Empower learning. Elevate leaders.
Learning Assistants are undergraduate students who help their peers succeed in science and mathematics courses. As an LA, you will support active learning, build connections with faculty and students and develop skills that can strengthen your academic, professional and leadership experience.
Whether you are interested in teaching, health care, research, graduate school or another career path, the LA experience can help you communicate complex ideas, lead collaborative work and deepen your understanding of course material.
What LAs Do
Learning Assistants help create engaging, interactive classrooms by supporting students during lectures, labs, recitations or discussion sections.
Depending on the course, LAs may:
- Facilitate small-group discussions
- Ask guiding questions during problem-solving activities
- Encourage participation and collaboration
- Help students work through challenging concepts
- Attend weekly preparation meetings with faculty
- Reflect on teaching and learning through the LA pedagogy course
LAs are peer learning leaders. They help students think through course material, but they do not replace instructors or complete work for students.
Why Become an LA?
Serving as an LA is a paid opportunity to help other students while gaining skills and experience that can support your future goals.
As an LA, you can:
- Earn a stipend while supporting student success
- Build leadership and communication skills
- Strengthen your understanding of course content
- Work closely with faculty
- Gain teaching, mentoring and facilitation experience
- Explore education, health care, research or graduate school pathways
- Add meaningful experience to your resume or CV
The LA Experience
As a Learning Assistant, you will learn by doing. The LA experience combines three parts: preparing with faculty, learning about effective teaching and practicing peer-led instruction in the classroom.
You will attend weekly preparation meetings, complete the required pedagogy course if you are a first-time LA and work directly with students during class, lab or discussion activities. Through these experiences, LAs build confidence, communication skills and a deeper understanding of course content.
Sometimes it’s easier to watch a classmate work through a problem than to follow a professor at the board. It feels more personal.
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Who Should Apply?
Strong LA candidates are students who have successfully completed the course they want to support and are interested in helping others learn.
You do not need to have everything figured out or plan to become a teacher. Many LAs are interested in medicine, research, graduate school, industry, science communication or other fields where leadership and communication skills matter.
Ideal candidates are dependable, collaborative and willing to learn how to support students in active, inclusive ways.
LA Expectations
Learning Assistants are expected to participate fully in the program and meet the responsibilities of their assigned course.
LAs typically:
- Attend weekly course preparation meetings
- Support students during assigned class, lab or discussion times
- Communicate regularly with the course instructor
- Complete required training and program expectations
- Enroll in SCMH 4700 if serving as a first-time LA
- Model professionalism, curiosity and respect for all learners
Course-specific responsibilities may vary by department and instructor.
Compensation
Learning Assistants are paid for their work supporting LA-assisted courses. Pay details, expected hours and course assignments may vary by department, course and semester.
Students selected as LAs will receive additional information about pay, scheduling and course-specific expectations during the hiring process.
Required Pedagogy Course
All first-time Learning Assistants at Auburn University are required to complete SCMH 4700 – Pedagogy of Peer-Led Instruction. This course is required for new LAs, with no alternatives or exceptions. Once completed, LAs are certified and do not need to repeat the course.
The pedagogy course gives new Learning Assistants the tools, confidence and instructional foundation they need to support active learning in COSAM classrooms. LAs explore education literature within and beyond their disciplines, reflect on their teaching experiences and build practical skills for peer-led instruction.
Course Focus Areas
- Encouraging student participation and engagement
- Practicing effective listening and questioning
- Building positive relationships with students
- Connecting learning theories to classroom practices
- Supporting peer-to-peer interaction
- Responding thoughtfully to student ideas
- Reflecting on teaching and learning experiences
- Building a supportive LA learning community
Coursework May Include
- Weekly online reflections on teaching experiences
- Interviews with students about their thinking on course topics
- Strategies to help students with difficult concepts or skills
- Mid-semester feedback to improve teaching effectiveness
- Discussion of education theory, research and classroom practice
- Collaboration with peers, faculty and instructional teams
This course helps Learning Assistants grow as reflective peer educators and leaders while preparing them to support active, inclusive and collaborative learning environments.
Before You Apply
Before applying, students should be prepared to:
- Identify the course or courses they are interested in supporting
- Confirm they have successfully completed the course
- Review the expectations for weekly preparation, classroom support and the required pedagogy course
- Be available for the required program commitments during the semester of service
COSAM LAP recruits LAs during Fall and Spring semesters each year. Details on recruitment period dates can be found on social media, hallway monitors in COSAM buildings, and AU email.
Fall Semester Application and Selection Period: early April through mid-May
Spring Semester Application and Selection Period: early November through mid-December
