A Training Guide for College Tutors and Peer Educators

Sally Lipsky’s academic background and work experiences have centered on public education–from elementary to the postsecondary levels. Upon graduation from the University of New Mexico (B.S. elementary education), she began her career as a Title I reading instructor with the Houston (TX) public school district. After earning a M.Ed. in reading education from Texas Southern University, she taught in the Pittsburgh (PA) public schools. She earned a Ph.D. in language communications and adult education from the University of Pittsburgh and continued her career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she has worked for over twenty years as a faculty member in the Developmental Studies Department, College of Education and Educational Technology. Her work involves coordinating academic support services and peer assistance programming; supervising paraprofessional peer educators; teaching first-year seminar courses and a peer educator training course; and developing promotional, evaluation, and outcomes assessment procedures. She has made numerous professional presentations and written about aspects of postsecondary learning, including the text College Study: The Essential Ingredients (in its second edition) published by Pearson Education. Furthermore, as a member of the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA), she has chaired the Learning & Study Skills Special Interest Group. As a member of the National Association for Developmental Education (NADE), she has chaired the Peer Assistance Programs Special Professional Interest Network. To this day, she remains fascinated with the process of learning and committed to the value of public education.

Preface

Chapter 1 - The Power of Peers: Your Role as a Peer Educator

Opening: Focus Questions

What is a Peer Educator?

Role of a Peer Educator

Activity 1.1: Andragogy and Peer Assistance

Facilitator of Learning

                Peer Educator’s Role and Development of Students

Benefits for You, the Peer Educator

 Activity 1.2: Interviewing

Learning Strategy: Managing Your Time

Activity 1.3: Assess Your Time Management Skills

Strategies for Improving Time Management

Setting Goals

Activity 1.4: Personal Goal

Closing

Activity 1.5: Check Your Understanding

Activity 1.6: Elements of Effective Peer-Led Sessions

Suggestions from Experienced Peer Educators

How do you incorporate learning and study strategies?

Chapter 2 - Promoting Active Learning

Opening: Focus Questions

Active Learning

Activity 2.1: Promoting Active Learning

How Learning Occurs

Information Processing Model

Activity 2.2: Information Processing and Learning Strategies

Activity 2.3: Applying the Information Processing Model

Differences in Learning

Visual, Auditory, Tactile/Kinesthetic Preferences

Activity 2.4: Assessing Learning Modalities

Activity 2.5: Analyzing Learning Modalities

Personality Type

Activity 2.6: Assessment

 Description of the Dimensions

                Activity 2.7: Reflecting

Activity 2.8: Learning Preferences and Learning Strategies

Closing

Activity 2.9: How do you learn best?

Activity 2.10: Checking for Understanding

Activity 2.11: Applying

Suggestions from Experienced Peer Educators

How do you increase active participation?

Chapter 3 -  Incorporating Critical Thinking and Questioning Skills

Opening: Reading Textbooks

Activity 3.1: Practice Previewing

Introduction

                Talk Out Loud

                Activity 3.2: Practice Cognitive Process Instruction

                Include Questions

                Activity 3.3: Integrating Questions in Sessions 

                Activity 3.4: Observing

                Include Higher-Level Directives

                Activity 3.5: Directive Words

                Activity 3.6: Critiquing

Closing

                Activity 3.7: Analyzing

                Activity 3.8: Elements of Effective Peer-Led Sessions

Suggestions from Experienced Peer Educators

                How do you encourage critical thinking?

Chapter 4 -  Assessing Students’ Learning

Opening: Self-Assessment

Why Assess Students’ Learning?

                Activity 4.1: Reflecting

How to Assess Students’ Learning?

                Beginning of Session

                Activity 4.2: Assessment Example

                Middle of Session

                Activity 4.3: Try it Out

                End of Session

                Activity 4.4: Thinking and Assessing

                What Is and Is Not Adequate Evidence of Learning?

                Activity 4.5: Observation

Closing

                Activity 4.6: Practice Summative Assessment

                Learning Strategy: Preparing for Exams

                Activity 4.7: Exam Preparation

                Activity 4.8: Summarizing Important Information

Suggestions from Experienced Peer Educators

                How do you assess students’ understanding?

Chapter 5 —  Collaborative Learning and Group Work

Opening: Predicting

Collaborative Learning

                Activity 5.1: Examples of Collaborative Learning

                Collaborative Learning Guidelines

                Group Configurations

                Activity 5.2: Observing

                Dealing with Common Problems

                Activity 5.3: Responding to Problems

                Planning Sessions

                Activity 5.4: Plan a session

Closing

                Learning Strategy: Graphic Organizers

                Activity 5.5: Collaborative Graphic Organizer

                Activity 5.6: Check for Understanding

Suggestions from Experienced Peer Educators

                How do you create collaboration among students?

Chapter 6 - Tutoring as a Proactive Process

Opening: Highlighting and Annotating

                Activity 6.1: Guidelines

                Activity 6.2: Applying

Introduction

A Proactive Model

                Activity 6.3: Reflection

The Tutoring Cycle

                Step I. Assess the Student’s Needs

                Activity 6.4: Assessing a Student’s Needs

                Step II. Recommend, Demonstrate, and Apply

                Activity 6.5: Try it Out

                Step III. Break Down Content; Evaluate Learning

                Activity 6.6: Tutoring Strategies

                Step IV. Plan for Application

                Activity 6.7: Evaluate Student Responses

                Step V. Follow Up

                Activity 6.8: Tutoring Cycle: Observing and Practicing

Active Listening

                Activity 6.9: Reflecting

                Activity 6.10: Active Listening Strategies

                Activity 6.11: Verbal and Nonverbal Cues

Verbal Communication

                Activity 6.12: Practice Verbal Communication

                Guidelines for Verbal Communication   

                Activity 6.13: Active Listening and Verbal Communication

Closing

                Activity 6.14: Follow up— Highlighting and Annotating

Chapter 7 —  Valuing Diversity Among Students

Opening: Listening and Note Taking

                Activity 7.1: Note Taking Strategies

Thinking About Diversity

                Individual Activity 7.2: Reflecting

                Group activity 7.3: Brainstorming

                Group activity 7.4: Creating a Venn Diagram

                Individual activity 7.5: Predicting

Overview

Dealing with Differences

                Activity 7.6: Identifying Similarities and Differences

                Guidelines for Peer Leaders

                Activity 7.7: Case Studies

Resources for Referral

                Activity 7.8: Role-playing Scenarios

Closing

                Stereotypes and Biases

                Activity 7.9: Different Perspectives

                Conclusion

Suggestions from Experienced Peer Educators

                How do you create a welcoming setting?

Chapter 8 — Online Assistance

Opening: Learning Discipline-Specific Terminology

                Procedure for Learning Terminology

                Activity 8.1: Chapter Terms

Adjustments for Online Assistance

                Preparation

        Activity 8.2: Summarize and Apply

                Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

                Activity 8.3: Summarize and Apply (cont’d.).

                Communication

                Activity 8.4: Summarize and Apply (cont’d.)

                Activity 8.5:  Summarize and Apply (cont’d.)

                Activity 8.6: Critique an Online Dialogue

                Learning and Study Strategies

                Activity 8.7: Summarize and Apply (cont’d.)

                Community

                Activity 8.8: Summarize and Apply (cont’d.)

Closing

                Assessment

                Activity 8.9: Summative Assessment

Chapter 9 - Effective Peer-Led Sessions: A Summary

Summation

                Activity 9.1: Top-ten List

                Self Assessment

                Activity 9.2: Revisiting Your Role in Students’ Development

Self-Assessment

                Activity 9.3: Self Assessment

Conclusion

Suggestions from Experienced Peer Educators

                What can you do with an empty box?

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