[nabs-l] Questions About TA-ing and Teaching

[Cindy Bennett]

Hello,

I have already posted this on the blind academics list that is
periodically recommended here. However, I have received few responses
thus far and am seeking more advice.

I am excited about my first TA opportunity but am naturally nervous to
try something new and have some questions.

To provide background, my department, Human Centered Design and
Engineering teaches students a variety of skills that will prepare
them to design technologies, interfaces, and do user research. Our
program is unique in that many computer science departments have a
human computer interaction specialization, but students in our
department take usability, computer science, and design courses, and
they are heavily influenced by sociology and psychology theory.

I will be TA-ing our new intro course where students will attend
lectures and accompanying studios. I am working with another TA, and
we will oversee the studios. Students will have topics for each studio
and complete relevant tasks to introduce them to broad concepts that
they may later take entire courses on. The goal of the course is to
introduce students from other departments to HCDE as it can be
beneficial in a variety of fields, to market our department, and to
let students who are interested in the major learn whether they want
to apply for it.

I may also have an opportunity to lead lecture which I am particularly
excited about since I plan to teach before I graduate to learn whether
I want to pursue teaching as a career.

I am a bit nervous about making sure the workload is equal as one of
the studios is about visualizing data sets. In addition, the lab where
studio will be held has several computers with a litany of design
software’s that are pretty inaccessible. The professors and other TA
are very open, and we have talked about various workload divisions
such as each of us leading 2 of the 4 studios, but alternating who
prepares the studio based on our expertise. For example, the other TA
is a designer and would probably prepare a better info vis studio, and
I have done a ton of user research and work on interaction design
regarding accessible interaction with touchscreens, so I might be able
to lend my expertise for planning those studios.

The professors are very interested in me problem solving to make some
of the tasks that are inherently visual that don’t have to be more
accessible for me. For example, I could figure out a way to ask
students to ideate in an accessible manner where they have to explain
flow charts, add alt text, or I could even bring in tactile art
supplies for them to construct 3d charts. So this is very exciting
although a challenge that I will doubtless not get right the first
time.

I have the typical questions such as how to best traverse some of the
mundane tasks such as  formatting slides and dealing with things in
studios such as questions about software’s I cannot use. We will hire
a couple of hourly undergrads who can be used to set up the studio
space and may help with some of the grading. The professors are open
to allocating some of the undergrad’s time to assisting me with tasks
that a typical reader would perform.

There is an office where employees with disabilities can request
accommodations. So I am trying to balance whether I should try to get
my own hourly assistant, or use the undergrads, or what. I have heard
of grad students doing both of these things and know the decision will
ultimately be my decision. I am just in the middle of bureaucracy
right now with that office which is why I would love to keep the
accommodations inside the department and use the undergrad’s time.

But if any of you have advice about how to teach and grade visual
content, about balancing workload with others and how to traverse the
tension of trading tasks if one is visual versus using someone else
too much, and about teaching/TA-ing as a blind person in general, I
would really love to hear it. Class starts on October 1 since we are
on the quarter system, so I have a bit of time, but want to plan ahead
as much as possible.

Thank you,


-- 
Cindy Bennett
1st Year Ph.D. Student, University of Washington
Human Centered Design and Engineering

Treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington
an Affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind

clb5590 at gmail.com



-- 
Cindy Bennett
1st Year Ph.D. Student, University of Washington
Human Centered Design and Engineering

Treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington
an Affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind

clb5590 at gmail.com