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Structured weekly study sessions for students in

participating coursesRooted in cooperative learning theory*

Research shows that collaborative learning strategies:

1. Improve academic performance

2. Increase persistence towards graduation

Nine guiding principles**

**Arendale, D. (2004). Pathways of Persistence: A review of Arendale, D. (2004). Pathways of Persistence: A review of postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs. In I. postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs. In I. Duranczyk, J. L. Higbee, & D. B. Lundell (Eds.), Duranczyk, J. L. Higbee, & D. B. Lundell (Eds.), Best Best practices for access and retention in higher educationpractices for access and retention in higher education, (pp. , (pp. 27-40). Minneapolis, MN: Center for Research on 27-40). Minneapolis, MN: Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, General Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, General College, University of Minnesota. Available: College, University of Minnesota. Available: http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/crdeul/monographs.htm http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/crdeul/monographs.htm

** Cheng, D. Walters, M. (2009) Peer-assisted learning in ** Cheng, D. Walters, M. (2009) Peer-assisted learning in mathematics: An observational study of student success; mathematics: An observational study of student success; Australian Journal of Peer LearningAustralian Journal of Peer Learning, Vol, Vol

Facilitated by undergraduate students who have excelled in the course and have completed the PAL training.

PAL facilitators engage students in discussions and activities to promote deeper understanding of course concepts. They do not teach.

Students share learning strategies, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Students experience their peers as resources for their own learning.

How PAL Works

What is PAL?

Benefits of PAL

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Students participating in PAL were enrolled in ANSC 1001-Introduction to Animal Science.

Students required to attend weekly, fifty minute PAL sessions for academic support in Chemistry 1011/15.

All students in the study were enrolled in Chemistry 1011/15.

A matched-paired control sample was created; Students in PAL matched with students who did not attend PAL sessions. Matching based on:

composite - ACT scores course professor gender year (2005, 2006, 2007)

Methodology, data, and analysis prepared by Kari-Ann Ediger & David Arendale, PhD

Math Fall 2008

2005: Significantly fewer F/W grades within the Animal

Science program2006: Significantly more A’s within PAL participants2007: No significant differences, though there was a positive trend for PAL participants

Peer-Assisted Learning in Chemistry 1011/1015

PAL Participants vs Non-Participants

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

PP NP PP NP PP NP

2005 2006 2007

YearNu

mbe

r of S

tude

nts

A

B

C

D

F/W

*These students were part of the Animal Science cohort; PAL didn’t begin until 2006

To estimate the impact attending weekly math PAL sessions has on students' chances of successful course completion, an observational study was conducted fall 2008 of 534 University of Minnesota students enrolled in two undergraduate mathcourses. Success was defined as passing the class with a C- or above, and failure as receiving a D+ or below, including withdrawals. In addition toPAL attendance, 16 other factors were considered in this analysis. Attending all PAL sessions during the semester corresponded with ten times higherodds of success than attending none. While further experimental studies are needed, these observations suggest that following the guidingprinciples of PAL result in effective peer cooperative learning sessions.

The A-mazing Impact of PAL Hey! These

PAL groups are aWIN-WIN-WIN!

Peer-Assisted Learning in Math 1031/1051:

An observational study of student success

Probability of success versus total attendance for a student with an estimated 75% probability of success before attending any sessions:

Probability of success versus total attendance for a student with an estimated 10% probability of success before attending any sessions:

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Understanding Global Society / Appreciation of Differences PAL facilitators:

Work with diverse populations

Express and foster multicultural sensitivity through thoughtful grouping strategies

Encourage participants to actively engage with course material and with each other

Provide a variety of ways for students to process course content knowledge, appealing to various learning styles and abilities

Provide natural supports for learning: study guides, discussion groups, practice quizzes

Share power and responsibility among the participants in the session

Bibliography

Publications about PAL and other post-secondary cooperative learning programs can be found at

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~arend011/Peerbib03.pdf

PAL has a “Universal Design for Instruction” quality *: the open, welcoming environment and activities benefit a wide range of academic abilities. * http://ds.umn.edu/faculty/applyingUID.html

The structure of PAL allows for mixed ability groupings. Research shows this yields better solutions than those from groupings of same ability participants – both high and low. ** **Heller, P., Keith, R., and Anderson, S. (1992). Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. American Journal of Physics, 60(7): 627-644.

PAL supports a significant number of women in gateway Chemistry courses through partnerships with CFANS , MAC, and STEM.

PAL responds to the demand for emphasis on social learning and challenging problem-solving that inspire students to excel.Treisman, Uri (1992). Studying students studying calculus: A look at the lives of minority mathematics students in college. College Mathematics Journal 23(5), 362-372.

Partnerships

Access to SuccessAccess to Success

PAL Facilitators empower their peers to be search engines by:

Infusing a spirit of inquiry through collaborative work

Redirecting questions back to the students

Sharing their intellectual passion and genuine curiosity

Their desire to help students achieve success