Respect individuals
  • Diverse groups
  • ED&I

  • Scholarship & CPD
  • Promote equal opportunity

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In the beginning...

  • GTA Training System
    • Pedagogical & technical, peer-training, feedback & reflection (Di Benedetti et al. 2202)

Di Benedetti, M., Plumb, S. & Beck, S. B. M. (2022). European Journal of Engineering Education, Effective Use of Peer Teaching and Self-Reflection for the Pedagogical Training of Graduate Teaching Assistants in Engineering.

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In the beginning...

  • GTA Training System
    • Pedagogical & technical, peer-training, feedback & reflection (Di Benedetti et al. 2202)

  • Ever increasing quality of GTAs

Di Benedetti, M., Plumb, S. & Beck, S. B. M. (2022). European Journal of Engineering Education, Effective Use of Peer Teaching and Self-Reflection for the Pedagogical Training of Graduate Teaching Assistants in Engineering.

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In the beginning...

  • GTA Training System
    • Pedagogical & technical, peer-training, feedback & reflection (Di Benedetti et al. 2202)

  • Ever increasing quality of GTAs

  • Demand for FHEA support

Di Benedetti, M., Plumb, S. & Beck, S. B. M. (2022). European Journal of Engineering Education, Effective Use of Peer Teaching and Self-Reflection for the Pedagogical Training of Graduate Teaching Assistants in Engineering.

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In the beginning...

…which resulted in

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In the beginning...

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What makes a case study??

What are PSF Descriptors Dimensions?

How do I apply for FHEA?

Am I improving?

What’s my next development step?

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Assessing the situation

…make progressions clearer during GTA training

What could we do to help?

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Assessing the situation

…make progressions clearer during GTA training

…provide more context-specific (useful) guidance

What could we do to help?

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Assessing the situation

…make progressions clearer during GTA training

…provide more context-specific (useful) guidance

ask the GTAs what they would find useful

What could we do to help?

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Key factors for GTA success, related to training:

  • Previous experience,
  • Subject specific training
  • Pedagogical training
  • Self-efficacy
  • Peer/mentor support
  • Perception of their development journey (clarity, value prospect)
  • Time served (new experience)

Literature (GTA Training Programs)

(Shum et al., 2020; Smith & Delgado, 2020; Bandura, 1977; Chiu & Corrigan, 2019)

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Key factors for GTA success, related to training:

  • Previous experience,
  • Subject specific training
  • Pedagogical training
  • Self-efficacy
  • Peer/mentor support
  • Perception of their development journey
  • Time served (new experience)

}

Literature (GTA Training Programs)

(Shum et al., 2020; Smith & Delgado, 2020; Bandura, 1977; Chiu & Corrigan, 2019)

Effective GTA Development: An Aligned Model

Power to change

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GTA Development Programs

  • Program structures
  • Performance indicators (self-efficacy)
  • Programs created in a disparate fashion
    • Inventing new systems for certifying skill progression

  • Weak points of many programs
    • Identity & ownership
    • Role and progression clarity
    • Links to formal recognition pathways

Literature (GTA Training Programs)

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GTA Development Programs

  • Program structures
  • Performance indicators (self-efficacy)
  • Programs created in a disparate fashion
    • Inventing new systems for certifying skill progression

  • Weak points of many programs
    • Identity & ownership
    • Role and progression clarity
    • Links to formal recognition pathways

Literature (GTA Training Programs)

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Reinventing the wheel

No clear path

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GTA Development Programs

  • Program structures
  • Performance indicators (self-efficacy)
  • Programs created in a disparate fashion
    • Inventing new systems for certifying skill progression

  • Weak points of many programs
    • Identity & ownership
    • Role and progression clarity
    • Links to formal recognition pathways

Literature (GTA Training Programs)

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Reinventing the wheel

No clear path

Why not address this using an existing framework (PSF)?

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GTA Survey

Give the people what they want.

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GTA Survey

  • Rate your understanding of the app. process:
  • Do you understand the value of HEA recognition?

  • What feels most unclear about HEA process?
  • (If FHEA) What were the biggest challenges?

  • Would you find a training<>PSF mapping useful?

Give the people what they want.

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GTA Survey

  • Rate your understanding of the app. process: 3.2/5
  • Do you understand the value of HEA recognition? 3.2/5

  • What feels most unclear about HEA process?
  • (If FHEA) What were the biggest challenges?

  • Would you find a training<>PSF mapping useful?

Give the people what they want.

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Medium understanding of the process and the value

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GTA Survey

  • Rate your understanding of the app. process:
  • Do you understand the value of HEA recognition?

  • What feels most unclear about HEA process?
  • (If FHEA) What were the biggest challenges?

  • Would you find a training<>PSF mapping useful?

Give the people what they want.

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GTA Survey

  • Rate your understanding of the app. process:
  • Do you understand the value of HEA recognition?

  • What feels most unclear about HEA process? text
  • (If FHEA) What were the biggest challenges? text

  • Would you find a training<>PSF mapping useful?

Give the people what they want.

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How to get started

What’s the point

Everything

Build evidence/c-studies

Meeting all Dimensions

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GTA Survey

  • Rate your understanding of the app. process:
  • Do you understand the value of HEA recognition?

  • What feels most unclear about HEA process?
  • (If FHEA) What were the biggest challenges?

  • Would you find a training<>PSF mapping useful?

Give the people what they want.

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GTA Survey

  • Rate your understanding of the app. process:
  • Do you understand the value of HEA recognition?

  • What feels most unclear about HEA process?
  • (If FHEA) What were the biggest challenges?

  • Would you find a training<>PSF mapping useful? 4.1/5

Give the people what they want.

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…i thought so!

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Give the people what they want.

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Literature

What my GTAs are telling us

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Give the people what they want.

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Literature

What my GTAs are telling us

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Give the people what they want.

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Literature

What my GTAs are telling me

Align the training program to the PSF,

& provide more mentorship/guidance

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Solution

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Program Elements

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Technical & Pedagogical Training

ED&I

Mentorship & Community

Peer Teaching, Feedback & Reflection

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Program Elements

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Technical & Pedagogical Training

ED&I

Mentorship & Community

Peer Teaching, Feedback & Reflection

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Program Elements

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Technical & Pedagogical Training

ED&I

Mentorship & Community

Peer Teaching, Feedback & Reflection

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Program Elements

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Peer Teaching, Feedback & Reflection

Technical & Pedagogical Training

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Program Elements

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SRDS Team Workshop

1-2-1 Training

Team Induction

Elevate ED&I Training

ED&I

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Program Elements

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1-2-1 Training

Mentorship & Community

SRDS Team Workshop

Team Induction

FHEA

1-2-1s

FHEA

C.o.L

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Program Elements

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Technical & Pedagogical Training

ED&I

Mentorship & Community

Peer Teaching, Feedback & Reflection

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How do we make it clear to the GTAs?

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?

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How do we make it clear to the GTAs?

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What makes a case study??

What are PSF Descriptors Dimensions?

How do I apply for FHEA?

Am I improving?

What’s my next development step?

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How do we make it clear to the GTAs?

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Chill, I’ve written you a document.

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GTAs have a very consistent set of experiences in Structures Lab:

  • Teach students
  • Pedagogical training
  • Subject training
  • Train the team (Lead GTA)
  • Design material
  • Asynchronous CPD

Training Structure - Mapping

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GTAs have a very consistent set of experiences in Structures Lab:

  • Teach students
  • Pedagogical training
  • Subject training
  • Train the team (Lead GTA)
  • Design material
  • Asynchronous CPD

Training Structure - Mapping

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2-3 years

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GTAs have a very consistent set of experiences in Structures Lab:

Training Structure - Mapping

Effective GTA Development: An Aligned Model

Experience milestones

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GTAs have a very consistent set of experiences in Structures Lab:

Training Structure - Mapping

PSF Dimensions (Descriptor 2 ‘FHEA’)

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Aligned?

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Mapping (forward)

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Mapping (forward)

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Mapping (backward)

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Mapping (backward)

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Roadmap Document

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Roadmap Document

Effective GTA Development: An Aligned Model

=

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Roadmap Document

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Why have a development program?

Why aim for HEA?

What is AdvanceHE, HEA and the PSF?

What are Descriptors?

What are Dimensions?

How to hit all the Dimensions?

Identify Evidence

Where do I start?

Writing your application

Case Studies

Guidance

Mapping

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Roadmap Document

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Why have a development program?

Why aim for HEA?

What is AdvanceHE, HEA and the PSF?

What are Descriptors?

What are Dimensions?

How to hit all the Dimensions?

Identify Evidence

Where do I start?

Writing your application

Case Studies

Mapping

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Roadmap Document

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Why have a development program?

Why aim for HEA?

What is AdvanceHE, HEA and the PSF?

What are Descriptors?

What are Dimensions?

How to hit all the Dimensions?

Identify Evidence

Where do I start?

Writing your application

Case Studies

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Roadmap Document

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  • The guidance doesn’t ‘do the work for you
  • Demystifies the process
  • Provides ideas for Dimensions/case studies etc.
  • Still requires GTAs to reflect on their competencies

…a quick note

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Is it working

?

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Impact

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How can we know if its working?

Impact

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Measures of success:

Impact

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

Make lives easier

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Measures of success:

Impact

  • Hard to quantify re: competence

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

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Measures of success:

Impact

  • Hard to quantify re: competence
  • …however

4.5/5.0

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

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Measures of success:

Impact

  • Aligned/Mapped program makes their development journey clearer

  • Ownership of development, confidence
  • Prof. rec. ‘Core’ to the job (team ethic)
  • Improved value prospect

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

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Measures of success:

Impact

  • Aligned/Mapped program makes their development journey clearer

  • Ownership of development, confidence
  • Prof. rec. ‘Core’ to the job (team ethic)
  • Improved value prospect

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

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Measures of success:

Impact

  • More and more reliance on GTAs leading and managing sessions
  • Less and less input needed by us
  • ’Rising tide’ of competence

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

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Measures of success:

Impact

And we are seeing an increase:

  • 2023 = 5
  • 2022 = 2

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

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Measures of success:

Impact

And we are seeing an increase:

  • 2024 = 7 Fellow HEA so far
  • 2023 = 5
  • 2022 = 2

Plus:

  • 2024 = 1 Senior HEA

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

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Measures of success:

Impact

And we are seeing an increase:

  • 2024 = 7 Fellow HEA so far
  • 2023 = 5
  • 2022 = 2

Plus:

  • 2024 = 1 Senior HEA

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Make GTAs better

(competence dev.)

flex

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Measures of success:

Impact

  • Absolutely
  • Very good draft FHEA applications (review/referee)
  • +ve user (GTA) feedback
  • Anecdotal/observations

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Make lives easier

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…of an aligned program, with a ‘roadmap’

  • It shows them you care (GTAs feel valued)
  • Helps alleviate ‘Shock Phase’ symptoms (imposter syndrome/self-doubt), because they can see their experience growing in the long term
  • Structured programme helps buy-in from PhD supervisors (often reluctant to release their PhD students due to poor perceptions of the value in GTA work)
  • GTA recruitment. (a structured programme makes better advertisement)

Additional Benefits

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Concluding

An aligned GTA Development Program, with a Roadmap;

  • Provides a practical framework that makes great GTAs because:

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Concluding

An aligned GTA Development Program, with a Roadmap;

  • Provides a practical framework that makes great GTAs because:
    • It shows them a clear path for their development (to FHEA)
    • Provides all the (tech and pedagogical) training they need
    • Supports and mentors them, so they feel valued
    • Creates a community/team atmosphere

They enjoy it.

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Opportunities

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Opportunities

Sharing

  • We invite feedback
  • We want to hear about your experience
  • What else might we consider/improve?

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Opportunities

Sharing

  • We invite feedback
  • We want to hear about your experience
  • What else might we consider/improve?

Future Work

  • SEFI2024 & next phase data-gathering

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Opportunities

Consider doing your own

  • Feel free to use ours for inspiration.

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tinyurl.com/GTA-OER

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Opportunities

…and let us know if its useful

Effective GTA Development: An Aligned Model

Consider doing your own

  • Feel free to use ours for inspiration.

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tinyurl.com/ GTA-OER

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Thank you

You can find more information about the new GTA contract on the Sheffield Graduate teaching contract webpages.

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Talk to us!

…if you are doing something similar and want to share some ideas.

Harry Day

h.day@sheffield.ac.uk

MEE

Effective GTA Development: An Aligned Model

Sarah Plumb

sarah.plumb@sheffield.ac.uk

Elevate

Matteo Di Benedetti

m.dibenedetti@sheffield.ac.uk

MEE

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tinyurl.com/GTA-OER