Peer-assisted Learning Program Research Articles

From Tutor to Future Educator: Investigating the Role of Peer-Peer Tutoring in Shaping Careers in Medical Education

AbstractIn the effort to promote academic excellence and provide teaching experiences and training for medical students, the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine (UCISOM) built a novel peer tutoring program (2020), Collaborative Learning Communities with Medical Students as Teachers (CLC-MSAT). While the role of peer-assisted learning in student success on academic courses is well established, we wanted to assess the impact of our UCISOM peer-assisted learning program on tutors’ career interest in medical education. Through a mixed-methods analysis of our peer tutors’ experiences, we found 100% were overall satisfied with their positions; > 85% learned new skills; > 88% felt they were strong teachers; > 88% felt they now had a stronger grasp of the medical curriculum and most importantly, 100% of students maintained their interest and aspirations to serve in a future medical educator role after participating as a tutor. Additionally, we found a statistically significant relationship between tutors’ intentions of exploring a career in academic medicine after serving in the CLC program. Our findings suggest that our tutoring program has had a positive impact in providing authentic teaching experiences and training to medical students early in their careers at UCISOM, which may help prepare the next generation of qualified academic clinicians.

Exploring Competency Development Among Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Leaders and Tutors: A Comprehensive Investigation of Program Involvement

In an era where student success extends beyond academic knowledge, educational institutions have recognized the importance of equipping students with a broader set of competencies. Thus, the paper examined the implementation and impact of a peer-assisted learning and tutorship program aimed at fostering student success competencies. The study focused on an educational institution where the program is implemented as a central intervention to support students in developing essential skills and competencies necessary for academic achievement and lifelong learning. Generally, peer-assisted learning and tutorship programs have emerged as valuable intervention strategies to support student success. Thus, a qualitative approach was adopted, using focus group interviews to collect data among peer-assisted learning leaders and tutors who were involved in the peer-assisted learning and tutor development programme at the University where the study took place. The analysis of the collected data revealed significant findings regarding the peer-assisted learning and tutorship program which signifies the program as an enabler for student success competencies. The results demonstrated improvements in several areas, including academic competence, communication and collaboration, student agency, adaptability, and a sense of belonging within the learning community among the participants. The paper concluded with implications for educational institutions, suggesting that peer-assisted learning and tutorship programs be integrated as a central component of the curriculum to nurture student success competencies. Thus, by prioritizing the development of student success competencies through such programs, educational institutions can better prepare students for future academic, personal, and professional pursuits. Keywords: Peer-Assisted Learning, Tutors, Academic Student Support, Collaborative Learning, Student Success

Effectiveness and experiences of integrating Mindfulness into Peer-assisted Learning (PAL) in clinical education for nursing students: A mixed method study

IntroductionNursing students can find clinical learning to be challenging, unpredictable and stressful. To address this problem, this study integrated Mindfulness into Peer-assisted Learning (PAL) for nursing clinical education and investigated the feasibility and effectiveness on improving student participants' emotional reactions, and explored the perception and experience towards the programme. MethodThis quasi-experimental, repeated-measure, mixed methods study was conducted in a convenience sample of 126 Year 2 and Year 3 university nursing students. The participants engaged in an online mindfulness peer-assisted learning (PAL) programme that consisted of mindfulness practice, senior students sharing their experiences, and peer-assisted group learning. Emotional status (in terms of depression, anxiety and stress), burnout and self-efficacy were measured at baseline, 8 weeks after programme commencement and immediately after programme completion. Linear mixed-effects models and an intention-to-treat analysis were used to investigate changes in the dependent variables over time. Thirty-nine participants were also invited to engage in semi-structured interviews to explore their learning experiences in the programme. ResultsThe programme significantly improved the participants' self-reported self-efficacy (β = 1.44, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.58 to 2.30, p = 0.001) and decreased their level of burnout (β = −2.31, 95 % CI: −3.24 to −1.38, p < 0. 001) but did not significantly alleviate their depression, anxiety or stress across time (p > 0.05). Three themes emerged from the qualitative data, namely 1) nurturing self-care capacity through mindfulness; (2) empowering essential skills for clinical placement; (3) maintaining momentum alongside various challenges and enablers. ConclusionThe mindfulness PAL programme may facilitate nursing students' clinical preparedness. Further trials are recommended to investigate its applicability and use in clinical nursing education.

The Impact of Peer-Assisted Learning in a Brazilian Medical Course

Introduction: In consideration of the need for constant communication and exchange of experiences to obtain knowledge, academic monitoring plays out a fundamental tool in the teaching-learning process. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) program on the development of its participants, with the goal of improving professional skills for the professional market. Objectives: This study analyzes the perception of those involved in the PAL program and the way in which the process affects the development of the participants, impacting learning, teaching, and interpersonal relationships. The objective is to evaluate educational praxis in medical education. Methods: The study used questionnaires with Likert scale questions to collect responses from students, tutors, and professors. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the responses were performed, and Fisher's Exact test was used to verify the associations between the groups' answers. Results: Overall, 203 responses were collected, consisting of 165 from students, 28 from tutors, and 10 from professors. The study found that both students and tutors recognize the learning gain and expertise on the subject by the tutors, which helps in understanding. The PAL program was seen by both tutors and students as contributing to academic growth. Conclusion: The PAL program was found to positively influence the performance of students and the academic life of tutors, with academic achievement and the acquisition of essential skills and competencies for professional accomplishment.

Alfaisal University's Academic Success Center: An Individualized Peer-Assisted Learning Program for Mutual Tutor-Student Advancement.

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an educational strategy whereby students teach other students. PAL presents many advantages to the institution, tutors, and tutees. It can benefit the university by presenting a cost-effective approach where the efforts and time of faculty are reduced. We describe a retrospective analysis detailing the structure, function, and effectiveness of the Academic Success Center (ASC) at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, since 2020. The ASC encompasses various types of PAL methods. It is the only PAL program in Saudi Arabia whereby its tutors, referred to as student consultants, are compensated financially. We retrospectively analyzed the total number of appointments, the total number of students who accessed the center, as well as the breakdown between different colleges and academic years, and their satisfaction level with the PAL mode of teaching. Our results indicate a high level of appointments for these PAL sessions increasing on a yearly basis and a high level of satisfaction from both the tutors and the tutees. PAL is an effective teaching and mentoring modality with high retention rates that has contributed to an increased sense of well-being among students who have utilized these services.

Assessing Student Success in a Peer Assisted Learning Program Using Propensity Score Matching

Assessing Student Success in a Peer Assisted Learning Program Using Propensity Score Matching

Impact of Peer-Assisted Learning in Chest Tube Insertion Education on Surgical Residents.

Objective:To investigate the impact of peer-assisted learning (PAL) in chest tube insertion education on surgical residents.Methods:This study is a quasi-experimental study conducted on thirty general surgeon residents enrolled in the PAL program. They were divided into two learner groups (A and B) based on the period of residency start. Group A and B had six and one months of general surgery residency experience, respectively. All participants received adequate training for chest tube insertion by a recently graduated general surgeon. Chest tubes insertion skill was assessed using the tool for assessing chest tube insertion competency (TACTIC) test.Results:Post-TACTIC test score was significantly higher (p=0.001) than Pre-TACTIC test score in both groups. However, a comparison of mean Pre-TACTIC test scores and mean Post-TACTIC test scores between group A and group B showed that PAL effectiveness in group A was significantly higher (p=0.001) than group B.Conclusion:There was a positive relationship between the PAL program and the improvement of chest tube insertion technical skills in surgical residents. Based on our findings and similar studies, it can be concluded that the PAL program can increase the chest tube insertion skill of surgical residents.

"Written Formative Assessments with Peer-Assisted Learning" an Innovative Teaching Program for Postgraduate Students in Community Medicine.

Introduction:There is a paucity of research on conducting written formative assessment with constructive feedback for theory paper writing for postgraduates of Community Medicine in India. The concept of “Written Formative assessments with Peer-Assisted Learning Program” was implemented to improve the first 2 levels of Miller's Pyramid and assess its impact on the summative assessment.Materials and Methods:The program was conducted for 2 batches of postgraduate students in the Community Medicine enrolled for the academic session of 2016–2019 and 2017–2020. The written formative assessment was conducted every Saturday for 1 h from August to March month in 2018 and 2019. After each test, answer papers were evaluated by the peer and faculty from the department. Written and oral feedback was given by the peer. After IEC approval, we planned to assess the program's effect on level 1 and level 2 Kirkpatrick's framework. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package version 24 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Total 23 formative written assessments were conducted per year. The proportions of knowledge, comprehension, and analytical type of questions asked were 47%, 32%, and 21%, respectively. The mean attendance rate was 76.28% ±16.4%. There was no statistically significant difference in the average percentage of marks in formative (weekly test) and summative assessment (university final examination). There was a statistically significant positive co-relation of projected mean marks and summative assessment marks with the co-efficient of the determination being 22.6%. There was overall positive feedback of the formative and peer-assisted learning (PAL) from post graduate students.Conclusions:Written Formative Assessment with PAL program is one of the effective programs for postgraduate students to gain confidence in writing and presentation skills and to score higher in theory examination.

The peer teachers' perception of intrinsic motivation and rewards.

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an educational method commonly applied in academic teaching. It is characterized by the interplay between peer teachers and learners who are at a similar academic level. Although it has been shown that peer teachers benefit from participating in PAL, little is known about their perception of motivation and rewards. Here we designed a questionnaire and measured the perception of intrinsic motivation and rewards of peer teachers from three different PAL programs. Overall, peer teachers were highly intrinsically motivated. The reward category Supporting Others was appreciated the most, followed by the reward categories Self-Improvement, Feedback, and Financial. The perception of rewards reflected the features of the three PAL programs. For example, the item "learning the teaching matter themselves" was most valued by peer teachers who were enrolled in a PAL program that deployed their peer teachers primarily to convey knowledge. In contrast, "actively shaping the teaching situation" was appreciated most by peer teachers of the PAL program that enables their peer teachers to conceive their teaching sessions independently. These findings go toward recommendations of the implementation and further development of PAL programs. If PAL programs clearly define their features and aims, they could specifically attract (and select) peer teachers and meet their needs as well as expectations, providing opportunities to gain knowledge and teaching experience. Ultimately, these PAL programs could better support the learners.

Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL): Perceptions and Wellness of First-Year Medical Students.

Medical education is oftentimes stressful and has been documented to compromise student well-being, hinder performance, and contribute to burnout. Many medical schools aim to foster students' sense of well-being. This can be accomplished by peer-assisted learning (PAL), which has the potential to improve student wellness and performance in medical school. The PAL program at Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine provides first-year medical students with educational sessions related to their curriculum, led by second-year medical students. The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of PAL in promoting wellness and enhancing knowledge. Pre- and post-program surveys were distributed to students prior to and after the completion of PAL. Data analysis included frequencies of responses, qualitative analysis, and chi-square analysis. Thirty-eight out of 51 first-year medical students responded to the pre-program survey (response rate 75%) and 23 out of 51 responded to the post-program survey (response rate 45%). A majority of respondents from the pre-survey believed that PAL would provide them with tools necessary to be successful. These findings were similar in the post-program survey with a majority of attendees sharing that PAL enhanced their knowledge, reduced test-taking anxiety, and provided useful skills. Results from the pre- and post-program surveys suggest that PAL can enhance student well-being while improving knowledge of the material taught in medical school. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01381-0.

Peer assisted academic support: a comparison of mentors’ and mentees’ experiences of a drop-in programme

ABSTRACT In Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) programmes, students provide academic and social support to fellow students. Recent PAL iterations include drop-in programmes to improve higher education students’ general academic literacy in an open, non-judgemental, learning environment led by experienced students. The majority of the PAL literature, however, focuses on curricular programmes, with limited understandings on processes enabling positive outcomes for students. This study contributes to the PAL literature through the investigation of factors and mentoring strategies underpinning effective peer learning in drop-in PAL programmes. Participants were students attending an academic drop-in PAL programme, and the peer mentors employed by the programme. Results suggest that students’ expectations about the type of support provided by PAL mentors may jeopardise the learning objectives of the programme. The analysis of PAL mentors’ experiences reveals how the use of strategies to enhance social and cognitive congruence between peers supports the development of effective peer learning partnerships. Mentors’ approachability alongside their ability to provide practical strategies and academic examples tailored to students’ learning needs characterised peer learning interactions between students. Mentors also encouraged students to engage in active help-seeking behaviours. This paper examines strategies to enhance peer learning interactions that support the development of independent and transferable academic skills in students seeking peer support.

Using Peer Assisted Learning to improve academic engagement and progression of first year online law students

The University of Southern Queensland’s online study environment continues to grow with over 16,000 students studying online. Pre-Covid-19, online enrolments typically represent around 67% of all students studying at USQ. This article usefully analyses quantitative data in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot of an online peer-assisted learning program for first-year Law students. The article asks whether a customised online Meet-Up program can objectively enhance student engagement and academic performance in a first-year law course. Results from the pilot were positive and are a productive contribution to the literature on online peer-assisted learning.

A Proposed Framework to Develop, Describe and Evaluate Peer-Assisted Learning Programs.

PhenomenonPeer-assisted learning (PAL) is increasingly used in different fields of education, including medical education, due to its established advantages. However, there are scarce data about the best practice guidelines for PAL program evaluation. The aim of this work was to develop a framework that can describe and develop PAL programs and consequently provide a tool for evaluation and comparison of PAL programs among different institutions.ApproachA thorough literature review was made for assessment of different PAL programs development and implementation strategies, and PAL leaders at the University of Umm Al-Qura in Saudi Arabia were interviewed for development and revision of a framework for PAL program development, description and evaluation.FindingsA framework of four sections was developed ie context, theory, implementation processes and outcomes, and emergence. The context includes the learning objectives and the logistics. The theory includes the content nature, program design, number of tutees and tutors, participation, program orientation, program duration and timing, tutor recruitment and preparation and faculty involvement. Implementation process and outcome section includes the feedback collection and the pre- and post-intervention students’ assessment. The emergence includes tracking the program evolution.InsightsDevelopment of a clear well-defined framework for description, implementation and evaluation of a PAL educational program can provide a foundation to unify the terms organizations use to communicate the parameters of PAL programs and overcome the jargon about PAL in the literature. It also can provide comparisons between the programs in an attempt to set best practice guidelines in the future for PAL program developing and implementation.

Peer Assisted Learning: A Pedagogical Alternative of Teaching Skills to Medical Students

Technical skills training is fundamental for clinical practice although poorly emphasised in undergraduate medical curricula. In these circumstances, Peer Assisted Learning methodology has emerged as a valid alternative to overcome this insufficiency. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact on students of a Peer Assisted Learning program in basic surgical skills, regarding technical competences and knowledge improvement. A total of 104 randomly selected third year medical students participated in a workshop delivered by fifth year students. From that total, 34 students were assessed before and after the workshop, using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills instrument, that consists of a global rating scale and a procedure-specific checklist. Sixth year students (control group) were also assessed in their performance without participating in the workshop. Before workshop versus after workshop Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills results were compared using Wilcoxon and McNemar tests. After workshop versus control group Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills results were compared using Mann-Whitney, qui-squared test and Fisher's exact test. For the global rating scale, students obtained an after the workshop score (29.5) that was significantly higher than the before the workshop score (15.5; p-value < 0.001), but no significant differences were found between after the workshop and control group scores (p-value = 0.167). For the procedure-specific checklist, 3rd year students had a substantial positive evolution in all parameters and obtained higher rates of correct achievements compared to the control group. The final outcomes demonstrated a significant qualitative and quantitative improvement of knowledge and technical skills, which is in accordance with other literature. This Peer Assisted Learning program revealed promising results concerning improvement of surgical skills in medical students, with little staff faculty contribution and extension to a much broader number of students.

A nationwide peer-assisted learning program in disaster medicine for medical students

The Sendai Framework advocates the importance of training in disaster medicine as a way to improve health system resilience. In Italy, despite the official recognition of disaster medicine as a mandatory discipline in the standard curriculum, most students are never exposed to its basic concepts. DisasterSISM is a nationwide educational program in disaster medicine developed in 2008. Given the scarcity of experienced instructors, in 2013, the course adopted a peer-assisted learning (PAL) approach to correct the omission identified in the national curriculum. The new approach involved a training of trainers (ToT) and a basic course organized and delivered by certified student teachers. The authors gathered and analyzed data from demographic questionnaires, pretest and posttests, and satisfaction questionnaires. From 2013 to 2018, 42 medical students attended the ToT becoming student teachers. From 2014 to 2018, 2316 medical students attended the basic course delivered by the student teachers across Italy. Thirty-six out of 41 medical schools were reached. Participation in the program improved students' knowledge in disaster medicine. Participants were satisfied with both the course structure and its PAL approach and considered disaster medicine to be highly relevant for their future professional career. By presenting this nationwide program and its outcomes, the authors hope to strengthen the case for including disaster medicine education in the standard medical curriculum. Because the course relies on medical students and PAL, the authors trust that it could be adapted to other countries worldwide.

Peer-assisted learning

Introduction: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a teaching method that develops new knowledge and skills through active learning support from peers. Objectives: To assess the impact of PAL in medical education, by collecting quantitative data that explore its effectiveness. To evaluate students’ perception of and satisfaction with PAL. Methods: A 5-point Likert scale survey was developed for students participating in the PAL program either as tutors or learners. Data were compared and statistically analyzed according to gender, GPA, and year of study. Moreover, follow up of peer tutors and peer learner’s achievement was done through comparing their grades with those that not shared in PAL and with their GPA of previous year. Results: Statistical analysis of questionnaire data revealed that medical students regarded voluntary peer-teaching similarly to faculty teaching and have a generally positive perception of PAL. Most of the respondents reported that they benefited both professionally and personally from PAL activities. They recommended expanding the role of PAL and officially incorporating PAL sessions into the curriculum. Students’ achievement was significantly increased for those who acted as peer learners and peer tutors. Conclusions: Using PAL in conjunction with other teaching and learning methods provides additional value by fostering cooperation and social interaction among medical students and further prepares them for their future role as medical science educators. Additional research into the impact of PAL on academic achievement, both short- and long-term learning outcomes, in medical programs is warranted.

Exploring the Construct of Psychological Safety in Medical Education.

Psychological safety (PS) is recognized as key in health professions education. However, most studies exploring PS in medical education have focused on mistreatment, thus focusing on what PS is not. The authors set out to explicitly explore learners' concept of PS in the context of medical education to better understand and define PS and its educational consequences for medical students. This descriptive exploratory study was conducted in the context of a pilot peer-assisted learning (PAL) program. The program brought together residents and medical students for 16 semiformal learning sessions. Eight medical students from a PAL program were recruited for semistructured interviews to explore their experiences of PS. Transcripts were thematically analyzed using an inductive approach, and social ecological theory was integrated in the later stages of analysis. Students described PS as not feeling judged. Having supportive relationships with peers and mentors improved PS. Students' sense of PS appeared to free them to focus on learning in the present moment without considering the consequences for their image in the eyes of others. Feeling safe also seemed to facilitate relationship building with the mentors. A sense of PS appears to free learners from constantly being self-conscious about projecting an image of competence. This enables learners to be present in the moment and concentrate on engaging with the learning task at hand. The authors propose that the term "educational safety" be used to describe a relational construct that can capture the essence of what constitutes PS for learners.

‘Power to empower’: conceptions of teaching and learning in a pedagogical co-design partnership

ABSTRACTThis study is an autoethnographic reflection on power and expertise in an evolving student/staff partnership. The partnership was initiated as pedagogical co-design in the development and implementation of a peer-assisted learning programme. Through a process of critical reflection that linked our partnership experience with themes from relevant literature, we (the staff and student authors) became co-researchers of our practice. The evolution of the partnership provided a unique perspective from which to compare our experiences of power and expertise across both contexts. We characterised our pedagogical co-design partnership as a shift from the more traditional ‘power over’ model of delivery towards ‘power to empower’ where both student and staff partners had agency and voice. Key to this important transition was a shared philosophy of student-centred teaching. As the partnership transformed from co-teaching to co-researching we needed to re-negotiate power dynamics; while our different pathways had converged on a common view of student-centred learning, our research expertise remained disparate. We were able to negotiate this challenge by drawing on our existing relationship based on respect, reciprocity and responsibility, reinforcing views of partnership that value equality of opportunity and a focus on learning and process, rather than equality of contributions and outcomes.

Statistically, Does peer assisted learning make a difference on a UK engineering degree programme? HETL Scotland 2017

PurposeBlack British minority ethnics (BME) students are nationally underachieving in comparison to their Ethnic Chinese and White peers, showing typically a 16 per cent graduate attainment gap in the UK. Previous research has suggested that the attainment gap could be explained by BME student disengagement, as the students typically commute from family home to University, and they work part time. However, peer-assisted learning (PAL) has been shown to have a positive impact on addressing and resolving student alienation and disengagement. However, a question still remains regarding whether student perceptions hold up to statistical analysis when scrutinised in comparison to similar cohorts without PAL interventions. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents the results of a statistical study for two cohorts of students on engineering courses with a disproportionately high representation of BME students. The research method involved a statistical analysis of student records for the two cohorts to ascertain any effect of correlation between: PAL; student ethnicity; and student parental employment on student academic performance and placement attainment.FindingsThe results indicate that PAL has no significant impact on the academic performance; however, PAL has a positive impact on the placement/internship attainment for BME students and students from parental households with parents in non-managerial/professional employment.Research limitations/implicationsThe research limitations are that the cohorts are small, but more equal diverse mix of different social categories than any other courses. However, as the cohorts are less than 30 students, comparing social categories the data sets are small to have absolute confidence in the statistical results of academic performance. Even the t-test has its limitations as the subjects are human, and there are multiple personal factors that can impact an individual academic performance; therefore, the data sets are heterostatic.Practical implicationsThe results highlight that there is need for pedagogy interventions to support: ideally all BME students from all social categery to secure placements; BME students who are unable to go on placement to gain supplementary learning that has the same impact on their personal development and learning as placement/internship experience; and White students from managerial/professional family households to engage more in their studies.Social implicationsNot addressing and providing appropriate pedagogy interventions, in the wider context not addressing/resolving the BME academic and placement attainment gap, a set of students are being disadvantaged to their peers through no fault of their own, and compounding their academic attainment. As academics we have a duty to provide every opportunity to develop our student attainment, and as student entry is generally homogeneous, all students should attain it.Originality/valuePrevious research evaluation of PAL programmes has focused on quantitative students surveys and qualitative semi-structured research interviews with students on their student engagement and learning experience. On the other hand, this paper evaluates the intervention through conducting a quantitative statistical analysis of the student records to evaluate the impact of PAL on a cohort’s performance on different social categories (classifications) and compares the results to a cohort of another group with a similar student profile, but without PAL intervention implementation.

Evaluating the Instructional Materials for Peer Assisted Learning Program (PALP)

ESL classroom implements the use of instructional materials to support instruction in classroom. Instructional material is defined as anything which is deliberately used to increase the learners&amp;rsquo; knowledge and/or experience of the language (Tomlinson, 2011). Textbook, video, newspaper can be used as materials in the English instruction. This research aims to evaluate the instructional material for Peer Assisted Learning Program (PALP) based on Mukundan&amp;rsquo;s categorization in the form of English Language Teaching Textbook Evaluation Checklist (ELT-TEC) (2013) and to find whether the material is useful or not the material for PALP. Peer Assisted Learning Program (PALP) is a peer tutoring program initiated by the English Education Department to encourage the students to speak English fluently and to perform better. The data of this descriptive quantitative research are taken from the instructional material for PALP and these are classified based on the categorization checklist of Mukundan&amp;rsquo;s English Language Teaching Textbook Evaluation Checklist (ELT-TEC). The total score will be the consideration of the materials&amp;rsquo; usefulness. Based on the analysis, it is found that the instructional material for PALP is on the moderate usefulness. This finding can give a significant contribution the PALP itself.