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Applying the Mentor Mindset to Undergraduate and Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Professional Development in a Laboratory Course

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Title: Applying the Mentor Mindset to Undergraduate and Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Professional Development in a Laboratory Course
Language: English
Authors: Mark A. Sarvary (ORCID 0000-0002-2973-3107), Mitra Asgari (ORCID 0000-0002-3326-9626), Frank R. Castelli (ORCID 0000-0003-4517-8315), Joseph M. Ruesch (ORCID 0000-0002-5960-4728)
Source: Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. 2025 26(2).
Availability: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Mentors, Beliefs, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Teaching Assistants, Professional Development, Science Laboratories, Science Instruction, Biology, Introductory Courses, Student Attitudes, Educational Cooperation, Program Development
ISSN: 1935-7877
1935-7885
Abstract: Practitioners of the mentor mindset in academic settings maintain high standards while providing strong support in and outside the classroom. They encourage the growth mindset by being motivating and transparent, reducing stress, and providing feedback that can help intellectual growth. The mentor mindset is the foundation of the professional development program for undergraduate and graduate student teaching assistants in the largest introductory biology course at Cornell University (Investigative Biology). The professional development program helps these teaching assistants gain pedagogical skills that they can immediately apply in the inquiry-based laboratory course. They provide feedback to each other and help with course improvement. Due to this professional development program, they are equipped with pedagogical and mentoring skills that allow them to do more than just teach the course material. The collaboration among the different groups (undergraduate teaching assistants, graduate teaching assistants, course instructors, and students) mutually benefits everyone. While each group has different reasons for being part of this learning community, they support each other in reaching their goals with the shared mission of developing a high-quality and supportive learning environment. Professional development for undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants must keep their incentives, motivations, and goals in mind and help them collaborate. This article discusses the development of this program over the past two decades and shares the resources to help instructors build similar programs using the mentor mindset.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1481595
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mark+A%2E+Sarvary%22">Mark A. Sarvary</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2973-3107">0000-0002-2973-3107</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mitra+Asgari%22">Mitra Asgari</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3326-9626">0000-0002-3326-9626</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Frank+R%2E+Castelli%22">Frank R. Castelli</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4517-8315">0000-0003-4517-8315</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joseph+M%2E+Ruesch%22">Joseph M. Ruesch</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5960-4728">0000-0002-5960-4728</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Microbiology+%26+Biology+Education%22"><i>Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 26(2).
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  Data: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
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  Data: Practitioners of the mentor mindset in academic settings maintain high standards while providing strong support in and outside the classroom. They encourage the growth mindset by being motivating and transparent, reducing stress, and providing feedback that can help intellectual growth. The mentor mindset is the foundation of the professional development program for undergraduate and graduate student teaching assistants in the largest introductory biology course at Cornell University (Investigative Biology). The professional development program helps these teaching assistants gain pedagogical skills that they can immediately apply in the inquiry-based laboratory course. They provide feedback to each other and help with course improvement. Due to this professional development program, they are equipped with pedagogical and mentoring skills that allow them to do more than just teach the course material. The collaboration among the different groups (undergraduate teaching assistants, graduate teaching assistants, course instructors, and students) mutually benefits everyone. While each group has different reasons for being part of this learning community, they support each other in reaching their goals with the shared mission of developing a high-quality and supportive learning environment. Professional development for undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants must keep their incentives, motivations, and goals in mind and help them collaborate. This article discusses the development of this program over the past two decades and shares the resources to help instructors build similar programs using the mentor mindset.
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 11
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      – SubjectFull: Mentors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Beliefs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: Teaching Assistants
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      – SubjectFull: Professional Development
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      – SubjectFull: Introductory Courses
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Cooperation
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      – SubjectFull: Program Development
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