The Office of Student Research (OSR) at California State University, San Bernardino has designed a Peer-Lab instruction program modeled after Supplemental Instruction (SI)1 to assist students by providing regularly scheduled, out-of-class supplemental instruction sessions.
Mission
The mission of the Peer Lab program (PL) is to increase student retention and success in upper-division courses by providing collaborative peer learning experiences that improve understanding of subject content, foster critical thinking, and strengthen study skills. The PL program after the Supplemental Instruction (SI) assists students by providing scheduled, out-of-class supplemental instruction sessions. PL targets high-risk upper-division courses rather than high-risk students.
The OSR hopes that the PL facilitator’s assistance will contribute to the student's success in the class, through the combination of reviewing lecture notes, textbook readings, supplemental readings, and other effective learning strategies. The strategies learned during the PL programs can be applied to other disciplines.
Objectives
- Develop, implement and monitor a program that will enhance the academic performance of students actively participating in the program.
- Employ an ongoing, reliable evaluation program that includes goals and objectives, means to measure outcomes and a process for incorporating results into program development and implementation.
- Contribute to campus, state, and national academic and non-academic conversations regarding the role of supplemental instruction.
Model & Design
- Peer-Lab Administration: The OSR hires and provides support to faculty and Peer facilitators. It evaluates Peer facilitators and the overall achievements of the program.
- Faculty: Instructors select Peer-Lab support for their classes. Peer-Lab faculty screen Peer-Lab facilitators for course competency. Faculty members also promote the Peer-Lab program by encouraging all of their students to attend Peer-Lab sessions. It has been found that instructors who provide students with incentive to attend the sessions, students are more likely to attend.
- Peer-Lab Facilitators: Former students of a course who are approved by the instructor and trained to provide assistance to faculty in all colleges with the exception of the College of Education.
- Students: Participants in the Peer-Lab sessions who are interested in enhancing their understanding of the course material and improving their overall learning and reasoning skills. Peer Leaders, once selected by the Faculty awardee, are hired as Instructional Student Assistants and paid $16/hour for 10 hours per week. The program begins the first week of classes and ends during finals week. Peer Leaders are expected to attend mandatory training prior to the start of the academic year.
Courses being offered with Peer-Lab support for Fall 2023:
- PHYS 2000
- CHEM 3400
- PHYS 2010
- IST 2510
- CHEM 2400
- KINE 3800
- BIOL 3640
- CD 3310
Apply Today!
Application Opens: September 4th, 2023
Deadline for Spring 2024: October 2nd, 2023 at 11:59pm