Peers

Engaging as

Energizing

Resources

Center-based &

0nline

Academic

Collaborative

Helpers

Enhancing

Success

Our Students are the Village: A Peer Coaching Program

Creation Story

Presented by Dr. Lisa D’Adamo- Weinstein, Director of Academic Support‐

SUNY Empire State College - Northeast Center

National College Learning Center Association 27th Annual Conference

Reno, NVOctober 6, 2012

Agenda

• Overview & Introductions • Creating • Implementation• Impact• How can our story help you?

Introductions& Overview

Northeast Center

SUNY Empire State College’s Northeast Center (NEC) Office of Academic Support (OAS) is one of 9 such offices at the college with a Director of Academic Support (DAS) at each location.

There are approximately 20,000 undergraduate students at the college.

At the Northeast Center (NEC), we offer our services to approximately 1,900 students directly affiliated with the center.

We have 1 fulltime Director of Academic Support, 2 half-time Learning Coaches and 10 Peer Coaches.

Programs & Services - The NEC Office of Academic Support offers workshops; individual appointments with learning & peer coaches; academic skills development and study strategies courses; we have print and online resources; and we offer online content area tutoring as well as onsite and online peer coaches.

Space & Resources - A Student Success Lab/study space and a computer lab are available for individual and/or group work on assignments , individual appointments, workshops, assessments, and/or using online resources.

MissionThe staff of the Northeast Center Office of Academic Support (OAS) operate as a collaborative team, striving to establish a friendly welcoming learning environment for all students.

Our mission is to: • support students in becoming successful independent learners

through a comprehensive array of services and resources tailored to students’ individual academic needs and goals; • deliver these services and resources via individualized and group

programming in face-to-face, telephonic and virtual formats; and • work with students, staff and faculty with the expectation that

willing students can reach and exceed their academic potential with appropriate assistance.

The Academic Support Team

Sarah Spence-StaultersLearning Coach

Peer Coaching Coordinator

Kate StocktonLearning Coach

Academic Eye Instructor

Lisa D’Adamo-WeinsteinDirector of Academic Support

A learning coach at the Northeast Center is a college graduate who:• Provides direct academic support to students in one-on-one or small group settings • Works with students in both face-to-face and virtual environments• Conducts workshops• Present at orientation• Develops academic support materials for both online and print mediums• Performs secondary assessment • Either

Teach credit bearing studies – Enhancing the Academic Eye (an advanced level version of ESC101 that includes academic research skills instruction)http://academiceye.pbworks.com

ORCoordinates all aspects of the Peer Coaching Program including the daily operations as well as the training and supervision of students who are peer coaches. http://peercoaches.pbworks.com

http://necacademicsupport.pbworks.com/

A peer coach is an alumna/us or a current undergraduate or graduate student trained to guide and encourage other students in improving their academic performance and developing as life-long learners. What do Peer Coaches Do?: Peer coaches assist students by focusing on enhancing general study skills, tutoring in specific content areas, navigating through college resources, and developing study strategies within their Areas of Study. Peer coaches work in both face-to-face and virtual environments. They are trained by the staff of the NEC Office of Academic Support following internationally recognized certification standards set forth by the College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) for peer tutors. Peer Coaches work as volunteers, work-study, or practicum students.

http://peercoaches.pbworks.com/

Brief Overview of NEC Peer Coaching

Peer coaches assist students by focusing on enhancing general study skills, tutoring in specific content areas, navigating through college resources, and developing study strategies within their Areas of Study.

Peer coaches work in both face-to-face and virtual environments. They are trained by the staff of the NEC Office of Academic Support following internationally recognized certification standards set forth by the College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) for peer tutors. Peer Coaches work as volunteers, work-study, or practicum students.

Now a few words from our Peer Coaching Program Coordinator…

How does peer coaching fit into the Office of Academic Support?

• Peer coaches provide a perspective that only another student /recent graduate can give– Peer Coaches have been in the same shoes and

could have faced the same struggles • Supplement and expand the ways in which

current students can get their questions answered and find support – Peer Coaches provide a non-threatening peer

perspective

Creating The Program

Successful Academic Support Services Include…

Proactive interventions, Supportive environments, Personalized support systems, Small group tutorials, Development of students’ basic learning skills, Teaching of study skills and learning strategies in

the context of academic content courses, Opportunities to interact in informal settings and

develop personal relationships with faculty, and Opportunities to experience success.

- Adapted from Maxwell and Casazza & Silverman

MISSION & GOALS

STUDENTS’ SKILLS & NEEDS

PROGRAMS &

SERVICESSTAFFING &

RESOURCES

ASS

ESSM

ENT

&

EVA

LUAT

ION

Academic Support Services Model...

It took a FULL year to develop

1. We wanted students to help other students. We are a non- traditional college and wanted to have peer coaches who understand what that entails.

2. We wanted certification from the College Reading and learning Association

3. We wanted all of the information about the program to be accessible at any time.

We followed an intentional design that included the following elements for consideration:

• Service Delivery Model(s)• Responsibility & Ownership• Professional Standards • Tailoring Training• Feedback & Evaluation• On-going Professional Development

& Sharing

Peercoaches.pbworks.com

Service Delivery• How Students Access a Tutor/Peer Coach– Self-referral– Faculty-referral

• Where Students Can Get Assistance– Onsite & Online

• Resources• Study aids• Presentations

• What Help Can Students Get?– Content Tutoring– General Study Skills– Critical Thinking– Navigating College Resources– Computer/Information Literacy

• Peer coaches (rather than tutors)• No group• Individual• Workshop presentations (student panel)• Appointment (evenings, work schedule, 1 hr-ish)– Form triage (low-pc, mid, high-Lisa)

• Smarthinking for content• Elluminate/Collaborate for at a distance• Workshops

Responsibility & Ownership

• Encouraging peers to take initiative, ask questions, and help.– Working yourself out of that job.– “Teachers are those who use themselves as bridges, over which

they invite their students to cross; then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own.” –Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek writer and philosopher (author of Zorba the Greek & The Last Temptation).

• Delegation– Raise your kids well, then trust.

Peer Coaches Participate in the Program Paid Work Study Students who qualify for Federal Financial Aid work study status can receive payment for their work as a Peer Coach and will also receive all of the general benefits listed above.

3 have participated as work-study student s

Practicum A practicum is a credited bearing study that gives students both a theoretical and practical/work experience in the field of learning assistance and adult learning. Anyone interested in the practicum should obtain approval from their mentor, then enroll in the study as an independent study with the Director of Academic Support (Lisa D'Adamo-Weinstein) and pay for it as they would any other credit bearing course at the college. Students can earn 2-4 credits as part of their college level degree program and will also receive all of the general benefits listed above.

2 have participated and completed the practicum

VolunteersStudents who volunteer will not receive pay or course credit, but they will gain work experience for their resume and will also receive all of the general benefits listed above.

11 are currently participating as a volunteer

PRACTICUM COURSE INFORMATION TITLE: The Theory and Practice of Learning: Learning Assistance and Academic Support for Post-Secondary Learners Offered at 2 or 4 credits, Advanced, Liberal

A. PURPOSE - The purpose of this practicum is for students to develop a theoretical grounding in the field of learning assistance and to engage in practical applications for teaching/training postsecondary learners. Students in the practicum will learn about the scholarship and best practices of college level learning assistance and academic support by reading about and engaging in discussion of academic literature on appropriate theories of adult learning, student engagement, academic skills development, and learning center pedagogy. They will also engage in hands-on practice in assisting college level learners in enhancing general study skills, tutoring in specific content areas, navigating through college resources, and/or developing study strategies and resources within specific Areas of Study or general learning skills development. .

B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES Most of the work for this study will occur as part of the student’s work as a peer coach. The ten hours of training that all peer coaches undertake is a part of the initial theoretical and practical foundations of the study and should be completed before engaging in other learning activities of this practicum. There are THREE CATEGORIES of learning activities: 1 - PEER COACHING: TRAINING, ENGAGEMENT, & REFLECTIONThe amount of time spent over the course of the term should range between at total of 100-140 hours for 4 credits and 50-70 Hours for two credits. These hours include peer coach training, meeting with the course instructor, and working with students or on specific academic support projects. Scheduling of the bulk of these hours is determined between the student and the Peer Coaching Program Coordinator and/or practicum instructor. The first 10 hours of this time commitment are derived from the official Peer Coach training (outlined @ http://www.peercoaches.pbwiki.com). Additionally, five to ten of the remaining hours should be spent in individual meetings with the course instructor to discuss the readings for the study. A specific schedule will be developed between the instructor and the student after the student completes the 10 hours of training. The remaining hours should be dedicated to specific engagements focusing on the all aspects of academic skills counseling including preparation, evaluation, and conducting individual and group support in face-to-face and virtual environments. These engagements will range from observation to active participation.

2 – ACADEMIC READINGAll required and supplemental readings and course materials will be available online at http://bit.ly/PracticumReadingsList (Please Note – the instructor updates the site each term and students in the practicum may be asked to add some of their work to the wiki). 3 – WRITTEN WORKTwo 8-10 page formal written essays are required for this study: Theory Essay – This essay should be grounded in the literature and should include critical theoretical analysis of assigned readings and/or relevant research. The essay should explore research, theories and practices gained from course materials, independent research, discussions with the instructor, and experiences at the practicum site. The essay can be a combination of a literature review that includes relevant examples from the practicum experience or it can solely be about the areas of interest the student has in the literature and research. The student should plan to hand this essay in around the midpoint of the term. Practice Essay - One essay should be reflective in nature and articulate the specific experiences at the practicum site as well as the knowledge and skills gained during the practicum. This essay should be handed in at the end of the term as a summative/reflective piece and to document the entire practicum experience.

Professional Standards

www.myatp.org/cert.htm

• Level 1 (learning coaches/ Level 2-3)• Break-up training (2x a month, full day,

evening sessions)• Adult learning theory to meet adult/returning

students• Refresher/skills ready to enter upper level

classes.

Tailoring Training

• Don’t reinvent the wheel, but paint it a color you like.– Standards like: ATP training, CRLA, others.– Additional resources: online, journals, videos, etc.

• Addressing student/institutional needs and resources.

Our training consisted of the CRLA required 10 hours.

6 hours are face-to-face and cover: Definition of tutoring and tutor responsibilities

Basic tutoring guidelines and/or Tutoring do's and/or Tutoring don'ts Techniques for successfully beginning and ending a tutor session Adult learners and/or Learning theory and/or Learning styles Assertiveness and/or Handling difficult students Role modeling Setting goals and/or Planning Communication skills Active listening and paraphrasing Referral skills Study skills Critical thinking skills Compliance with the ethics and philosophy of the tutor program and/or Sexual harassment and/or Plagiarism Modeling problem solving Other (please specify)

4hours of independent/ supervised trainingScavenger Hunt for Empires State College Resources Attending several workshops Researching websites and other online resources

We designed our training around the College Reading and Learning Association standards.

Feedback & Evaluation

• Different levels (student, supervisor, self-reflection)

• Quantitative/Qualitative• Observation session • Feedback forms• Recording online sessions• Coach the coaches

Ongoing Professional Development

• Think “Professional Development” Not “Training.”

• More Than Just a Class or Event.• Feedback/Evaluation Spiral of Growth• Broader Approach/Two Birds With One Stone– (peer coaches, presentation skills, resume, job

skills) • Other Certifications (NCLCA LCLC)

Implementing The Program

We began training

In the Spring of 2011 we trained our first 6 Peer Coaches. But,

they did not start working with students until

Fall 2011.

The Peer Coaching Team2012-2013

History &

Writing

Writing, Library

Research & Graduate

Studies

Business&

Management

Business,Economics & Accounting

Technology

Writing, Cultural Studies & Introductory Math

Writing, Cultural Studies &

Graduate Studies

Writing & General

Study Skills

Math, Writing & Business Critical Thinking, Psychology & Writing

Impact Of The Program

Now a few words

from our Peer

Coaches…

Workshop presentations…

Student panels…

Individual Appointments

at a Distance…

…and in person

What are the numbers?13 = Total # of peer coaches trained - July 2011-June 2012July-Dec 2011 - 10Jan-June 2012 – 3

9 = Total # of peer coaches meeting with students - July 2011-June 2012July-Dec 2011 - 5Jan-June 2012 - 4

25 = Total # of students meeting with peer coaches - July 2011-June 2012

July-Dec 2011 - 15Jan-June 2012 - 9

47 = Total # of appointments between peer coaches and students - July 2011-June 2012

July-Dec 2011 - 30Jan-June 2012 - 17

What are the students saying?“For me this is a much needed service due to returning to a learning environment after 30 years Thank you.”

“I liked the encouragement. I liked how she made me think about the material that I needed help with. I like her easy going manner.”

“Very hands on and took time to explain trouble spots. Explanations were concise and allowed me to se what was wrong with my approach.”

“The peer coach was a good listener and very understanding of the topic.”

“I liked the time spent with out pressure. I wish I took advantage of Peer Support earlier in class very beneficial to the course.”

“The coach was good about visual examples working on the problems with me and made the formulas understandable.”

“Gave me visual aides to complete my project. I like the one on one help.”

What impact has there been on grades?

Most of the students are in the 1st or 2nd term, but there have been 5th and 6th term students as well.

10 of the students were “A” students each term and in the term they worked with the peer coach

8 of the students had a grade range of A-NC, but the term with the peer coach was their best term, passing all classes.

2 students got straight As in their first term (spring 2012)

2 students had their best term with As and Bs and before and/or after were As-Ds.

1 student passed both classes she got assistance with and w/d from the other

1 student did not pass the class he got assistance with

Now a few words from our Peer Coaching Program Coordinator…

What Can You Take Away from Learning the Story of

Our Program?

Things for You to Consider

We followed an intentional design before implementation that included the following elements:• Service Delivery Model(s)• Responsibility & Ownership• Professional Standards • Tailoring Training• Feedback & Evaluation• On-going Professional Development

& Sharing

What is the ONE GREAT PROJECT/IDEA/AREA thatyou want to work on when you get back to your campus?

Take a few minutes to jot down the ideas

you have for enhancing your tutor program.

Make a Plan for Yourself

ACTIVITY – Focusing on Just One ThingFor Peer Coaching/Tutoring on Your Campus

Directions: Pick from your idea list. What is your number one interest/priority?-- You can determine this based on your center/college’s constraints, $$$, time (workload, seasonal demands, etc.), staff desires/access, student needs, access to technology, etc.

Defining your top priority…Major idea/goal/priority -

Narrowing it down…List at least 3 components related to this idea/goal/priority –

1.2.3.What research/people/resources/etc. do you need to connect with to get a start on

making your idea/goal/priority a reality? Outline some of the first steps you need to take.