Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary

What They Do

Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.

Typical Tasks

• Teach undergraduate-level courses.
• Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
• Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
• Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
• Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.

Key Skills

Work Activities

• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Training and Teaching Others
• Working with Computers
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others