ISG Support for TAs and IAs
The Instructional Support Group (ISG) employs temporary staff each term to make up course teams to support instructors in their teaching roles. The temporary staff members include Instructional Apprentices (IAs) and Teaching Assistants (TAs).
Eligible graduate students are provided TA units each term. One TA unit equals approximately five hours per week for 16 weeks, not to exceed 80 hours for the term. TAs are assigned to courses by the CS TA Assignment Team.
The ISG also provides information and on-the-job training for expected TA expectations, duties, and best practices. Most graduate students who are new to the School of Computer Science will spend a term TA'ing with an ISG supported course.
Other educational or teaching resources that may be of interest to graduate students are listed in our Resources tab.
Instructional Apprentice
An Instructional Apprentices (IA) is a graduate Computer Science student who is assigned work units to help in supporting their schooling.
The ISC is responsible for coordinating the duties assigned to IAs; for some courses, the ISA will co-ordinate the IAs' duties. IAs may have duties that differ from that of TAs. The IAs' primary mandate is to assist the full-time staff by doing some of the following: marking assignments/coordinating TAs for marking, creating marking schemes and/or solution sets, holding office hours, monitoring Piazza/edX, proctoring exams, assisting in staffing labs, and leading tutorials.
Teaching Assistants
A Teaching Assistant (TA) is a graduate Computer Science student who is assigned work units to help in supporting their schooling.
The ISC is responsible for coordinating the duties assigned to TAs; for some courses, the ISA will co-ordinate the TAs' duties. The TAs' primary mandate is to assist the full-time staff by marking assignments, marking and proctoring exams. Usually new TAs spend their first term with the ISG so that they receive proper training.