Running Labs – Online

This session is open to UBC TAs. This session is not open to staff, faculty or UBC alumni.

This session is designed for TAs who lead laboratory activities and want to support students, not only in completing procedures, but in developing the scientific thinking and behaviours that labs are intended to foster. We will explore the TA’s role at key intervention points, including giving instructions, answering questions, and providing guidance and feedback, and consider when to step in and when to let students work through challenges themselves. Particular attention will be given to using questions and prompts to help students connect procedures with their purpose, underlying scientific principles, and consequences, rather than simply providing answers or correcting technique. 

By the end of this session, participants will be able to identify opportunities for productive intervention during lab activities and use questioning and other facilitation strategies to help students develop greater independence and scientific thinking.