Every student taking CSE 12x/14x is required to register for a quiz section, a biweekly meeting for one hour of about 20 students led by a TA.
Each section has a set of practice problems and number of examples provided by the instructor. In section the TA will help the students walk through these problems to further solidify the concepts learned in lecture. This provides the students a more personal environment for learning and an opportunity to practice the skills learned from lecture.
While the instructor dictates certain aspects of section, TAs are given a significant amount of flexibility. For example, some TAs heavily emphasize group work in section, while other TAs choose to spend part of section presenting a "mini-lecture" on recently taught concepts. Designing and preparing for section is one of a TA's most important duties.
Throughout the course students will submit weekly programming assignments. In CSE 12x, grading assignments are randomized such that a TA will grade a random set of around 20 student submissions each week. TAs are also expected to grade assignment resubmissions.
In addition to assignment grading, all TAs are required to participate in midterm and final grading when the course dictates.
In addition to teaching students in their own sections, TAs spend a minimum of two hours per week aiding students conducting office hourse, usually in the Introductory Programming Lab (IPL). For further information on the IPL please see the IPL info page here.
TAs performing the "shuffle dance" (an old TA tradition) at a community meeting.
To keep all TAs up to date, there are various required weekly meetings.
