The Teaching Center

A Collaborative Project Undertaken by The Teaching Center; the Departments of Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics; and Cornerstone: The Center for Advanced Learning

Many studies have shown that students need to be actively involved in the learning process and that students involved in small groups learn and retain more than students working only alone. One method to teach students how to study in groups effectively is the peer-led, team-learning (PLTL) model. The PLTL model supplements the lecture by introducing formalized study groups that require students to engage in active learning. The PLTL model is an addition to the course structure; it does not replace the lecture. Click here to see the project's Web site.

The PLTL model consists of study groups containing 6-8 students facilitated by a student (peer) leader who has close interaction with the instructor of the class. The purpose of the PLTL model is to accomplish the following goals:

• To teach undergraduates how to effectively use group study
• To improve students’ problem-solving skills
• To provide facilitated help for students
• To provide an active-learning environment for students

Collaborators
Chemistry and The Teaching Center: Regina Frey
Chemistry: Susan Hockings
Mathematics: Lisa Kuehne and Blake Thornton
Physics: Jason Woods
Cornerstone: Harvey Fields

Background of the PLTL Model
The PLTL model was developed by a consortium consisting of City College of New York, New York City Technical College, St. Xavier University, and University of Rochester. The initial model was called the national Workshop Chemistry Project and was supported by an NSF initiative grant. The project is now called the PLTL Project. The typical PLTL model has six critical components:

1. The workshop is a regular course component which all students are expected to attend.
2. The faculty members teaching the course are closely involved with the workshops and the workshop leaders.
3. The workshop leaders are well trained and closely supervised, with attention to content knowledge as well as teaching and learning techniques.
4. The workshop materials are challenging and encourage collaborative problem solving.
5. Organizational arrangements are optimized to promote learning.
6. There is appropriate institutional support for innovative teaching.

Structure of the WU PLTL Program
PLTL was introduced in General Chemistry in 2001; since then, it has been expanded to General Physics and courses in the Calculus sequence. Currently, student participation in the PLTL program is optional, and students are accepted on a “first-come, first-served” basis. If a student is interested in participating in the PLTL groups, he or she must sign a contract of participation. When signing the contract, the student agrees to attend every meeting, arrive prepared for meetings, be willing to study cooperatively in a group, participate in new activities with an open mind, and participate in evaluations of the PLTL model at Washington University. Attendance at the weekly sessions is mandatory. A student may be absent up to two times, but those absences must be excused. If the student misses more than two PLTL sessions, he or she will be asked to leave the PLTL group. This requirement is intended to guarantee that the members of each PLTL group remain consistent, so that the group dynamics may fully develop.

Since participation in the PLTL program is optional, PLTL problems are posted on the course web page after the weekly PLTL sessions. This allows all students to solve the problems, if they desire, whether or not they are participating in PLTL. The answers to the PLTL problems are not posted, but students may attend course help sessions or office hours to work on the problems with instructors or TAs.

The Peer Leader Program
Students who are interested in serving as peer leaders will find that the criteria for this position differ slightly across the participating departments. However, in general, students who have actively participated in a PLTL study group and who have received an A in the course for which they would like to be a peer leader are invited to apply. Each student must fill out an application form, submit a recommendation letter from someone other than the instructors of the course or their peer leader, and participate in a group interview that includes an instructor and current peer leaders. This application process is based on the process developed by the national PLTL organization.

Once a student is selected as a peer leader, he or she must sign an acceptance letter agreeing to complete the following requirements:

• Register for the Seminar in Academic Mentoring (SAM) course, which is a multi-disciplinary, one-credit course for new peer leaders; this course is taught by the director of The Teaching Center and an instructor in the Department of Mathematics
• Register for the Practical Applications of Academic Mentoring (PAM) course, which is a two-credit course for all peer leaders within a specific discipline; this course is taught by an instructor of the course in which PLTL is being instituted
• Hold weekly two-hour meetings with a PLTL study group
• Maintain familiarity with the course material (possibly by attending lectures or watching the streaming videos)
• Participate in evaluative surveys and discussions

In addition to earning credit for completing the SAM and PAM courses, the peer leader is compensated for the two-hour PLTL group sessions. This compensation is supported by Washington University’s student educational service (Cornerstone: The Center for Advanced Learning). Each peer leader is offered a position for the fall semester with the expectation that the position will continue during the spring, subject to the program coordinators’ evaluation of the peer leader’s performance.

Note: For information about serving as a peer leader in a specific course, please contact the department directly.

Papers

R. Frey, S.C. Hockings, L. Kuehne, and J. Woods, Progressions: Peer-Led Team Learning. Fall 2004. Vol. 6 (1), 3-4. “Peer-Leader Training at Washington University.”