Description
At the heart of PLTL is you, the Peer Leader. As a peer of the students in your workshop group, you serve as a facilitator of learning. Becoming a successful workshop facilitator is a process that requires various means of promoting collaborative, team-based approaches. This work, Facilitating Team-Based Learning: A Peer Leader’s Guide to Leading Learning Activities provides creative, team-based learning strategies created by Peer Leaders, learning specialists and faculty. This resource is designed to support you as you plan your weekly workshop.
This guide provides structure to peer-led workshop groups through the practice of process techniques and activities. Each is focused on active learning by showing students and yourself:
- How to approach learning challenging course content
- How to explore concepts so that they will be retained for higher-level courses
- How to ask the right questions
- How to cooperate with, work with, and learn from your peers
- How to reinforce your knowledge for examinations and beyond
- How to study effectively and efficiently
- How to develop a network of reliable colleagues who can positively reinforce your learning environment.
Learning these skills is essential for students in entry-level courses and for those who have recently entered a university environment. The hope is that this Guide will enhance your role as a Peer Leader in order to improve student outcomes. Join us in advancing this effort by making contributions for future editions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Section 1: Preparing for workshop and for your role as a Peer Leader
- PLAN, PLAN, PLAN
- TIME EACH OF THE ACTIVITIES
- PREPARE MATERIALS
- SAMPLE GRID FOR PLANNING YOUR WORKSHOP SESSION
- SET UP A SPACE THAT IS OPTIMAL FOR TEAM WORK
- GROUPING WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
- DELIVER CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS
- SET EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS
- ASK QUESTIONS
- CREATE QUESTIONS THAT MAKE STUDENTS THINK AND TALK
- REFLECT!
- PREPARATION MEETING FOR PEER LEADERS
- Know Your Resources
Section 2: Forming a successful group of learners
- “SMALL TALK,” OR THE ART OF MEETING SOMEONE
- ASK QUESTIONS
- FOCUS ON THE PROCESS
- GIVE HINTS
- WAIT ON A RESPONSE
- REDIRECT QUESTIONS
- PAIR PROBLEM-SOLVING
- THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Section 3: Directing collaborative learning activities
- HAVE YOU BUILT A WORKSHOP CULTURE WHERE STUDENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING WRONG?
- HAVE STUDENTS BUILT STRONG PEER-TO-PEER INTERACTIONS?
- HOW ARE STUDENTS FEELING THE DAY OF WORKSHOP?
- ARE YOU PREPARED TO RESPOND IF THERE’S FRICTION DIRECTED TO YOU OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORKSHOP GROUP?
- SMALL GROUP/LARGE GROUP
- THE ARTISTIC APPROACH
- MOVE ON WHEN NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS
- POSTMORTEM SUMMARY
- CHALK TALK
- INDEPENDENT AND SMALL GROUP ASSESSMENT
- ROUND-ROBIN
- JIGSAW
- JIGSAW – A MODIFICATION
- STICKING TOGETHER
- COLLABORATIVE WHITEBOARD LEARNING
- PARTIAL OUTLINES AND POWERPOINTS
Section 4: Facilitating a group of learners
- “TELL ME WHAT TO WRITE,” OR ACT AS A SCRIBE
- “PASS THE BEANIE BABY”
- “M&M” APPROACH
- LET THEM “SCREW UP”
- “ASK ME ONE QUESTION, AND I’LL TELL YOU NO LIES”
- “TAKE A LOAD OFF”
- PASS THE PROBLEM
- “TOP 10 LIST”
- MERRY GO ’ROUND
- TRES AMIGOS
- CREATING MNEMONICS
- STAND WHERE YOU STAND
- LEARNING VIA ILLUSTRATING STORYTELLING
- FLOWCHARTING AND OTHER VISUAL ORGANIZERS
Section 5: Competitive games to assess understanding
- “TELL ME WHAT TO WRITE,” OR ACT AS A SCRIBE
- “PASS THE BEANIE BABY”
- “M&M” APPROACH
LET THEM “SCREW UP”
- “ASK ME ONE QUESTION, AND I’LL TELL YOU NO LIES”
- “TAKE A LOAD OFF”
- PASS THE PROBLEM
- “TOP 10 LIST”
- MERRY GO ’ROUND
- TRES AMIGOS
- CREATING MNEMONICS
STAND WHERE YOU STAND
- LEARNING VIA ILLUSTRATING STORYTELLING
- FLOWCHARTING AND OTHER VISUAL ORGANIZERS
- REFERENCES AND SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
