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Learning Assistant Program

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.

A list of courses supported by semester can be found by scrolling down below. To apply to be an LA, please click on “Join Our Team” in the upper right corner of the website to fill out the Tutoring and Academic Support common application. Faculty can apply for LA support here. 

Spring 2023 Courses Supported

Click below to see the list of courses supported by Learning Assistants (LAs) for Spring 2023.

Our Learning Assistant Program includes:
  • AE 2010: Thermo & Fluids
  • AE 2220: Dynamics
  • CHEM 1211K: Chemical Principles I
  • CHEM 1212K: Chemical Principles II
  • First-Year Chemistry Labs
  • CHEM 2311: Organic Chemistry I
  • CHEM 4511: Biochemistry I
  • ID 1012: Industrial Design Fundamentals 2
  • ID 1419: Intro to Sketching and Modeling 2
  • ID 2024: Industrial Design Studio 2
  • ID 2510: Intro to Smart Product Design
  • ID 3052: Interactive ID Studio 2
  • EAS 1601: Habitable Planet
  • MATH 1113: Precalculus
  • ME 2202: Dynamics of Rigid Bodies
  • MGT 2250: Management Statistics
  • MGT 2255: Quantitative Analysis for Business
  • MGT 3062: Financial Management
  • MUSI 3611: Symphony Orchestra

Additional Courses in Past Semesters

Click below to see additional courses that have been supported by Learning Assistants (LAs) since Spring 2021.

Additional Courses in our Program:
  • CHEM 1315
  • COE 2001
  • COE 3001
  • ID 1011
  • ID 1418
  • ID 2023
  • ID 3051
  • MATH 1550
  • MSE 3021
  • MSE 4022
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: tutoring@gatech.edu