Who is an Online Teaching Assistant (OTA) and What is Their Role?
You log onto Canvas for the first time and notice that you’ve received an announcement from someone who is neither the professor nor a student in the class. You click on the announcement, and the person introduces themself as your Online Teaching Assistant (OTA). You wonder who this person is and their role in the class.
Generally speaking, OTAs have advanced knowledge on the class topics, which allows them to help professors administer their online courses. It doesn’t take long before Southern Seminary and Boyce College students are familiar with interacting with OTAs in their online and modular classes. However, students often have a lot of initial questions about OTAs. Even if students know what OTAs do, they often do not know what type of person is chosen to be an OTA. Misunderstanding who OTAs are and what they do can generate confusion as students' expectations can become unrealistic or misplaced.
Online Teaching Assistants are budding scholars and experts in their fields who have been hand-picked by professors to help them administer their online classes. Most are Ph.D. students at Southern Seminary, though the requirement of an OTA is that they must at least be pursuing a ThM. They can continue serving after they graduate, which is why some OTAs already have their Ph.D. Students should thus see their OTAs as fellow students, though the similarities should not be exaggerated. The best student-OTA interactions are a balance between camaraderie and respect. When students communicate with their OTAs, they should keep in mind that they are also submitting assignments and reading literature each week. They are balancing multiple classes at the same time. It is not uncommon for an OTA to have six or more courses running on Canvas simultaneously. OTAs love the course content and want to help students, but few have a schedule that allows them to drop everything to answer a question or fix an issue immediately.
Since most OTAs are both advanced students and budding scholars, they relate well to students and professors. In broad terms, the role of an OTA is to keep classes running well. They aid both professors and students. If a class was an engine, then the OTAs are the oil that allows the engine to run smoothly. OTAs interact with students in two main ways.
They provide a point of contact for online students. Whenever students have issues or questions, they should contact their OTA, who can either resolve the issue or point them in the right direction. Many OTAs also keep themselves open to students if they want guidance or prayer. They will also provide tips and tools for students through announcements.
OTAs provide feedback on assignments, engage in forums, and give short extensions on assignments when necessary. If students encounter any issues on quizzes that Canvas grades automatically, they should contact their OTA. Additionally, students should pay attention to any information they receive from their OTA because they assume that they have read their announcements and feedback on previous assignments. They will consider those comments if a similar assignment is due later in the term.
Online Teaching Assistants are helpers. They work with the professors to administer online courses, and they help students as they take those classes. They are authority figures in online classes, and they possess in-depth knowledge of the class material. They are also students themselves, balancing work as an OTA with their studies in advanced courses. While they should be respected, they are also approachable. Thus, the next time you have any questions, issues, or concerns, feel free to contact your OTAs, and don’t be surprised when you find them to be knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.