2021 EXPO Poster Grunert/White (Psychology)

Exploring the Impact of Undergraduate Teaching Assistants on Students’ Academic Achievement and Help-Seeking Intentions

Lance Grunert*, Aliyah White* | Psychology | Persis Driver

Abstract 

UTAs are invaluable instructional and motivational supports in courses with challenging curricula (Reeves, et al., 2016). TAs in the classroom are associated with improved student performance, greater belonging, and more effective teaching (Calkins & Kelly, 2005). A semester-long, evidence-based preceptorship in psychology at DU trains UTAs in sound pedagogy and motivational support. UTAs assume greater autonomy and responsibility as peer leaders and design and lead enrichment workshops for students to learn cooperatively, engage in problem-solving, and gain mastery and competence. Yet students, when given the choice, may not fully participate in enrichment opportunities, especially when their help-seeking beliefs, expectancy-value perceptions, contextual constraints like time, and academic intentions misalign. This preliminary study explores individual differences in students’ volition to leverage supplemental resources and the impact of such engagement on their academic achievement. Results demonstrate the value that UTAs add to students’ course achievement but also caution the need to explicitly address students’ help-seeking beliefs to maximize the efficacy of any educational intervention. IRB # 0034

Presentation (Zoom 12:30 - 1:30, Breakout #4)

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