White agreed to help teach a course for TAs who were assigned to run introductory biology labs. But first she looked to see what was available elsewhere and learned that TA training nationwide varies greatly. Some schools offer intensive certificate programs that span years and cover many types of classes and teaching experiences. Others offer university-wide courses for a few hours or a few days before school starts, though some science TAs complain that those are often generic. Many schools, including Oregon State, had no organized training at all.

White wanted the TA course to begin with the practical: teaching TAs how to set expectations for the lab, work with students who have disabilities or otherwise need special assistance, manage disruptive students, and deal with academic dishonesty.

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Then she moved on to subjects that would make the TAs better teachers: writing thoughtful quiz questions, addressing different learning styles, and breaking the cycle of memorization and repetition. During the school year, White saw a notable increase in confidence among the graduate students that they could handle both the class and the material. “It became evident that many of the people were just craving this,” White recalls. “Even the veteran TAs were thrilled to have this opportunity because they had already had a year or two of really floundering.”

Sarah Eddy, a veteran TA and zoology graduate student, says White's course made her think about her class differently. She revised her introductory lectures to include more group activities and learned how to streamline her weekly grading duties. But the part she found most interesting was the focus on improving critical thinking, both in lectures and on quizzes. “If you can give the students that skill, then they are much closer to becoming scientists,” she says.

Within a few weeks after White's class began in fall 2008, other graduate students were asking if they could join. Now faculty and graduate students in chemistry, physics, and even departments outside the sciences want to find out what the class is about. The idea has been so popular that Mason and White are creating a teaching certificate program for graduate students at Oregon State. But what drives Mason to do this is the effect on the students.

“My responsibility is to make sure that these undergrads are taught as effectively as possible,” Mason says. “Now we're saying [to TAs] the onus is on us to make you an effective teacher. I can't just say be an effective teacher. We have to teach them how.”

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