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TA-Help.me

TA-Help.me is a digital platform designed to enhance the efficiency of sessions in educational settings. Allowing students to submit questions digitally, it eliminates the need for hand-raising, enabling students to continue their work uninterrupted while awaiting assistance.

Why TA-HELP.ME

TA-help.me optimizes the process of assisting students in (online) tutorials (werkcolleges):

  • Students register their questions inside the tool, to avoid keeping their hand up, and to be helped in the right order
  • Teaching assistants (TA’s) might be in different rooms, but by having questions registered, the right TA can help the right question.
  • Sign-off procedure of students is automated

Key features

  • Digital Question Queue: Students can submit questions into a digital queue, ensuring orderly assistance and allowing them to focus on their work without waiting idly.
  • Encouragement of Quality Questions: The platform promotes the formulation of well-prepared questions, enabling teaching staff to provide quicker and more effective responses.
  • Integration with Learning Management Systems: TA-Help.me offers seamless integration with Canvas, facilitating easy adoption without additional software installations. 
  • Advanced Course Insights: By collecting data on questions and usage, the tool provides insights into course performance, aiding in staff allocation and identifying areas for improvement in study materials

How to use TA-HELP.ME

No software is required to use TA-help.me; TA-help.me is generally available as a Canvas plugin. TA-Help.me needs to be enabled in your Canvas course. First, navigate to your Canvas course and go to the page Settings. Under the Navigation tab you can see that TA-Help.me is currently disabled for you course. You can enable it by clicking ‘+ Enable’ under the options. After doing so a new button will be visible in your course navigation. By clicking on this button, you will get into the setup process.

(Detailed information about enabling a Navigation Link can be found in the Canvas documentation.)

If you want to know more about using TA-help.me, you can go to the help page on the TA-help.me website for more information.

Tips & tricks for using TA-HELP.ME

To get the most out of TA-Help.me, explore these helpful tips and strategies for common functionalities and scenarios:

  • Make the Most of the Announcement Functionality
    • Provide Clear Guidance: Use announcements to communicate important updates, such as changes to session timings, instructions for common questions, or reminders about upcoming deadlines.
    • Reduce Repetition: Address frequently asked questions in announcements to save time and ensure consistency.
    • Engage Students: Share motivational messages or tips for completing tasks efficiently to keep students focused and encouraged.
  • Coping with Sign-Off Pressure

    For instructors and teaching assistants, managing student sign-offs can sometimes feel overwhelming. Here’s how to handle it:

    • Prioritize Urgent Questions: Use the question queue to identify time-sensitive issues and address them first.
    • Set Realistic Expectations: Let students know the estimated waiting time via announcements, so they can continue working while they wait.
    • Delegate When Possible: In group tutorials, share the workload among multiple TAs or teaching staff to keep the sign-off process moving smoothly.
    • Use Patterns in Questions: Spot common challenges and address them in a group announcement or mini-lecture.
  • Sharing a Question You Have Raised (for Students)

    If you're a student using TA-Help.me, sometimes sharing your question with peers can help others who may have similar issues. Here's how to do it:

    • Copy & Share the Question Link: Once your question is submitted, you can share it with classmates or team members to foster collaboration.
    • Enhance Learning: Use shared questions as discussion points to deepen understanding and brainstorm solutions collectively.
    • Respect the Queue: Even when sharing questions, wait for the instructor's response before acting to avoid confusion.

By incorporating these tips, both students and instructors can maximize the efficiency and impact of TA-Help.me, creating a smoother and more productive learning environment. For further support, visit the TA-Help.me support Page.

Contact

Teaching staff who want to know more about TA-help.me can visit the website or contact us by sending an email to teachingtools-ces@utwente.nl.

Last edit: 25 March 2025

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