Teaching Matters: Understanding the Experience of International GSIs in LSA

Teaching Matters: Understanding the Experience of International GSIs in LSA

Grant:
Gilbert Whitaker Fund for the Improvement of Teaching
Academic Year:
2014 - 2015 (June 1, 2014 through May 31, 2015)
Funding Requested:
$10,000.00
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
pbogart
Overview of the Project:
International GSIs are integral to the instructional mission of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. As classroom instructors and laboratory or discussion section leaders, they touch the lives of most LSA undergraduates. While contact with world-class scholars from around the globe enables multiple perspectives on course content and opportunities for intercultural exchange, the conversation about international GSIs often focuses on their perceived language deficiencies and culturally-inappropriate academic expectations. Usually lacking from these discussions are the voices of international GSIs themselves. Twelve years after the Provost's Task Force on GSI Testing and Training recommended expanded support for international GSIs, the ELI proposes to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to hear from international GSIs in LSA how they assess the resources available to them and the climate in which they teach. The ELI currently plays a lead role in providing language and teacher-training support for international GSIs in LSA and is thus well-positioned to conduct such a needs assessment. We plan to survey international GSIs in order to solicit their assessment of the language, academic, cultural, and professional support currently available to them and to explore their experience of the campus climate in which they are asked to teach. We will also seek the perspective of GSIs' faculty advisors and mentors. Our ultimate goal is to confirm which types of support are working well and to identify areas in which the College and the University could better support international GSIs in their teaching and thus enhance undergraduate education in LSA.
Final Report Fields
Project Objectives:

This needs assessment sought to answer the following broad questions: 1. How effective and useful do international GSIs in LSA find the language, pedagogical, cultural, and professional support available to them within LSA and U-M? 2. How welcoming and supportive do international GSIs in LSA find the climate in which they are asked to teach? 3. Do their faculty advisors and mentors report that international GSIs have access to the resources they need to satisfactorily complete their instructional assignments?

Project Achievements:

The survey, focus groups, and interviews revealed that while international GSIs and their departments are generally satisfied with the resources provided to them by the University, the College, their departments, CRLT, and ELI, opportunities to enhance and expand this support were identified. Likewise, while most international GSIs rate the overall teaching climate in LSA positively, focus group discussions revealed numerous instances of student bias that have led to feelings of stress and anxiety. Specific recommendations grounded in the research data were articulated. See “Continuation” for details.

Continuation:
The initial data-gathering phase is complete. The project is continuing in that ELI, CRLT, and LSA are acting on several key recommendations that stemmed from this project: maintaining and expanding resources identified by GSIs as valuable to their teaching success (e.g. ELI 994, the GSM program, CRLT’s PFF program); including international GSIs in the college-wide LSA diversity and climate conversation; and improving outreach to GSIs and departments to make them aware of the full range of ELI resources for GSIs.
Dissemination:
ELI collaborated with CRLT to produce a detailed report on the project’s methods, results, findings and recommendations. This report was shared with LSA leadership, departments, and members of the graduate faculty and student community who had expressed interest in the project outcomes. The ELI Director has been involved in contributing to LSA climate and diversity initiatives, informed by the perspectives of international GSIs identified in this project.
Advice to your Colleagues:
The rich collaboration with CRLT made it possible to realize the ambitious aims of this project.
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