Cyber Peer-Led Team Learning (cPLTL) Lin Zhu, Ph. D. IUPUI Department of Chemistry Pratibha Varma-Nelson, Ph. D. IUPUI Center for Teaching and Learning IUPUI Department of Chemistry Sloan-C International Conference on Blended Learning, Beauna Vista, FL October 10, 2012

“Why Can’t an Undergraduate Think More Like a Ph.D?” “First Person” The Chronicle, Monday, October 17, 2005 Johnathan Malesic

Retention After 24 Hours Sousa, D. A. (2001) How the brain learns : a classroom teacher's guide (2 nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

CONE OF LEARNING (Edgar Dale)

Why Team Learning Works Combines well-established areas of educational design and research Group Learning Reciprocal Teaching Vygotsky Model Varma-Nelson, P. and Coppola, B.P. 2005,"Team Learning." Chapter 13. In The Chemists' Guide to Effective Teaching" Pienta N Cooper, M.M., Greenbowe,T (Eds). 2005, Prentice Hall Publishing. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Vygotsky’s Model Problems designed to press the learner to a reasonable expectation of achievement in his/her Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) under the guidance of a More Knowledgeable Other (MKO).

PLTL Model hours of lecture per week hours of PLTL workshop per week 3 hour lab facilitated by faculty and/or a TA

Three Types of Implementations PLTL workshop replaces part of a lecture replaces a TA-led recitation is an added component of the course

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) Peer: A more experienced undergraduate student who has recently completed the course with a good grade. Led: Refers to leadership. A leader is a guide to others. Goes through extensive training to assume this role. Team: A group of 6-8 people who work together to achieve a common goal. Learning: The goal of the team is to learn chemistry.

What is a PLTL Workshop? 6-8 students Materials with problems slightly above the level of standard end-of-chapter questions and specifically designed for group work. A well-trained leader Compliment to the lecture Gosser, D.K., M.S. Caroline, J.A. Kampmeier, V. Roth, V. Strozak, and P. Varma-Nelson 2001 The Workshop Model: Peer Leadership and Learning. A Guidebook. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

PLTL Partnership between faculty and students Ownership of new ideas – asking questions Communicating knowledge Having the opportunity to REVISE Peer interactions –feedback and mentoring –being part of a community of learners

Critical Components for a Successful Workshop Program Integral part of the course Challenging materials (no answer keys) Trained and closely supervised leaders Supportive faculty Appropriate physical arrangement Supportive Administration Gafney “Evaluation of PLTL, Peer-Led Team Learning: A Guidebook. Eds Gosser, D., Cracolice, M., Kampmeier, J., Roth, V., Strozak, V., Varma-Nelson, P. (2001). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

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LEADER – KEY ROLE INDIVIDUALSCONTENT LEADERSHIP

Evaluation of PLTL Exploration of the attitudes and experiences of all those concerned with PLTL: Students, peer leaders, faculty and administrators. –Methods: Surveys and interviews Evidence of success, particularly regarding comparisons of PLTL groups and non-PLTL groups. –Methods: Comparative studies of classes with and without workshops Uses of the PLTL model and in particular the relevance of the critical components to successful implementation and institutionalization –Methods: Site visits, standard surveys, interviews, observations, correlations and comparisons Leo Gaffney in Peer-Led Team Learning: A Guidebook Prentice Hall, 2001

Evaluation of PLTL 82% of students stated that they would recommend the workshop course to their peers. Students who participate in PLTL Workshops earn better grades than those who do not. Leo Gaffney in Peer-Led Team Learning: A Guidebook Prentice Hall, 2001

City College of New York, (1-2), St. Xavier Chicago, (3), U. of Pittsburgh (4), Penn State Schuykill, (5), U. of Kentucky (6), U. of Ohio Athens (7), U. of Miami Ohio (8), U. of Rochester, Org (9), U. of West Georgia (10), and NYC Technical (11) (Independent studies ) Blue = Non PLTL Red = PLTL

Tien, Roth, Kampmeier J. Res. Sci. Teaching (2002) U. Rochester Organic Chemistry Blue = Non PLTL Red = PLTL

Impact of PLTL at IUPUI

Former Peer Leader Quotes “… I gained the knowledge and confidence I needed to pursue a career in pharmacy. During many medicinal chemistry courses in pharmacy school I became known as the group leader.” “… useful in my work, in acknowledging that sometimes when people don’t understand a concept, it’s simply because of the way it is being presented to them.” ” “It was the first time I realized how many gaps there are in my own understanding of chemistry.” Gafney, L. and Varma-Nelson, P. (2008) Peer-Led Team Learning: Evaluation, Dissemination and Institutionalization of a College level Initiative, Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer

Why cyber PLTL (cPLTL)? Untapped opportunities Community College-University Non-traditional and working students Allows new ways to capture data for discourse analysis and do research on how students learn in these environment. Understand leader styles-useful for peer leader training

Advantages of PLTL online (cPLTL) Flexibility for students and peer leaders No need to locate appropriate classrooms Community College – University connection Ability to monitor students more closely in real time Ability to capture data for discourse analysis to learn - how students learn - how leaders lead

Current cPLTL Setup

Main Room

Group Room

Workshop Session

Basic Requirements for cPLTL Participation High ‐ speed Internet access Internet browser Access to a computer with a web ‐ based video conferencing service

Student Equipments Costs Webcam: $15 Headset: $11 iPevo document camera: $55

Training Peer leaders: - Pre-semester orientation - weekly training course Students: - Pre-semester orientation - Workshop Zero - Technical Support

Student Comments It was convenient No commuting Liked being able to share work Easy to communicate

Leader quotes “The model is the same, but the way it is done is different; online you can’t pick up on body language cues like you can in face-to-face.”

Leader quotes “The same amount gets accomplished, but differently; cPLTL gets fewer problems done but more in depth. cPLTL requires choosing which problems are more attainable.”

Leader quotes “Running a cPLTL workshop is initially draining and nerve wracking because of all the voices and it’s hard to pick out what each person is saying.” “cPLTL is a success. This last week I had a student in Florida…attend(ed) my class without any problem. [S]uccess! I was actually pretty amazed that it went off without a hitch.”

Discussion What components are essential to implement cPLTL on your campus?

Critical Components of cPLTL Supportive faculty Integral part of the course Challenging materials (no answer keys) Trained and closely supervised peer leaders Supportive administration Appropriate technological arrangements

Discussion What challenges or barriers impede implementation at your campus?

Challenges & Barriers for Implementation Appropriate Materials Proper Peer Leader Training Peer Leader Compensation Faculty Involvement IT Support Implementation Funding Institutional Culture Faculty Reward Systems

References http// Varma-Nelson,P., M. Cracolice and D.K. Gosser. January “Peer-Led Team Learning: A Student-Faculty Partnership for Transforming the Learning Environment”. Invention and Impact: Building Excellence in Undergraduate Educatio, Proceedings of an April 2004 Conference Co-sponsored by the NSF-DUE and the AAAS Directorate for EHR Varma-Nelson, P. and Coppola, B.P., 2005,"Team Learning." Chapter 13. In "The Chemists' Guide to Effective Teaching" Pienta N Cooper, M.M., Greenbowe,T (Eds). 2005, Prentice Hall Publishing. Upper Saddle River, NJ PLTL Series: Peer-Led Team Learning: A Guidebook David Gosser, Mark Cracolice, Jack Kampmeier, Vicki Roth, Victor Strozak and Pratibha Varma-Nelson, 2001 Peer-Led Team Learning: General, Organic and Biologic Chemistry (GOB) Pratibha Varma-Nelson and Mark Cracolice, 2001 Peer-Led Team Learning: General Chemistry 2nd Ed. David Gosser, Victor Strozak and Mark Cracolice, Second edition now available. Peer-Led Team Learning: Organic Chemistry 2nd Ed. Jack Kampmeier, Pratibha Varma-Nelson and Donald Wedegaertner, 2001 Second edition available July 15,2005 Peer-Led Team Learning: Handbook for Team Leaders Vicki Roth, Ellen Goldstein and Gretchun Marcus, 2001

Can PLTL be effectively implemented in a synchronous/online environment? What are the similarities and differences between face-to-face and online implementation in regards to technology, deep learning, and academic achievement? 48

Joshua Smith, Ph. D. IUPUI Center for Urban and Multicultural Education (CUME) Julianna Banks, Ph.D. IUPUI Center for Teaching and Learning Nadrea Njoku, M. A. IUPUI Center for Urban and Multicultural Education (CUME) Shanna Stuckey, M. A. IUPUI Center for Urban and Multicultural Education (CUME) Jake Stuckey, M. A. IUPUI Center for Urban and Multicultural Education (CUME) 49

Evaluation Measures Initial IUPUI Results Early Challenges and Solutions Preliminary Dissemination Results IUPUI Longitudinal Results Current Participation and Future Directions 50

Course Grades American Chemical Society Exam Student Technology Survey Student Perception Survey Student-to-Student Discourse Analysis Peer Leader Journals Focus Groups and Interviews Observations 51

52 No statistically significant difference in mean grades Slightly more cPLTL students earned a grade of “C” or better

53 No statistically significant difference in mean grades More PLTL students earned a grade of “C” or better

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What about the quality of student interactions? Is anything being compromised? What are the benefits of conducting the workshops in the online environment? 55

You can …, not turn anything on …[and] see what they are talking about....You can kind of hear what they are really struggling on without any bias for you being in the room. I was more intrusive than I had ever been in face to face because I was watching what they were doing at all times….In online I think I’ve butted in more than I ever had in face to face. The whole workshop I listened in on both groups…I jumped in when either I heard them struggling a lot, when they asked for help, or if I saw their work needed some help. 56 Leader Quotes

You just pull the screen online. I’ll show them something. I’ll just pull up paint and I’ll just use that as my whiteboard. You have the entire web at your fingertips. If you need something whether it is a conversion doctor or something very small or you want a visual aid, you can pull it off and have it there in a second. …you can find a YouTube video that demonstrates something and share that. You can even pull in the lecture and notes and put it right there in a pod for them to see. 57 Leader Quotes

This was a difficult unit, but I felt like I didn't have much to do…, I spent more time than normal just observing...I don't think this is bad necessarily, just different! They work collaboratively on their own so I don’t think I have to “force” it with a CoLT. It seems the students need less of me these days and more of themselves. 58 Peer Leader Quotes

…online, you might be able to cover them slightly more in depth. They are willing to talk about it a little bit more...You might get them to explore a concept more deeply or to explore a term more deeply. They stayed after in workshop nearly twenty minutes to get everything straight which I thought was great. Face to face gets out when it is supposed to get out. Online, I would say we stay later…I would say it is usually like they will go as long as they need to finish up their problem. 59 Peer Leader Quotes

I constantly hear them talking about thing other than chemistry while they are doing a problem, and I think this is a good thing. PLTL has never been something where we don’t want students to have fun. The most amazing part of this online class is that I feel like I know my online students just as well, if not better, than my face to face workshops. 60 Leader Quotes

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62 Become familiar with the subject matter Learn the language of the discipline Practice core communication skills Develop teamwork and collaboration skills Apply knowledge and theory in problem-solving

63 Student Quotes What does it mean…it’s not saying…I’m looking at the formula…what’s that dot in there? It’s not saying multiply is it? Let me Google what that little dot means. Well I’m looking at the power point right now and…it says…100 grams, divide each by the molar mass…See it says…yeah we got everything…this exact process done in the…that’s in the power point for chapter 3… I’m going to Google this…Can you hear it? NO, but I can see it. Now I can hear it, yeah. (YouTube video playing) We got that part. Wow, that’s like from our notes exactly.

Referenced electronic course notes, manuals and texts posted on Oncourse Used the internet to quickly access resources to define, support, or refute conclusions Took screen shots of work completed in the workshop to reference later Easily shared work and resources with peers Used other interactive online tools to connect with groups Talked more about course content online 64

Audio lag Microphone volume settings Trouble using the stylus pen and tablet Audio distortion Xournal (third party software) caused freezing and crashes Lost and deleted work in Xournal 65

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Can cPLTL retain its effectiveness in other disciplines and with different student populations? 67

 IUPUI: 20% non-White and 75% qualify for financial aid.  FIU: 60% Hispanic and 13% African American  Purdue University: 32% non-White with low- income students from rural (12%) and urban areas (9%) 68

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71 A, B, C Grades Earned

72 A, B, C Grades Earned

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ItemcPLTLPLTL My knowledge and understanding of the material taught in this course increased as a result of the PLTL workshop 3.77 (1.31) 4.19* (1.07) I enjoyed my participation in the PLTL workshops 3.72 (1.28) 4.00** (1.02) *p<.05 / **p<.00 74

In choosing a workshop in which to enrollcPLTLPLTL Fit best into my schedule 91.8%73.3% Avoid commute to campus 63.4%15.2% Prefer taking courses on campus 16.4%78.5% Prefer face-to-face learning 14.7%87.7% Was aware of the online workshop option 53.2%46.8% 75

76.9% of the students are Mac users, 19.2% are PC, and 3.8% are other Wireless is the primary way students connect to the internet (92.3%) 76.9% of the students used the webcam and/or the microphone provided to them On items related to the ability to hear, share work and the technology experience, students rated all experiences above

Overall Rating Good / Very Good Experience sharing work 73% Ability to hear group members 69% Overall technology experience 77% 77

Rate the following issues had on your communication in Workshops No Impact Little Impact Little to Moderate Impact Moderate Impact Great Impact Video Delay 42.3%23.1%30.8%0%3.8% Video Drop Out 23.1%50.0%11.5%7.7% Audio Delay 38.5%15.4%30.8%11.5%3.8% Audio Drop Out 34.6%30.8%19.2%3.8%11.5% 78

Currently in the seventh semester at IUPUI 31 General Chemistry sections at IUPUI 18 Biology sections at Purdue University 21 Biology sections at Florida Inter national 79

Increase cPLTL enrollment Test other hardware, software and LMSs to increase technology options Test cPLTL adoption with various web conferencing software/services at other institutions Expand adoption of cPLTL in other STEM disciplines National Adoption Workshops 80

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Peer Leaders PLTL Project Partners NSF-DUE NGLC Wave I 83

Web Site: EDUCAUSE Feature Article Cyber Peer-Led Team Learning (cPLTL): Development and Implementation EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine, Volume 34, Number 4, 2011 Principle Investigator Pratibha Varma-Nelson, Professor of Chemistry Executive Director, Center for Teaching and Learning Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis 755 West Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN Ph:

85 Questions?