Portfolio Teaching Assistant (PTA)

Role Overview

Portfolio Teaching Assistants (PTAs) are assigned a portfolio of student project teams each semester. Their primary responsibility is to provide ongoing support to Teaching Assistants (TAs) and student teams by facilitating communication, identifying challenges, and connecting teams with appropriate resources. PTAs are not expected to resolve all technical issues directly but should be knowledgeable about available support channels (e.g., Data Science Team, Corporate Partner Advisors).

PTAs are required to submit weekly status reports and participate in regular meetings with The Data Mine (TDM) staff to ensure project progress and address any concerns.

Key Responsibilities

  • Conduct weekly lab visits for each assigned team.

  • Check in with TAs and student teams to assess progress and identify any obstacles.

  • Monitor team activity via MS Teams, including reviewing Kanban boards.

  • Ensure TAs are actively assigning and managing student tasks.

  • Facilitate connections between teams and relevant support resources.

  • Submit support tickets to [email protected] as needed.

  • Prepare and submit weekly status reports via SharePoint, including:

  • A summary of each team’s status.

  • A color-coded assessment:

  • Green – Project is on track; no concerns.

  • Yellow – Project is at risk; minor concerns (e.g., technical or knowledge gaps, unclear direction).

  • Red – Project is off track; major concerns (e.g., lack of progress, team morale issues, missing data, TA disengagement).

  • Attend mandatory weekly meetings with TDM staff.

  • Participate in monthly TA meetings.

  • Conduct at least one 1:1 check-in with each TA per month.

Sample PTA Work Day

9:00 AM – Morning Check-In

  • Review MS Teams channels for each assigned team.

  • Skim through Kanban boards to assess task progress and identify any red flags.

  • Note any updates or questions from students or TAs overnight.

10:00 AM – Lab Visit #1

  • Attend the first scheduled lab session.

  • Check in with the TA and student team.

  • Observe team dynamics and progress.

  • Ask questions to uncover any blockers or confusion.

  • Offer guidance or suggest resources if needed.

11:30 AM – Lab Visit #2

  • Visit another team’s lab session.

  • Repeat check-in process and take notes on team status.

  • If a TA appears to be struggling, schedule a 1:1 follow-up.

1:00 PM – Admin Time

  • Submit any support tickets to datamine-help based on issues raised during lab visits.

  • Respond to messages from TAs or students.

  • Begin drafting the weekly status report.

5:00 PM – Wrap-Up

  • Finalize and submit the weekly status report via SharePoint.

  • Color-code each team (Green, Yellow, Red) with brief justifications.

  • Plan priorities for the next day or week.

Weekly TDM Staff Meeting (if scheduled)

  • Share updates on each team’s status.

  • Discuss any Yellow or Red status teams and brainstorm solutions.

  • Receive updates or reminders from TDM leadership.

1:1 TA Check-In

  • Meet with a TA for a monthly 1:1.

  • Offer mentorship, answer questions, and provide feedback.

  • Discuss team dynamics and any support the TA might need.