An undergraduate Instructional Assistant (IA) is a student enrolled in a credit-bearing course with specific student learning outcomes to assist faculty by providing instructional support. Credit is awarded according to the Assignment of Credit Hours policy, which is found at https://www.morrisville.edu/contact/offices/registrar/assignment-of-credit-hours
Any student assuming the role of an Instructional Assistant must have a completed IA contract signed by the student, the supervising faculty and the appropriate school dean.
Instructional Assistants must meet the following criteria:
- Junior or senior status in a baccalaureate program
- Minimum overall 3.0 GPA
- Minimum grade of B in the course with which they will assist, or higher-level placement in the discipline in which they will assist
- Written and verbal proficiency
- Interpersonal skills
- Self-directedness
- Ability to set reasonable goals and priorities
- Ability to cope with stress
- Ability to articulate a strong motivation to assume an IA position
- May only assist with one course per semester (assisting with multiple sections is acceptable)
Instructional Assistant Responsibilities:
Undergraduate Instructional Assistants are considered an extension of the supervising faculty and as such may perform the following duties:
- Leading class discussion or break-out groups
- Making presentations
- Setting up classroom demonstrations
- Leading tutorials, recitations, or labs
- Assisting faculty with proctoring exams
- Assisting faculty with class attendance
Undergraduate Instructional Assistants will not grade, evaluate or perform summative assessments of other undergraduates’ coursework.
Training and Continued Mentorship:
- All Instructional Assistants will receive training in ethical issues such as FERPA, confidentiality, plagiarism, cheating, and navigating the dual roles of peer and IA prior to interacting with the class.
- Each IA will sign a written contract with expectations and roles clearly outlined, including formal introductory training and regular meetings with the faculty supervisor.
- IAs will receive regular feedback about performance during the semester.
Supervision:
- All Instructional Assistant class/laboratory duties must be conducted under direct supervision of the faculty mentor.
Assessment:
- Instructional assistants' performance should be clearly linked with the specific student outcomes for the IA course as outlined in the course syllabus and contract.