Teaching Assistant Opportunities

Teaching assistant for DENT524, Craniofacial development and genetics

General Description of Job Duties:

DENT524 is a 12-week course that consists of weekly 2h seminars, presentations by students on different topics each week. The students present a special topic at the end of the course, write a final written exam and submit a written report based on the special topic. Grades are divided equally between weekly participation, the special topic oral presentation, the written report and the final exam.

In DENT524 the TA is primarily an accessible guide for students during weekly presentations on the assigned topics. The TA will review the presentations 2 days ahead of class to ensure that learning objectives are addressed and there is no redundancy. The students will receive feedback and then will refine the presentations prior to posting the final version on Canvas.

The TA will monitor the discussion thread for each week. A summary of the discussion will be presented during class. There are 3-4 presentations per week, each of 30 min duration.

The course coordinator will supervise the TA during the editing of weekly presentations, the grading of the oral and written special topics assignments and grading of the final written exam.

The TA is responsible for:

1. Guiding and editing the weekly student presentations
2. Monitoring and responding to student’s posts on the weekly discussion threads
3. Provide written feedback on the oral special topics presentations
4. Grade the final written exam
5. Provide written feedback on the special topics written report

Background and knowledge required for the position:

Must have taken and received a minimum of 90% in DENT524 in the last 2 years. Must be a graduate student carrying out research in the area of craniofacial development. Must have a good understanding of the principals of inheritance and genetic variation.

Approximate # of hours for seminar preparation, grading

1. Weekly TA prep meeting with Course coordinator – 12h
2. 6h per week for seminar editing – 66h
3. 6 hours grading special topics oral presentations and summarizing feedback to each student – 6h
4. 12 hours grading the final written exam – 12h
5. 12 hours grading the final special topics written reports – 12h

Total between December 2nd and April 30th – 108h

Other useful information:

This is a first-year graduate level course with students who are mostly taking clinical specialty training in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry. They will have completed a dental degree and undergraduate science courses before that. Other students are in full-time graduate studies in the area of craniofacial and dental development. Empathy and compassion for the first-year transition to this course which requires recall of science education from their BSc is preferred. Skill level and pace of learning may vary among students so experience taking the course previously is required. Any students that are struggling should be brought to the attention of the course coordinator.

Please send your CV and cover letter to hr@dentistry.ubc.ca by November 18, 2024.