Seminar TA Training

Welcome to The Data Mine Seminar Course!

We are excited to have you on board as a Seminar TA (Teaching Assistant) for The Data Mine next year!

This is going to be a long read, so please find focused time to complete the training.

You must have valid FERPA training proof to engage in any TA work. Please e-mail [email protected] if you need assistance with FERPA training.

TA Training - Readings

Please complete the readings in the following modules:

TA Responsibility Overview

TAs are a key part of success in The Data Mine. Your constant support keeps the courses running smoothly.

For the academic year 2025-2026, there will be a teams structure; Most TAs will be on a team that has specific tasks in areas of grading, online help (Piazza), and office hours.

Office Hour TAs

Student-facing TAs are responsible for holding office hours and helping students with their projects and for spending time on Piazza answering student questions and providing feedback.

Grader TAs

Grader TAs are responsible for grading student projects and providing feedback.

Hybrid TAs

Hybrid TAs are responsible for both student-facing and grading responsibilities. They may be on multiple teams or have a more hybrid job description.

All TAs should review the upcoming week’s projects and solutions to be best prepared to assist students.

Calendar is availble on the syllabus page for the courses.

Set up your GitHub Account

Please ensure you have a GitHub account made with your @purdue.edu email address.

Please share your GitHub usernames here to get access to TDM Project Repositories.*

Seminar TAs must submit their hours each week to SuccessFactor by Sunday evenings at 11:59 PM.

Monday Seminar

Each Monday, Dr. Ward hosts seminar sessions for all students in the Data Mine to attend. These sessions are held in Hillenbrand Dining Court’s atrium.

The seminar times for Fall 2025 are:

  • 8:30-9:30 AM

  • 9:30-10:30 AM

  • 10:30 -11:30 AM

  • 4:30-5:30 PM (Virtual)

  • asynchronous online section

We will be working on a schedule to ensure that we have Seminar TA coverage during the seminar course times.

If you attend the seminar, you can log an extra hour in SuccessFactors. It would be in addition to your required office hours.

Office Hours

Graders can skip over the office hours section and go to the Grading section. You must also complete Module 1, 2, and 3.

TAs will work with staff to choose office hour times and will be expected to hold their scheduled office hours consistently each week.

We need lots of help on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Evenings are much appreciated because we have students all over the world who will need help. Wednesday evenings are prime time, and we permit more than one TA to work at a time.

  • Office hours before 5:00 PM EST: Hillenbrand Hall Lobby C100 - make sure you also have your Zoom on during in person office hours

  • Office hours after 5:00 PM EST: Online in Zoom

  • Office hours on the weekend: Online in Zoom

Your online Zoom meeting room should always be ON during in-person office hours.

You need to have your camera ON in all your Zoom calls.

The staff will randomly join office hour meetings to ensure this is followed.

Set up your Zoom meeting room

All TAs will utilize on central zoom room to conduct all office hours. purdue-edu.zoom.us/s/97774213087

Your help during office hours could change a student’s day, week, month, or semester!

Unable to host office hours

If, for a certain day, you are unable to hold office hours, message the Head TA for Office Hours on Teams with a valid conflict and get approval to skip office hours. If approved, the Head TA for Office Hours will post a note in Piazza at least 48 hours before to all the students. These changes should be minimal and only if completely necessary to avoid confusion for the students.

If it is an emergency and you cannot do the above in time, message the Head TA for Office Hours on Teams.

How to Get Paid

Seminar TAs can submit up to 10 hours a week. Time Card information

International students can work a maximum of 20 hours across all jobs.

Look forward to

  1. Complete the Syllabus and Academic Integrity Quizzes before class begins

  2. Have valid FERPA training by 8:00 AM, August 25, 2025.

  3. Submit your Github username

  4. Attend the mandatory orientation session.

  5. Verify you’re a part of the TA Teams channel.

  6. Look out for an email to schedule office hours.

Please send questions to your Head TA for your team via Teams/Email, post in the Seminar TA Teams Channel, or email [email protected].

We look forward to having you onboard as a TA with us this semester!