The Peer Learning Assistants (PLAs) initiative is central to UGA’s approach to enhancing the effectiveness of active learning practices in the classroom. This initiative puts trained students in large enrollment, introductory/gateway classes (prioritizing historically higher DFW rates) to facilitate peer instruction. PLAs are hired and receive training through the Office for Student Success and Achievement (OSSA). Within this training, they learn facilitation and engagement in active learning, which allows them to guide students to engage more deeply in the learning activities designed by their instructors
We will collect most data on a semesterly basis to evaluate progress toward the objectives of the PLA program as well as the impact on students’ academic performance and learning dispositions.
KPIs:
- PLA program will have an impact on students’ academic performance, learning dispositions, and/or choice to remain in the major.
- The number of PLAs hired will remain stable or increase.
Baseline measure (for each KPI):
- Preliminary data suggests that the PLA program yields benefits for classroom engagement (peer:peer and student:faculty) and has a positive impact on students’ choice to remain in the major.
- 120 PLAs hired per year (Fall 2023)
Goal or targets (for each KPI):
- Positive impact on students’ academic performance, learning disposition, and/or choice to remain in the major.
- Beginning in Spring 2023, demand for this programming expanded beyond the 120 PLAs per year baseline. OSSA now targets the recruitment, hiring, and training of 120 PLAs per semester, or 240 PLAs per year.
Fall 2024 Update (for each KPI):
- PLA program is being fully assessed by the Office of Assessment. Early indicators have shown this program to have an impact on students’ academic performance, learning dispositions, and/or choice to remain in the major.
- As the demand for PLAs continued to increase, OSSA now targets the recruitment, hiring, and training of 240 PLAs per semester, or 360 PLAs per year.
Time period/duration
Our goal is to evaluate this program every semester on an ongoing basis
Demand for PLAs has continued to outpace the budget and administrative abilities of this program. As such, this year, we will be focusing on how to build capacity for individual unit PLA programs that work closely with the OSSA to ensure these unit PLAs utilize best practices when implementing peer instruction programming.
This year we will identify and leverage existing assessment tools and data to measure the impact of PLAs on student success indicators (e.g. academic performance as well as lifelong learning dispositions).
