Learning Assistant (LA) Program

Research shows that YOU have the abilities and talents to help your peers!

What are Learning Assistants? 

Learning assistants (LAs) are high performing students who have done well in a class and become part of the instructional team of the professor and develop active learning strategies to help their peers. The LA model is designed to guide students to deeper learning through equitable participation and active exploration. LAs facilitate small group discussion during class time. LAs are supported in this work by a pedagogy course and a weekly meeting with the course instructor. 

The Essential Elements of the LA Model

• Practice: LAs interact with students by facilitating in-class discussion and activities; through these interactions they build relationships with students, allowing for enhanced support outside of class.
• Preparation: LAs meet weekly with the course instructor to prepare for class, develop deeper content knowledge and discuss how students are experiencing the course.
• Pedagogy: First-semester LAs enroll in a special pedagogy course to support their development and growth as LAs. In this course, they learn evidence-based strategies, and student-centered teaching practices. 

Requirements to be an LA

1. 3.0 or better in the selected course

2. Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0

3. Sophomore or higher classification

4. Time commitment of 3-4 hours per week

Registration logistics

Dear student: If you are interested in becoming an LA and satisfy the requirements, please first talk to your instructor. If you are doing well in a class and they are recruiting new LAs, they may also reach out to you.  Please read the following information carefully:

1. ALL first-time lecture LAs must register for Bio 3110-01 (Pedagogy course every Monday 4-5) and first-time lab LAs must register for Bio 3110-02 (Pedagogy course every Monday 9-10)

2. ALL LAs must also register for Bio 3111 (there is a specific section for each instructor)

3. First-time LAs receive 2 hours of upper-level biology credit. Second-semester LAs receive 1 hour of upper-level biology credit. After the second semester, all LAs receive one hour of upper-level general elective.  Due to budgetary limits the Biology department can pay a limited number of third-semester LAs. These decisions are made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the course instructor and the department. 

4. After your instructor has approved you as an LA in their course for the following semester, they will send your name and ID# to Mr. Josh Aguilar and Dr. Parizi-Robinson for registration permits.