It's your first day of classes as a college freshman - you eagerly race into the classroom, meet the professor and acquaint yourself with the syllabus. As you learn about the structure of your larger courses, you see that you will have weekly sections run by a teaching assistant. Suddenly you realize that your TA might very well be an undergraduate such as yourself, perhaps just one year older than you. At this point, you might think, "I'm paying almost $60,000 a year to be taught by a peer? This is nonsense!"
I must admit that I, too, was shocked to discover that undergraduates are teaching assistants at many fine institutions, including Brown. Since TAs play an integral role in a student's learning experience, those selected to serve in such capacities should possess an intimate understanding of the material and be able to answer complex questions. This is especially true for large lecture courses. In these classes, the professor is often responsible for more than 100 students and generally cannot afford each student the attention that the instructor of a small seminar does. And psychologically, many students feel more comfortable approaching a TA rather than the professor. They feel less pressured to convey a perfect understanding of the material when communicating with a TA as opposed to when discussing uncertainties with a seasoned instructor whose experience is intimidating. Hence, TAs can quite easily define a student's perception of his or her classroom experience.
At most Ivy League institutions, TAs are predominantly PhD candidates. Superficially, this arrangement might seem superior to ours. It is logical to think that PhD candidates who mastered a certain discipline at the collegiate level and who are presently conducting their own research hold a deeper, more sophisticated grasp of the material than do undergraduates. But I believe the teaching assistant's position in his educational trajectory is not so profound a determinant as it initially appeared to be. I've been exposed to both systems since I attended Penn, where graduate-level TAs were used in all of my classes except Wharton's Management 100 class.
The difference between the two systems is negligible. The professor's engagement with the class and ability to test students' knowledge in a robust manner are the most fundamental elements to a successful class. Brown's accessibility to professors and supportive atmosphere distinguish our University in this respect.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am currently serving as a TA for ECON 0710: "Financial Accounting." While I reinforce what students learn and often contribute my own insights, I readily admit that I am not a Certified Public Accountant. Because students can easily approach the instructors with questions, their curiosity about accounting topics with which I am unfamiliar can be easily satiated. On the other hand, if the professors were responsible for 200 students and thus less responsive to students' questions, an undergraduate student with no other accredited training in accounting would not be appropriate.
The intricacies of a course should also dictate the credentials of its teaching assistants. Many rudimentary classes can be effectively taught by a dedicated professor and committed, qualified undergraduate TAs who were especially successful in previous semesters. Several intermediate-level classes in the social sciences, for example, utilize undergraduate TAs, but their suitability is somewhat questionable depending on the accessibility of the professor. Brown students are deeply inquisitive and think critically about what they learn. Thus, we should want advanced students who can handle the complex questions we pose and who add their own insights - perhaps from prior work experiences or research endeavors. Very few humanities classes use undergraduates as TAs, so other departments should be held to the same standard if a similar ratio of TAs to students is required. Often practical examples that illustrate esoteric concepts are incredibly useful in accelerating the learning process. Portfolio theory may provide fodder for a stimulating lecture, but discussing this in weekly recitations with a TA who has undertaken his own research in finance or has worked at an investment bank would most certainly enrich the class.
As Brown expands to become a leading research institution, the accessibility of professors will possibly diminish. If faculty are expected to dedicate more attention to their research rather than to teaching, the role of teaching assistants will become more prominent. Right now, undergraduate TAs enjoy a place in our academic regime. The current system provides undergraduates with stellar leadership opportunities. Even as Brown transforms into a more research-oriented institution, undergraduate TAs may still be appropriate in intermediate-level classes so long as a graduate student can supervise. But in courses with little professor-student interaction, graduate-level TAs are the most effective purveyors of the knowledge we seek. Learning from friends is always interesting, but literally doing so in formal classroom settings is not always appropriate.
Elizabeth Fuerbacher '14 is currently studying economics and oddly enjoys teaching journal entries to others. She can be reached at
elizabeth_fuerbacher@brown.edu.
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