UNC-CH
Physics and Astronomy TA Assignment Descriptions and Expectations
The Department of Physics and
Astronomy hires approximately 50 Teaching Assistants
(TAs) each semester to serve as laboratory and recitation instructors, graders,
tutors, and instructional assistants. These TA assignments are made by
the Director of Undergraduate Laboratories and Introductory Physics Course
Coordinator, who match TA requests with department needs and circumstances.
In making TA assignments, priority is given to continuing graduate
students within the department (based on experience and class standing), but
graduate students from other departments (especially CASE) are sometimes hired
to fill the teaching needs of the department. Undergraduate students are hired
for certain positions: Recitation Learning Assistant, Supplemental
Instruction, Electronics Lab, Instructional Assistant, Lab Setup, and grading
for some introductory courses.
Weekly TA workloads vary depending on the assignment, but a typical full TA
(which is nominally a half-time appointment) during the fall or spring
semesters requires approximately 17 hours per week for 12 weeks, or about 200
hours for the semester. A summer session TA requires approximately 11
hours per week for 5 weeks, or a total of 55 hours. Each of the assignments
described below is based on these TA workload standards to maintain equity
among TAs. If either the
student or faculty supervisor finds that a particular assignment requires
significantly more or less time than expected, the Director of Undergraduate
Laboratories should be contacted to rectify the situation.
A101L (Laboratory Instructor for Astr101 - Descriptive Astronomy):
Lead 1.5 lab sections (and assist with 1.5 labs) of up to 30 students each for
11 weeks. Typical weekly workload: 6 hours teaching + 3 hours lab preparation +
6 hours grading lab reports + 3 office hours = 18 hours. (Fall, Spring, and Summer. Supervisor: Astro
Course Coordinator)
AGN (Astronomy Guest Nights): Give a guided tour of the heavens
each Friday night to about 30 public guests of all ages. Typical weekly
workload: 1 hour preparation + 3 hours at observatory + 1 hour admin.; 0.3 TA.
(Fall, Spring. Supervisor: Astro
Course Coordinator)
A519A (Teaching Assistant for Astr519 - Observational Astronomy):
Assist course instructor as needed. Workload varies depending on
semester. (Fall or Spring. Supervisor: course
instructor)
P52A (Laboratory Assistant for Phys52 - Freshman Seminar on electronics:
"Making the Right Connections"): Assist course instructor with
laboratory instruction. Typical weekly workload: 8 hours for 0.5 TA.
(Variable offerings. Supervisor: course
instructor)
P100D (Demo Assistant for Phys100 - How Things Work): Prepare and
assist with presentation of lecture demonstrations for Physics 100 course,
which meets 3 times each week. Ideally, the same TA holds this assignment for
several consecutive semesters.
Typical weekly workload: 5 hours; 0.3 TA. (Fall, Spring.
Supervisor: course instructor) When combined with Supplemental Instruction role
(see below), the total expected workload is 0.5 TA.
P106A (Instructional Assistant
for Phys106 - Inquiry into the Physical World): Assist course instructor as
needed. Workload varies depending on semester. (Fall.
Supervisor: course instructor)
P108/131A (Instructional Assistant for Phys131 & 108 – Physics
of Energy & Our Energy and Climate Crisis): Assist course instructors
as needed both in and out of class with recitations, lectures, lab activities,
and field trips. Workload depends on enrollment and instructor
expectations. (Fall or Spring. Supervisor:
course instructors)
P104L or P105L (Laboratory Instructor for Phys104 or 105 - General
Physics I, II): Teach 3 lab sections of up to 25 students each for 11
weeks. WebAssign is used for grading prelabs and lab reports, but reports that are submitted on
paper should be graded and returned with feedback to students by the next lab
period. Attend weekly TA meetings with Lab Director. Typical weekly workload: 6
hours teaching + 3 hours preparation and administration (including TA meeting)
+ 5 hours grading and advising + 3 office hours (2 in PTC) = 18 hours.
(Fall, Spring, Summer. Supervisor: Lab Director)
P116L or 117L (Laboratory Instructor for Phys116: Mechanics, or Phys117:
E&M, optics): Teach 3 lab sections of up to 14 students each for 11
weeks. Grade lab reports and return with comments to students by the next lab
period. Attend weekly TA meetings with Lab Director. Typical weekly workload: 6
hours teaching + 2 hours preparation (including TA meeting) + 7 hours grading
lab reports and exams or homework for P104 or 105 + 3 office hours (2 in
PTC) = 18 hours. (Fall, Spring, Summer.
Supervisor: Lab Director)
P116R or P117R (Recitations for Phys116 or 117): Facilitate 3
recitation sections of approximately 20 students each. Recitations meet once
per week for 14 weeks. Recitation TAs work with the
corresponding course instructors to coordinate instructional content and
grading schedules. Typical weekly workload: 3 contact hours in recitation + 4
hours preparation (including weekly meeting) + 3 office hours (2 in PTC) + 4
hours grading homework and tests = 14 hours. (Fall, Spring.
Supervisors: course coordinator and instructors)
P116RLA or P117RLA (Recitation Learning Assistants for Phys116 or 117):
Undergraduate student who works with graduate TA to assist students in
recitations with their conceptual understanding and problem solving
skills. Typical weekly workload: 3 contact hours + 2 hours preparation
(including weekly meeting) + 1 hour in PTC = 6 hours; 0.3 TA. (Fall, Spring. Supervisors: course coordinator and instructors)
P116S or P117S (Instructional Assistant for SCALE-UP or Lecture/Studio
version of Phys116 or 117): Assist course instructor with class
activities, student learning, evaluation, and curriculum development. Typical
weekly workload: 4 contact hours + 2 hours preparation (including weekly
meeting) + 5 hours grading and development + 3 office hours (1 in PTC) = 14
hours. (Fall, Spring.
Supervisors: course coordinator and instructors)
P116SLA or P117SLA (Learning Assistants for Phys116S or 117S):
Undergraduate student who assists with student learning during class
activities. Typical weekly workload:
4 contact hours + 1 hour preparation (weekly meeting) + 1 hour in PTC =
6 hours; 0.3 TA. (Fall, Spring. Supervisors: course
coordinator and instructors)
P128L
(Laboratory Instructor for Phys128 - Modern Physics): Teach 3 lab
sections of up to 12 students each for 10 weeks.. The
same TA usually holds this assignment for several consecutive semesters.
Typical weekly workload: 9 contact hours + 3 hours preparation + 4 hours
grading lab reports + 3 office hours = 19 hours. (Fall, Spring.
Supervisors: course instructor, Senior Lab Manager)
P331L (Teaching Assistant for Phys331 - Numerical Techniques):
Guide and assist students with their course assignments using MATLAB, and
implementing numerical methods learned in the lecture to solve physical
problems and analyze scientific results using common computational techniques.
The TA must have strong math and physics knowledge and be familiar with basic numerical
methods and MATLAB. Willingness to learn new things and patience to scan
someone else's code for mistakes is beneficial. Expect to work late night hours
assisting students in the computer lab (especially the day before homework is
due). Typical weekly workload: 4 contact hours + 2 hours preparation + 2 hours grading
+ 2 office hours + 4 hours additional student assistance = 14 hours. (Fall or Spring. Supervisor: course instructor)
P351L (Laboratory Instructor for Phys351 - Electronics I, analog):
Assist students in 3 lab sections of up to 12 students each as they work on 11
analog electronics labs and Multisim. Each lab
section has 2 TAs: usually one graduate student and one undergrad. Typical
weekly workload: 9 hours in lab + 3 hours preparation + 2 hours grading labs +
4 hours grading homework = 19 hours. (Fall.
Supervisor: course instructor)
P352L (Laboratory Instructor for Phys352 - Electronics II,
digital): Assist students in 3 lab sections of up to 12 students each as
they work on 7 digital electronics labs and grade LabVIEW
homework for first 6 weeks of semester. Experience with LabVIEW
is required. Typical weekly workload: 20 hours. (Spring.
Supervisor: course instructor)
P481L/491L (Teaching Assistant for Phys481/491 - Advanced Lab):
Advise and assist undergraduate junior and senior physics majors and materials
science students as they perform independent experiments over 10 weeks. A
working knowledge of advanced physics research laboratory equipment is
required. Typical weekly workload: 7 contact hours + 2 hours grading + 1
hour preparation = 10 hours; 0.5 TA. (Fall.
Supervisor: course instructor,
Senior Lab Manager)
P711/712R (Recitation for Phys711 and 712): Schedule and lead
optional one-hour session each week to present and discuss mathematical methods
associated with electromagnetic theory, including complex variables, Fourier
techniques, multipole expansions, tensor analysis,
special functions, etc. Review with students more difficult homework
problems after they have been graded and returned, and answer questions related
to course lecture, either immediately or the following week. Only
graduate students who have passed the physics PhD qualifying exam are eligible
for this assignment. Typical weekly workload: 1 contact hour teaching + 4
hours preparation = 5 hours; 0.3 TA. (Fall, Spring.
Supervisor: course instructor)
P701/722R (Recitation for Phys701 and 722): Schedule and lead
optional one-hour session each week to present and discuss mathematical methods
and related problems associated with classical dynamics and quantum
mechanics. Review with students more difficult homework problems after
they have been graded and returned, and answer questions related to course
lecture, either immediately or the following week. Only graduate students
who have passed the physics PhD qualifying exam are eligible for this
assignment. Typical weekly workload: 1 contact hour teaching + 4 hours
preparation = 5 hours; 0.3 TA. (Fall, Spring.
Supervisor: course instructor)
Supplemental
Instruction (SI): This program provides optional academic support
in a group discussion format for students in certain large-enrollment classes
(usually Phys100, 104, and 105). Each SI leader attends class and holds
three weekly SI sessions for a particular lecture section. The SI leader
facilitates group problem-solving, encourages critical thinking, and helps
students develop learning strategies appropriate to the course. Demand
for SI varies throughout the semester (heavy before exams, light
afterwards). Typical weekly workload: 3 hours attending class + 3 hours
leading SI sessions + 1 hour preparation/admin. = 7 hours;
0.4 TA. (Fall, Spring, Summer.
Supervisor: SI/PTC Manager)
Physics Tutorial Center (PTC): Assist primarily Physics 104, 105,
116, and 117 students with questions they have about their homework or lab. Requires broad and capable understanding of introductory physics
and patience to work with students. Assistance with the maintenance and
administration of the PTC is expected during slow periods. Most laboratory and
recitation TAs are assigned 2 office hours each week in the PTC. (Fall, Spring, Summer. Supervisors: PTC Manager, Lab Director, Lab
Manager)
SI/PTC Manager:
Train and supervise SI leaders.
Monitor the use of the Physics Tutorial Center and coordinate with the
Lab Director and Lab Manager on strategies to best meet the needs of the
students who utilize this resource. Typical weekly workload: 2
hours supervising SI leaders + 1 hour monitoring PTC + 2 hours administration
and coordination = 5 hours; 0.3 TA. (Fall, Spring.
Supervisor: Lab Director)
Lab Development: Coordinate with the Lab Director and Lab Manager
on developing new experiments for the introductory physics labs, revising
existing experiments, or editing the lab manuals. The workload for this
assignment is flexible. (Fall, Spring, Summer.
Supervisors: Lab Director, Lab Manager)
Lab Assistant: Assist the Lab Manager and Lab Director with
activities related to the introductory physics labs. The workload for this
assignment is flexible. (Fall, Spring, Summer.
Supervisors: Lab Director, Lab Manager)
Lab Setup: Coordinate with the Lab Manager to set up and take down
the apparatus for each of the introductory physics laboratories. Work times are
usually Friday afternoons and Mondays. Undergraduate Lab Assistants are usually
hired on an hourly basis for this work. Typical workload is 5 hours/week.
(Fall, Spring, Summer. Supervisor: Lab Manager)
Demo Assistant: Coordinate with the Lab Manager to prepare lecture
demonstrations for courses, help maintain demonstration facility, build and
repair demos, purchase new demos. Undergraduate Lab Assistants are usually
hired on an hourly basis for this work. Workloads can vary from 0 to 10
hours/week. (Fall, Spring, Summer. Supervisor: Lab
Manager)
Grading (G): Coordinate with faculty course instructor to grade
homework or exams throughout the semester. Most grading jobs require rapid
turnaround time (a few days), so the workload can be intense at times and calm
in between. Multiple graders may be assigned to the same course to reduce
the grading intensity. Completion and mastery of a course is required
before a student can grade for that course. Typical workload: Most courses
require 40 to 100 hours of total grading time, but the workload should not
exceed 20 hours in any one week. (Fall, Spring,
Summer. Supervisor: course instructor).
Last revised: 8/7/11, DLD