Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Groups : College Group Tutoring and Study Review Groups

S04-E27 We feature an interview with Sara who is a biology SI leader for the peer study group program at Housatonic Community College in Connecticut. She shares some of the learning activities that were used during the face-to-face and online SI sessions. Sara finishes the interview by sharing what she has learned personally and professionally from her experiences in the program and the friendships that she formed with the SI participants and other SI leaders. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu You can also check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org

S04-E26 We feature an interview with Kristen who is the program manager for the peer study group program at Housatonic Community College in Connecticut. She shares about the rapid growth of the SI program and the challenges faced by implementing it at a two-year institution. Kristen finishes the interview by sharing what she has learned personally and professionally from her experiences in the program and with the SI leaders. In addition to this audio episode, I also provide several PDF documents: first, is an overview of Housatonic Community College and second is an infographic about the peer study group program. Supplemental Instruction programs are less common at two-year institutions than at four-year ones in the U.S. HCC was the first community college in the state of Connecticut to implement SI. It was piloted in the Developmental Studies department and then rapidly expanded throughout the campus due to its early success. In the Community College environment, where it is more difficult to cultivate relationships, this program facilitates this need and creates a support network by encouraging relationships in and out of the classroom. Housatonic Community College’s Supplemental Instruction Program develops academic support communities of higher-level thinkers and self-empowered learners. This self-selecting, course-specific, peer-led program seeks to promote active, collaborative learning involving critical thinking and transferable study skills that leads to a feeling of empowerment to complete their goals toward their Associate Degree and beyond. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu You can also checkout my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org

S04-E25 We have a conversation with Louisa who is a student study group leader at Florida International University. While she provides academic support for a number of courses, I asked her to focus on one course and why it is challenging for first-year students. Louisa provided insight to why the Organic Course was challenging. She then provides examples of learning activities used during the study sessions. Her comments were similar to other study group leaders who focused on building the self-confidence of the students as a critical attribute for academic success. Louisa completes her story by sharing how she has changed personally as a result of serving as a tutor and study session leader. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu You can also check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org

S04-E24 We have a conversation with Emily who is a student study group leader at Florida International University. This is part three of a four-part series from FIU. We begin our conversation with Emily when she describes her vocational path to becoming a school teacher as a result of her experiences as a tutor, small group study leader, and influence by family members. She then explains how she provides support for several biology courses and a course in research methods in psychology. Emily explains why those courses are historically difficult for many first-year students. She then provides examples of learning activities used during the study sessions. Emily completes her story by sharing how she has changed personally as a result of serving as a tutor and study session leader. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu You can also check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org

S04-E23 Mario is a student study group leader at Florida International University. This is part two of a four-part series from FIU. We begin our conversation with Mario describing his experience as an international student. He describes his journey to becoming a tutor at the institution. Among the topics that Mario is responsible for, he describes why physics is challenging for many students. Careful listening to student needs is a key element to the sophisticated approaches that Mario brings to his study sessions. Mario finishes by explaining the joy that he receives as part of his experience as a tutor and small group session leader. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu You can also checkout my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.orgS04-E23 

S04-E22 We have a conversation with Vicenta who leads the program that hosts the campus tutoring and small study group program at Florida International University. She provided an overview of the academic support program and how it adapted to online services during the COVID pandemic. Then the conversation turns to certification programs that have guided the student support programs. We end our conversation with Vicenta sharing her life journey to her current position at FIU and the lessons she is learning in her doctoral program that will be informing and improving the services offered to the students at FIU. In addition to this audio episode, I also provide a PDF document that provides an overview of Florida International University. The Center for Academic Success (CAS), https://cfas.fiu.edu/ is housed under Academic and Career Success (ACS). Located at both MMC and BBC, the center facilitates the academic advancement of students by providing support in an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. Students can access tutoring in a variety of subject areas, as well as participate in programs that develop their critical thinking and learning strategies. With a comprehensive approach, services are delivered in person or online via one-on-one sessions, small groups, study halls, or workshops. CAS interacts with undergraduate students at all levels throughout their academic experience; from preparing students before admission to assisting them along the pathway towards graduation. The center fosters constructive relationships between students and tutors, and incorporates high and low-tech tools to enhance learning, improve retention, and promote academic excellence. CAS has plenty of tutors who are able available to help you with your academic needs. Online tutoring is also available. Book a tutoring session today! CAS offers an array of extra credit workshops. Earn a few extra points to your grade and learn how to incorporate vital study skills to get you through semesters to come.. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu You can also check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org

S04-E21 This episode introduces us to Morgan who is a study group leader for the SI program at Alvernia University in Pennsylvania. Morgan shared her experience as a study group leader in a general anatomy and psychology course. Topics of our conversation included how she became a study group leader, reasons that the A and P course was challenging for many first-year students, some of the most effective study group session activities and how she uses Kahn Academy videos during her sessions, some of Morgan’s personal and professional development outcomes as a result of serving as a study group leader, and concludes with a powerful reflection about her experience in college education. To provide some additional context for our interview, I have included several PDF documents. First, an overview of the institution. Second, an overview of the Academic Success Center that hosts the study group program. The final item is an overview of the academic content of an Anatomy course.The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org

S04-E20 This episode introduces us to Brendan who is a study group leader for the SI program at Vancouver Island University in Canada. This is the final part of a series on the VIU program. Brandan shared his experience as a study group leader in two accounting courses. Topics of our conversation included how he became a study group leader, reasons that the accounting courses were challenging for many first-year students, some of the most effective study group session activities, and what some of Brandan’s personal and professional development outcomes as a result of serving as a study group leader. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org

S04-E19 This episode introduces us to Natasha who is a study group leader for the SI program at Vancouver Island University in Canada. This is part three of a four-part series of the VIU program. Natasha shared her experience as a study group leader in a general psychology course. Topics of our conversation included how she became a study group leader, reasons that the psychology course was challenging for many first-year students, some of the most effective study group session activities, development of confidence by students as a result of the study group experience, and what some of Natasha’s personal and professional development outcomes as a result of serving as a study group leader. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E18 This episode introduces us to Madelaine who is a study group leader for the SI program at Vancouver Island University in Canada. This is part two of a four-part series of the VIU program. Like many other study group leaders, she reported how she served as a tutor in high school and enjoyed the experience of assisting the teacher. In addition to sharing her two favorite learning activities she used during study sessions, she also shared why they are effective. We had an extended discussion about the use at her institution of a co-curricular record that is part of her transcript. The SI leader experience and the training becomes part of this record. I have heard of similar things at other U.S. institutions, but Madelaine indulged my numerous questions about the record. As I said during the conversation, there are wonderful educational innovations occurring in other countries. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E17 This episode introduces us to Shelley-Anne who manages the SI program at Vancouver Island University in Canada. A majority of our conversation was spent with how Shelley-Anne has organized former SI leaders to serve as mentors to the new SI leaders. A great deal of responsibility has been delegated to the mentors with the training system, observations of the SI leaders, and other responsibilities. As a result, Shelley-Anne reports what the mentors say they have learned from their experiences. The SI leaders spend a great deal of time reflecting on their experiences both during and after the academic term. Shelley-Anne credits this and other activities as contributing to their personal and professional development. Our conversation ends with Shelley-Anne describing her own personal and professional development journey due to the SI program. This episode is the first of a four-part series featuring the study group program at Vancouver Island University in Canada.  I also include several documents so you can learn more about their institution. Since their institution is located in Canada, I also include background information about the education system in their country and also how higher education is organized.  The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E16 This episode introduces us to Teresa who is a doctoral student in the medical school at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Teresa shares a variety of strategies that she uses to help her student succeed. She explains how she learns along with her students. Listen for her final statement to the podcast listeners where she advocates that it is the display of empathy that can be the key to supporting students to be successful. This episode is the final one of a three-part series featuring the study group program at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E15 This episode introduces us to Jill who is a doctoral student in the medical school at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Jill shares a variety of strategies that she uses to help her student succeed. She explains how she learns along with her students. Jill advocates that it is not important to know everything about the subject matter to be an effective study group leader. She displays humility in admitting what she does not know as Jill engages in the learning process along with the students. This episode is the middle of a three-part series featuring the study group program at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E14 This episode introduces us to Marissa who is the study group program manager at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. She shares about the support the study group program provides to the physician’s assistant program. Marissa also explains the highly involved role that the faculty members play with the study group program. This episode begins a three-part series featuring the study group program at Drexel University in Pennsylvania.  The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E13 This episode introduces us to Sam who is a student study group leader. She is studying physics and astronomy. Her career aspiration is to become a physics professor and researcher. Her hobbies include running, basketball, poetry, and jamming to music. I was very interested in how she broke down the various challenges of the physics course that she supports. It is clear that her experience as a MavPASS leader will be very helpful with her future career as a professor. I wish I had this experience before I started my teaching career. This episode completes a six-part series featuring the MavPASS program at Minnesota State University at Mankato. MavPASS is their institutional name for Supplemental Instruction. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E12 This episode introduces us to Paige who is a student study group leader. Her major is marketing with a minor in graphic design. Her career aspiration is business/event design, marketing manager, or marketing analyst. Her hobbies include reading, hiking, and art. Paige is a study leader for an economics course. She shares how her work experience has increased her communication skills. This is part five of a six-part series featuring the MavPASS program at Minnesota State University at Mankato. MavPASS is their institutional name for Supplemental Instruction. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E11 This episode introduces us to Taylor who is a student study group leader. She is studying family and consumer science with an emphasis on dietetics. Taylor mentioned that the anatomy course she supported was challenging due to the complicated vocabulary. That course was actually the first one supported by SI back at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for the exact same reason. In her concluding comments, Taylor talks about how she is a more confident person in so many areas of her life partially as a result of involvement with MavPASS. This is part four of a six-part series featuring the MavPASS program at Minnesota State University at Mankato. MavPASS is their institutional name for Supplemental Instruction. Let’s listen in on our conversation. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E10 This episode introduces us to Osee who is also a MavPASS student leader. He is an immigrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a wonderful story of how he was identified by his teachers in middle school to help other students with their homework. His work as a MavPASS leader is a natural continuation of that role. The conversation ends with Osee’s challenge of growing by getting outside his comfort zone and how the MavPASS program helped him to accomplish that. We continue with part three of a six-part series featuring the MavPASS program at Minnesota State University at Mankato. MavPASS is their institutional name for Supplemental Instruction. Let’s listen in on our conversation. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me, arendale@umn.edu Check out my other four podcasts and other social media at www.davidmedia.org  

S04-E09 We continue the interview series with the study group manager and the students that lead the study group sessions. The last episode featured Dr. Laura Jacobi, who is a faculty member and the program manager. Now we begin episodes that feature five of their student study group leaders. In part two of a six-part series featuring the MavPASS program at Minnesota State University at Mankato, we feature an interview with Faith who serves as a student study group leader. MavPASS is their institutional name for Supplemental Instruction. Let’s listen in on our conversation. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes and Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me. Thanks for listening, David Arendale, arendale@umn.edu

S04-E08 Beginning with this podcast episode, we start airing interviews with study group program coordinators and student study group leaders from over twenty colleges in Australia, Canada, and the United States. These episodes will likely occur from April through September of 2021. Then, a new series will be recorded during October through November and aired late in 2021 and early 2022. The pattern will be to group together the program coordinator and the student leaders from the same institution and release them as a series. Two episodes will air each week. I will record some podcast episodes in between institutional series with research updates from me concerning my research on peer learning. In part one of a six-part series, we feature an interview with Dr. Laura Jacobi, a faculty member and Program Director for MavPASS, their institutional name for Supplemental Instruction, at Minnesota State University in Mankato. Dr. Jacobi’s previously published research concerning online learning uniquely prepared her to transition the SI program to online in spring 2020. In addition to this audio episode, I also provide several PDF documents: first, a one-page overview of their program, second, a photograph of some of the student study group leaders, and finally a profile of the institution. The following links allow you to subscribe: iTunes, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox.fm, Deezer, Facebook, Gaana, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Player.fm, Radio Public, Samsung Listen, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Twitter, Vurbl, and YouTube. Automatically available through these podcast apps: Castamatic, iCatcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RSSRadio, and more. Please post comments to the podcast website, www.palgroups.org, iTunes and other apps, or email to me. Thanks for listening, David Arendale, arendale@umn.edu