Topic outline

  • Teaching assistant as a learning instructor (2 ECTS, autumn 2018)

    Welcome to course page of teaching assistant training on Aalto School of Science. Teaching assistants at Aalto University School of Science have an opportunity to proceed 2 credits pedagogical training, which is made to support their work as a teaching assistant.

    In this MyCourses platform you can find course description, all instructions for completing the course as well as the teaching materials used in teaching sessions.

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      Announcements Forum
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      General discussion Forum

    • Intended Learning Outcomes

      After the course you will:

      • be able to observe the environment from the learning perspective and identify aspects to support students' learning process.
      • recognize ways to how to supports students' study motivation
      • identify your role as a learning instructor and find ways to regulate your behavior adjusted to students' needs.

      Course prerequisites, substitutes, in your degree

      This course has not any prerequisites but you should work as a teaching assistant. If you are interested in to continue your pedagogical studies after this course, you may credit it into A! Peda Intro (5 cr) -course. Please contact course teachers for more information. You can include the course (2 cr) in the block of elective courses in BSc and MSc degrees. In case of PhD studies, you should consult your supervising professor but typically this course is accepted. If working in Dept. of Applied Physics, there exist instructions.

      Course structure, timetable and enrolment

      The course consists of 3 half-day teaching sessions, independent work, group working and e-learning.

      Teaching session #1  (similar content on Friday 7.9.2018, Monday 10.9.2018, Wednesday 12.9.2018 and Friday 14.9.2018) is open for all interested teaching assistants (TA). Sessions #2 and #3 (in October-December) will be for those who prefer completing this as a pedagogical course. The course will take place if we receive minimum 10 participants.

      First contact teaching session (for all interested):

      • Friday 7.9.2018 at 9.00-12.00, room Deloitte (U119), Otakaari 1, instruction language Finnish
      • Monday 10.9.2018 at 9.00-12.00, room Deloitte (U119), Otakaari 1, instruction language Finnish
      • Wednesday 12.9.2018 at 12.30-15.30, room TU6 (1199), Maarintie 8, instruction language English
      • Friday 14.9.2018 at 9.00-12.00, hall AS3 (room 1021-22), Maarintie 8, instruction language Finnish

      Second contact teaching session (only for 2 cr course):

      • Thursday 4.10.2018 at 9.00-12.00, room Majakka (M140) Otakaari 1, instruction language English

      Third contact teaching session (only for 2 cr course):

      • Wednesday 31.10.2018 at 9.00-12.00, room Deloitte (U119) Otakaari 1, instruction language English

      The enrolment for the first session (7.-14.9.2018) by 31.8.2018 (late enrolments => contact Kirsti and Jukka by email). After the first session, there is the enrolment for the course (2 cr).

      The participants in the course are divided to home groups (3-6 members) by the teaching staff.

      Figure 1. Course structure (2 ECTS): Three teaching sessions, independent work, group working and e-learning.


      Course teachers

      Course is organized by Aalto University School of Science Learning Services in cooperation with University Pedagogical training network. Course teachers are Kirsti Keltikangas and Jukka Parviainen (firstname.surname@aalto.fi), specialists at SCI Learning services.

    • Small groups in autumn 2018

    • page icon
      Small groups in autumn 2018 Page
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher
      • You are a(n) Non-editing teacher

  • Contact sessions and materials

    All the teaching material is collected here, including slides and extra information on day's theme. The materials will be updated during the course.

  • Learning assignment #1

    If you are going to proceed the course "Teaching assistant as a learning instructor (2 ECTS)", please follow these instuctions and make the assignments! After the enrolment and the first teaching session, participants are divided to home groups (3-6 members) by the teaching staff.


    The Learning assignment #1 consists of three parts:

    1. Reading the book sections (Section 2 "What generates learning" pp. 9-18, and Section 3 "How do I create an environment that supports learning?", pp. 19-26), DL 28.9.2018

    2. Teaching observation #1 "interaction in the classroom", DL 28.9.2018.

    • Visit an exercise class where you act as an observer. If possible, visit a class of one of your group members. If not, you can visit any other teaching session. It is polite to ask the teacher / assistant that you are coming to observe the session. You can tell the instructor that you are doing this observation as a part of SCI course assistant training.
    • Use the feedback form from this page. Focus on interaction in the classroom and note down at least the following: How was it created? What approaches were used? Which aspects did you find to support students' learning process? You can add reflections and insights of your own.
    • Submit the form in MyCourses "Returning of Teaching observation #1" with the name of the observed peer/teacher removed. Use filename <FirstName>_<Lastname>_LA1_observations (e.g., "Jukka_Parviainen_LA1_observations.pdf") 
    • Optionally, give your feedback to your peer / the teacher, page #2 of the feedback form. Be specific, positive and give constructive feedback.

    3. Group work #1: reflect on the teaching session and the reading assignment, DL before session on 4.10.2018. Arrange a meeting with your small group. In the meeting, discuss your teaching observation and the article. Submit your notes and reflections in MyCourses "Group session" forum: What did you discuss? What did you observe? What did you think about the article?

  • Learning assignment #2

    The Learning assignment #2 consists of three parts:

    1. Reading the book section (Section 5 "How do I teach" pp. 39-49), DL 25.10.2018

    2. Teaching observation #2 "interaction in the classroom", DL 25.10.2018.

    • Visit an exercise class where you act as an observer. If possible, visit a class of one of your group members. If not, you can visit any other teaching session. We encourage you to choose another type of teaching session which you visited in LA#1, e.g., now a lecture if you visited an exercise session. See some suggestions in the Discussion Forum of main page in MyCourses. It is polite to ask the teacher / assistant that you are coming to observe the session. You can tell the instructor that you are doing this observation as a part of SCI course assistant training.
    • Use the feedback form from this page. Focus on interaction in the classroom and note down at least the following: How was it created? What approaches were used? Which aspects did you find to support students' learning process? You can add reflections and insights of your own.
    • Submit the form in MyCourses "Returning of Teaching observation #1" with the name of the observed peer/teacher removed. Use filename <FirstName>_<Lastname>_LA2_observations (e.g., "Jukka_Parviainen_LA2_observations.pdf") 
    • Optionally, give your feedback to your peer / the teacher, page #2 of the feedback form. Be specific, positive and give constructive feedback.

    3. Group work #2: reflect on the teaching session and the reading assignment before contact session 31.10.2018. Arrange a meeting with your small group. In the meeting, discuss your teaching observation and the article. Submit your notes and reflections in MyCourses "Group session" forum: What did you discuss? What did you observe? What did you think about the article?



  • Substitute assignment

    In this section you can find the substitute assignment and its instructions in case you are not able to participate course sessions (at most one of the sessions CS#1 7./10./12./14.9., CS#2 4.10., CS#3 31.10.2018).