Current Teaching Assistants

GTAs participate in two semesters of observation, training, and preparation in their first year. The training is completed in conjunction with the Graduate School’s Certificate of Accomplishment in Teaching (CoAT) Program. GTAs in the MS in Tech Comm Program complete a specialized track in CoAT for Professional Writing and earn a transcript notation for successfully completing this program. More specific details are available on the Inquiry-Guided TA Training page.

Teaching assignments

Here is a brief overview of the TA training process and experience:

First year, Fall semester: Enroll in CoAT program, participate in CoAT orientation through the Graduate School, meet with your TA Mentor, observe experienced teacher(s), attend PW seminars, complete the Inquiry-Guided TA Training program.

First year, Spring semester: Continue to attend PW seminars and CoAT training, practice grading and participate in grade norming, practice delivering a full class session, create online resources and course materials, get comfortable with classroom technology.

Second year, Fall semester: Teach ENG 331, ENG 332, or ENG 333 and participate in observations including pre-and post-meetings. GTAs teach a total of three sections (9 credit hours) in their second year; you’ll be scheduled to teach one section in fall and two in spring or vice versa. In the semester that you teach two classes, you will enroll in ENG 685 (MR Supervised Teaching) for 3 credit hours, the outcome of which will be a teaching portfolio.

Second year, Spring semester: Review ClassEvals. Teach ENG 331 or ENG 332 and participate in observations including pre-and post-meetings. Complete work for CoAT including portfolio.

Program Contributions

TAs in the MSTC program also contribute to our teaching, research, and outreach missions in other ways during their four semesters at NC State. Examples of such activities may include:

• providing program assistance (website support, social media coordination, administrative support for MSTC and the Professional Writing program)
• participating in special projects (research to support program initiatives), and
• taking leadership roles in the Technical Communication Association student association (event planning, assisting with the annual SpeedCon Unconference).