Our PLTL leader was bomb and really helped me understand The extra time truly helped me I am so glad that I chose to do it both semesters. PLTL should be offered for other departments. I really liked PLTL and wished that I had taken it last semester PLTL really helped me on tests...much more productive than studying alone. I learned more in PLTL than in lecture. …more clearly and with less tangents. PLTL helped me feel more comfortable with chemistry. Good to hear other ways of thinking. PLTL saved my grade I was in PLTL last semester and immediately signed up this semester. I definitely feel it had a positive impact on my grade. If PLTL is offered for courses I take in the future, I would definitely sign up. Not as intimidating as a lecture with hundreds of people. Discussing inquires about why is a very effective tactic I have adapted from PLTL It helped me find other people to study with PLTL answered questions that I couldn’t ask in lecture it provided practice Talking w/ others helped with conceptual problems. PLTLStudentsPLTLStudents

Peer-Led Team Learning A Peer-Peer Model for Higher Education Introductions: Christopher Bauer, Chemistry Tim Marquis Lyndsay Canwell Chris Olivier Emma Warren Zach Tepper

Why PLTL? First created by CCNY, U Rochester, St. Xavier Chicago to address learning and persistence challenges for large enrollment classes in STEM, especially for first-gen and minority students Impersonality of large class Lack of community of learners Isolation Lack of recognition of different learning strategies Lack of mentoring in early college

Exam Sum scores 12 semesters Julia Y. K. Chan and Christopher F. Bauer JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, 52 (3) 319–346 (2015)

Goals and Processes Not a remedial program Make thinking visible & Build self-efficacy Challenging problems that require a group to solve -- No answer keys available Leaders have direction but autonomy; Blackboard access to course

PLTL in Chemistry: Leaders by the numbers Since 2001 More than 400 students have elected to participate for at least 1 semester More than 250 have participated for more than 1 semester Nearly 100 have participated most or all of their undergraduate career Nearly 50 have been appointed as coordinators with 1-2 year commitments

Leadership Progression Year 0:Student in 403/404 or 651/652 (>B, or leader or instructor recommended) Year 1:First-year novice (all credit) Year 2:Second-year (fall mentoring for credit; spring $) Year 3:Superveteran (fall mentor $,spring $)

Student Coordinators 2 Head Coordinators (seniors) and 2 Assistant Coordinators (juniors) each course 2-yr overlapping appointments two provides redundancy and self-reliance scheduling, planning, showcasing hourly paid positions Student researchers

PLTL Fishbowl Mock PLTL session Intended to help prepare leaders Provide opportunity to try out a different technique to managing group

Post-fishbowl debrief

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) in Chemistry: the dates 1995“Workshop Chemistry” supported by NSF Chemistry Systemic Initiative 2001Bauer PI, NSF, “Integrating the Chemistry Systemic Initiatives”, including PLTL for Chem 403/404, 21 leaders for 1 course 2004PLTL is routine part of some or all of Chem 403/404 class sections 2013PLTL starts for Chem 651/652 organic chem 2015PLTL trial in BCMB 658. Fall started with 64 leaders for 3 courses

PLTL Annual Structure Fall Semester (chem 403, 651) Apply in April prior Fall Chem 501 (2 cr) Peer-Led Team Leadership in Chemistry Veteran mentor (Chem “503” 1 cr, PLTL Mentorship”) Weekly hr leader development 3 early reflections, 2 visits, 1 survey, synthesis paper Spring Semester (chem 404,652) Re-apply in November Spring Chem 502 (1 cr) Advanced Peer-Led Team Leadership Weekly 1 – 1.5 hr leader development 1 early reflection, 1 visit + survey (reflection)

Topics addressed in Chem 501 Facilitative instructional leadership skills Group dynamics Cognitive information processing Chemistry misconceptions Ethics Characteristics of general chemistry students Multiple intelligences Self-efficacy and self-regulation Vygotsky, Perry, Dweck, Pintrich…..

Facilitator’s toolkit Ice breakers Use of names Round robin Brainstorming Rephrasing Dumb scribe Division of labor Control of materials Pass the marker Room management Explanatory prompts Mini-boards Games Respond with wrong answers Throw all chairs out

Community of Practice Apprentice Learning Curve Being constantly critiqued on performance closer to the beginning of the year will help rather than being provided practice halfway through. Allows the new leaders to become acclimated … much quicker because they can observe someone else effectively run a meeting. The most significant difference in the new PLTL model is that leaders become confident in their ability earlier in the semester. It is very important to have a mentor there to guide them into it slowly to gain comfort and authority in the groups. I would not have grown quite as quickly, as I would have psyched myself out when the going got tough. Asked the other mentors whether they think their novices could have run the first session confidently without a mentor -- and only one of them thought that their novice could have done so. Paper 53, 243rd ACS National San Diego Mar

Students seemed to think PLTL was better than studying alone regardless of whether or not they had a veteran leader, but it’s clear that the mentoring model had an impact. PLTL was mostly better than studying alone PLTL better than studying alone

PLTL helped students test better Students thoughts on PLTL helping them test better was generally equal between veteran/novice and mentoring/non-mentoring Tested better because of PLTL

Six critical components Workshops are integral to course. Professors are involved. Leaders are trained as facilitators. Materials are appropriately challenging, and designed for small group work. Six to eight students in a suitable space. Supported by the institution* *Cost of program in chemistry is about one student in-state tuition.

Hearing from the leaders Being a peer leader was the first thing I had done for others at UNH I have found more confidence in myself and have learned leadership skills that will come in handy throughout my life It has definitely made me think about teaching high school now more than ever.

The Future….? We are willing to support expansion of this model to other courses and departments. We can provide: leader consultation opportunities to visit working groups advice in constructing materials experienced leaders The University of New Hampshire should embrace “peer- teaching” as an integral part of the ethos of a UNH undergraduate education, and establish a set of coherent programs that implement this vision. PLTL would be a major component of this vision.

Our PLTL leader was bomb and really helped me understand The extra time truly helped me I am so glad that I chose to do it both semesters. PLTL should be offered for other departments. I really liked PLTL and wished that I had taken it last semester PLTL really helped me on tests...much more productive than studying alone. I learned more in PLTL than in lecture. …more clearly and with less tangents. PLTL helped me feel more comfortable with chemistry. Good to hear other ways of thinking. PLTL saved my grade I was in PLTL last semester and immediately signed up this semester. I definitely feel it had a positive impact on my grade. If PLTL is offered for courses I take in the future, I would definitely sign up. Not as intimidating as a lecture with hundreds of people. Discussing inquires about why is a very effective tactic I have adapted from PLTL It helped me find other people to study with PLTL answered questions that I couldn’t ask in lecture it provided practice Talking w/ others helped with conceptual problems. PLTLStudentsPLTLStudents