For month of October, ANPA PER has talk on “From Training to Transformation: Exploring the Pedagogical Growth, Identity Development, and Cultural Navigation of STEM Graduate Teaching Assistants” by Dr. Nishchal Thapa Magar, Adjunct Professor, George Mason University, VA.

This talk synthesizes three studies on STEM Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), examining how professional development (PD), classroom experience, and cultural background shape instructional practice and teaching identity. Conducted at a large regional public university, the research draws on surveys, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews with GTAs and faculty in Physics, Math, and Computer Science. The presenter traces GTAs’ movement from task-focused instruction to student-centered teaching. Departmental and institution-wide programs, especially multi-day workshops, emphasize active learning, expand pedagogy, and build confidence, with structures and priorities that vary by department. For international GTAs, navigating power distance and classroom hierarchy initially complicates authority and interaction; teaching experience and peer observation support a shift toward more facilitative approaches. He concludes with design principles for comprehensive, culturally aware PD that supports the growth and identity formation of both international and domestic GTAs.

Date and Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. US ET

(Nepal Time: Saturday, Kartik 08, 2082 at 7:45 p.m.)

Where?: WebEx (Registration required for Non-ANPA members)

Please register to get the WebEX link into your mailbox.