Extended Orientation for Peer Educator Development
1. Extended Orientation for Peer
Educator Development:
The University 101 Model
Mike Dial, University 101 Programs
University of South Carolina
Connect: @mtdial
miketdial.weebly.com
2. Think-Pair-Share
1) Look to a partner or a couple folks around you
2) Discuss
- Who are you?
- Do you currently oversee or administer a peer mentor/leader/educator program?
- Assuming you train them, what are you trying to accomplish?
3. Primary Goals of Peer Educator Training
• Student Buy-in
• Group Cohesion & Identification
• Skill Development
• Knowledge Acquisition
• Leadership Development
• Consistency & Quality of Service (norming)
4. Session Agenda
• History
• Context
• Peer Leadership at U101
• Peer Leader Development Model
• Assessment
5.
6. Impact of Peer/Graduate Leader
2013 First-Year Seminar Assessment Results
(7pt. scale)
5.49
5.14
4.50
4.75
5.00
5.25
5.50
5.75
Overall Program Effectiveness (p=.01)
Sections with Peer/Graduate Leader Sections without Peer/Graduate Leader
7. UofSC Overview Today
Public research institution
First-Year Class (as of Fall 2018)
Enrolled: 5,851
Enrollment
Undergraduate: 26,362
Total: 34,731
8. UNIV101 Overview Fall 2018
• Enrollment: 4,546
• (77% of new students)
• Class size: 19
• Sections offered: 245
• Section types: 25
• Faculty and staff instructors: 223
• 98% of sections co-taught
9. U101 Teaching Partners
New Peer Leaders,
182, 74%
Returning Peer Leaders, 37,
15%
Graduate Leaders,
21, 9%
No Teaching Partner,
5, 1%
New Peer Leaders Returning Peer Leaders Graduate Leaders No Teaching Partner
10. In their own words…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUaT3oa5xiM&feature=youtu.be
11. Role of University 101 Peer Leaders
• Mentor
• Resource
• Facilitator for learning
12. As a result of having a peer leader, U101
students:
• Can identify campus resources
• Gain a sense of belonging
• Apply appropriate behaviors
• Gain valuable U101 experience
• Have a successful transition
13. Extended Orientation to the Role
Application and Interview Process
Spring Orientation
Course Planning Workshop
Fall Training
EDLP 520 Course
14. All stages of development role model…
Small group size
Engaging pedagogy
Team-teaching
24. EDLP 520
• 3-credit course
• Concurrent to service
• Community
• Content Delivery
• Problem Solving
• “Peer Leaders for 16 weeks, leaders for life.”
25. EDLP 520 Peer Leaders
• Veteran Peer Leaders
• Co-facilitate the EDLP
520 experience
• Assist in recruiting the
next cohort
• May also co-teach U101
26. EDLP 520 Common Topics
• Helping model
• Facilitation
• Communication skills
• First-year student needs
• Values/leadership styles
• Marketing the PL experience
30. The training on the alcohol presentation
prepared me to…
% Agree
Discuss campus norms and student behavior related to alcohol
use.
90.8%
Describe risks related to alcohol use 96.9%
Describe the university and legal consequences of an alcohol or
drug citation.
89.8%
Identify strategies for reducing risks related to alcohol use. 93.9%
31. How do we know it works?
• First-Year Seminar Assessment
• End of Course Evaluations
• Faculty Survey
• Instructor Evaluation of Peer Leaders
• PL End of Experience Survey
• PL Instructor Feedback Survey*
35. U101 Faculty Survey Results
4.85 4.77 4.844.85
4.75
4.864.79 4.73
4.81
3.5
3.7
3.9
4.1
4.3
4.5
4.7
4.9
I had a good working relationship
with my teaching partner(s).
I trusted my peer/graduate
leader(s) to carry out their
responsibilities.
My peer/graduate leader(s) was
an asset to the course.
2012 2015 2017
36. PL End of Experience Survey
4.56
4.66
4.52
4.56
4.73
4.79
4.68
4.79
4.65
4.85
4.82
4.77
4.82
4.76
4.00
4.10
4.20
4.30
4.40
4.50
4.60
4.70
4.80
4.90
Interpersonal communication
skills.
Facilitation skills. Helping skills. Leadership skills. Self-awareness/Understanding.
As a result of serving as a University 101 Peer Leader (including training and EDLP 520), I improved my:
2012 Mean 2015 Mean 2017 Mean
37. Thank You
Mike Dial
Assistant Director
University 101
University of South Carolina
mdial@sc.edu
@mtdial
miketdial.weebly.com
Notas do Editor
Mike
Tell story of U101 history
Social Unrest and demonstrations on campus of the University of South Carolina in the late 1960’s and early 70’s.
Civil Rights
Vietnam war
Students locked President Thomas Jones in his office
Formed a committee!
Appointed a group to study the issue and make recommendations. University 101 was the solution and was developed in 1972. The idea was to develop faculty understanding of students, create a venue where faculty and students could have a dialogue, and teach students to love the university. Hence, UNIV101 began as a faculty development initiative
John Gardner was tapped to lead this program and because of his vision, leadership, understanding of campus culture, and tenacity.
Eventually, the concept of the First-Year Experience spread across the world.
From 1972-1992, each section of the course was taught by a sole faculty or staff instructor. The program evolved in 1993 to include the embedding of undergraduate peer leaders in the first-year seminar. Recognizing that first-year students were more likely to listen to other students only a few years older than them, peer leaders were added to sections of the course to help co-teach and foster community.
Sloane
What do peer leaders actually do? What is their role?
For u101 peer leaders, they serve as a mentor to first-year students by helping new students transition to the university and by role modeling appropriate behavior both inside and outside the classroom. Peer leaders fulfill this role by being approachable to students and demonstrating empathy. They help students engage in healthy and responsible decision-making. Approachability and empathy are woven throughout our development model. Later, we will discuss how we specifically train peer leaders to help their students make healthy and responsible decisions regarding alcohol.
Another important part of their role is providing important information to first-years and connecting them to campus resources and helping them get involved on campus. Additionally, peer leaders can provide information that is specific to USC students, such as how to request student athletic tickets; information that their co-instructor may not know. Peer leaders often are the first person that students confide in, so they are trained on reporting processes which we will talk about later.
Finally, peer leaders are teaching partners, so they play an equal role in contributing to the design of the course and facilitating meaningful class discussions and activities. They are frequently leveraged for building community in their class through leading group activities both inside and outside the classroom as well as taking an active role in class Group Me (need to explain group me?)
If peer leaders fulfull their role as mentors, resources, and facilitators for learning, then first-year students in U101 who have a PL should achieve these outcomes.
Our training and development for peer leaders focuses on preparing peer leaders to accomplish these.
Extended orientation to the role: much like our first-year seminar, we give peer leaders what they need when they need it and when they are ready for it. Rather than frontloading the training, we extend it prior to and throughout their role. Peer leaders dedicate over 30 hours to training and development.
We take advantage of our selection process by making it a developmental process both our application and group interviews.
The first formal training after peer leaders are selected is spring orientation. This training is facilitated by U101 staff and returning peer leaders. Here, peer leaders are fully introduced to their role as U101 PLs. This training prepares them for conversations they will have with their co-instructor at their next developmental opportunity: Course Planning Workshop.
At the Course Planning Workshop, instructors and peer leaders attend together as a teaching team. Here, they begin to lay the foundation of their course. This is a developmental opportunity for PLs as they begin to form a mentoring relationship with their co-instructor and to contribute their perspective in the development of the course. This training is led by U101 staff.
Next, peer leaders attend Fall Training in August prior to the start of classes. This training is facilitated by U101 staff and returning peer leaders.
The purpose of this training is to prepare peer leaders for their upcoming first week of their U101 class.
EDLP520 is the final component of PLs’ training and development. The necessity of this course comes from the need to continually support and train new PLs during their service in U101. This course is taught by U101 staff and returning peer leaders.
An intentional design behind each of our developmental opportunities (interviews, spring orientation, CPW, Fall Training, and EDLP 520) is that they role model aspects that contribute to a successful U101 course: small groups, the use of engaging and a variety of teaching techniques, and team-teaching. By role modeling these aspects, peer leaders can begin observing and learning how to implement these same dynamics in their U101 class.
Based on applications, a select group of candidates are invited to participate in group interviews. To maintain an effective small group size, these interviews are capped at 8 candidates. Each interview is facilitated by a U101 staff member, a U101 instructor, and a U101 Peer Leader. Three different facilitators allow for different perspectives in the evaluation process. Also, having a peer leader in the room allows candidates to ask questions of and learn from a current peer leader.
Another way interviews are developmental is through the interactive activities. Rather than ask traditional interview questions, candidates participate in four activities. First, there is a warm-up activity where candidates draw a card with a USC tradition or campus resource written on it. They have one minute to explain and speak on this word. Not only does this break the ice, it allows candidates to practice sharing these aspects of USC with first-year students—getting them excited about them.
Next, candidates act as peer leaders on a mock panel. Facilitators act as first-year students, asking questions about balancing academic and social life and regarding alcohol on campus. Peer leaders have the chance to practice responding to questions they might receive from first-year students if selected to be a PL. This is a chance for them to begin fostering their ability to mentor and help first year students articulate and apply appropriate behaviors.
Similarly, in the third activity, candidates are split into two groups. Each group is given a case study or scenario to resolve. One focuses on a first-year student who is struggling with her chosen major as well as homesickness.
Dive deeper into PL role and what it entails to be successful PL
Once selected, peer leaders begin formal training in late March at Spring Orientation. Orientation is co-facilitated by UNIV101 staff and Senior Peer Leaders (SPL). Here, peer leaders learn the history and foundations of University 101 as well as the full context of their role.
They are also introduced to factors we know from our assessment contribute to the success of a first-year seminar course including: the use of engaging pedagogy, increased sense of belonging, and the seminar instructors’ roles in identifying student challenges and making appropriate referrals. Peer leaders spend significant time identifying a variety of methods they can use to contribute to these factors in the classroom.
Additionally, peer leaders identify traditional aspects of the role, best practices for building successful relationships with their teaching partner, and ways to develop community in the classroom.
At spring orientation, the PLs are introduced to and begin using several UNIV101 resources.
In 2009, University 101 launched a SharePoint site that houses sample lesson plans, syllabi, and activities; serves as a sharing platform for videos and PowerPoints; and is a vehicle for distributing information. Peer leaders have access to this resource 24/7 and rank it as their most valuable material resource.
Transitions, the textbook for UNIV101
The Campus Resource Guide, an online guidebook covering information and updates for university programs and services.
The program also utilizes a weekly peer leader newsletter to share relevant campus updates and events, highlights of assessment findings, and necessary information and resources for fulfilling the peer leader role. This newsletter allows for efficient delivery of urgently needed information and support. The email marketing platform, MailChimp is utilized to draft and send the newsletter and allows UNIV101 staff to assess opens and link clicks, which is used to plan and coordinate weekly material the following year.
In 2009, University 101 launched a SharePoint site that houses sample lesson plans, syllabi, and activities; serves as a sharing platform for videos and PowerPoints; and is a vehicle for distributing information. Peer leaders have access to this resource 24/7 and rank it as their most valuable material resource.
Transitions, the textbook for UNIV101
The Campus Resource Guide, an online guidebook covering information and updates for university programs and services.
The program also utilizes a weekly peer leader newsletter to share relevant campus updates and events, highlights of assessment findings, and necessary information and resources for fulfilling the peer leader role. This newsletter allows for efficient delivery of urgently needed information and support. The email marketing platform, MailChimp is utilized to draft and send the newsletter and allows UNIV101 staff to assess opens and link clicks, which is used to plan and coordinate weekly material the following year.
In 2009, University 101 launched a SharePoint site that houses sample lesson plans, syllabi, and activities; serves as a sharing platform for videos and PowerPoints; and is a vehicle for distributing information. Peer leaders have access to this resource 24/7 and rank it as their most valuable material resource.
Transitions, the textbook for UNIV101
The Campus Resource Guide, an online guidebook covering information and updates for university programs and services.
The program also utilizes a weekly peer leader newsletter to share relevant campus updates and events, highlights of assessment findings, and necessary information and resources for fulfilling the peer leader role. This newsletter allows for efficient delivery of urgently needed information and support. The email marketing platform, MailChimp is utilized to draft and send the newsletter and allows UNIV101 staff to assess opens and link clicks, which is used to plan and coordinate weekly material the following year.
In 2009, University 101 launched a SharePoint site that houses sample lesson plans, syllabi, and activities; serves as a sharing platform for videos and PowerPoints; and is a vehicle for distributing information. Peer leaders have access to this resource 24/7 and rank it as their most valuable material resource.
Transitions, the textbook for UNIV101
The Campus Resource Guide, an online guidebook covering information and updates for university programs and services.
The program also utilizes a weekly peer leader newsletter to share relevant campus updates and events, highlights of assessment findings, and necessary information and resources for fulfilling the peer leader role. This newsletter allows for efficient delivery of urgently needed information and support. The email marketing platform, MailChimp is utilized to draft and send the newsletter and allows UNIV101 staff to assess opens and link clicks, which is used to plan and coordinate weekly material the following year.
Sloane
Fall training kicks off the semester in which peer leaders serve, getting them excited about this opportunity. During the training, University 101 staff and returning peer leaders help first-time peer leaders articulate the needs of first-year students and how they impact their transition to USC. Peer leaders also have the chance to role play potential sticky situations they may face as peer leaders such as addressing micro aggressions used by students in their class. We spend some time talking about strategies for being both available and approachable (give example?) knowing that a peer leader’s approachability is directly related to first-year students’ sense of belonging. Finally, peer leaders have an opportunity to practice their facilitation skills and receive feedback from U101 staff and returning peer leaders.
An additional benefit is peer leaders attend this training with their EDLP520 class, the leadership and training course they will attend weekly during their semester of service. This initiates community amongst groups of new PLs who will support one another throughout their experience.
EDLP 520 is a 3-credit hour training and leadership course.
The training purpose of this course is two-fold: provide Continuous Support during this role as well as create an avenue for content delivery. We will talk later about some of the specific trainings that occur in EDLP.
As part of the continuous support, EDLP 520 acts as a community of peer leaders, enhancing their success and experience in the role. Class check-ins build rapport among these students often leading to group problem-solving and reflection among new PLs. Additionally, classes often create group messages using the Group Me chat application to maintain support outside of class. In doing so, EDLP showcases what a successful U101 class should look like-check-ins where students speak early and often, community building, connection inside and outside of the classroom. Peer leaders often tell us that they take the activities used in EDLP and use them in their own classes.
EDLP 520 is a 3-credit hour training and leadership course.
The training purpose of this course is two-fold: provide Continuous Support during this role as well as create an avenue for content delivery. We will talk later about some of the specific trainings that occur in EDLP.
As part of the continuous support, EDLP 520 acts as a community of peer leaders, enhancing their success and experience in the role. Class check-ins build rapport among these students often leading to group problem-solving and reflection among new PLs. Additionally, classes often create group messages using the Group Me chat application to maintain support outside of class. In doing so, EDLP showcases what a successful U101 class should look like-check-ins where students speak early and often, community building, connection inside and outside of the classroom. Peer leaders often tell us that they take the activities used in EDLP and use them in their own classes.
The course design of EDLP 520 recognizes that peer leaders are in U101 peer leaders for 16 weeks but leaders for life. Thus, this course also provides leadership development for beyond this role. These are the type of things we cover:
Lastly, USC is rich with leadership experiences for students, yet many of those student leaders lack a formal opportunity to critically reflect upon their experience. In EDLP, peer leaders spend time in class as well as in their assignments making meaning of their engagement, reflecting upon the challenges and growth they’ve experienced in this role and in others.
Lastly, USC is rich with leadership experiences for students, yet many of those student leaders lack a formal opportunity to critically reflect upon their experience. In EDLP, peer leaders spend time in class as well as in their assignments making meaning of their engagement, reflecting upon the challenges and growth they’ve experienced in this role and in others.
Mike
Learning Outcomes
Discuss campus norms and student behavior related to alcohol use
Describe risks for your health, safety, academics, relationships, legal/conduct record related to alcohol use
Describe the university and legal consequences of an alcohol or drug citation
Identify strategies for reducing your risks related to alcohol use
The training on the alcohol presentation prepared me to…
At the end of the semester, UNIV 101 students complete an end-of-course evaluation. These evaluations include questions that assess the learning outcomes for first-year students as a result of having a PL (mentioned earlier). We dedicate significant time during training to prepare peer leaders with the skills and abilities necessary to help students make a successful transition to the university such as advancing their ability to build community amongst their students and to connect their students to resources. Each year, peer leaders have produced positive results and we can tie this back to their training. Last fall, UNIV101 students clearly indicated that peer leaders are helping them make a successful transition to the university (m=4.74). We’re happy with these results.
We also train peer leaders on helping first-year students articulate and apply appropriate behaviors both inside and outside of the classroom, which includes modeling these behaviors themselves. Again, peer leaders have continued to improve on this measure as well with first-year students indicating that their peer leader was an appropriate role model (m=4.86)
Facilitation skills and practice with developing lesson plans are a large component of fall training and EDLP. Using this training, peer leaders successfully make important contributes to their U101 class, according to first-year students who take U101 (m=4.83).
Given peer leaders ability to help their students make a successful transition to the university, serve as an appropriate role model, and make important contributions to the class, it is not surprising that first-year students in U101 show that peer leaders are a valuable part of the U101 experience (=4.82).