A peer mentoring program was added to an introductory chemistry course at a large university. The introductory chemistry course prepares students with little or no previous chemistry background to enter the main-stream general chemistry sequence and is part lecture and part small-group problem-solving. Faculty instructors are responsible for the lecture while peer mentors handle the group problem-solving portion. Peer mentors, recruited from previous introductory chemistry course, are chosen for their knowledge of the material and their helpfulness in group activities. While a number of studies on peer mentoring have reported the benefits to the mentored students, the present study looks at the benefits to the mentors. Grade enhancement in the mainstream general chemistry sequence, withdrawal rates, and number of additional chemistry courses taken by the mentors have been compared to under-prepared students who took the introductory chemistry course but did not serve as mentors and well-prepared students who did not need the introductory chemistry course. Our results show that mentors earned higher grades, withdrew from chemistry courses at a lower rate, and took more courses in chemistry than their counterparts. The enhanced achievement and retention of the mentors in chemistry suggests that programs that encourage under-prepared students to mentor are worthwhile endeavors.
General Chemistry I historically
had one of the highest failure
and withdrawal rates at Penn State Berks, a four-year college within
the Penn State system. The course was completely redesigned to incorporate
more group work, the use of classroom response systems, peer mentors,
and a stronger online presence via the learning management system
(ANGEL). Five years of data about the redesigned course were compared
with the previous five years. The redesigned course significantly
improved student success as measured by the average GPA and lower
withdrawal rates. Student achievement in the subsequent course, General
Chemistry II, has also improved, suggesting that not only are more
students completing the first course, but they are also completing
the course with better preparation for the next course. Student ratings
have improved for the course, showing increased satisfaction with
both the course and the instructor. The findings from 10 years of
data suggest significant improvements in student success are possible
for General Chemistry I.
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