Instructional Technology Aide (ITA) Program
About the ITA program
The ITA program is designed to help faculty intentionally and thoughtfully integrate technology into your courses. ITAs can support courses throughout the duration of an entire semester, or most ITAs can be available for short-term projects.
In addition, we will be offering drop-in hours in ICC 224, during which ITAs will be on hand to answer technology questions and assist you with short-term projects, such as helping you with Canvas and other digital teaching tools. The drop-in hours for the next week are below.
Drop-in Hours in ICC 224
- Monday: 12:30 - 2 PM
- Tuesday: 2 - 3 PM
- Wednesday: 10 AM - 2 PM
- Thursday: 2 - 3 PM
- Friday: 10 AM - 2 PM
(N.B. These hours are subject to change as of January 19th.) If you are interested in working with an ITA during the add/drop period and these times don't work for you, please send us an email at itas@georgetown.edu summarizing your needs and times that you're available and we will do our best to match you with an ITA who can accommodate your request. If you are interested in an ITA but teach on a different campus, virtual assistance may be available.
Some key points:
- Matching for existing partnerships: Students and faculty will be matched after the add/drop period ends. The process of matching an ITA with a faculty can be tricky as it requires clearance with student employment, class schedules, and the hiring process.
- Consultations: CNDLS staff will be available to consult with faculty about building technology into their course design, identifying appropriate tools, problem-solving potential challenges. To schedule a consultation please email itas@georgetown.edu
- Additional Support: Returning ITAs will be available to provide hands-on support to faculty during drop-in hours, listed above.
- Responsibilities and Expectations: It's helpful to outline all of the ITA responsibilities in advance of the class.
- Consistent Work Hours: The ITA team can help ensure that students have enough work hours.
- Mentoring: The program is designed to build mentoring opportunities into the program and provide guidelines and examples to help ITAs and faculty with developing a mentoring relationship.
- Evaluation: Students and faculty will be encouraged to complete pre- and post-surveys so that we can improve the program if it is offered in future semesters.
How it works
The Faculty Role
- Developing a plan to work in partnership with their ITA in advance of the semester
- Providing clear communication
- Mentoring
- Providing ITAs with access to Canvas or shared documents (ITAs work best in the “designer” role in Canvas)
The ITA Role
- Organizing materials in Canvas
- Assisting and troubleshooting with technology issues
- Facilitating classroom questions/chat/discussion board
- Setting up online quizzes/exams
- Supporting students with digital assignments
- Collecting student feedback and creating and helping with polls
- Tracking attendance
- Helping facilitate interactive and project-based group work activities and assignments
- Grading is not the responsibility of an ITA. ITA responsibilities listed above do not include grading or any activity that ask students to judge students in the class. Any grading required is done by the instructor and/or TAs.
CNDLS Support for Faculty
- A dedicated Canvas site to orient faculty to ITAs, built by CNDLS
- Consultations with faculty about building technology into their course design, identifying appropriate tools, problem-solving potential challenges, and identifying the roles and responsibilities of the student with whom they are matched
CNDLS Support for ITAs
- A dedicated Canvas site built by experienced ITAs and CNDLS
- Live Training Sessions with CNDLS and Lead ITAs
- Active Q&A Discussion Board for ITAs monitored by CNDLS staff and past ITAs
- ITAs are also supported by regular CNDLS Office Hour service
Impact
The Office of the Provost, along with the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship, and the Student Employment Office supports Instructional Technology Aides (ITAs) to assist Main Campus faculty in providing digitally enhanced instruction while continuing the University’s commitment to providing employment to federal work study (FWS) students.
Between Fall 2020 and Fall 2022, over 200 undergraduate students worked as ITAs, supporting over 600 courses across six colleges. Since the ITA Program’s inception, student and faculty feedback have consistently indicated that the ITA Program was a success for all constituents–faculty, ITAs, and students in the classroom. In the most recent feedback survey, more than two thirds of students and faculty indicated that they would be interested in participating in the ITA program again. In response to this continued interest, CNDLS is continuing to offer a a modified pilot version of the program in Fall 2023.
"[My ITA] has saved my life by allowing me to focus on both content and planning. She is available for all classes and I often make her the host so she can deal with technical issues while I concentrate on discussions. She will also contact students with updates on asynchronous work, syllabus changes and more. She keeps track of attendance and let’s me know if some students are infrequently missing discussions."
70% of faculty interested in participating in the ITA program again.
78% of Student interested in participating in the ITA program again
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a TA and an ITA?
TAs have content knowledge and assist with teaching. ITAs may or may not have content knowledge. Their role is to help the course run smoothly, with a focus on tech support.
What is unique about the ITA role?
The ITA program was designed in 2020 to respond to the immediate and changing needs of teaching during the pandemic. The new version allows for more intentionality and planning in advance. Faculty are encouraged to think through how they can integrate TEL into their course design and the classroom in meaningful ways.
Who should apply for an ITA?
Faculty who teach on Main Campus who want to expand their knowledge of technology and are interested in increasing their use of digital technology in the classroom.
Can I apply if I’ve had an ITA during a previous semester?
Yes, but you are encouraged to expand your use of technology and learn how to successfully use the technology for your future classes.
When do ITAs begin work?
After the add/drop period, as long as their hiring paperwork is completed and processed.
Do faculty need to track ITAs hours?
No, students will work with CNDLS and the SEO to track hours and get faculty approval. However, faculty do need to ensure that they provide enough work for students to work the agreed upon hours.
To whom should faculty report if ITA didn’t fulfill the expectations of the role?
Please reach out to itas@georgetown.edu for assistance.
Contact
Please direct all questions or concerns to itas@georgetown.edu, and we'll be in touch.
