Encouraging Students to Take a Deep Approach to Learning during Lab Exercises

Abstract

In this paper we investigate how teaching assistants can encourage a deep approach to learning in a setting with limited resources; the laboratory exercise. While much work has been done on how to encourage such an approach in a broader context, the teaching assistant often face specific challenges related to limited resources, limited contact with students, minimal control over the teaching situation, etc. We discuss the different challenges in terms of how they may affect student learning, and based on previous research on the subject we present a number of practical suggestions that teaching assistantsmay follow to improve the learning experience of their students.