Understanding the role of online teaching assistants in student engagement

Abstract

In this paper, we examine how online teaching assistants (OLTAs) interact with students in terms of affective, behavioral, and cognitive support and the influence of OLTA training on these interactions. Through a thematic network analysis, using a tracking instrument and semi-structured interviews with 10 OLTAs, we examined how online university students are supported based on the quantity and quality of interactions with OLTAs, and how training contributes to interactions. Our research addressed two key questions: (1) How do OLTAs support learners in the quantity and quality of interactions? and (2) How does OLTA training around affective and behavioral support influence OLTA interactions with students? To identify support types OLTAs should provide students, we employed the academic communities of engagement framework. Our findings indicate OLTAs offer varying degrees of support, with discrepancies in the amount and quality of interactions. Furthermore, the training program impacts OLTAs, although its specific role remains unclear.

Keywords:

• online learning
• teaching assistant
• peer support
• student engagement
• institutional support
• support for engagement

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the support from our institution for this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was declared by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sara H. Tuiloma

Sara H. Tuiloma, with an MS and a PhD in instructional psychology and technology from Brigham Young University, focuses on student engagement in online learning using the ACE framework. As an instructional designer, she aims to support online students through intuitive design and effective training. See more at http://www.shtuiloma.com/.

Charles R. Graham

Charles R. Graham is a professor of instructional psychology and technology at Brigham Young University. He studies the design and evaluation of online and blended learning and technology use to enhance teaching and learning. Details regarding other works authored by Charles can be found online at http://bit.ly/crgvita.