1. Introducing a PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) Scheme into the School of Health Sciences
Clair Zawada
Academic Lead

2. Introduction
Birmingham City University – located in UK, Midlands, with approximately 24,000 students.
Faculty of Health, Education & Life Sciences offers courses in education, social work, nursing, midwifery, allied health, sports, public health and biomedical engineering.
Many students within the Faculty have a placement element within their course.

3. PASS – What is it? ‘Peer Assisted Study Sessions’
PASS utilised in Higher Education since 1970’s
International model
Designed to improve student success and retention within historically difficult subjects
Uses senior students (PASS leaders) to facilitate regular study sessions, aligned with a specific module
Establishes supportive environment for students
Facilitation, not teaching!

4. PASS – What have we done? PASS programmes utilised in: Radiotherapy
Diagnostic Radiography
Medical Ultrasound
Paramedic Sciences
Faculty wide anatomy & physiology provision
Different format to suit individual course needs
Used ‘traditional’ PASS model, as well as clinically focussed sessions.
So far, all in 1st year modules

5. Logistics Recruited students specific to each course
1 day training at start of academic year
Students were either paid for their time, or gained clinical hours (Paramedic Science)
Module coordinator liaised with PASS leaders, and organised sessions.
Regular PASS sessions, linked to module aims
Placement patterns caused some difficulty
Working around timetabling was ‘fun’
Different formats to suit module and module coordinator

6. Effect on Module Success (Radiotherapy)
Correlation = (medium strength correlation)

7. Student Evaluation (Radiotherapy)
“The PASS sessions were very helpful. Best support given”
“Found it interesting and enjoyed PASS sessions, they backed up knowledge from lessons & offered advice on books & placement”
“The leaders were incredibly helpful and friendly. They gave us tips and advice to enable us to achieve a good grade in the module”
“Would have been useful in other modules”

8. Student Evaluation (Radiotherapy)

9. Student Evaluation (Radiotherapy)

10. PASS Leader Evaluation
“I really enjoyed interacting with the first year cohort and felt as though our interactions allowed for positive interactions between year groups. Also it benefitted our own revision for our own studies”
All Pass Leaders agree / strongly agreed that they felt they had made a positive difference to the experience of other students
All Pass Leaders agree / strongly agreed that the workload of being a PASS leader was manageable
All Pass Leaders agree / strongly agreed that facilitating PASS sessions was enjoyable

11. Improvements to be made
Arrange opportunity for PASS leaders to get together during academic year
PASS session observations
Provide PASS leaders with individual session feedback from students
Encouraging module coordinators to ‘let go’
Further buy-in from senior management
Timetabling!!!!

12. Moving Forward Increase courses and modules using PASS
Create network of PASS leaders
Further training for PASS leaders
Look at ‘difficult’ modules to highlight areas for PASS potential
Administrative support

13. Thank You