Several job demands impact faculty engagement (Finkelstein, 1996; Peterson, 2004; West, 2012), which has implications for the success of higher education institutions and the student experience (Delmas & Childs, 2021; Cole et al., 2012; Hakanen et al., 2006; Harter et al., 2002; Marken, 2021; Shahid, 2019). The purpose of this qualitative study is to illuminate the lived experience of higher education faculty as they engage in a job resource of an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA) program. The focus of the study is the faculty perspective as they interact with their UTAs and the impact on faculty as UTAs support students of varying levels of preparedness. The data from the study indicates faculty had an overall positive experience with the program with four main themes emerging, including UTAs being an extra layer of support for faculty, UTAs creating an enhanced teaching experience for faculty, UTAs bridging a gap between faculty and students, and interactions with UTAs contributing to faculty professional growth. This research provides an enhanced understanding of how a UTA program impacts the faculty teaching and learning experience and receive teaching support in their classrooms. Administrators, student support centers, and faculty support centers can have a better understanding of the faculty experience when receiving classroom support, and how this impacts faculty inside and outside of the classroom.

Creator

• Kheiry, Mona T.

Language

• English

Keyword

• higher education

• faculty engagement

• teaching support

• undergraduate teaching assistants

• underprepared students

Date created

• 2024

Resource type

• Capstone Project

Rights statement

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/