1. Students’ Reflections PAL Leaders’ Reflections Educators’ Reflections
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) to Support Student Role Transitions in Occupational Therapy Education
1 What’s the challenge?
Student Role transition: Involves building new relationships and a sense of expected behaviours. This can be challenging whilst dedicating time to ensure academic success
(Keilhofner 2008).
Student Role balance: First year occupational therapy students find difficulty attaining occupational balance due to environmental and personal factors.
(Wilson and Wilcock 2005).
2 What’s the solution?
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) is a support scheme led by trained students called ‘PAL Leaders’, to encourage cross-year support within the same course throughout the transition from first year student to health professional
(Ford and Thackeray 2014).
4 How does PAL work?
Weekly timetabled 1-hour sessions
Each week’s content is student-directed
Discuss and feed-back, scenarios, polls and quizzes, electronic resources, assignment planning, placement preparation
Benefit from experienced students’ input
Paid role for PAL leaders
(Thackeray 2016).
3 How does PAL help?
Supports students to adjust to university life
Develops independent learning and study skills
Prepares students for assessed work
Enhances subject understanding using collaborative group discussion
(Ford and Thackeray 2014).
(Pexels 2016).
Students’ Reflections
PAL Leaders’ Reflections
Educators’ Reflections
From an educational perspective the PAL approach enhances deeper levels of engagement with the curriculum, supports stronger cohort identity and increases employability through transferable skills (Thackeray 2016, pp 3)
‘Collaborative/participatory learning promotes independence in learning and supports interdisciplinary working styles which will be required in the healthcare workplace.’
Educator
(Thackeray 2016, pp 16).
‘Helped me to ease back into studying after a long break by giving simpler points than more complex lectures. Sharing placement experiences with PAL leaders helped to reduce anxiety for first placement.’
First Year OT Student
‘PAL leaders need links to the academic staff to support their work/provide guidance if required/resolve any issues fed back from the student body to the PAL leaders’.
Educator
(Thackeray 2016, pp 7).
‘By being a PAL leader I had the opportunity to reflect and build on my own self development as an OT, and then use this learning as an opportunity to support the development of my peers.’
Second Year PAL Leader
‘They also gave us nuggets of insight into what was ahead which helped me to get perspective and feel excited about what was to come. ‘
Second Year OT Student
‘Employers perceive involvement in PAL leadership as a positive contribution to employability skills. E.g. organisational skills, communication and confidence’.
Educator
‘As a final year PAL leader for the second years, I felt it was a great experience to not only support other future OTs but evolve my skills to become a more confident therapist’
Third Year PAL Leader
‘PAL gave me the tools to know what I didn't know and the skills to find the answers. It was beneficial to talk to people who had recently been in our position. PAL created a space where no question was silly and guided us to be independent and supported thinkers.’
Second Year OT Student
‘PAL leaders develop a strong ability to manage their mixed portfolio of PAL work with their own study commitments and home life. All transferable into the workplace where the ability to work under pressure and prioritise are key skills’. Educator
‘An opportunity to review and cement the previous years work. It has been beneficial to become part of the education programme’.
Second Year PAL Leader
Future plans for PAL at Bournemouth University…
Building on excellent and institution-wide uptake of PAL, as commended in BU’s 2017 TEF Silver Award, sustain and develop an effective Level 4 PAL Scheme for all undergraduate programmes.
Further develop BU’s Placement PAL (Level 6 supporting Level 5) offer to all programmes at BU where a placement component is available.
References
Ford N, Thackeray C (2014) Evaluation of the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Scheme at Bournemouth University 2013/14. Bournemouth: Bournemouth University. Available at: Accessed on
Kielhofner G (2008) Habituation: Patterns of Daily Occupation. In: G Kielhofner. Model of Human Occupation: Theory and Application. 4th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Pexels (2016). Image available at: Accessed on
Thackeray C (2016) Evaluation of the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Scheme at Bournemouth University 2015/16. Bournemouth: Bournemouth University. [Unpublished]
Wilson L, Wilcock A (2005) Occupational Balance: What Tips the Scales for New Students? British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(7), 319 – 323.
Authors:
Andrew Gibbins
Dr Saffron Scott
Jessica Jones