Implementing and Evaluating a Peer-Led Team Learning Approach in Undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology

The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students

“…Seventy-one GAE students responded to the question, “Did you feel that the GAEs were relevant to the course material and why?” Of the 61 students who responded positively (yes), 45 students added open-ended explanations, stating that GAE activities were relevant to the course material for the following reasons (Table 5): clarity (28), for example, “[the GAE] provided scientific facts that were explained in lecture in an understandable way”; visualization (10), for example, “the GAEs provided visual and more tangible examples as to why biological processes occur and it was easier to remember”; application (4), for example, “they made us apply our knowledge to real life or semi real life situations”; and engagement (3), for example, “I though[t] [the] GAE [activities] were insightful and engaging but may have [been] better in smaller groups.” These data show that students felt that the GAE activities were relevant to material presented in the course because they added clarity, opportunities to visualize material, and an environment where they could engage with peers. These student perspectives are consistent with published literature showing the benefits of peer engagement in class (34).…”

“…Given the challenges to engage students in large-enrollment classes, researchers across the US have begun implementing new strategies to try and restructure large classes to enhance student engagement (13, 14, 20, 21). Evidence shows that student classroom engagement through group work and problem solving can enhance learning (6–8, 12, 19, 33) and foster critical thinking (10, 21). Furthermore, working collaboratively on group assignments in science classes is fundamentally important for preparing students for the collaborative nature of the workplace (17).…”

Peer-led team learning for introductory biology: relationships between peer-leader relatability, perceived role model status, and the potential influences of these variables on student learning gains

“…Research shows students tend to find STEM courses competitive, unsupportive, and unwelcoming, and they perceive an uncomfortable distance between themselves and their professors (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997). To keep students in STEM disciplines, classroom factors such as outdated and ineffective modes of teaching, an intimidating classroom climate, and a general lack of student nurturing need to be addressed (Finn & Campisi, 2015;Seymour & Hewitt, 1997). STEM attrition, defined as students "moving away from STEM fields by switching majors to non-STEM fields or leaving postsecondary education before earning a degree or certificate" (Chen, 2013, p. iii), is not merely a matter of poor course performance.…”

“…PLTL workshops commonly supplement larger introductory courses and have been successfully implemented in a wide variety of STEM fields such as biology, chemistry, computer science and mathematics (Eberlein et al, 2008;Quitadamo, Brahler, & Crouch, 2009;Stewart-Gardiner, 2010). The success of the PLTL model has been credited to the student-tostudent interactions and an environment that promotes discussion, is non-judgemental, and may be less intimidating for many students (Finn & Campisi, 2015;White, Rowland, & Pesis-Katz, 2012). Additionally, these interactions often take place between the students and a peer leader without the direct oversight of someone with authority to assign grades in the course, such as a professor or a teaching assistant.…”

“…The main role of the peer leader is not to provide answers to the problems or to teach students directly, but rather, to engage the group in problem-solving activities, facilitate student conversations of scientific concepts and ideas, and encourage students to develop their own conceptual understanding of scientific topics (Eberlein et al, 2008;Gosser et al, 2001). A notable difference between a peer leader and a typical professor of a large course is that peer leaders have the ability to relate to and support their students from a perspective of recent personal experience and success as students in the same course (Finn & Campisi, 2015;White et al, 2012). Gosser et al (2001) asserts that, while peer leaders are not to be considered experts in the field, their status as students who recently and successfully completed the course positions them well as facilitators in a nonthreatening setting.…”