GTA

Job Description

We encourage and welcome applications from across the global community and all appointments are made solely on merit.  

PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW AND THEN, TO APPLY, COMPLETE THIS ONLINE APPLICATION FORM - HERE  

For further details, please refer to the document with the Role Description for GTAs for IoPPN Undergraduate Programmes. 

THE DUTIES OF GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS 

GTAs are integral to the opportunities that we offer to our undergraduate students, in particular supporting practical work and learning in small groups, and providing students with feedback on their work. These are the most common types of activity for GTAs to be involved in: 

• Leading Practical Classes (up to 45 students per class): Following a plan devised by the module lecturer, the GTA introduces that week's activities and manages the student participation in the activities, typically working with another GTA as co-leader. 
• Leading Seminars (up to 25 students per group): Following an outline devised by the module lecturer, the GTA guides students through activities and discussion.  
• Assisting in Statistics Practical Classes (up to 60 students per class): Working alongside a lecturer, the GTA will assist students with data analysis, and will answer individual queries about data analysis, statistical theory and research design. 
• Skills Teaching: Working alongside a lecturer, the GTA will assist students who are learning specific skills that psychologists or neuroscientists use. Typically, these are research skills.  
• Marking and giving written feedback: This is a substantial and important part of the GTA role. This can include formative or summative assessment of students' work such as essays, reports, articles of various kinds, problem sheets, or presentations. 

CURRICULUM AREAS AND GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT ROLES 

At this time, we are seeking to appoint GTAs (primarily) to support the Year 1 and Year 2 undergraduate curriculum. Graduate Teaching Assistants will most likely work in one or two of the following curriculum areas in a given academic year: 

• Research Methods (e.g., on one of several Research Methods modules across Years 1 and 2)  
• Biological Psychology and Behavioural Neuroscience (e.g., Psychology and the Brain, Year 1 module) 
• Social Psychology (e.g., Psychology and Society, Year 1 module) 
• Developmental Psychology (e.g., Psychology and Development, Year 1 module) 
• Individual Differences and Behaviour (e.g., Psychology and the Individual, Year 1 module) 
• Cognitive Psychology (e.g., ?Choices? and ?Distorted Worlds?, both Year 2 modules) 
• Neuroanatomy/Neurodevelopment (e.g., The Making of a Brain, Year 1) 
• Neuroscience, neurophysiology, functional neuroanatomy, psychopharmacology (e.g., Brain Form and Function, Year 1 module) 
• Electrophysiology/EEG (e.g., The Electrophysiological Brain, Year 2 module) 
• Computational Neuroscience (e.g., Computing for Brain/Cognitive Scientists, Year 2 module; Computational Neuroscience, & Machine Learning in Neuroscience, both Year 3 modules) 
• Functional Neuroimaging (BOLD fMRI) (e.g., Imaging the Brain, Reading the Mind, or Introduction to fMRI, both Year 3 modules) 
• Cognitive Science (e.g., The Cognitive Brain, Cognitive Science, Year 2 modules) 
• Integrative Project Work (e.g., Addressing Real-World Problems, Year 1 module) 
• Small-Group Teaching of a Specialist Skill (e.g., Psychological Skills, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Electrophysiological Brain, Year 2 modules) 
• Philosophy of Psychology (e.g., Philosophy of Psychology, Year 2 option module) 
• Clinical Psychology (e.g., Clinical Psychology, Year 2 option module) 
• Marking (e.g., essays/assignments in the above curriculum areas, project work, research reports) 

Please see the online application form and the role description document for a more complete description of each teaching role. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Participation in appropriate training. 
• Delivery of agreed package of teaching activities to a high standard, and in line with the programme's inclusive education principles, under the direct supervision of a member of academic staff. These activities may include seminars, classes, practical sessions, other small group work to develop student skills, demonstrating techniques, and managing online discussion forums. 
• Careful and proportionate preparation for teaching activities. 
• Marking and assessment (formative and summative) under supervision of module leaders or other appropriate academic staff.  
• Provision of timely and useful formative and summative feedback to students.  
• Routine administration and correspondence associated with teaching delivery (e.g., monitoring student attendance). 
• Liaison with senior colleagues regarding module delivery and development (e.g., provide feedback on activities to improve future delivery of the module, sharing concerns about teaching equity or student wellbeing with module leaders). 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

THE LINK TO THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM IS AT THE TOP OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION. TO APPLY, YOU MUST COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM, IN ADDITION TO UPLOADING YOUR CV TO KING'S TEACHERS VIA THE LOGIN AND APPLY BUTTON (OR REGISTER AND APPLY BUTTON) AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE.

PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR THIS POSITION (QUALIFICATIONS) 

Education / qualification and training 

Essential - Excellent subject knowledge of psychology and/or neuroscience as appropriate to the specific teaching role. This can be evidenced in many different ways, for example excellent performance in a BPS-accredited undergraduate psychology degree, and/or an undergraduate degree in neuroscience, and/or psychology or neuroscience masters degree and/or successful application of psychology or neuroscience content to postgraduate research in the psychological sciences or neuroscience.  

Essential - Undertaking psychological or neuroscience research at King's College London, either as a PhD student or as a postdoctoral researcher. 

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

Training is offered and expected, and where this is compulsory is also included as part of the agreed and remunerated package of teaching and activities. All Graduate Teaching Assistants should take the College-run course titled An Introduction to Teaching in Health & Sciences (unless they have already taken it). There will also be a bespoke initial training that is specific to teaching on the IoPPN Undergraduate programmes. The IoPPN undergraduate teaching team (e.g., Module Leaders) will provide guidance during the year, and there are many other opportunities for professional development as an educator (e.g., delivered by the undergraduate programme teams or King's Academy). GTAs will have the opportunity to, and are encouraged to, work towards Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (via the route facilitated by King's Academy). 

The course titled An Introduction to Teaching in Health & Sciences is organized by King's Academy. You can view available dates for that course, as well as other professional development that King?s Academy offer to GTAs on the webpage for the GTA Development Programme. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR THIS POSITION 

Education / qualification and training 

Essential - Excellent subject knowledge of psychology and/or neuroscience as appropriate to the specific teaching role. This can be evidenced in many different ways, for example excellent performance in a BPS-accredited undergraduate psychology degree, and/or an undergraduate degree in neuroscience, and/or psychology or neuroscience masters degree and/or successful application of psychology or neuroscience content to postgraduate research in the psychological sciences or neuroscience.  

Essential - Undertaking psychological or neuroscience research at King's College London, either as a PhD student or as a postdoctoral researcher. 

Knowledge / skills 

Essential - Excellent written and oral communication skills, including competence in explaining psychological and/or neuroscience concepts, describing psychological and/or neuroscience research, and providing clear and constructive feedback. 

Experience 

Desirable - Experience of presenting psychology and/or neuroscience research. 

Desirable - Experience of facilitating or leading group work, activities or discussion. 

Personal characteristics/other requirements 

Essential - Ability to self-reflect on teaching design and delivery and act on feedback for future improvements. 

Essential - A commitment to delivering high quality education to psychology and/or neuroscience undergraduate students as part of a team. 

Essential - Diligent in preparing for teaching sessions and assessment activities; including undertaking preparatory reading, planning, and familiarization with assessment briefs and marking criteria. 

Role specific requirements 

Essential - Able to attend regular weekly/fortnightly teaching sessions as appropriate to the specific teaching role.  

Essential - Able to assess and provide feedback on students' work. 

Essential - Able and willing to complete initial training for the role (a) Completing An Introduction to Teaching in Health & Sciences, a course run by King's Academy; (b) Participate in Departmental Training for New Graduate Teaching Assistants. 

Essential - Able and willing to engage in ongoing role-specific training, e.g., team meetings for seminar/practical leaders, calibration meetings for assignment marking. 

THE LINK TO THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM IS AT THE TOP OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION. TO APPLY, YOU MUST COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM, IN ADDITION TO UPLOADING YOUR CV TO KING'S TEACHERS VIA THE LOGIN AND APPLY BUTTON (OR REGISTER AND APPLY BUTTON) AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE.