{"id":{"repo_id":"umkc","oai_identifier":"oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/109289"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/umkc/oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/109289","repository":{"repo_id":"umkc","name":"University of Missouri - Kansas City","base_url":"https://mospace.umsystem.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Investigating the role of teaching circles in composition GTA development: narratives of professional growth and identity formation","abstract":"This dissertation investigates the application of Teaching Circles (TCs) as a peer support system for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in composition courses, with a particular focus on the development of their professional identities and pedagogical practices. Despite the increasing reliance on GTAs in higher education, many existing professional development programs neglect the informal, ad hoc peer mentorship that GTAs engage in naturally. Drawing on narrative inquiry, this study examines how narrative-based TCs, led by the GTAs themselves, can provide a consistent and structured space for peer interaction that supports both professional growth and identity formation. By exploring the narratives of GTAs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), this study highlights the ways in which these informal mentorship opportunities contribute to the development of teaching practices, the sharing of pedagogical experiences, and the formation of a professional identity grounded in peer collaboration. This research fills a gap in GTA professional development literature by offering an alternative to traditional, hierarchical training models and advocating for the integration of peer-driven mentorship structures into GTA education. Ultimately, this study presents a scalable model for fostering a supportive, collaborative environment where GTAs can thrive both as educators and as individuals within the discipline of rhetoric and composition.","abstract_html":"This dissertation investigates the application of Teaching Circles (TCs) as a peer support system for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in composition courses, with a particular focus on the development of their professional identities and pedagogical practices. Despite the increasing reliance on GTAs in higher education, many existing professional development programs neglect the informal, ad hoc peer mentorship that GTAs engage in naturally. Drawing on narrative inquiry, this study examines how narrative-based TCs, led by the GTAs themselves, can provide a consistent and structured space for peer interaction that supports both professional growth and identity formation. By exploring the narratives of GTAs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), this study highlights the ways in which these informal mentorship opportunities contribute to the development of teaching practices, the sharing of pedagogical experiences, and the formation of a professional identity grounded in peer collaboration. This research fills a gap in GTA professional development literature by offering an alternative to traditional, hierarchical training models and advocating for the integration of peer-driven mentorship structures into GTA education. Ultimately, this study presents a scalable model for fostering a supportive, collaborative environment where GTAs can thrive both as educators and as individuals within the discipline of rhetoric and composition.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Schmidtlein, Kristin Nicole"],"institution":"University of Missouri--Kansas City","degree_name":"Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":"Curriculum and Instruction (UMKC)","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Byrd, Antonio","Schlein, Candace"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025","date_published":"2025","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:16:20Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10355/109289","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Byrd, Antonio","Schlein, Candace"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Schmidtlein, Kristin Nicole"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-08-08T15:30:58Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-08-08T15:30:58Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Curriculum and Instruction (UMKC)","English (UMKC)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Missouri--Kansas City"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10355/109289"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Title from PDF of title page viewed August 08, 2025","Dissertation advisor: Antonio Byrd and Candace Schlein","Vita","Includes bibliographical references (pages 428-459)","Dissertation (Ph.D.)--School of Education and Department of English Language and Literature, University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2025"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This dissertation investigates the application of Teaching Circles (TCs) as a peer support system for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in composition courses, with a particular focus on the development of their professional identities and pedagogical practices. Despite the increasing reliance on GTAs in higher education, many existing professional development programs neglect the informal, ad hoc peer mentorship that GTAs engage in naturally. Drawing on narrative inquiry, this study examines how narrative-based TCs, led by the GTAs themselves, can provide a consistent and structured space for peer interaction that supports both professional growth and identity formation. By exploring the narratives of GTAs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), this study highlights the ways in which these informal mentorship opportunities contribute to the development of teaching practices, the sharing of pedagogical experiences, and the formation of a professional identity grounded in peer collaboration. This research fills a gap in GTA professional development literature by offering an alternative to traditional, hierarchical training models and advocating for the integration of peer-driven mentorship structures into GTA education. Ultimately, this study presents a scalable model for fostering a supportive, collaborative environment where GTAs can thrive both as educators and as individuals within the discipline of rhetoric and composition."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Investigating the role of teaching circles in composition GTA development: narratives of professional growth and identity formation"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Byrd, Antonio","Schlein, Candace"],"dc:creator":["Schmidtlein, Kristin Nicole"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-08-08T15:30:58Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-08-08T15:30:58Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025"],"dc:description":["Title from PDF of title page viewed August 08, 2025","Dissertation advisor: Antonio Byrd and Candace Schlein","Vita","Includes bibliographical references (pages 428-459)","Dissertation (Ph.D.)--School of Education and Department of English Language and Literature, University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2025"],"dc:description.abstract":["This dissertation investigates the application of Teaching Circles (TCs) as a peer support system for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in composition courses, with a particular focus on the development of their professional identities and pedagogical practices. Despite the increasing reliance on GTAs in higher education, many existing professional development programs neglect the informal, ad hoc peer mentorship that GTAs engage in naturally. Drawing on narrative inquiry, this study examines how narrative-based TCs, led by the GTAs themselves, can provide a consistent and structured space for peer interaction that supports both professional growth and identity formation. By exploring the narratives of GTAs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), this study highlights the ways in which these informal mentorship opportunities contribute to the development of teaching practices, the sharing of pedagogical experiences, and the formation of a professional identity grounded in peer collaboration. This research fills a gap in GTA professional development literature by offering an alternative to traditional, hierarchical training models and advocating for the integration of peer-driven mentorship structures into GTA education. 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