Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary

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Graduate Assistant, Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA)

What they do:
Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.
On the job, you would:
  • Teach undergraduate-level courses.
  • Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
  • Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.

Knowledge

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Engineering and Technology

  • computers and electronics

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Skills

Basic Skills

  • reading work related information
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • come up with lots of ideas
  • create new and original ideas

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others
  • Self Control
  • Leadership

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Word processing software

  • Google Docs Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology

Computer based training software

  • Learning management system LMS
  • Sakai CLE

Electronic mail software

  • Email software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training
Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Average
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
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