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U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
University of Texas at El Paso
Integrated Science, Teaching, and Retention (I STAR) Project
James Becvar, Benjamin Flores, Helmut Knaust, Jorge Lopez, Josefina Tinajero.
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
“Plus Two” Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL)
How to integrate a required student-centeredlearning program into large enrollment service
courses.
Dr. James BecvarDepartment of Chemistry
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
PLTP Workshop: The modern day
‘One Room Schoolhouse’With the ‘Older Children’
helping the ‘Younger Ones’
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
1. The effect on students in course:Big!
Three positive effects of this program
2. The effect on students as peer leaders:Beautiful!
3. The effect on faculty involved:Bold!
(But... All encompassing).
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Replaces one hour of lecture with two hours (i.e. Plus Two) of workshop: student-
led, peer-led, small group workshop.
“Plus Two” PLTL
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
IntegratedRequired
Student-Centered Learning Well-Suited for Large Enrollment Service Courses
‘Plus Two’ Peer-Led Team Learning is‘Free Style’ and a UTEP Creation.
“Plus Two” PLTL
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
“Plus Two” Format
• Require co-enrollment in two-hour workshop.• Each workshop: 12–15 students commingled from the lecture sections.• Each workshop is guided by one peer leader: a more-experienced peer.
W O R K - S SPOH
Tuesday-Thursday Lecture Section of 220 students
Monday-Wednesday LectureSection of 290 students
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
What ‘Plus Two’ looks like:
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
8:00 AM
LECTURE LECTURE
NOON
6:00 PM
WORKSHOP
WORKSHOP
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Why integrate this Peer-Led Team Learning
approach into the curriculum?
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Chemistry I and II first attempt passing rates
Academic Year
Perc
enta
ge (
A+B
+C)
53%
74%CHEM 1305CHEM 1306
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Chemistry majors at UTEP
Academic Year
Num
ber
of s
tude
nts
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
UTEP Chemistry BS Degrees 1988-2008
Academic Year
Num
ber
of s
tude
nts
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
From www.pltl.org
Students who have previously done well in the course become guides and mentors, the Workshop Peer Leaders.
• The experience of working with faculty and guiding their peers through a difficult course is rewarding and unforgettable.
• This experience has a profound effect on the individual and professional growth of the Peer Leader.
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Room used for workshops
Wet labDry Studio
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Peer leaders promote active,Collaborative, team-based learning
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
General chemistry peer leaders at UTEPengage students in ‘explorations’
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
What are explorations?
• Short (e.g. 30 minute)• Simple • Hands-on• Contextual • Guided inquiry• Focus on concept not data
Explorations expose students to relevant chemistry they cause with their own hands.
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Why include explorations?
• Explorations provide simple real-world examples of chemical processes of a descriptive and qualitative nature; thus providing ‘context’ for the abstract theory of chemistry.
• Explorations cloak ‘the lion’ of fundamental science in the ‘sheep’s clothing’ of fun stuff.
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Training of new PLs by:• Experienced PLs• Faculty involved• Learning Specialists
Plus Two: What’s involved?Training! Lots and lots of training!
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Peer Leader Training: Essential
Summer 2006 training with Math and CS Peer Leaders
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
An essential part of training:The instructor meets regularly with the Peer Leaders
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
8:00 AM
LECTURE LECTURE
NOON
6:00 PM
PREVIEW PREVIEW
PREVIEW PREVIEW
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Who are the Peer Leaders?
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
My dreams
•Use the pedagogically well-trained Peer
Leaders in local K-12 schools.
•Include the El Paso Community College in Plus
Two Peer-Led Team Learning.
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Peer leaders in Chemistry courses 2000-09
Total Peer leaders since 2000: 109
Current I-STAR supported Peer Leaders: 11
• General Chemistry II: 7
• Organic Chemistry I: 4
Current Non-I-STAR supported Peer Leaders: 13
Of the 85 who have graduated:
• 9 are known to be teaching middle (1) or high school (8)
• 25 are in graduate school or have graduated with a
graduate degree.
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Presentations at Regional and National Meetings about the UTEP Chemistry PLTL Program
Selected I-STAR examples:“Incorporating innovative learning techniques in a free-style team learning environment”
235th Am. Chem. Soc. Nat’l Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6 - 10, 2008.“Developing critical thinking in ‘Plus Two’ peer-led team learning workshop”
236th Am. Chem. Soc. Nat’l Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 17 - 21, 2008.“Leading the way to success: peer leaders, the new faculty”
236th Am. Chem. Soc. Nat’l Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 17 - 21, 2008.“On implementing virtual office hours in a large class that uses peer-led team learning”
237th Am. Chem. Soc. Nat’l Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, March 22-26, 2009“Sixteen New Explorations Developed for General Chemistry II”
submitted, 238th Am. Chem. Soc. Nat’l, Washington, DC, August 16 - 20, 2009.
57 Presentations since 200052 With student first authors42 Individual student authors21 I-STAR student citations
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Challenges
• Sustainability
• Infrastructure
• Training: Must be Integrated and Strongly Unify the Program
• Building a Community of Scholarship
• Course Credit (e.g. secondary education) for the Leaders
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
See the problem?
Exam 2Exam 1 Exam 3 Final Exam
Stud
ent
Effo
rt E
xpen
ded
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Effort-Retention
Exam 2Exam 1 Exam 3 Final Exam
Stud
ent
Effo
rt E
xpen
ded
More constant, consistent effort = More long-term retention
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Acknowledgements
•The One Hundred Peer Leaders, 2000 – 2009•NSF Model Institutions of Excellence Grant HRD-9550502•NSF STEP Program Grant: Project I-STAR, DUE- 0653270
•The UTEP College of Science and Department of Chemistry•Dr. Juan Noveron•Dr. Wen-Yee Lee
•Dr. Mahesh Narayan•Dr. Carl Dirk
•Dr. James Salvador•Dr. Katja Michael•Dr. Shizue Mito
•General and Organic Chemistry Students Since 2000
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T E L P A S O
Contact Information
• Chemistry: James Becvar [email protected]• Engineering: Benjamin Flores [email protected]• Education: Josefina Tinajero [email protected]• Mathematics: Helmut Knaust [email protected]• Physics: Jorge Lopez [email protected]
