Students as Producers: The Postgraduate Teaching Assistant Pilot Project

Authors

  • Ann Foley Finnan Oncology Administrator, Seattle, WA, United States.
  • Claire Louise Gibbs The James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Marion Waite Oxford Brookes University
  • Jan Davison-Fischer Oxford Brookes University

Keywords:

student producer, teaching assistant, postgraduate education, reflection, curriculum delivery

Abstract

This paper reports on a pilot project in which two postgraduate students were supported to function in the role of teaching assistants (TAs) as part of their learning experience. The project embraced the notion of students as producers rather than consumers. Using a reflective approach, this case study was jointly written by TAs and their teaching staff. It incorporates feedback from other students collected through an anonymous module feedback survey, which was analysed by attribution to themes. The role of TAs benefitted others students, staff, and the TAs; the project is a strong affirmation of the principle of treating students as producers. The impact of the role on both the students undertaking the TA role and the tutors was profound, and student experience was enhanced as a result. TAs can assist in bridging student-teacher communication gaps and support students’ learning through sharing their knowledge by creating resources. This article is written from the perspectives of both the TAs and the tutors.

Author Biographies

Ann Foley Finnan, Oncology Administrator, Seattle, WA, United States.

Ann Foley Finnan is a post graduate distance learning student on MSc, Clinical Leadership in Nursing at Oxford Brookes University. Ann works as an oncology administrator in Seattle, WA, United States, with focus on patient service and clinical practice development.

Claire Louise Gibbs, The James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Claire Gibbs is a post graduate distance learning student on MSc, Clinical Leadership in Nursing at Oxford Brookes University. Claire works as a Senior Clinical Research Nurse at the James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust with particular interest in research nurse capacity and advanced skills and research education across professions.  

Marion Waite, Oxford Brookes University

Marion Waite is Principal Lecturer Student Experience at Oxford Brookes University, Faculty of Health & life Sciences. Marion’s research and teaching interests are technology enhanced learning and promoting  academic research writing in collaboration with colleagues and learners. 

Jan Davison-Fischer, Oxford Brookes University

Jan Davison-Fischer is a Senior Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University. His teaching includes research design, ethics and management in health & social care. His research examines the translation of policy, substance misuse, and related health care issue.

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Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change

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Published

03/09/2015

How to Cite

Foley Finnan, A., Gibbs, C. L., Waite, M., & Davison-Fischer, J. (2015). Students as Producers: The Postgraduate Teaching Assistant Pilot Project. The Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.studentengagement.org.uk/index.php/studentchangeagents/article/view/183

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2015)

Section

Case Study

License

Copyright is held by the journal. The author has full permission to publish to their institutional repository. Articles are published under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International licence.