1. Introduction to Laboratory Instruction
Changing Students and Changing TAs Developmental Models

2. Topics for Today
Perry Model for Intellectual and Ethical Development during College
Nyquist Model for TA Development

3. Introduction to the Perry Model Stages of epistemological and ethical growth
Includes Ability To:
Understand the nature of knowledge, and how it is acquired
Interpret the roles of authority
Make decisions about complex life dilemmas
(from D. Finster, “Applying development theory May Improve Teaching” Wittenberg Today, Nov/Dec 1987)

4. The “Stripped Down” Three-Stage Perry Model (from 9 phase that must be experienced sequentially)

5. Focus on Dualism in the Classroom From, “A Model for College Teaching” by Knefelkamp and Widick
Attributes
1. Expects to be told what to do.
2. Thinks the right answer is out there and authority knows .
3. Gets frustrated with authority who won’t give clear-cut answer.
4. When sees differences of opinion, is either confused or thinks it’s a trick to “get us to figure it out.”
Developmental Cues
1. No body will tell me what I should major in.
2. Which is the right interpretation of this poem.
3. Dr. Smith is a lousy teacher. He keeps telling us all this conflicting stuff and won’t tell us which is right.
4. I know she said there are a couple of ways to do this problem. I wonder which one is right.

6. Dualism Cont. - Classroom Expectations
Role of Authority
Teach the right answer to students, and relay them in a straight-forward fashion; tell what’s expected for tests.
Take an active interest in students.
Role of Peers
Do not contribute to learning, but can be used by instructor to come up with answer.
Clarify points to let others they are experiencing problems.
Classroom as a Whole
Structured, with limited diversity; lecture.
Present material in straight-forward, factual manner; tell students only what they need to know.
Instructor must care and want students to learn.

7. Indicators of TA Development Colleague-in-Training
Senior Learner
Colleague-in-Training
Junior Colleague
Concerns
Self/survival
How will the students like me?
Skills
How do I lecture, discuss?
Outcomes
Are the students getting it?
Discourse Level
Pre-socialized
Give simplistic explanations
Socialized
Talk like insiders,
use technical language
Post-socialized
Make complex ideas clear without use of jargon
Approach to Authority
Dependent
Rely on supervisor
Independent or Counter-dependent.
Stand on own ideas-defiant at times
Independent/collegial
Begin to relate to faculty as partners in meeting instructional challenges
Approach to Students
Engaged/vulnerable; student as friend, victim, or enemy
“Love” students, want to be friends, expect admiration, or are hurt, angry in response and personalize interactions
Detached; student as experimental subject
Disengage or distance themselves from students-Becoming analytical about learning relationships
Engaged/professional; student as client
Understand student/.instructor relationships and thee collaborative effort required for student learning to occur
From Jody D. Nyquist and Jo Sprague (1998) Thinking Developmentally about TAs. In M. Marinovich, J. Prostho, F. Stout (Eds.), The Professional Development of Graduate TAs. (pp ) Anker Publishing