Undergraduate institutions are under increasing pressure to improve teaching and learning in introductory science courses. Although much of the focus is on faculty instructional quality, a large majority of the one on one interaction at the introductory level is between undergraduates and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs).

Research on what professional development biology GTAs require, how to implement it, and its outcomes is limited and often not consulted when institutions create professional development programs.  Thus, GTA professional development is occurring without a national dialogue about best practices.

BioTAP will create a national network to share resources and create model practices that can develop GTA teaching skills to transform introductory courses and train future faculty.

BioTAP will address the following objectives:

• Identify the instructional skills needed by biology GTAs to teach reformed biology courses (working ideas)
• Compile currently-used GTA professional development models across the US (working ideas)
• Study successful professional development strategies for biology GTAs (e-mail Beth if you know of a program to suggest we look at!)
• Identify future Steering Committee and Network Participants

Come chat with us!! BioTAP Steering Committee Members will be presenting ideas and networking at the following meetings in 2013:

• Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research

• Botanical Society of America

• POD Network

• American Educational Research Association

• Association for Biology Laboratory Education

• Association of College and University Biology Educators

BioTAP Steering Committee:

Miriam Ferzli (Teaching Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University)

Rosa Hainaj (Dean, Lorain County Community College)

K. Denise Kendall (Graduate Student, University of Tennessee – Knoxville)

Julie Luft (Professor, University of Georgia)

Gili Marbach-Ad (Director of the CMNS Teaching and Learning Center, University of Maryland)

Kristen Miller (Introductory Biology Laboratory Coordinator, University of Georgia); krmiller@uga.edu

Susan Musante (Education Programs Manager, American Institute of Biological Sciences)

Elisabeth Schussler, PI (Assistant Professor and Director, University of Tennessee – Knoxville)

Kimberly Tanner (Associate Professor, San Francisco State University)

E. William Wischusen (Associate Professor, Louisiana State University)