The initiative Toward creating an Open Access pedagogic resource hub for Graduate Teaching Assistants recognises the need to provide teaching support for Graduate Teaching Assistants (an umbrella term for postgraduate students who engage in university teaching roles that supplement core teaching, for example those who hold tutorials, give occasional lectures or seminars, demonstrate in labs, etc.). Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are heavily relied upon to teach core content and skills within their disciplines, are often the first point of contact that students have with staff, and have a significant impact on student success. However, since most GTAs are fresh from their own undergraduate experience, they frequently have little pedagogical training and are also ill-equipped to assist their students in life issues. Given that most universities highlight teaching as a fundamental pillar of their mission, but do not always require or support the pedagogical development of these key members of their teaching staff, there appears to be a disparity between what is valued and what is enabled.
In the first draft of this resource hub over 60 resources have been drawn, covering a variety of teaching areas (e.g. active learning, assessment and feedback, equity, diversity and inclusivity) that GTAs can use independently in their development as teachers, or can be used by those designing teaching instruction programmes aimed at GTAs.