northern collaboration conference 2014: peer assisted study sessions by sue myer & yvonne cotton

“The PASS programme has been fundamental to my experience as a first

year”Introducing peer support at Teesside

University library

Yvonne CottonSue Myer

Outline• Background and Drivers– PASS – what and why

• Pilot project• Evaluation and Reflection• Future• Questions

BACKGROUND

Teesside University• Post 92 University• Main Campus in Middlesbrough and site at

Darlington • Five schools: 21,830 students (15,000 FTE) • Queen’s Anniversary Prize 2013• Times Higher Education University of the Year

2009/2010• Vision: Providing Opportunities, Driving Enterprise,

Delivering Excellence

• Services– Learning Hub drop-in– Succeed@Tees workshops– 1:1 tutorials

Everyone has questions!

Learning Hub

Drivers for PASS

• University Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy

• Library Strategic Aims • “To play a key role in the design, development and delivery of

a unified approach to skills development for successful learning and research and employability.”

• UK Quality Code for HE B4: Enabling student development and achievement• Aim to reach all students• Supporting academic progression

What is PASS?• Peer Assisted Study Sessions • International• Support from a national network• Evidence of it helping student attainment

Why in the library?• Central support• PASS works best when ‘institutionally-co-

ordinated, discipline-owned, student-led’• Consistent, quality-assured approach– Individual schools could develop own practice

• Sustainability• Visits and desk research demonstrated it

works

PASS PILOT PROJECT

Planning• Funding bid• Advocacy• Advertising to Schools in the University via

Learning & Teaching Committees and PASS Demystified workshops

• Supervisor training• Talking to other departments within the

University who work with volunteers• Created web site:• http://lis.tees.ac.uk/pass

PASS PilotPhysiotherapy• Year 1 – Foundations of Physiotherapy Practice• Used 5 second year students

English Studies• Year 2 – Thinking About Representation• Used 6 final year students

(Accounting• Year 1 - Intro to Management Accounting)

Recruitment of Volunteers• Created PASS Leader profile• Shout-outs in lectures• Adverts on Blackboard• Application forms on the web site • PASS Demystified workshops for interested students• Liaison with academic co-ordinators– Personal recommendations– Considered applications

PASS Leader Training• 4 half days• Facilitation techniques• Modelling PASS sessions• Encourage creativity• Opportunity to run mock session– Library staff and project team members as

participants

Role of Supervisor• Liaison with academic co-ordinator• Timetabling and room bookings• Recruiting PASS leaders• Training leaders• Observing sessions• Running debrief sessions

Role of PASS Leader• Commitment of 3 hours per week– Prepare for and lead a weekly 1 hour PASS session

(in pairs)– Attend weekly debrief

• Manage groups – but don’t teach• Volunteer – advantages• Accreditation with Voluntees - certificate

Role of academic librarians in PASS• Liaison with academic schools –

communication• Participants in training (mock-students)• Deliver leader training• Supervisors• Bespoke information literacy sessions to PASS

leaders

PASS SessionsWhat happens in a PASS session?• Sessions usually have an opening (Ice-breaker),

agenda setting, activity(ies) and a closing• Whatever the students want to cover• Up to the PASS Leaders to run the session in an

interesting and meaningful way• We provide materials to help – stationery, strategy

cards etc.

Some issues• English – Small groups– Timetable – students did not want to attend extra

session in full day• Physiotherapy– Started later as second years were out on

placement– Dealt with very large groups

PASS activity• Now a chance for you to experience part of a

PASS session

What’s the question• Manchester• Physiotherapy and English• Library and Student Union staff• Academic co-ordinator• 3 hours a week

Answers• Where is the PASS national centre? (Manchester)• Which subjects did we run the pilot in? (Physiotherapy

and English)• Who did we use as mock students for the PASS

Leader training? (Library and SU staff)• What is the title of the academic involved with a

subject area? (academic co-ordinator)• How much time do we expect a PASS Leader to give?

(3 hours a week)

EVALUATION AND REFLECTIONJGS_MyrtleHill by Gracey Stinson (nd) (http://mrg.bz/QV2Ixb)

Evaluation• Part of project• Questionnaire for participants and non-

participants– Was PASS useful?– If you didn’t attend, why not?

• Focus groups with PASS Leaders– What did they get out of it?– How did they find the training and support?

What did students think?

• Answered: 47 Skipped: 7

Strongly disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

Rating (out of 5)

The sessions were useful for me

0 0 6 (13%)

31 (66%)

10 (22%)

4.09

The sessions were clear and understandable

1 (2%)

1 (2%)

10 (21%)

27 (57%)

8 (17%)

3.85

The PASS Leaders were approachable

0 0 3 (6%)

23 (49%)

21 (45%)

4.38

The PASS Leaders organised the sessions well

0 1 (2%)

7 (15%)

22 (48%)

16 (35%)

4.15

What did students think?• Extremely helpful• Very beneficial• The PASS programme helped me a lot in my first year• It has really helped me to develop what I have learnt in lectures• I feel that the PASS programme has been fundamental to my

experience as a first year • I often shied away from asking questions to lecturers in order to avoid

looking stupid.• I found the PASS leaders from our programme very approachable,

friendly and helpful• Given a student’s insight on how to deal with the subject• Talking to students who were in our position• Guidance from second years – didn’t judge if we were unsure• Empathy!• I now feel confident

What did PASS Leaders think?What did you get out of PASS?• Confidence, presentation skills, satisfaction, time

management, leading groups, self worth and helped with career aspirations.

Has it helped with employability?• Unanimous – yesWould you be a PASS leader again?• Unanimous - yes

• “The thing I didn’t expect was how much the level 5 students would look up to us because we were level 6 and how much they trusted everything we said. Even if we made a stupid/funny comment they’d take it seriously…. So that sense of expectation and respect that I hadn’t thought we would get - it was lovely to have that.”

• “I didn’t really know what to expect …I got more out of it than I thought I would in the end. It was a positive experience overall”

PASS Leader expectations?

Challenges• Timetabling and room bookings• Funding led to strict time limits – not much

preparation time• Took more time than expected• Not expanding too quickly• Some challenges in recruitment

Successes• Award-winning• Raising profile of the library• Relationship with students and academic staff• New techniques for information literacy

Why successful?• High level of commitment at all levels• Flexibility• Support from network• Amazing student leaders

FUTURE

Future for PASS• English– Two modules – 1st year and 2nd year– Over-recruited for leaders for 2nd year module

• Physiotherapy– More PASS groups, so more PASS Leaders (have

over-recruited)– Need to account for large break in middle of year

when second years are on placement

Future for PASS• Will also run in 2 new modules in 2 new

Schools next year• Finance from Learning Hub budget?• Admin staff in schools taking on more

responsibility• Supervisors responsible for different areas• Improved administration

Questions?