Description:
Assist department chairperson, faculty members, or other professional staff members in college or university by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as teaching lower level courses, developing teaching materials, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers. Graduate assistants must be enrolled in a graduate school program. Graduate assistants who primarily perform non-teaching duties, such as laboratory research, should be reported in the occupational category related to the work performed.
Tasks
- Lead discussion sections, tutorials, and laboratory sections.
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, and papers, and record grades.
- Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
- Schedule and maintain regular office hours to meet with students.
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work such as lab reports.
- Prepare and proctor examinations.
- Notify instructors of errors or problems with assignments.
- Meet with supervisors to discuss students' grades, and to complete required grade-related paperwork.
- Copy and distribute classroom materials.
- Demonstrate use of laboratory equipment, and enforce laboratory rules.
Knowledge
- Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
- Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Skills
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Abilities
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension
- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Clarity
- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Written Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Problem Sensitivity
- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning
- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Work Activities
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
- Thinking Creatively
- Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Training and Teaching Others
- Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Processing Information
- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Work Context
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Electronic Mail
- How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
- Public Speaking
- How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
- Spend Time Sitting
- How much does this job require sitting?
- Physical Proximity
- To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
- Structured versus Unstructured Work
- To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Interests
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Work Style
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Leadership
- Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Achievement/Effort
- Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Stress Tolerance
- Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Persistence
- Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Analytical Thinking
- Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Cooperation
- Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Work Value
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Related Occupations
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
- Health Educators
- Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary
- Instructional Coordinators
- Teacher Assistants