Saundra Yancy McGuire, Ph.D.Assistant Vice Chancellor Professor, Department of ChemistryPast Director, Center for Academic SuccessLouisiana State University

Providing Effective Tutoring and Study Group Sessions:Strategies that Work!

Desired outcomes

• We will identify the challenges faced by tutors who are helping their peers

• We will understand the role of metacognition in helping peers

• We will collaboratively develop concrete strategies that will increase our effectiveness with our peers

• Other outcomes you’d like to see?

Reflection Questions

• What’s the difference, if any, between studying and learning?

• What are two things that inhibit your effectiveness as a peer tutor?

The Story of Four Students

• Travis, junior psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86 B in course

• Robert, first year chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 A in course

• Maryam, first year art student 57, 87 B in course• Dana, first year physics student

80, 54, 91, 97, 90 (final) A in course

Class Average Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4

Test 1 76 65 67 70 83Test 2 52 67 65 46 55Test 3 72 61 68 68 65

Final 78 107 88 88 90

Chemistry 2001

Date of Final Exam: December 14, 2005

Meeting with Student No. 1: December 12, 2005

Meeting with Student Nos. 2 & 4: December 2, 2005

Meeting with Student No. 3: December 8, 2005

The final was worth 100 points with a 10 bonus question.

Final Examination Improvement

How’d They Do It?

They became expert, strategic learners by using metacognition!

They studied to LEARN, not just to make the grade!

Metacognition*The ability to:• think about one’s own thinking• be consciously aware of oneself as a problem solver• monitor and control one’s mental processing (e.g.

“Am I understanding this material?”)• accurately judge one’s level of learning

*Flavell, J. H. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem solving. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.), The nature of intelligence (pp.231-236). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum

Why don’t many students already have effective learning strategies?

It wasn’t necessary in high school*

- 63% of 2010 entering first year students spent less than six hours per week doing homework in 12th grade.

- More than 48% of these students said they graduated from high school with an “A” average.*

*2010 Higher Education Research Institute Study

current behavior current grades

effective behavior desired grades

Peer Tutors Can Help Students close “the gap” between effective and ineffective

learning behaviors

Peer Tutors Must Help Students Learn How to Learn!

• Help them understand the learning process• Teach them specific learning strategies• Encourage them to monitor their use of the

learning strategies

Turning Your Students into Efficient, Expert Learners

• Have them constantly ask “why” and “what if” questions

• Have them test their understanding by verbalizing or writing about concepts; practicing retrieval of information

• Have them move their activities higher on the Bloom’s taxonomy scale by comparing and contrasting, thinking of analogies, thinking of new pathways, etc.

Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Knowledge

Making decisions and supporting views; requires

understanding of values.

Combining information to form a unique product; requires creativity and

originality.

Using information to solve problems; transferring abstract or theoretical

ideas to practical situations. Identifying

connections and relationships and how

they apply.Restating in

your own words;

paraphrasing, summarizing, translating.Memorizing verbatim

information. Being able to remember, but not

necessarily fully understanding the

material.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Louisiana State University Center for Academic Success B-31 Coates Hall 225-578-2872 www.cas.lsu.edu

Identifying components; determining

arrangement, logic, and semantics.

Graduate School

Undergraduate

High School

This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that

precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above.

A Learning Strategy that can be quickly and easily implemented to help students think at higher levels:

The Study Cycle*

*adapted from Frank Christ’s PLRS system

4Reflect

4Reflect

3Review

The Study Cycle

1 Set a Goal (1-2 min) Decide what you want to accomplish in your study session

2 Study with Focus (30-50 min) Interact with material- organize, concept map, summarize, process, re-read, fill-in notes, reflect, etc.

3 Reward Yourself (10-15 min) Take a break– call a friend, play a short game, get a snack4 Review (5 min) Go over what you just studied

*Intense Study Sessions

Attend

Review

Study

Attend class – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes.

Preview before class – Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you.

Review after class – As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions.

Assess your Learning – Periodically perform reality checks• Am I using study methods that are effective?• Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others?

Preview

Center for Academic SuccessB-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu

Assess

Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’.• Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day• Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make

connections

Dweck, Carol, 2006. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House Publishing

Help Your Students Develop the Right Mindset

Shenk, David, 2010. The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong. New York: Doubleday

Mindset* is Important!

Fixed Intelligence MindsetIntelligence is staticYou have a certain amount of it

Growth Intelligence MindsetIntelligence can be developedYou can grow it with actions

Dweck, Carol (2006) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.New York: Random House Publishing

Mindset determines reactions to

• Challenges – avoid vs. embrace• Obstacles – give up easily vs. persist• Tasks requiring effort – fruitless vs. path to

mastery• Criticism – ignore vs. learn from• Success of Others – feel threatened by vs.

find lessons and inspiration in

The Role of Confidence in Learning and Performance

Students are more likely to attempt activities about which they feel confident

Peer Tutors can give students the confidence to try and the strategies to succeed! HOW?

“If you think you can...or if you think you can't...you're right!“ Henry Ford

Great Strategies for Helping Peers LEARN!

• Establish expectations and ground rules• Help tutee set goals and timelines come often, prepared, and on ready to learn!• Attribute failures to correctable causes and

success to personal competence• Celebrate successes!• Help students get to know each other and

form study groups

Metacognitive Get Acquainted Activity*

• What do you believe is important to understand and learn in _____________________?

• What do you believe to be critical characteristics of successful students in ___________?

• How will you study and prepare for exams in ______________________________?

*Simpson, M. & Rush, L. (2012) in Teaching Study Strategies in Developmental Education, Hodges, Simpson, Stahl eds. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

“…Personally, I am not so good at chemistry and unfortunately, at this point my grade for that class is reflecting exactly that. I am emailing you inquiring about a possibility of you tutoring me.”April 6, 2011

…And after learning metacognitive strategies, NOT tutoring:“I made a 68, 50, (50), 87, 87, and a 97 on my final. I ended up earning a 90 (A) in the course, but I started with a 60 (D). I think what I did different was make sidenotes in each chapter and as I progressed onto the next chapter I was able to refer to these notes. I would say that in chemistry everything builds from the previous topic.May 13, 2011

Semester GPA: 3.8

Why Are Metacognitive Strategies Important?

Consider the email below from a Spring 2011 Chemistry student:

Motivation:

The REAL Difference between a 1.8 and a 3.8 GPA!

Motivate Your Students!

Strongly encourage them to:• Consider their goals• Develop a plan! (e.g. schedule study appointments

with themselves; make a study bet with friends; devise a new place to study

• Commit to Three or More Intense Study Sessions per day (two during daylight hours)

• Take the CAS on-line workshops (www.cas.lsu.edu)• Believe in themselves!!!

Small Group Activity

How can you infuse learning strategies information into sessions with your tutees?