Peer led team learning in introductory biology: effects on peer leader critical thinking skills.

Julia J Snyder,Jason R Wiles,Matthew C Mihlbachler

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0115084

Abstract

This study evaluated hypothesized effects of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) instructional model on undergraduate peer leaders’ critical thinking skills. This investigation also explored peer leaders’ perceptions of their critical thinking skills. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test with control group design was used to determine critical thinking gains in PLTL/non-PLTL groups. Critical thinking was assessed using the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) among participants who had previously completed and been successful in a mixed-majors introductory biology course at a large, private research university in the American Northeast. Qualitative data from open-ended questionnaires confirmed that factors thought to improve critical thinking skills such as interaction with peers, problem solving, and discussion were perceived by participants to have an impact on critical thinking gains. However, no significant quantitative differences in peer leaders’ critical thinking skills were found between pre- and post-experience CCTST measurements or between experimental and control groups.

Highlights

Over the past few decades, leading science and science education organizations [1,2,3] have emphasized the importance of group activity to improve students’ conceptual understanding and more recently, productive engagement in science [4]
Findings of the influence of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) training and leadership experience on undergraduate peer leaders are presented for both overall critical thinking skills scores, as well as five subscale scores
A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to compare Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) pre-test and post-test scores, and no significant difference was observed for critical thinking skills of undergraduate peer leaders participating in the PLTL training and leadership experience, F(1, 36) = 0.290, p = 0.593, power = 0.082, partial eta squared = 0.008

Summary

Introduction

Over the past few decades, leading science and science education organizations [1,2,3] have emphasized the importance of group activity to improve students’ conceptual understanding and more recently, productive engagement in science [4]. This has led to a call for a paradigm shift from traditional, instructor-centered classrooms to student-centered classrooms; providing students an opportunity to be actively engaged in their learning. Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a pedagogical approach to providing small group instruction that can be employed in conjunction with the traditional lecture component of PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0115084. Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a pedagogical approach to providing small group instruction that can be employed in conjunction with the traditional lecture component of PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0115084 January 28, 2015

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