Frequently asked questions

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The UTA Role


What are the UTAs?

The UTAs or Undergraduate Teaching Associates are a group of third and fourth year students (and in some cases PhD students) who have offered to support the teaching of programming in the department. They are all students with an 'A' in their degree so far and are known to be excellent programmers.

Some students will help mainly with the PPT system whilst others who have 'A' grades in the firstyear mathematical courses will be helping with the PMT system.

What roles do the UTAs perform?

Some UTAs will help PPTs with running their PPT meetings and marking lab submissions.

Other UTAs will help PMTs with running their PMT meetings and marking the tutorial exercises associated with the PMTs.

Other UTAs will help in surgery sessions where students with difficulties with programming concepts can come to get a more detailed explanation. We will create a rota for helping in these surgery sessions but we expect that you should do a surgery every two or three weeks.

Some other UTAs eill help as demonstrators in the first year lab sessions. We have produced separate FAQ pages concerned with PPT meetings, PMT meetings, marking lab submissions, marking PMT submissions, surgery sessions and lab demonstration - you can refer to them from the UTA home page.

What support is available for UTAs?

The FAQ pages and documents available from the UTA home page should provide the background knowledge needed to start with your UTA role. You should also attend the introductory training session on Tuesday 6/10/09 in room 308 between 14.00 and 16.00. One you have started as a UTA there will be regular feedback meetings with the UTAs Organiser Peter Cutler where any issues can be reviewed and discussed. If you have any pressing problems you should contact Peter Cutler (room 220a).

Will being a UTA role help me acquire transferable skills?

We hope the experience in communicating knowledge and debugging will help you develop your skills as a Computer Scientist.

You should also gain valuable experience in teaching.

What is my commitment as a UTA?

We would like the UTAs to help in both term 1 and term 2. Your commitment should be limited to the hours you have agreed. You do not have to help students who recognise you if you are working in the labs outside these hours. The students should have sufficient help available during "official" labs etc.

How is payment organised?

You will be paid via the tutorial system (see link from UTA home page). You should make your payment claims regularly (every week) and then wait for the claim to be signed-off and processed. PPT helpers will have their claims signed-off by their PPT and should be paid - 3.5 hours per week in term 1 (10 weeks) and 4 hours per week in term 2 (9 weeks). All UTAs should attend the training session and monthly meeting and these claims will be signed-off by Peter Cutler. Surgery and demonstrator claims will be signed off by Peter Cutler. You will be paid at the current Standard Rate which is £12.32 per hour which may be increased in October this year.