DIG4917 Undergraduate Course Assistant

Undergraduate Course Assistant provides upper-level DAS students hands-on experience with teaching in the digital arts and sciences at the college level. Under the supervision of a faculty member, course assistants will help with the preparation and discussion of course materials, work with students during office hours, and play a critical role in facilitating learning.

Each course assistant’s experience is tailored to both the student's skills and knowledge as well as the supervising faculty member’s needs. Independent of the particular course or instructor, course assistants will benefit by developing their communication and leadership skills and by gaining a better understanding of the ways in which people learn.

Student Objectives:

1. Hone oral and written communication methods
2. Develop strategies for teaching and assisting student learning
3. Practice advising other students
4. Understand the principles of teaching in the digital arts and sciences

Variable Credit

0 Credit Hours: Students can enroll in this course for 0 credit hours. This situation would be preferred by students who are approaching a maximum number of credit hours toward their degree or who are unable to cover the cost of tuition for these credits. Students registering for 0 credit hours should carefully discuss with their faculty advisor the time expectations for completion of the requirements of the class, and these expectations should be clearly articulated on the Digital Worlds Zero Credit Application Form.

Students enrolled for 0 credit hours will shadow the course instructor. They will only be asked to observe or spectate the instructor/faculty member once a month and will briefly discuss the experience with the instructor/faculty member for no more than 30 minutes following the observation.

1-3 Credit Hours: Students can take 1-3 credits per semester, with a maximum of 4 hours to count toward the major. For each credit taken, students must complete 45 hours of work during this semester. Thus one academic credit translates into 3 hours per week during Spring and Fall semesters, 3.75 hours per week during Summer C, and 7.5 hours per week during Summer A or Summer B (for each credit taken). Expected work is elaborated below:

NOTE: Scheduled meeting times will vary by semester and supervising faculty.