Peer Mentoring & Tutoring - Bowie State University

+ Peer Mentoring
& Tutoring
Katrina Kardiasmenos, Ph.D. & Ayanna Lynch, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
Faculty Development Institute
January 17, 2013

+ Purpose
• Primary Goal of the General Psychology redesign
(PSYC 101) was to increase retention and lower
failure rates of students in general psychology.
• High achieving Junior and Senior undergraduate psychology
majors recruited as Undergraduate Learning Assistants
(ULAs)
• Function as peer mentors and tutors to cohort of ~250
students enrolled in PSYC 101 across several sections

+
To systematically measure:
Two
Primary
Goals
• the effectiveness of peer
mentoring and tutoring on
student performance in PSYC
101.
• changes in ULA self-efficacy
and self-confidence in the
ability to teach a course
before and after serving in this
role.

+
Goal 1:
Measure the ULAs
impact on student
performance.
Effectiveness of peer mentoring and
tutoring on student performance in
PSYC 101.
• Research Question 1:
• Does the inclusion of ULAs in PSYC 101
have a measureable effect on student
performance
• Research Question 2:
• Are PSYC 101 students more likely to
seek course assistance from the
peer mentors/tutors as compared to
the course instructors
• Research Question 3:
• Do students enrolled in PSYC 101 find
that the assistance provided by the
ULAs is helpful

Measure changes in teaching self-efficacy
and self-confidence before and after
participating in ULA program for one or two
semesters.
• Research Question:
• Does teaching self-efficacy and selfconfidence
improve after serving as a
ULA for one or two semesters
+
Goal 2:
Measure the impact
of peer mentoring
experience on the
ULAs.

+ Methods
• Goal 1: Measure effectiveness of peer
mentoring and tutoring on student
performance in PSYC 101.
• Document frequency and type of assistance sought by
PSYC 101 students from ULAs.
• Compare grades on specific assignments and overall
course performance between help-seekers (HS) and
(NS) non-help seeking students
• Administer an anonymous survey to PSYC 101 students at
finals
• Compare self-reported frequency of help sought from
ULAs and instructor.
• Assess student ratings of effectiveness of assistance
provided by the ULAs.

+ Methods
• Goal 2: Measure self-efficacy
and self-confidence in the
ability to teach a course
before serving as a ULA
• Administer pre- and post- selfefficacy
measure and selfconfidence
questionnaire to
ULAs
• Before and after serving as a
ULA
• Both first and second
semester ULAs

+ Qualitative Results
• ULAs report that it is difficult to keep track of students they
help because often they are getting stopped in Wiseman, on
their way to class, walking across campus, etc.
• Second semester ULAs, in a reflection paper written at the
end of the semester, report that after being a ULA, they want
to be a teacher/professor.

+
Spring 2013
• Continue assessment and data
analysis
• Compare results to similar studies
• Use results to make improvements
in PSYC 101 and ULA courses
• Prepare manuscript and proposals
for conference presentations

+ What We Have Learned Thus Far
•ULAs are critical to student success in PSYC 101
•Students feel far more comfortable seeking
academic guidance from peer mentors than
instructors
• Students stop ULAs on campus
• Students limit interaction with instructors to
administrative issues

+ Discussion
• Comments
• Questions
• Could peer mentoring make a difference in other courses

+ Acknowlegements
• Dr. Eva Garrin, CETL Director
• Dr. Cheryl Blackman, Chair, Psychology Department
• Drs. Christine Harrell & Erika Hernandez, PSYC 101 Instructors
• 2012-2013 Grad Assistants & ULAs
• Sarah Stout (special assistant involved in data analysis)