Faculty Information
Due to the generous support of the National Science Foundation and PhysTec, funds are available to pay for LAs to support active engagement in introductory physics courses.
What are the goals of an LA Program?
How is the LA model different from other models of undergraduate peer instruction?
The LA model has all of the following characteristics that distinguish it from other undergraduate support programs:
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LAs work with groups of students, on group-worthy activities; they are part of the instructional team in transformed courses.
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LAs mainly assist learners rather than teachers.
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LAs participate in a special seminar targeted at helping them integrate content, STEM-specific pedagogy, and practice.
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Faculty meet with their LAs every week to work through curriculum and plan instruction.
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The program explicitly supports teacher recruitment and preparation.
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A collaborative educational research program accompanies course transformations to evaluate the effects of the LA model.
Interested in Using LAs?
Faculty who use LAs agree to:
- use LAs to promote interaction and collaboration among students enrolled in the course
- meet in weekly planning sessions with the LAs who support their courses
- participate in ongoing community events
- evaluate transformations and assess learning in their own courses
Questions? Contact PhysicsLA@txstate.edu or reach out to Dr. Eleanor Close (eclose@txstate.edu, Director) directly.