For detailed information in Norwegian

Target group

LAOS is NTNU’s official learning assistant training program and is offered to learning assistants in regular courses at all faculties and departments, both in Gjøvik, Trondheim and Ålesund.

LAOS contains course -specific follow-up and the department where the learning assistant is employed is responsible for carrying this out. Here you can find more information about the course specific-follow up and your responsibilities as a course coordinator.

PhD students, scientific assistants and other employees that are not learning assistants are not recommended to join LAOS. Rather we recommend that you register for the elective modules in the pedagogical basic competence program. Search for Uniped Modul in the learning portal.

Course description

The main objective of the training program is to contribute to the development of the learning assistants’ understanding of their own role in the students’ learning process. It provides a basic introduction to pedagogical aspects related to the learning environment, learning activities, guidance, feedback and group work. LAOS promotes an understanding of general and course-specific learning activities based on dialogue and guidance.

Registration

LAOS is open to all learning assistants at NTNU, but registration for LAOS requires employment as a learning assistant at a department.

For questions regarding employment contracts and salary, please contact HR at your faculty/department

Registration will open in the learning portal.

NB: Participants register for two-course dates (core module 1 and core module 2) - physical meetings

Core modules autumn 2024

(subject to changes)

Trondheim

Core module 1

Monday 2 September (9-12)
Tuesday 3 September (9-12)
Wednesday 4 September (9-12)
Thursday 5 September (9-12)
Friday 6 September (9-12) - English

Monday 9 September (9-12)
Tuesday 10 September (9-12)
Wednesday 11 September (9-12)
Thursday 12 September (9-12)
Friday 13 September (9-12)

Core module 2

Monday 16 September (9-12)
Tuesday 17 September (9-12)
Wednesday 18 September (9-12)
Thursday 19 September (9-12)
Friday 20 September (9-12) - English

Monday 23 September (9-12)
Tuesday 24 September (9-12)
Wednesday 25 September (9-12)
Thursday 26 September (9-12)
Friday 27 September (9-12)

Ålesund

Core module 1

Monday 23 September (9-12)

Core module 2

Tuesday 24 September (9-12)

Gjøvik

Core module 1

Tuesday 14 October (9-12)

Core module 2

Wednesday 15 October (9-12)

Number of places: There is a limited number of places per module

Modules

LAOS consists of 20 hours and combines seminars on campus with online modules (blended learning). The training is carried out both by the Educational Development Unit (Uniped) and by the department that the learning assistant works for.

a) Core modules (8 hrs)

Core modules are mandatory for ALL learning assistants and are carried out by the Educational Development Unit (Uniped) as seminars on campus or digitally in Zoom. These seminars are composed of presentations of pedagogical content and of small-group activities related to the practical work of a learning assistant, e.g. role play and discussions. Note that the core modules also contain obligatory preparation work that is to be completed by participants in advance.

b) Online modules (OM) (6 hrs)

These modules consist of 3 hours each and are entirely online. Mandatory activities in each module consist of a multiple-choice-test, a reflection essay and peer-evaluation of the reflection essays of two other learning assistants.

Learning assistants choose two out of the following eight options:

• OM1 - Giving feedback
• OM2 - Exercise tutoring
• OM3 - Seminar tutoring
• OM4 - Laboratory tutoring
• OM5 - Academic writing tutoring
• OM6 - Individual tutoring
• OM7 - Problem- / project-based tutoring
• OM8 - Digital Learning

c) Course-specific modules (6 hrs)

The department that the learning assistant works for is responsible for carrying out the course-specific modules. They determine the content and activities of these modules and also decide if the course-specific modules are held in one single session or spread over several dates. The course-specific modules should be related to course-specific pedagogical challenges and improvements.

1. First meeting (1 hour) Clarifying expectations with regard to the learning assistant’s work tasks, communication with the course teacher and the course-specific follow-up.
2. Follow-up (4 hours) Follow-up related to pedagogical challenges and areas for improvement in the course that the learning assistant works at.
3. Final evaluation (1 hour) Final evaluation is where the learning assistant and the department evaluate the learning assistant’s development during the semester, as well as provide feedback to each other on the use of learning assistants in their course.

Specific suggestions on the content of the course-specific modules

Learning outcomes

Participants who have completed LAOS are expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes, defined as knowledge, skills, and general qualifications:

Knowledge

Upon successful completion of the course, the learning assistant will

• have a basic understanding of fundamental pedagogical principles that apply across all types of courses.
• have some insight into course-specific learning activities.
• know what formative/summative and criteria-/norm-based assessment is.
• understand the importance of establishing a safe learning environment for student learning.

Skills

Upon successful completion of the course, the learning assistant will

• be able to contribute to a positive and safe learning environment.
• be able to provide constructive feedback to encourage student learning.
• be able to use questioning techniques in order to map student understanding of course content.
• be able to facilitate reasoning and critical thinking.
• be able to provide guidance on a basic level.

General qualifications

Upon successful completion of the course, the learning assistant will

• have developed an identity as a learning assistant.
• be able to discuss his/her own role in students’ learning processes.
• be aware of basic ethical challenges and limit-setting.
• be aware of challenges, but also opportunities within diverse student groups.
• be able to reflect on his/her own practice and potential for continued development as a learning assistant.

Completion requirements

In order to successfully pass the LAOS course, learning assistants have to complete:

• 100% attendance during the core modules
• Two completed online modules
• 100% attendance during the course-specific modules

There will be no dispensation from the attendance requirement.

Approved equivalent qualifications

Completed 2nd year of teacher education programme at NTNU or other equivalent teacher educations on secondary school-level with practical training (e.g. PPU) are approved.

Completed training as a learning assistant in Experts in Teamwork (EiT), officer candidate school or studies in theoretical pedagogy are NOT approved as equivalent to LAOS.

Responsible for LAOS / Contact

Marte Therese Jakobsen /laos@ipl.ntnu.no