Information and Resources
Implementing a PAL Programme
If you are considering setting up a PAL programme on your course or module it is important to identify key players and stakeholders. You will need to gain the support of other members of your department, especially those teaching on the course. You can use the resources and contacts on this website to reinforce your case and sell the benefits of PAL.
The type or model of PAL will need to be considered – what will work best in your institution and context? Refer to presentations made at symposia on this topic and other information on implementing PAL. You might also want to explore the literature.
Some things to take into account are:
• What to call the programme
• How you will recruit student leaders/peer tutors
• How will they be trained
• Will the student leaders/peer tutors be recognised or compensated, and if so how
• Who will be responsible for coordinating PAL and be the contact
• How will PAL be timetabled (if it is)
• How will it be introduced to the students
• How will it be promoted
• How will you get staff to contribute ideas for activities for early PAL sessions
• Will PAL be reviewed and evaluated? If so, how?
There are some disadvantages associated with PAL initiatives: the amount of time and commitment needed to organise the selection and matching of students, the training requirements of student leaders, and the monitoring of progress and quality of schemes. However, proper planning and support from academic staff and the institution will reduce their impact and should lead to the successful implementation of a PAL scheme.
Key Players
PAL Leader or Tutor – This is usually a 2nd year student (but may be upper years) who is course competent but not necessarily expert. They should have good interpersonal and communication skills.
PAL Course Coordinator – This is the course contact person who helps to set up PAL and makes sure it operates effectively. They may coordinate with the institution’s teaching & learning or other support staff. They organise recruitment and training, provide support for leaders/tutors and monitor and evaluate the programme. The time commitment varies, please ask one of the contacts for further information.
Timetabling
Experience suggests that timetabling is very important! When PAL is timetabled it indicates to students the expectation that PAL is ‘part and parcel’ of the course/module. It provides students a regular time and place to meet. It is recommended to try to timetable PAL sessions right before or after a course lecture or in a gap between lectures, tutorials, etc. – this tends to increase attendance. But preferably not on a day when students tend not to come in, e.g. Friday afternoon! The student leaders/tutors must also be available at these times! Then sessions can appear on first year students’ timetables. Sometimes timetabling PAL sessions is not feasible and it can still work!
Training
Initial training is 1-2 days and usually occurs before the start of term. Some things covered include: introduction to PAL, mechanisms of PAL, Role of leaders/tutors, facilitation skills, etc. If you want further information on training check out the links or contact one of the PAL programmes in Ireland already in operation (insert link).
Promotion of PAL
Try to encourage attendance and engagement by student participants. PAL should be recommended at Induction or Orientation; usually the leaders/tutors try to attend and discuss PAL. It should be announced at lectures and students encouraged to participate (if attendance is voluntary).
Recognition/Compensation
While the student leaders/tutors receive many benefits it is important to recognise their commitment. Some suggestions include payment, certification, rewards, course credit or accreditation.
Supervision
PAL needs to be monitored and encouraged, especially in the beginning.
Review and Evaluation
It is important to identify areas of success and areas for improvement in implementing and running PAL. There are several ways to do this:
• Assess the experiences of students and leaders/tutors
• Assess the experiences of course staff
• Measure quantitative outcomes such as attendance, drop-out and pass rates, exam and/or assignment marks, grades
Some methods for doing this include:
• Informal feedback from students or colleagues
• Participant evaluations
• Reflective logs
• Reflective coursework essays
• Questionnaires and surveys
• Checklists
• Monitoring quality indicators
• Use of pre- and post-attainment tests
• Traditional examinations
See Falchikov (2001) for further details
Theory and Research
A good summary of the theoretical background on PAL comes from the University of Wollongang’s PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) website - http://www.uow.edu.au/student/services/pass/:
PASS builds upon the work of social constructivists such as Vygotsky (1978) and Piaget (1958) to establish a peer learning environment. For a detailed educational framework that describes what happens in PASS, see Martin & Arendale (1993). Tinto (1987) places PASS in a First Year Experience (FYE) context and describes it as a way of linking a learning community to a subject, an approach that has a role in increasing student retention. PASS is differentiated from remedial approaches as it targets "high-risk" subjects rather than "high-risk" students, thus avoiding the stigma attached to remedial programs and students' reluctance to self-refer to such programs: "whether through denial, pride, or ignorance, students who need help the most are least likely to request it" (Martin & Arendale 1993). Claims of PASS' effectiveness at raising student grades, lowering failure rates and improving retention rates have been verified by the US Department of Education.
Collaborative learning is integral to PASS. Learning theory suggests that students who collaborate with their peers and take an active approach to their learning not only earn higher grades, but also have a stronger ground up understanding of course material (Arendale, 2005). It is for this reason that PASS is usually applied to first and second year core subjects. [http://www.uow.edu.au/student/services/pass/UOW021339.html, accessed 25 February 2008]
The following books and articles offer an overview of the effectiveness of PAL:
Falchikov, N. (2001). Learning together: peer tutoring in higher education. London: Routledge Falmer.
Topping, K. J. (1996). Effective peer tutoring in further and higher education: a typology and review of the literature. Higher Education, 32, 321-345.
Topping, K.J. (1998). The effectiveness of peer tutoring in further and higher education: a typology and review of the literature. In S. Goodlad (Ed.), Mentoring and tutoring by students, pp. 49-69. London: Kogan Page.
The following websites have bibliographies for further reading in the area:
For Supplemental Instruction please see http://www.umkc.edu/cad/si/si-docs/sibib.htm
For PAL see http://www.uow.edu.au/student/services/pass/publications/index.html
http://pal.bournemouth.ac.uk/index.html#publications
Links
www.peerlearning.ac.uk
http://www.uow.edu.au/student/services/pass/
http://www.umkc.edu/cad/si/