1. Computer Science Teaching Assistant Orientation
Spring 2016

2. Introductions Faculty Dr. Brent Seales, Department Chair
Dr. Mirek Truszczynski, Director Graduate Studies
Dr. Jurek Jaromczyk, Director Undergraduate Studies
Staff
Kathy Ice-Wedding, graduate records
Dee Fuhs, payroll / finances
Paul Linton, systems manager

3. TA Supervisors Dr. Debby Keen, CS 101 Dr. Debby Keen, CS 115
Dr. Yi Pike, CS 215
Dr. Yi Pike, CS 216
Mr. Paul Piwowarski, CS 221
Dr. Wasilkowski, CS 275

4. Try to keep your balance!
You have a teaching job, classes, research and a LIFE!
How do you balance it?
TALK to your supervisor AND your advisor if you are getting overloaded
Schedules can be adjusted with some notice!

5. Changes this semester
CS 115 gets smaller, CS 215 gets bigger in the Spring
Weather can/may be a factor
Use your common sense – if it’s too dangerous to travel, then don’t!
Listen to radio/TV/ check UKNow to see if UK’s called classes off

6. Changes Next Semester
Common First Year for all pre-engineering students
115 will get smaller
221 will get smaller, eventually fading away?

7. Student = SO? This should not need to be said, but...
If you are teaching a section or a class and discover that you have a friend / relative / significant other enrolled in the class,
Notify your supervisor at once
If possible, rearrange the situation so this is NOT the case!
It is impossible to be objective and professional in this situation.

8. Prepare! If you work in a lab environment,
You should have looked at the assignment ahead of time and solved it on your own.
Don’t assume that “this stuff is trivial and I can solve it at a glance if someone asks”.
Know what the instructor had in mind as the solution, and know the POINT of the exercise – if you can’t figure it out, ask the instructor!

9. Class / Section assignments
Rules for changing assignments are online
Tell your supervisor what you want to change TO, not just what you want to change FROM
Write down what sections are changing and who else is involved
Both people sign the request
MUST be done before first day class meets

10. Observations / Evaluations
Every TA is observed by a faculty member every semester (usually their supervisor)
Every TA is evaluated by their supervisor at the end of every semester
The TA gets a copy of each form and a chance to respond to it
Copies are kept by TA, Dr. Keen, DGS and Graduate School
PLEASE help us by making sure your form is filled out and signed by the end of the semester!

11. Useful Information PLEASE do not give this URL to anyone!!
TA page
PLEASE do not give this URL to anyone!!

12. More Useful Information
Dr. Keen’s cell phone number is
All TAs should KEEP ALL s sent to them by students and all s sent to students, at least until final grades are done
Make sure your University account is set up and that your supervisor has an address for you

13. I-9 forms for Payroll If you are a new TA or
if you have been off the payroll (even a few days!)
See Dee Fuhs, Marksbury 102D, as soon as possible to get on payroll!! They need a new I-9 form

14. Your Class Schedule
If you are a returning student, you should have already registered for classes – if not, then do it NOW!
If you are registered, please do not make changes unless absolutely necessary
If you make a change or have made one in the last few days, TELL Dr. Keen NOW!

15. Last Day of the Semester
Mark your calendars now!
Last day of the semester – Monday May 9, AFTER Finals Week!
We hope we’re finished sooner than that, but don’t make plans until after 5/9/2016
Start of next Fall Semester
August 24, 2016 Wednesday is the first day of class
August 22, 2016 Monday will be CS TA orientation

16. If you have to miss… If you know that you are going to miss a
TA meeting
Class meeting
Office hours
Exam proctoring
Exam grading
Let your supervisor KNOW about it! Even if you have it covered, they need to know! In advance if possible but even after the fact!

17. Food / Drink policies
NEW THIS SEMESTER – some of our students have reported severe nut allergies! So please ask all students NOT to eat in the lab! PLEASE enforce in the labs!
Keep liquids below desk level and in their packs unless they are actually drinking from it
Don’t have bottles, even capped, sitting next to a keyboard!

18. Community TA common goal: the students’ learning
The TAs who work in the same class should be a community – “we know more together than we do individually”
Experienced TAs, please reach out to the new TAs – tips for grading, for dealing with students, anything can be useful when you’re new to the job!

19. Pay attention to the poor performer!
Caring about the students and
SHOWING them that you care!
Documenting how you are communicating with them
Try to get names of people who come to office hours
People who miss classes, miss assignment deadlines
Give them a short note to ask what is wrong

20. Grading Biggest part in terms of time taken
Very important part! Feedback is where learning happens!
Rubrics should be provided by supervisor
If not, make your own and show to supervisor
Follow them as closely as possible
If you disagree with one, take it up with your supervisor
Keep the grading consistent across all sections

21. Academic Alert!!
Program to alert students and advisors to 'risky' behavior of students
Missed Classes (at least 2-3 in the first weeks)
Habitually Late (more than 10 minutes on a regular basis)
Homework assignments not completed or of inconsistent quality
Poor performance on tests or quizzes
Disruptive Behavior in class
Other

22. YOUR OFFICE HOURS YOUR Office Hours - BE there!
They will be in RGAN 102 lab or , scheduled in the next week or two by Dr. Keen
Students can show up at any time, Not just the start of the hour
Try to help every student who asks, even if they are not in your section or even your class
Even if more than one TA is scheduled for a time, it is your job to be there

23. Abstraction
Abstraction: the process of developing a simplified conceptual model of a more complex phenomenon
This is something that all of our students need to learn how to do, no matter what class they are in
If they stay ‘stuck’ on the “concrete level”, they will treat every example as something else to memorize
You have to start with concrete examples to work with what they know, but point out the pattern too

24. Abstraction
We want them to able to apply the pattern to many different situations (and only the correct situations!)
Students who understand abstraction are more likely to succeed in computer science.
Give more than one concrete example, then ask the students what changes between and what stays the same, or ask how the examples are similar.

25. Abstraction Example This is an accumulator statement: x = x + 1
This is an accumulator statement: y = y * 2
This is NOT an accumulator statement: x = y + 1
This is an accumulator statement: s = s + “abc”
This is an accumulator statement: nm = nm + [1]
What do all accumulator statements have in common?
What makes a statement be an accumulator?

26. What’s next?
101 TA meeting Tuesday 11 am – Marksbury large conference room, first floor
115 TA meeting Tuesday 10 am – Marksbury large conference room, first floor
221 TA meeting – was just before this meeting!
215/216 TA meeting – will be announced at end of this meeting
TAs assigned to other classes – contact your supervisors for instructions

27. Ending Activities Supplies – pens, folders, textbooks
Name tags – wear them first day
Night TAs – laptops, syllabus
KEYS to Lab