Undergraduate Instructional Aides
POLICY ON UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTIONALAIDES
Academic Senate Policy #S97-200
At its meeting of February 25, 1997, the Academic Senate approved the following
policy on undergraduate instructional aides:
RATIONALE
Increasingly, undergraduates are functioning as Instructional Aides in the
classroom. The roles, duties, and responsibilities of both faculty of record
and Instructional Aides must be clearly defined in order to enhance benefits
to participating faculty and undergraduate students, and to ensure the integrity
of the academic process and its outcomes.
DEFINITIONS
"Instructional aides" are undergraduate students who, as part of their academic
experience, are selected by faculty of record to participate in the teaching
of a regular instructionally related class. As part of this experience, the
Instructional Aides must be registered in a "685" course. It is not appropriate
for students to participate in these activities under any other course number
or name.
"685" is the course for which the Instructional Aide is receiving units of
credit. This course is a practicum/internship experience which includes an instructional
component and a fieldwork experience component.
"Faculty of record" are the supervisors to the Instructional Aides, determine
that the discipline-specific learning objectives of "685" are met, and are at
all times in charge of the regular instructionally related class.
"The regular instructionally related class" is the course in which the Instructional
Aide is assisting.
PURPOSE OF INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES
The primary purpose of Instructional Aides in the classroom must be to provide
the student, who is earning units of credit for "685," with a genuine learning
experience which is consistent with that student's overall educational and career
goals. Assisting the instructor must be secondary.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF FACULTY OFRECORD
The faculty of record, who is an employee of the university, must remain at
all times in charge of the regular instructionally related classroom. The faculty
of record is responsible for preparation of the syllabus and the learning objectives
for the class in which the Instructional Aide is assisting, being present whenever
the regular instructionally related class is formally in session, and being
responsible for the evaluation of the students taking the regular instructionally
related class.
The faculty of record is also responsible for supervising and evaluating the
Instructional Aide, and for working with the Aide to understand the learning
objectives of "685".The faculty of record also ensures that the Aide participates
in planned training in the principles of teaching and learning, and the preparation
necessary to function as an effective Instructional Aide.
Faculty of record who are supervising Instructional Aides are strongly encouraged
to take advantage of workshops and support groups, to be offered by the Center
for the Enhancement of Teaching, on the supervision of undergraduates in the
classroom.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF INSTRUCTIONALAIDES
Each Instructional Aide must be enrolled in a "685" course. This course has
two components, an instructional component and a fieldwork component:
1. Instructional component:
To foster the intellectual growth of Instructional Aides, to ensure their continued
learning, and to prepare them for assuming responsibilities as an Instructional
Aide, each student must be trained in teaching and learning principles.
Additionally, each student enrolled in "685"shall meet on a regular basis with
the instructor of the class for which s/he is an Instructional Aide to ensure
that all the discipline-specific and the general learning objectives are being
met. These consultations may also focus on discipline-specific or class-specific
elements of the regular instructionally related class. The learning objectives
and training methods for the course"685" must be clearly stated.
2. Fieldwork component:
Instructional aides may, for example:
- lead rehearsals or practice sessions while the instructor is present;
- run laboratory classes while the instructor is present;
- tutor, mentor, and lead study groups;
- assist in preparing non-exam materials and distributing un-graded materials;
- provide feedback to the instructor on student performance; and
- run audio-visual equipment and deal with props.
Instructional aides may not:
- be enrolled concurrently in the class for which they are an instructional
aide;
- design the course syllabus or learning objectives;
- grade non-objective tests or papers;
- write exams; or
- have access to student records, including addresses, phone numbers, social
security numbers, and grades.
Any and all activities of the Instructional Aide, including contributing to
lectures, presentations or demonstrations, or leading class discussions, must
be carefully monitored by the instructor of record, who must be present at all
times when the regular instructionally-related class is formally in session.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COURSE "685"
Each academic unit (e.g., program, department or college) wishing to
include Instructional Aides in the classroom shall create and offer a course,
numbered 685, and titled "Projects in the Teaching of..." and each Instructional
Aide shall be enrolled in the appropriate "685" course.
Syllabi for the course "685" must clearly state the learning objectives for
the Instructional Aide and the methods being used to train the Instructional
Aide in the principles of teaching and learning. This training may be offered
by the academic unit or may be taken under the auspices of the Center for the
Enhancement of Teaching (CET).
"685" shall be a variable unit course which may be taken for a maximum total
of 4 units of credit toward the baccalaureate degree. Each program or department
shall decide whether or not "685" may meet part of the requirements of its major.
Each academic unit shall determine which of its course offerings are suitable
for the use of Instructional Aides.
FTE shall be assigned to the academic unit which offers "685." Instructor Weighted
Teaching Units(WTU) for "685" shall be assigned by the program or department
to the instructor.
APPROVAL OF "685" COURSES
Each "685" course shall be approved through the standard course approval process.
SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES
Each academic unit shall decide upon its criteria for Instructional Aides and
shall set up a process for application and selection of students to be enrolled
in "685." Opportunities to be an Instructional Aide enrolled in a "685" must
be announced along with specific criteria to be met. Every Instructional Aide
must be a currently matriculated student in good standing, who has already completed
the regular instructionally related class, or its equivalent, for which s/he
will function as an aide.
COMPLIANCE
Deans shall be responsible for seeing that this policy is followed in their
respective units.
RE-EXAMINATION OF THE POLICY
This policy shall be re-examined by the Academic Policies Committee three years
after its passage to evaluate its success and determine whether it shall continue
in effect.
**Approved by President Robert Corrigan on March 12, 1997**