8  Head TAs

8.1 Which classes should have Head TAs?

Classes that meet either of the criteria below are strongly encouraged to have a Head TA. Instructors who choose not to have a TA or need help identifying someone for this role should contact the DUS.

• Each of our 100-level courses (except for Focus courses)

• Any class that has five or more TAs, including the Head TA

Classes that don’t meet these criteria can still have a Head TA. In these cases, we recommend that instructors assign a subset of the tasks outlined below, keeping in mind the total number of hours allocated to the TA.

8.2 Training

All head TAs are expected to complete the following training items each semester they are serving in this role:

• Review this chapter!

• Attend a Head TA training. The training will be during the first week of classes.

• Attend the Head TA check-in with your instructor during weeks 3 and 6. The check-in will include

  • Training on giving quality feedback

  • Training on reviewing feedback from other TAs efficiently and effectively

  • Sharing experiences with course logistics, setup, and Gradescope.

  • Check in on workload

  • General Q&A

• Provide feedback through an end-of-semester reflection.

8.3 Responsibilities

8.3.1 Administrative tasks

You may be asked to do some or all of the administrative tasks throughout the semester. You can review this list with the instructor to determine the tasks that will be part of your Head TA responsibilities.

8.3.1.1 Office hours

• At the beginning of the semester, ensure each TA has scheduled their allotted office hours (at least 2 hours weekly), has the necessary room reserved, and has Zoom links set up.

• Ensure office hours are well distributed throughout the week as much as possible to meet the students’ needs.

8.3.1.2 Total TA hours

• At the beginning of the semester, obtain the number of expected hours for each TA from the instructor and, when requested, compare them to assigned tasks.

• Check in with other TAs about the hours they work weekly; adjust grading assignments, as needed, to help keep their hours consistent and within their limits. If the workload cannot be allocated fairly and people remain within their limits, notify the instructor.

8.3.1.3 Gradescope

• Work with the instructor at the beginning of the semester to ensure all TAs know how to use Gradescope. Give a demonstration or facilitate a help session for TAs, as needed. 

• If requested, set up assignments in Gradescope and Canvas and make the links for synchronization through the Modules tool in Canvas.

  • Ensure grading rubrics are set up using the instructor’s preferred grading convention (positive scoring, negative scoring, or a combination of both).  Include any other rubric items requested by the instructor, such as a “needs review” rubric item.

8.3.1.4 Grading

• Make grading assignments for all TAs. Each question should be graded by one TA for all submissions in a given assignment, with a rare exception if this is not feasible for particular questions.

  • The number of questions to assign to each TA will be based on the total hours allowed and other TA responsibilities (e.g., labs, office hours, classroom). The instructor will provide the total hours and responsibilities. 

• Set up a clear communication line so TAs may ask questions about grading assignments

• Make sure all TAs complete grading (lab and lecture) within a week (or less during summer). This includes

  • Keep track of progress and gently remind TAs when the grading deadline is approaching.

  • Send personal reminders to TAs with little to no grading completed the day before the deadline. Notify the instructor if any TAs regularly need these reminders.

  • If grading isn’t done by the due date, remind the TA. If you cannot contact the TA or grading is still not completed within the agreed-upon time frame, notify the instructor immediately to follow up with TAs not finishing their grading.

• When the grading deadline has passed, do a first pass on graded items marked “needs review” by other TAs. Then, notify the instructor if any questions need instructor feedback before finalizing.

• Spot-check the quality of written feedback and let the TAs know if they need to improve the quality of feedback. (Note: The second Head TA training session will mainly focus on how to do this.)

• Work with the instructor to determine the process for handling regrade requests. If asked by the instructor, do a first pass on regrade requests, providing feedback on each one. Notify the instructor if any others need instructor feedback before finalizing.

8.3.1.5 Additional tasks

• At the end of drop/add, remind the instructor to remove any students from the GitHub organization that have dropped the class. 

• At the end of the semester, reflect on how the Head TA role went, whether the training was useful, etc., by responding to the Head TA survey.

8.3.2 Pedagogical tasks

You may be asked to do some or all of the pedagogical tasks throughout the semester. You can review this list with the instructor to determine the tasks that will be part of your Head TA responsibilities.

8.3.2.1 Peer evaluations

• Schedule peer evaluations in Teammates or software preferred by the instructor. The instructor will provide the dates of the peer evaluation. Note that Canvas also has peer evaluation tools for grading; you may wish to test it.

• When peer evaluations are due, read through the “instructor only” comments and write a one-page summary notifying the instructor how the teams are generally doing, if there are any common pain points in the class (e.g., not scheduling a time to meet), and any groups that may be having trouble. Any especially good groups are nice to mention, too!

8.3.2.2 Assignments & grading rubric

• Review assignment instructions and notify the instructor of anything confusing or unclear. 

• Review the grading rubric and notify the instructor of any errors or inconsistencies in the instructions and rubric.

  • Talk with the instructor at the beginning of the semester to establish expectations on when they will have the grading rubrics ready for review. 

• Make minor updates and corrections to assignments when requested; instructors are responsible for lab creation and major updates.

• If it is not feasible to schedule a weekly meeting with all TAs and the instructor due to unavoidable scheduling conflicts, work with the instructor to record TA meetings via Zoom and share meeting recordings with other TAs.

Perhaps the most important task of the head TA is to set an example for other TAs. 

8.4 Role of the instructor

The following are the instructor’s roles and responsibilities, which should not be part of the Head TA’s responsibilities.

• The instructor is responsible for course grades.

• The instructor is ultimately responsible for grading for consistency within particular items and across entire graded assignments or assessments.

• In assigning responsibilities to the Head TA, the instructor should determine who will set up assignments in Gradescope and Canvas and make the links for synchronization through the Modules tool in Canvas.

• Make arrangements for student accommodation requests and coordinate with the testing center if needed.

• Scheduling weekly meetings with all TAs to discuss course flow, ensure all TAs have a good handle on the topics/concepts/tools coming up in the subsequent week, etc, and discuss ongoing grading. Unless there is a particular reason, do not decrease this cadence.

• Managing the Canvas Gradebook. The instructor may not grant teaching assistants (including the Head TA) access to the full Canvas gradebook unless there is a specific reason. Note that the university prohibits undergraduate TAs from accessing the Canvas Gradebook entirely.

• Check in with the Head TA during Weeks 3 and 6 about workload. If there are concerns about workload, assign another TA (graduate student or advanced undergraduate) to help with some Head TA responsibilities or reach out to DUS for more resources, if needed.