1. Peer Assisted Learning (PAL)
Ruth Lefever
Interim Head of Student Experience & Success Team (and PAL Coordinator)

2. What is PAL? Peer Assisted Learning
Peer support scheme that involves 2nd or 3rd years volunteering to facilitate group sessions with 1st years
Recognised as good practice in the HE sector and is a growing area of practice and of research
Originally set up by SEST using national STEM funding
Based and other peer support schemes nationally – PASS, PAL, peer mentoring
Support from the university – features in strategic level plans for enhancing learning and teaching at the institution

3. Bradford
PAL is about students working together to enhance their programme and university experience. It has two broad central aims:
To support the transition of new first year students into university
To offer an employability opportunity for 2nd and 3rd year students
Work with students to personalise their learning experience
Develop a sense of community and belonging
Collaborative – students will help shape the scheme
Inclusive – offer to all on a programme

4. PAL progress In 2012/13, piloted PAL with Computing
In 2013/14, this expanded to three other courses: TV Production, Psychology and Pharmacy.
For 2014/15 PAL schemes in:
Computing
Electrical Engineering
Psychology
Pharmacy
Media (including TV Production)
Business & Management
Now schemes across 4 Schools – just SOHS to adopt PAL!
Continues to strengthen – and it is hoped that PAL can be expanded even further across other programmes
Refer Leaders to page 3 of the PAL Handbook.
PAL also aims to personalise the student learning experience.
A sense of community and belonging amongst students is developed.
There is a collaborative approach – students will help shape the scheme, to ensure that it best supports the experience of students.

5. Benefits to students
Friendly and informal space to help first year students to:
Adjust to university life and study
Improve their understanding key course related knowledge
Develop skills/attributes (e.g. group working, study skills, confidence)
Understand course expectations and the bigger picture
Learn from the experience of peers and get to know others
Unique learning environment – student centred and led
Academic and social support
Safe space

6. Benefits for PAL Leaders
A great way to add to CVs
Experiences and concrete examples
Transferable skills and personal development (interpersonal and communication skills, teamwork, facilitation, problem solving, leadership etc.)
Consolidation of course knowledge by revisiting core ideas
Links to assessment
An opportunity to share experiences and self-reflect
Enjoyable and rewarding experiences – feel they make a difference
We have 75 Leaders this year – fully trained and supported

7. Benefits to the Department
Enhanced engagement and experience
Enhanced employability (for first years and Leaders)
Possible impact on achievement, progression and retention
Identified as good practice in the sector (and noted in QAA)
Potential impact on staff time – e.g. reduction in queries
Recruitment (possible selling point for the course)
But! Schemes are only as successful as how far staff and students engage

8. How does PAL work?
Student ‘PAL Leaders’ facilitating regular small group study sessions – responsibility for planning and running these
Sessions last for 1 hour (usually fortnightly) and are timetabled
Student only spaces and students set the agenda
Staff can offer ideas, activities and course related resources
PAL Leaders will NOT be expected to teach, but to support first years search for their own solutions
Programme teams can tailor the PAL model to best suit their needs and students

9. Examples of PAL sessions
Sharing early concerns and questions
Using blackboard
Referencing activities
Workload and revision planning
Practicing presentations
Group work skills
Module and course overviews
Placements
Societies and social opportunities
Pebble pad and library help

10. What’s on offer?
Central coordination but partnership with the Department/Programme (need key academic contact)
SEST recruit Leaders, produce info for staff and first years etc.
Full training for PAL Leaders (day & a half)
Ongoing support provided – including sessions with Careers
Annual evaluation – PAL Leaders, students and staff involved in shaping how the scheme develops

11. Interested? Email r.lefever@bradford.ac.uk
Visit development/student-experience/peer-assisted- learning/
Invite me to a programme team meeting or similar to discuss a scheme for 2015/16
Any questions?

12. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group
9th October 2014
Student Experience and Success Team
Kanja Sesay
Attainment Officer
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group

13. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
In this presentation…
What: Student Success Group Why: Evaluate student Attainment and develop and oversee targeted interventions Aim: To enhance the students attainment Who: Staff across the school supported by SEST staff
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group

14. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
School of Health
Academic Year
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
BME
42.1
61.8
51.6
37.7
56.8
White
64.8
65.8
70.4
73.9
Attainment gap
22.7 4
18.8
36.2
17.1
What: A group that will oversee student success and address the attainment issues and identifying areas of intervention.
Why: there are disparities that may exist between groups, which could results in different student outcomes.
There are various reasons which underpins such figures and this is why its important to have a group that focuses on and looks at the possible reasons behind such differences in attainment.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group

15. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Who: Staff members with interest on student experience, equality and diversity with support from SEST Team
Outcome: This should be bespoke to the school. The school set their own objectives.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group

16. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Possible Questions/ Concerns:
We are already have too much going on?
Doesn’t the Learning and Teaching Committee already?
Can we actually make a difference?
We are already have too much going on? Majority of the work would be covered by the SEST team, the frequently of the meetings will be determine by the group. Once a month for a hour can cover most agenda items.
Doesn’t the Learning and Teaching Committee address this? This group would focus mostly on the attainment, its not there to duplicate the work of the LTC, but to provide that specific support in address the attainment gap.
Can we actually make a difference? The answer is YES, there are research coming out of the sector which indicates there impact being made when these issues are address. Also can we afford not too? Especially given our policy on Equality and Diversity, as well as promoting and supporting the new Curriculum Framework: The University of Bradford is committed to ‘an educational experience that is inclusive of the diversity of its student and staff, and that addresses attainment gaps within our student body… to achieve this we move beyond a culture of special adjustment to meet diverse needs, towards a more universal educational design that is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all learners.’ Staff require a clear framework within which to operate.
University of Bradford Curriculum Framework: (22nd September, 2014)
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group

17. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
What We Offer:
Expertise on attainment
Data analysis
Co-ordinate activities e.g. Peer Assisted Learning, Student Focus groups
Update on Sector research
Trans: It Summer School
• Building knowledge: data collection and action: there needs to be a ‘robust quantitative and qualitative data to baseline the current situation and map progress. The data collection and analysis should inform and initiate actions to effect an improvement in the performance of students. E.g. University of Northampton after interrogation of data found that part-time BME students do less well than part-time white students and less well than BME full-time students.
Baseline and regular data on performance and differential attainment by ethnicity for purposes of monitoring progress and reporting- at both institutional and school level;
Evaluative data on interventions, initiatives and activities introduced to address performance.
identify possible reasons for BME attainment differentials by further interrogating institutional data, for example by examining: results of the NSS by ethnicity;
Research aims and objectives
build a shared frame of reference for teams working on the agenda – as at the University of Greenwich where they are developing interventions in three schools based on raising student expectations and innovations in curriculum design and delivery;
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group

18. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
SOM: Objectives
Understand the dynamics behind the BME performance gap
Investigate within the sector regarding best practice solutions to the attainment gap
Gain funding to address this important equal opportunities problem
Develop plans and activities to proactively address the underlying causes of poor performance
*More data is needed to support this
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group

19. STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Thank you
Contact:
STUDENT EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS
Student Success Group