Learning Assistant Program Courses Supported

Learning Assistant Program

Tutoring and Academic Support is bringing a Learning Assistant (LA) Program to Georgia Tech starting Fall 2021!

Student LA Application for Spring 2022

Spring 2022 Courses Supported

Click below to see the list of courses supported by Learning Assistants (LAs) for Spring 2022, and their instructors.

Starting Salary: $11/per hour

AE 2010: Thermodynamics and Fluids

Instructor: Turab Zaidi

AE 2220: Dynamics

Instructor: Turab Zaidi

Instructor: Mayuresh Patil

CHEM 1211K: Chemical Principles I

Instructor: Michael Evans

MATH 1113: Precal

Instructor: Stephanie Reikes

ME 2202: Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

Instructor: David Torello

MGT 2250: Management Statistics

Instructor: Tatiana Rudchenko

MGT 2255: Quantitative Analysis for Business

Instructor: Tatiana Rudchenko

MGT 3062: Financial Management

Instructor: Jacqueline Garner

MUSI 3611: Symphony Orchestra

Instructor: Chaowen Ting

MSE 3021: Materials Properties Laboratory

Instructor: Himani Sharma

Fall 2021 Courses Supported

Click below to see the list of courses supported by Learning Assistants (LAs) for Fall 2021, and the responsibilities.

Starting Salary: $11.00 per hour

AE 2220: Dynamics

Instructor: Turab Zaidi

  • Must be available M/W/F 2:00-2:50pm
  • Work with students in small groups during problem solving time
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Assist in the creation of activities as needed
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
CHEM 1211: Chemical Principles I

Instructor: M.G. Finn

  • Must be available M/W/F: 8:25-9:15am
  • Work with students in small groups during class
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Activity brainstroming as needed
  • Review course content weekly
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)

Instructor: Michael Evans

  • Must be available M/W/F: 9:30-10:20am
  • Work with students in small groups during class
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Review course content weekly
  • Assist with grading of activities as needed
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
COE 3001: Mechanics of Deformable Bodies

Instructor: Antonia Antoniou

  • Must be available M/W 11:00am-12:15pm
  • Facilitate group problem solving time during class
  • Ask probing questions to guide students through course mini projects
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
Math 1113: Precalculus

Instructor: Stephanie Reikes

  • Must be available M/W: 8:25-9:15am or M/W: 3:30-4:20pm
  • Work with students in small groups during studio
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Review course content weekly and/or attend lecture (T/R: 12:30-1:45pm)
  • Assist with creation of activities as needed
  • Assist with grading of activities as needed
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
ME 2202: Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

Instructor: David Torello

  • Must be available T/R: 2:00-3:15pm and/or T/R: 3:30-4:45pm
  • Work with students in small groups during class
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Assist with creation of activities as needed
  • Assist with grading of activities as needed
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
MGT 2250: Management Statistics

Instructor: Tatiana Rudchenko

  • Must be available M/W/F 11:00-11:50am
  • Work with student in small groups during class
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Assist with creation of activities as needed
  • Assist with grading of activities as needed
  • Hold 1 office hour before each exam
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
MGT 3062: Financial Management

Instructor: Jacqueline Garner

  • Must be available M/W/F: 9:30-10:20am or M/W/F: 12:30-1:20pm
  • Assist students on Excel work during class
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Review course content weekly
  • Assist with grading of classwork as needed
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
MSE 4022: Materials Laboratory II

Instructor: Himani Sharma

  • Must be available W: 5-6pm and Th: 11am-12pm
  • Facilitate small group discussion regarding weekly lab experiments (including pre-lab and post-lab assignments)
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Review course content weekly as needed
  • Assist with providing lab feedback/grading
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
MUSI 3611: Symphony Orchestra

Instructor: Chaowen Ting

  • Must be available T/R 9:30-10:45am and/or T/R 12:30-1:45pm
  • Meet weekly with course instructor
  • Help with course logistics and prepare music
  • Facilitate small group activites
  • Provide feedback to students on activities
  • Take CETL 2001 (first semester as LA)
Why start a LA Program now?

The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated remarkable and impactful changes to the educational landscape. As instruction transitions back to an in-person format, instructors will need to decide which elements of remote learning they want to maintain. For example, by shifting content delivery to online videos, the in-person component might be used for collaboration and discussion. This is a great opportunity to transform the classroom experience into an active environment with the help of Learning Assistants.

Who are LAs?

Learning Assistants (LAs) are undergraduate students who are prepared to provide support for student learning in an interactive classroom environment. LAs can help facilitate active learning and collaborative instruction in lecture, recitation, studio, and/or lab. LAs are able to guide or coach students by sharing skills and knowledge they have already learned from taking the course. In addition, they can use their skills to identify and address student difficulties with course content. LAs engage in pedagogical training to assist them in promoting student learning outcomes.

Why are LAs important?

Learning Assistants provide a viewpoint different than the instructor or TA. Since the LA has more recently taken the course, they may have unique insights of where students struggle and can help students grasp the concept in a more relatable way.  One of the biggest advantages of having an LA in the classroom is it provides another point of contact for the student. It decreases the student to teacher ratio, which can be valuable for larger lecture courses.

Teaching Assistants

The main responsibility of a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA) is assisting the course instructor in running Recitations or Studio sections and grading assignments. They may provide assistance on graded material.

PLUS Leaders

PLUS Leaders provide opportunities for students enrolled in traditionally challenging courses to work together in a collaborative setting to review course content, develop learning and study strategies, and prepare for exams. These sessions are held outside of scheduled class times. PLUS Leaders do not provide assistance on graded work. 

Learning Assistants

Learning Assistants are used more flexibly, a hybrid of a PLUS Leader and TA, as they may facilitate small group interaction inside the classroom, hold weekly office hours, and contribute to grading. LAs provide assistance to students in a 1-to-1 and/or small group format and help lower the teacher to student ratio. They may provide assistance on graded material. LAs are not to replace TA duties.

Teaching Assistants vs. PLUS Leaders vs. Learning Assistants

While they may be similar, Learning Assistants are not PLUS Leaders or Teaching Assistants. 

Learning Assistants (LAs) are students who are prepared to provide support for student learning in an interactive classroom environment. LAs help facilitate active learning and collaborative instruction in lecture, recitation, studio, and/or lab. Learning Assistants will: (1) Work directly with students, helping make courses more student-centered using interactive techniques with an emphasis on exploratory questions, (2) Meet weekly with course instructor to discuss upcoming assignments, activities, labs and common student difficulties, (3) Hold office hours and assist with grading as needed from course instructor, (4) Take 1-credit pedagogy course on interactive educational techniques (CETL 2001) during their first semester as a LA, (5) Be available to attend all components of the course required by the instructor, and (6) Be available to work 6-8 hours a week.

On average 6-8 hours a week:

  • 1 hour weekly meeting
  • 2 hours in class with students
  • 2 hours prep time to review course material
  • 1 hour office hour
  • 2 hours assisting with grading (in class assignments, they are not to replace TAs)

Note, each instructor may adapt these requirements to the needs of their course.

  • Georgia Tech student in Good Academic Standing and Good Judicial Standing
  • Have completed at least one full semester at Georgia Tech
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be eligible to support the selected course with an A grade or support from the instructor
  • Be available to meet with the instructor once a week
  • Be available to attend all components of the course required by the instructor
  • Be available to see students for weekly office hours
  • Be available for assisting in grading, as needed
  • Have a professional reference (faculty preferred)
  • Be available to enroll in the training course, CETL 2001: Fundamentals of Peer Tutoring

For any questions regarding the Learning Assistant (LA) Program, contact Stephanie Reikes: sreikes7@gatech.edu