Learning Technology by Stephen Bostock
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Summary of demonstrator training session

The purposes of Lab. Sessions

Of the list considered, the most important purposes were thought by everyone to be

  1. To teach basic skills
  2. To bridge the gap between theory and practice
  3. To develop skill in problem solving

Other suggested but which I thought less important were

  • Stimulate and maintain interest in the subject
  • Provide closer contact between staff and students
  • Illustrate lecture material
  • Teach principles of doing experimental work
  • Foster critical awareness

The purposes will vary for different modules, of course.

 

Demonstrator concerns

Were (in no particular order)

  • Pressure of time to promote understanding
  • Giving equal attention to people of different abilities, not being able to recognize who needs help
  • Confidence
  • Knowing the answers to questions, being familiar with the subject
  • Being able to express ourselves clearly

And concerns outside the demonstrator's control:

  • Not being informed of materials before the session
  • Lecturers being unaware of the materials in the practical session
  • Poor system response time
  • Technical problems with hardware and software

Critical Incidents in Computer Science Practicals

Case study 1.

You are a new postgraduate and it is your first practical as a teaching assistant. The other teaching assistant is also new to teaching. You are feeling nervous but understand how to do the exercise. A confident young man challenges you saying that the exercise is too easy and that he wants to spend the time writing an essay for another course.

Do you respond? If so, how?

Case study 2.

You are a new postgraduate and it is your first practical as a teaching assistant. The other teaching assistant is also new to teaching. After half an hour you notice that one student, a middle-aged man, does not seem to have started work yet, and is still trying to login to the network.

Do you intervene? If so, what do you say?

Case study 3.

You are a teaching assistant in the same practical session every week. After a few weeks you notice that a young student of the opposite sex often asks you for help (rather than the other assistant or the tutor) and that you are spending a large part of the session helping him/her. Do you do anything?

Case study 4.

You are the only teaching assistant in a practical class at 5.45 p.m., when other staff have left the building. A student calls you to say she thinks there is smoke coming out of the monitor. You cannot see any. What do you do?

Case study 5

You are a teaching assistant in the same practical session every week. After a few weeks you notice that one student never asks you for help, and is non-committal to your questions, but often asks the other assistant for help. Do you do anything?

Stephen Bostock Oct 99

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 Last edited: November 22, 2006