Grant recipients:
Katie Damphouse, Learning Services, Student Success Office
Mary Lynn Benninger, Learning Services, Student Success Office
Joseph De Juan, Economics
Heidi Engelhardt, Biology
Mary Power, Centre for Teaching Excellence
Melissa McNown-Smith, Living Learning Housing and Residence
(Completed. Project timeline: September 2013 - August 2014)
SLG Session in action
Project Description
The Supported Learning Groups (SLG) Program is a learning enhancement program designed to assist students in reviewing and learning course material through peer-facilitated study sessions.
The program targets historically difficulty courses, those that have a high rate of D, F or WD grades and those that students perceive a high degree of difficulty. Other selection criterion includes “gatekeeper” courses with high enrollment, as well as high level of instructor support for the program.
SLG Sessions run on a regular, weekly basis and are facilitated by hired and trained undergraduate SLG Leaders. These SLG Leaders plan non-remedial sessions that integrate review of course material along with modelling practice and mastery of effective learning strategies. Participating students are encouraged to engage in collaborative group-based activities.
The Fall 2013 and Winter 2014 marked the first year in a 3 year pilot and included the following courses: Biology 130, Economics 101. The CTE LITE Grant enabled the inclusion of Economics 101 for Fall 2013.
Preliminary Findings
A main focus of this program is to understand the relationship between SLG attendance and student marks. The intent is also to gain insight on how participation in SLGs impacts student perceptions of improved learning. Data was compiled from attendance records from the SLG Sessions, students’ final grades, and a written survey administered during the last week of classes. Data was collected for both Fall 2013 and Winter 2014 for Biology 130 and Economics 101.
Preliminary analysis is underway, with initial results indicating a positive, statistically significant relationship between SLG attendance (students attending 2 or more SLG Sessions) and final grade. Further investigation is needed to determine if this relationship can be replicated in future terms, and more critically, if the results are simply an association, or if there are actual direct effects occurring.
Qualitative data from the end-of-term survey indicate that participating students have positive perceptions of SLGs; students’ perceptions were that the SLG sessions helped with their own learning and with connecting with their classmates. Students would strongly recommend SLG sessions to their fellow classmates.
Dissemination and Impact
These initial findings and experiences will be shared with the University of Waterloo community at the Opportunities and New Directions teaching conference. The program will also be discussed at some of the sessions at the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) conference in Vancouver.
References
International Center for Supplemental Instruction, University of Missouri-Kansas City http://www.umkc.edu/asm/si/index.shtml
Supported Learning Groups Program, University of Guelph http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/assistance/supported_learning_groups/
Canadian National Centre for Supplemental Instruction http://www.canadiansi.uoguelph.ca/
Wilson, Mary 2005 “Supplemental Instruction in the Canadian Context.” Journal of Student Centered Learning 2(2):109-120.