Peer Assisted Learning
UKCLE CONFERENCE 2010
SUE WARNOCK & BRYAN SCANT
‘supporting the first year and second experience
through the development of a PAL Leader’
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Peer Assisted Learning (PAL)
Overview of PAL
Student experience of PAL & PAL Mentoring
Initial challenges
Open forum
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Suggested workshop format
PAL started at Bournemouth in 2001 - funded through
FDTL3
Student-to-student support scheme which draws ideas from
a US scheme called Supplemental Instruction
PAL fosters cross-year support between students studying
on the same course
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Overview of PAL at Bournemouth
Our purpose was to develop a scheme which:
enhanced the level of support and advice available to first
year undergraduate students
encouraged students to become more actively involved in
discussing the subject matter of their course
aided retention of first year students
provided an environment in which PAL Leaders could
practise and develop their personal and professional skills
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What is PAL?
PAL is intended to help students:
adjust quickly to university life
acquire a clear view of course direction and expectations
develop their independent learning and study skills to meet
requirements of HE
enhance their understanding of the subject matter of their
course through collaborative group discussion
prepare better for assessed work and examinations
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5 intended outcomes of PAL
Embedded: PAL sessions are timetabled sessions and run weekly
Uses existing groups: PAL group is the same as the students’ normal seminar group
Supports learning: emphasis on small group discussions and co-operative learning
Supplemental to teaching: subject content drawn from existing course materials (lecture notes, workbooks, textbooks, etc)
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How PAL operates
Among first year students (e-survey - 252 responses):
59% indicated that PAL helped them integrate more quickly into University life;
“The activities at the start made the group bond better”.
“I felt less isolated. PAL acted like a buffer and made the first year seem much less daunting”.
61% PAL helped develop their study & learning skills
“Having someone that could help you prepare essay plans, especially for the first few essays. Also having an explanation of the use of footnotes and how to cite cases was helpful”.
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Student experience of PAL:
66% PAL helped their understanding of the subject matter of their course through group discussions
“I found it helpful to learn and relearn information in teams”
“PAL helped clarify matters which our seminars left unclear”
77% PAL helped them prepare better for assessed course work and examinations
“PAL has encouraged everyone in our class to share ideas”
“There were a lot of exam tips and assignment advice”
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Student experience of PAL: Survey results 2005/6
82% indicated that PAL helped them gain a clearer understanding of course direction & expectations;
“Our PAL Leader talked about her experiences from the first year and passed on her own knowledge of how best to approach things”
“PAL helped me settle into the kind of work I have to tackle, the amount of work I need to do, etc”
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Student experience of PAL: Survey results 2005/6
Leadership and group management
“I’ve improved my ability to facilitate a discussion(and not take over) and be able to work within agroup of people”
“Through PAL I’ve improved my leadership and organisational skills”
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PAL Leader perspective: professional skills
Team working
“I’m now much more patient, approachable andwilling to help others”
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PAL Leader perspective: professional skills
Interpersonal communication
“PAL improved my CV and is a great thing totalk about at job interviews”
“After my experience as a PAL Leader I ammore confident giving presentations”
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PAL Leader perspective: professional skills
Self confidence
“Feeling important and developing the confidenceto stand in front of people sharing experiences”
“I became aware of better ways to learn and study,I got a huge confidence boost”
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PAL Leader perspective: personal skills
The role of the PAL Leader Mentor
Liaising with PAL Tutor
Liaising with PAL Leaders
Supporting Role
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PAL Leader perspective: professional skills
Organising meetings
Minutes of meetings
Liaising where necessary with Unit Tutors
PAL Leader for 2nd Year Students
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PAL Leader perspective: professional skills
Organising and prioritising skills
“I’m much more organised with regard to mypreparation. When you know you’ve got peopledepending on you it definitely encourages you toget focused”
“My organisational skills have improved a lot. I now organise my work more efficiently whichhas helped me in my degree”
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PAL Leader perspective: personal skills
Review lecture content and improve lecture notes
Practise presentations and analyse what makes for a good presentation
Analyse essay questions, identify main issues to cover, use of supporting evidence, discuss essay structure, etc.
Share exam revision techniques, plan outline answers to questions in past papers, etc.
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Examples of activities that happen in PAL sessions
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Model of PAL session types
Strategic-oriented (assessment)
Meaning-oriented (understanding)
DiscursiveDidactic
PAL Leader re-explaining course subject matter
Class discussion of course subject matter
PAL Leader advising students how to achieve
Class discussion on how to achieve
Something new - culture change
Staff - uncertain of purpose, threat, inappropriate expectations
Recruitment of PAL Leaders
PAL Leader training
Timetabling PAL sessions
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Initial challenges
Recommended
