Peer Learning Assistants – Promoting Student Retention and Success in STEM USG STEM Grantee Meeting – May 17th, 2017 Cole Causey – UGA Office of STEM Education Addressing STEM Initiative Goal 2: Improve performance and retention in STEM core courses and majors Snapshot of Peer Learning Assistant (PLA) Program at UGA: BIOL1107 – started fall 2016; 270-seat large lecture; BIOL PLAs participate in discipline-specific pedagogy training course CHEM1312H/1412 – program adapted from existing student intern program; PLAs assist in lab sections and also provide assistance grading lab reports; interdisciplinary pedagogy training CHEM1210 – starting fall 2017; PLAs will support instruction in SCALE-UP classroom CSCI1301 – started fall 2016; PLAs support instruction in SCALE-UP classroom as well as lab sections under supervision of graduate TAs; interdisciplinary pedagogy training ENGR2120 – starting fall 2017; model in development MATH2250 – started spring 2017; PLAs lead one meeting per week in intensive model which includes five classes per week; 19-seat small classes; interdisciplinary pedagogy training PHYS1112 & PHYS1211 – started spring 2017; PLAs support active learning exercises in large lecture format; interdisciplinary pedagogy training Built Infrastructure: Learning Community – 20+ faculty members participate in monthly meetings to share strategies and discuss experiences Faculty Training – Faculty representative was sent to attend International Learning Community Conference at CU-Boulder; Program director at CU-Boulder was brought to UGA campus as part of national speaker series for presentation and workshop on using Learning Assistants PLA Recruitment System – Uniform application instruments have been developed Pedagogy Training Courses – Two upper level courses have been developed to provide pedagogy training to new PLAs Impact Measurement – evaluation survey tools have been developed to measure perceived value for both students and PLAs

Beneficial Impacts on All Participants: Students – receive additional help in the classroom, and are often more comfortable asking questions to PLAs that they might not otherwise ask their instructors. Faculty – extra layer of support for instruction, as well as valuable perspectives from PLAs who can help diagnose learning obstacles, increase classroom communication, and reduce expert blind spot. TAs – receive assistance supervising labs, answering questions, grading, etc. PLAs – reinforce their own content knowledge, learn valuable communication and interpersonal skills Results to survey item administered to PLAs: “After serving as a PLA, I am more confident in my communication skills.” Results to survey item administered to students: “Having PLAs helped me learn in this course.” “The PLAs were very helpful especially in such a large lecture class. Without them I do not think I would have been as successful.” “I think this program was very beneficial to my success this semester. Having a peer help me understand certain problems I couldn't figure out on my own and was too intimidated to ask the professor.” “The PLAs were extremely helpful. They offered a more relatable perspective to the material as students/peers.” “The PLA service enabled every student to ask questions. This is a big help for professors of large lecture classes.” Additional information on the PLA program at UGA: http://www.ose.uga.edu/projects/peer_learning/overview.php Additional resources via Learning Assistant Alliance national network: https://www.learningassistantalliance.org/ LA model graphics courtesy of LA Alliance: https://sites.google.com/a/colorado.edu/la-resources/research/products/data-slides