Join the Instructional Team

The Department of Biology offers two ways for students to join the instructional team: becoming a learning assistant or laboratory

teaching assistant. Both of these opportunities help to make a difference in the academic success of fellow students and earn

BIOL 400 credit. To learn more, watch for periodic emails during the year or talk to an instructor about submitting an application

for these opportunities.

Do you like helping students think through tough concepts? Are you looking for a good way to stay on

top of your science knowledge while making a difference in someone’s studies? A Learning Assistant

(LA) position may be perfect for you. With increasing frequency, more courses at Penn State are using

Learning Assistants. A typical LA spends 6 hours/week participating in a number of activities that include

facilitating classroom discussions, holding office hours, grading homework, and helping students hone

their study skills. Training is provided to Learning Assistants (typically the semester before they teach).

Do you like labs? Are you interested in helping students learn first hand about biology? If so, then you

might want to consider being a Laboratory Teaching Assistant (TA). The Lab TAs lead individual lab sections

and, depending on the course, may work as part of a TA team. In some courses a TA team may share

responsibility equally, but in other courses there may be a Lead TA and a Co-TA. In all cases, the

Laboratory TAs are responsible for explaining and demonstrating the laboratory protocols, working with

students one-on-one and in small groups, grading assignments, and maintaining a safe and orderly

laboratory environment. Lab TAs also provide guidance on writing assignments such as lab reports and

notebooks, and provide students with regular feedback. Most Lab TAs hold regular office hours and

weekly TA meetings are common. Lab TAs receive training, either the semester before they teach

and/or during the semester while they are teaching. Lab TAs typically spend 6-8 hours/week working

with students, grading, and preparing for labs. Depending on the course and responsibilities,

Lab TAs sometimes receive a small hourly wage.