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.
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Outline
Slide # TOPIC
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Warm-up activity for participants.
4
Why training is important.
5
Training textbook.
6
Audience & delivery system for training.
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Training theme & implementation.
8-9
Five elements of effective training
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Eight major topics covered during training.
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Main portion of peer-led academic support sessions.
12-17
Six examples of activities used in training.
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Form used to observe tutorial sessions.
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Syllabus for 1-credit training course.
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Cool-down activity for participants, includes questions & sharing practices.
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Let’s begin with a …
Activities 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 Training
1. 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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On to the main portion of the
session, or the
* Main activities that help students understand,
organize, and recall difficult information.
-
* Includes collaborative, structured, active,
learning.
-
* EX’s: do study guides, sample problems,
review games, step-by-step process,
mock tests, etc.
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
Ex. of Training Activity
Pedagogy:
learning as a child
Andragogy:
learning as an adult
Students are dependent on Students are independent and
instructors to manage
self-directed. Instructors guide
Self
learning.
students toward assuming
concept
responsibility for their learning.
Students have narrow
Students have wider ranges of
ranges of experiences.
academic and personal
experiences, which are
Experience Students receive
information from the
valuable resources in a learning
experienced instructors.
setting.
Instructors employ
Students’ social and career
standard, step-by-step
interests determine content.
Instructors include relevant,
Readiness curriculum based on
real-life activities, as well as
for learning students’ developmental
readiness according to age social interaction.
and grade.
Students acquire
Students expect learning to be
Orientation knowledge for future use.
for current use. Instruction
Instruction is organized
includes problem-centered
toward
according to subject and
content and higher-level
learning
difficulty levels.
thinking.
Students are motivated by Students are motivated by
curiosity and internal incentives
Motivation external rewards and
punishments.
to improve and master the
to learn
content.
Lipsky, p. 3
Examples for
Peer Educators
Students bring at least one
question to each session.
Students supply examples
that explain a concept.
Pairs of students work
together on an activity.
Leader presents a
complicated, multi-step
problem that students solve.
At end of a session, students
identify what they learned and
what they need to improve
upon.
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TOPIC II: Promoting Active Learning
TELL ME AND I'LL FORGET,
SHOW ME AND
I MAY REMEMBER,
INVOLVE ME AND
I WILL UNDERSTAND.
~ CHINESE PROVERB
Ex. of Training
Activity
How students learn: Applying the Information Processing Model
INFORMATION
PROCESSING
MODEL
Source of
↓Information↓
IN CLASS
Stage I
What do you do to
take-in accurate and
complete information?
Before class, skim
notes from previous
class session.
Stage II
What do you do to sort
through, organize, and
modify information so that
it makes sense to you?
After class, add material from
textbook to class notes.
Stage III
What do you do to
store and retain
information for a
test or assignment?
Go through all notes
weekly until test.
READING
ASSIGNMENTS
PREPARING
for
TESTS
Lipsky, p. 18
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TOPIC III: Incorporating Critical Thinking & Questioning Skills
LEADERS ARE MORE POWERFUL ROLE MODELS
WHEN THEY LEARN THAN WHEN THEY TEACH. ~ ROSABETH KANTOR
Ex. of Training Activity
BLOOM’S
CATEGORIES





DESCRIPTION
DIRECTIVE WORDS
Sample activities in
academic support sessions
Evaluation
level
Judge the value based
on clear evidence or
select criteria.
Assess, judge,
evaluate, measure
Critique each others’ answers.
Synthesis
level
Put together parts,
forming a new
structure or pattern.
Create, organize,
arrange, propose
Generate practice questions
that integrate text and lecture
content.
Analysis
level
Break down
Compare/contrast,
information into parts. relate, categorize,
analyze
Application
level
Comprehension
level
Knowledge
level
Lipsky, p. 38
Use information in
new ways.


Create a Venn diagram.

Predict, demonstrate, Create a flow chart showing
solve, apply
how to use a principle.

Able to grasp meaning. Explain, simplify,
summarize, give
examples
Paraphrase the main points of
a reading assignment.
Recall of information.
Identify steps in a common
procedure.
Restate, describe,
define, list

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TOPIC IV: Assessing Students’ Learning
ASSESSMENT
SHOULD PROVIDE MEANINGFUL, CONCRETE EVIDENCE OF STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING.
Ex. of Training Activity
SELF-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?
Lipsky, p. 44
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TOPIC V: Collaborative Learning & Group Work
NOBODY IS AS SMART AS EVERYBODY. ~ KEVIN KELLY, AUTHOR
Ex. of Topic Activity
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.
LECTURE FORMAT
COLLABORATIVE FORMAT
Instructor 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.
Students tend to position
themselves among peers who
are familiar to them.
Within a group, students review
content and solve problems,
requiring them to concentrate
and think.
Conducive to heterogeneous
groups; promotes diverse
relationships among students.
Lipsky, p. 56
EXAMPLES
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TOPIC VI:
Tutoring as a Proactive Process
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
Ex. of Training Activity
Cyclical Steps for Tutoring
I. Assess student’s needs. 


II. Recommend, demonstrate, apply.


III. Break down content; evaluate learning.

IV. Plan for application.



V. Follow up. 


Lipsky, p. 71
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Structured Observation Form for Tutoring Session
Key: Y – yes, clearly observed; S – somewhat observed; N – not observed; n/a – not applicable.
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3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.
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10.
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15.
16.
17.
18.
Arrives on time and stays on schedule. __
Is friendly and welcoming. __
Follows up from previous session. __
Makes frequent eye contact with the student. Uses the student’s name. Smiles. __
Creates an environment that is comfortable, supportive, yet oriented toward academics. __
Assesses the needs of the student. __
Paces activities during the session effectively. Stays involved during the session. __
Uses open-ended, higher-level questions to stimulate thinking and learning. __
Gives clues and directions that guide the student toward answers (instead of directly answering or
giving information). __
Is knowledgeable in the subject area. __
Uses effective examples to clarify points. __
Recommends, demonstrates, and practices approaches for learning content. Integrates learning
strategies with content material. __
Checks student’s understanding of content periodically. __
Provides feedback regularly. __
Adjusts the direction and pacing in response to the student’s questions and needs. __
Includes plan of application for student. Provides appropriate guidance and suggestions regarding
completion of the plan. __
Gets commitment from student to return. __
Ends the session on a positive note. __
What are the exceptional parts of this session?
What suggestions do you have to improve the session?
Lipsky, p. 77
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Sample Syllabus
Indiana 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.
2. Lead and critique* your own session.
3. Read text chapters and complete assignments.
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,
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including recommendations for future sessions.
End with a …
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?
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