Exploring the effects of learning assistants on instructional team–student interactions in statics

Abstract

Within a mechanical engineering curriculum, Statics is often a barrier course for students, as their performance in Statics can impact their overall academic success. Recent efforts to enhance students’ learning in fundamental engineering courses have included integrating learning assistants (LAs), undergraduate peers who have previously excelled in the course, into the course's instructional team. The purpose of this study is to explore one enactment of a Statics classroom with LAs, the interactions that characterize it, and the impact it has on the students and instructional teams. A qualitative case study of a statics course with LAs was conducted leveraging Kranzfelder and colleagues’ teaching discourse moves framework to deductively and inductively analyze the data collected. The value of having LAs within Statics was prevalent throughout the interactions and from the perspective of the LAs, instructors, and students. However, the LAs remained an untapped resources for many in the course. The results of this study have implications for mechanical engineering departments, Statics instructors and LAs, and research.