Shifting the Power Dynamic – Does Grading by Near-Peer Mentors Impact their Effectiveness?

Abstract

This work-in-progress paper proposes a study that examines the effects of grading on the role of near peer mentors (NPMs). Two well-developed near peer mentoring models, Supplemental Instruction (SI) and the Learning Assistants (LA) Program do not allow their SI Leaders or LAs to grade student work. This separation in roles prevents a power dynamic between the student and the SI Leaders/LAs from forming where the Leader/LAs have perceived control over student success. At Michigan Technological University, teaching assistants were used in our first-year engineering courses; however, in a course redesign in 2017, the teaching assistant role was converted into a near-peer mentoring (NPM) role that retained grading responsibilities. Our NPMs, who we call LEarning with Academic Partners (LEAP) Leaders, have reported that they find value in grading their students' work as it helps them to plan activities to best suit their students’ needs. Additionally, grading allows an opportunity to more closely monitor student submissions and to more quickly identify and intervene when a student is lagging behind.This proposed study will examine the effects of LEAP Leaders grading their students’ work on: 1) the Leader’s ability to help their students and 2) the relationships between the Leaders and their students.