Teaching International Relations

To: Prospective TAs and Assistants for Spring, 1999, P.S. 320, section 1
From: Prof. Chadwick, instructor for Pols. 320, 392.
Re: Agreement for your undergraduate teaching assistantship

    Teaching Assistants' Duties

  1. register for Pols. 392(2) "Teaching Political Science" (permission required; my section); note that this is a 6-credit course.
  2. regularly maintain a weekly schedule as follows:
    • attend lectures and negotiation sessions (MWF 11:30-12:30),
    • tutor two discussion groups for one hour each, of no more than six students each,
    • meet with me once a week for
      • discussion with each other;
      • administrative duties such as grading quizzes, exams, essays, and simulation participation, and recording grades;
      • preparing for your lab and simulation sessions with students;
      • designing and planning course improvements;
      • training on computer software (ExC, IFs, pine, Netscape);
      • reviewing recommendations for improving class; and
      • preparing for class sessions;
                                                          hours per week
           Regularly attend lecture sessions....................... 3 
           Two regularly scheduled tutoring groups @ 1 hr each..... 2 
           Meeting time with me for training, discussion........... 1 
           Study time to prepare yourself for tutoring.....  (variable)
          --------------------------------------------------------------
          TOTAL time averaged for showing up (excluding study time) 6 hrs/wk.
          Note: do NOT schedule yourself for more time than this.
     
  3. Do not grade major exams or papers of students assigned to you for tutoring (I want to completely separate the tutoring role from the evaluation role for quizzes, exams, and essays).

    My duties:

  1. prepare and revise syllabus (on the Web) and all lectures, course materials, computer lab setups, and examinations;
  2. instruct you on how to use the above computer based materials, as needed, before and during the term;
  3. maintain regular office hours (MW 9:30-11:20, W 2-5 PM);
  4. complete essay grading and recording at the end of the semester;
  5. finalize all students' grades;
  6. handle all complaints.

    Assistants' Duties (only if more than 6 "TA"s)

  1. register for Pols. 399, 3 credits (permission required; pre-requisite, PS 392);
  2. meet with tutors weekly or as needed to provide further instruction on the use of computers (Netscape, Expert Choice, International Futures, and email);
  3. tutor PS 329 students weekly on the application of the above programs through a series of IBM computer lab sessions and follow-up training periods;
  4. update and maintain Netescape pages on simulation, schedules, and Internet resources;
  5. help me conduct quarterly evaluations of the course itself and recommend structural changes as needed;
  6. write a final paper recommending changes to course structure.

Created 1994; last revised March 3, 1999.
© Copyright 1995 Richard W. Chadwick
Email chadwick@Hawaii.Edu