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Sally Lipsky, Professor & Peer Assistance Coordinator

Developmental Studies Department, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

sal@iup.edu

Hello! I developed and teach a one-credit training course that all tutors and peer educators complete before starting their paid positions.

Training College Tutorsand Peer Educators

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OutlineSlide # TOPIC

3 Warm-up activity for participants.

4 Why training is important.

5 Training textbook.

6 Audience & delivery system for training.

7 Training theme & implementation.

8-9 Five elements of effective training

10 Eight major topics covered during training.

11 Main portion of peer-led academic support sessions.

12-17 Six examples of activities used in training.

18 Form used to observe tutorial sessions.

19 Syllabus for 1-credit training course.

20 Cool-down activity for participants, includes questions & sharing practices.

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Let’s begin with a … WARM-UPActivities that open a session, such as introducing students or topics, sharing an overview, following up from previous session, assessing needs of the student, asking review questions, etc.

YOUR warm-up is to answer the question:What do YOU expect to gain from this session?

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Importance of Training

“Regardless of what sort of tutoring is being provided or where it is housed, the most important aspect of successful tutoring is tutor training.” (Boylan, 2004)

Well-trained tutors and peer educators approach their jobs as prepared, skillful, confident leaders.

Effective training strengthens the overall quality and success of an academic support program.

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Materials & activities are from:.

A Training Guide for College Tutors and Peer Educators

plus Downloadable Instructor's Manual

©2011 Pearson Prentice Hall www.pearsonhighered.com

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Audience & Delivery System Academic support leaders at post-secondary level

(tutors, peer educators, SI leaders, academic mentors, etc.)

Apply to one-on-one sessions, as well as group and course-based sessions.

Across disciplines (focus is on how tutors/peer educators convey information).

Training via course, workshop, face-to-face, or hybrid experience.

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WHAT IS THE OVER-RIDING THEME OF TRAINING?Characteristics of Effective Peer-led Sessions

HOW IS THE THEME IMPLEMENTED?1. Instructor mimics these characteristics.

2. Students observe and critique sessions led by experienced leaders.

3. Students read about recommended practices and complete related activities: > what? > why important? > how implement?

4. Students practice (role-playing & problem-solving).

5. Students lead & critique own session (culminating activity).

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Elements of Training1. Provide theories as frameworks for content -- reasons for

recommended practices.

2. Mimic recommended practices so tutors experience effective procedures. Examples:– Opening activities introduce content.– Closing activities to sum up content.– Break down material; focus on one chunk. – Assess understanding of each topic/sub-topic

(formative and summative). – Time-on-task to practice and reflect.– Personal experiences and relevant examples. – Comfortable setting; encourage students to take risks.

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Elements of Training (cont’d.)

3. Integrate learning strategies.– Analyze and try out a range of active strategies. – Familiarize with how to introduce into sessions.

4. Include experienced peer educators. – Complete structured observations of seasoned leaders’

sessions.– Integrate experienced leaders’ comments, suggestions,

and experiences.

5. Include application and try-it-out activities. – Problem-solving scenarios, case studies, role-playing.

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Major Topics Covered During Training

I. The Power of Peers: The Role of a Peer Educator

II. Promoting Active Learning

III. Incorporating Critical Thinking & Questioning

IV. Assessing Students’ Learning

V. Collaborative Learning and Group Work

VI. Tutoring as a Proactive Process

VII. Valuing Diversity among Students

VIII. Online Assistance

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* Main activities that help students understand, organize, and recall difficult

information.-

* Includes collaborative, structured, active, learning.

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* EX’s: do study guides, sample problems, review games, step-by-step process, mock tests, etc.

On to the main portion of the session, or the WORK-OUT!

The next 6 slides show sample activities used in the training course.

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Topic I: Role of Peer Educator: Facilitator of Learning

Pedagogy:learning as a child

Andragogy:learning as an adult

Examples forPeer Educators

Self concept

Students are dependent on instructors to manage learning.

Students are independent and self-directed. Instructors guide students toward assuming responsibility for their learning.

Students bring at least one question to each session.

Experience

Students have narrow ranges of experiences. Students receive information from the experienced instructors.

Students have wider ranges of academic and personal experiences, which are valuable resources in a learning setting.

Students supply examples that explain a concept.

Readiness for learning

Instructors employ standard, step-by-step curriculum based on students’ developmental readiness according to age and grade.

Students’ social and career interests determine content. Instructors include relevant, real-life activities, as well as social interaction.

Pairs of students work together on an activity.

Orientation toward learning

Students acquire knowledge for future use. Instruction is organized according to subject and difficulty levels.

Students expect learning to be for current use. Instruction includes problem-centered content and higher-level thinking.

Leader presents a complicated, multi-step problem that students solve.

Motivation to learn

Students are motivated by external rewards and punishments.

Students are motivated by curiosity and internal incentives to improve and master the content.

At end of a session, students identify what they learned and what they need to improve upon.

Ex. of Training Activity

Lipsky, p. 3

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Ex. of Training Activity

How students learn: Applying the Information Processing Model

TOPIC II: Promoting Active LearningTELL ME AND I'LL FORGET, SHOW ME AND I MAY REMEMBER, INVOLVE ME AND I WILL UNDERSTAND.

~ CHINESE PROVERB

INFORMATION PROCESSING

MODEL

Stage IWhat do you do to take-in accurate and complete information?

Stage IIWhat do you do to sort through, organize, and modify information so that it makes sense to you?

Stage IIIWhat do you do to store and retain information for a test or assignment?

Source of ↓Information↓

IN CLASS

Before class, skim notes from previous class session.

After class, add material from textbook to class notes.

Go through all notes weekly until test.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

PREPARINGfor

TESTSLipsky, p. 18

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TOPIC III: Incorporating Critical Thinking & Questioning Skills

Ex. of Training ActivityBLOOM’S

CATEGORIESDESCRIPTION DIRECTIVE WORDS Sample activities in

academic support sessions

Evaluationlevel

Judge the value based on clear evidence or select criteria.

Assess, judge, evaluate, measure

Critique each others’ answers.

Synthesislevel

Put together parts, forming a new structure or pattern.

Create, organize, arrange, propose

Generate practice questions that integrate text and lecture content.

Analysislevel

Break down information into parts.

Compare/contrast, relate, categorize, analyze

Create a Venn diagram.

Applicationlevel

Use information in new ways.

Predict, demonstrate, solve, apply

Create a flow chart showing how to use a principle.

Comprehensionlevel

Able to grasp meaning. Explain, simplify, summarize, give examples

Paraphrase the main points of a reading assignment.

Knowledgelevel

Recall of information. Restate, describe, define, list

Identify steps in a common procedure.

LEADERS ARE MORE POWERFUL ROLE MODELS WHEN THEY LEARN THAN WHEN THEY TEACH. ~ ROSABETH KANTOR

Lipsky, p. 38

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TOPIC IV: Assessing Students’ Learning

Ex. of Training ActivitySELF-ASSESSMENT

1. In 2-3 sentences summarize the most useful information that you have learned thus far in your training to become a peer educator.

2. What is a question that you have in respect to your peer educator role, responsibilities, or training?

3. Find the answer to your question. Begin by asking other peer educators, your supervisor, or instructor.

4. What was the purpose of this self-assessment? What information did it provide you, the learner? What information did it provide the instructor?

ASSESSMENT SHOULD PROVIDE MEANINGFUL, CONCRETE EVIDENCE OF STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING.

Lipsky, p. 44

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TOPIC V: Collaborative Learning & Group Work

Ex. of Topic Activity

NOBODY IS AS SMART AS EVERYBODY. ~ KEVIN KELLY, AUTHOR

LECTURE FORMAT COLLABORATIVE FORMAT EXAMPLESInstructor relays information to students, who assume a passive role.

Students communicate with each other and assume an active role.

Learning involves individual, isolated effort.

Learning involves shared, team effort.

Students primarily listen and take notes, allowing them to exert minimal attention and thought.

Within a group, students review content and solve problems, requiring them to concentrate and think.

Students tend to position themselves among peers who are familiar to them.

Conducive to heterogeneous groups; promotes diverse relationships among students.

Provide a personal example of your experiences with collaborative learning. Your examples do not have to be classroom-based — consider other learning situations, such as summer camp experiences; a paid or volunteer job; an experience in church, scouts, or other organization; or even an informal task, like cooking a meal. Share examples among class members.

Lipsky, p. 56

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TOPIC VI: Tutoring as a Proactive Process

Ex. of Training Activity

IF YOU GIVE A MAN A FISH, HE WILL EAT IT AND SOON BE HUNGRY. IF YOU TEACH A MAN TO FISH, HE WILL NEVER BE HUNGRY. ~ CHINESE PROVERB

I. Assess student’s needs.

II. Recommend, demonstrate, apply.

III. Break down content; evaluate learning.

IV. Plan for application.

V. Follow up.

Cyclical Steps for Tutoring

Lipsky, p. 71

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Key: Y – yes, clearly observed; S – somewhat observed; N – not observed; n/a – not applicable.1. Arrives on time and stays on schedule. __

2. Is friendly and welcoming. __

3. Follows up from previous session. __

4. Makes frequent eye contact with the student. Uses the student’s name. Smiles. __

5. Creates an environment that is comfortable, supportive, yet oriented toward academics. __

6. Assesses the needs of the student. __

7. Paces activities during the session effectively. Stays involved during the session. __

8. Uses open-ended, higher-level questions to stimulate thinking and learning. __

9. Gives clues and directions that guide the student toward answers (instead of directly answering or giving information). __

10. Is knowledgeable in the subject area. __

11. Uses effective examples to clarify points. __

12. Recommends, demonstrates, and practices approaches for learning content. Integrates learning strategies with content material. __

13. Checks student’s understanding of content periodically. __

14. Provides feedback regularly. __

15. Adjusts the direction and pacing in response to the student’s questions and needs. __

16. Includes plan of application for student. Provides appropriate guidance and suggestions regarding completion of the plan. __

17. Gets commitment from student to return. __

18. Ends the session on a positive note. __

What are the exceptional parts of this session?

What suggestions do you have to improve the session?

Structured Observation Form for Tutoring Session

Lipsky, p. 77

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Sample SyllabusIndiana University of Pennsylvania

(DVST 250) ROLE OF THE PEER EDUCATOR: THEORY, PRACTICE, AND ASSESSMENT (1 credit)

PURPOSE Prepares selected students for the role of a paraprofessional Peer Educator at the college level. Includes the skills and strategies associated with interpersonal communication, peer leadership, collaborative learning, problem solving, and assisting peers with how to effectively and efficiently learn subject-related content. Students must earn a final grade of A or B in order to work as a Peer Educator.

OBJECTIVES Students will be able to:Describe the purposes and impacts of the specific peer educator roles.Assess their own personal strengths and weaknesses with college-level learning strategies.Observe and describe characteristics of effective peer-led sessions. Demonstrate an understanding of collaborative learning and facilitative helping.Demonstrate effective problem solving skills.Demonstrate an understanding of specific strategies for assisting students, both in a small group and

one-on-one, with how to effectively and efficiently learn subject-related content.Demonstrate an understanding of how to assist peers with implementing college study systems.Assess their trial performance as Peer Educator.Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate resources and agencies for referring students.

EVALUATION

1. Observe and critique* four peer-led sessions. 3. Read text chapters and complete assignments.

2. Lead and critique* your own session. 4. Actively participate in all class sessions.

* For each observation, type a short paper in which you have summarized and evaluated the session. Use the structured observation forms as guides for your observations. Include: What happened during the session (a description of the activities). How the leader facilitated or acted during the session. How the participants responded or acted during the session. What were the main strengths and weaknesses, including recommendations for future sessions.

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End with a … COOL-DOWN Activities that bring closure to a session, such as quizzing knowledge, previewing next session,answering questions, reiterating action plan.Your ‘cool-down’ is to return to the beginning activity: What do you expect to gain from this session?

Then answer these questions:1.What questions remain?2.What problems do you still want to address?3.What resources would you like?4.What practices will you be incorporating into YOUR training?