Academic Reform

TA/TF System

Osaka University will introduce a new Teaching Assistant (TA) and Teaching Fellow (TF) System from academic year 2017-2018.

Outline of the TA/TF System

Status Job profile
Student Assistant (SA)
They are engaged in class-related duties, but not involved in teaching.
Teaching Assistant (TA)
They assist with supplementary duties in educational activity under the guidance of a teacher.
Teaching Fellow (TF) They make plans for supplementary instruction under the educational guidance of a teacher and teach classes while developing and managing them.

What is the TA/TF system?

The TA/TF system at Osaka University aims to (1) give students training for developing their teaching skills, (2) improve education at undergraduate schools and master's programs, and (3) provide financial aid to students by giving those in the fifth year or higher of undergraduate school with the course of term of 6 years and graduate school students the opportunity to participate in supplementary educational activity.

TA System Reform

Osaka University has improved the TA system since the 2012-2013 academic year to start as a new system consisting of Student Assistants (SA), Junior Teaching Assistants (JTA), and Senior Teaching Assistants (STA), which became thoroughly entrenched and its benefit has been proven. However, the university has reviewed the system because of growing demand for further improving students' teaching skills.

In order to further improve the quality of education at Osaka University and nurture personnel with higher teaching skills, the university has decided to introduce the status of Teaching Fellow (TF). At the same time, the university reexamined challenges of the conventional TA system, starting the new system. In this new system, job categories are clearly differentiated. TAs will take over what JTAs did as their duties, and the status of TF has been added so that they may engage in a job category for nurturing abilities to develop education as well as conventional STA duties.

Individuals hoping to work as a TA or TF

Those hoping to work as a TA or TF need to bear in mind that working as TA or TF is an opportunity to learn as an educator through work assisting education and teachers who provide education. For individuals hoping to advance to graduate school to become a teacher at a university and those hoping to become a teacher at junior/senior high school, this is a great opportunity for experiencing education. Those hoping to get into a company will also have many opportunities to be on the teaching side in their careers. In that sense, working as a TA or TF will be of use in the future.
For you, up until now, classes were something that you "take." Even if you think that you know these classes very well, there may be many things that you can't understand until you are in a position to teach others. Work on a task while thinking about "what you will think if you were a teacher," and "how you should interact with students." You're sure to gain a lot of things by reflecting on your long student life from the perspective of a teacher.
You should also keep in mind that you get paid for working as a TA or TF by the university. You should not regard remuneration as just financial aid, but should work as a TA or TF with an awareness of the responsibility that comes along with the remuneration and the position as an educator.

For more information, please refer to the following handbooks. The school for which you work as TA or TF will give you a handbook when you are hired.

Those who worked as a TF are requested to submit a report on TF activity at the end of the semester.

Faculty staff hoping to use a TA or TF

In order to further improve education at Osaka University and nurture personnel with higher teaching skills, a new status of Teaching Fellow (TF) will be introduced from the academic year of 2017-2018. With the introduction of this status, the categories of JTA and STA were abolished and the new TA system with a clear division of roles between TA and TF will start. In this new system, job categories are clearly differentiated. TAs will take over what JTAs did as their duties, and the status of TF has been added so that they may engage in a job category for nurturing abilities to develop education as well as conventional STA duties. (There are no changes in SA in terms of its status and duties.)
We ask faculty members to understand the purpose of this system and cooperate with its operation. For more information, please take a look at the guidance noted below.

Those who used a TF are requested to submit a report on TF evaluation at the end of the semester.

For more information, contact:

TA/TF System
Education Planning Division, Department of Education and Student Affairs, Osaka University
Tel: 06-6879-7107
Email:gakusei-gakumu-gakumu
Please add "@office.osaka-u.ac.jp" to the end of the above address when using it.

Accepting of TA/TF and procedures
Office in charge of the course to which TA/TF is assigned

Consultation about TA/TF
Office in charge of the course to which TA/TF is assigned