www.bournemouth.ac.uk The PAL³ Project ALDinHE Symposium, Nottingham 2010 Sherry Jeary, Suzy Atfield- Cutts & Heather Mayes
Dec 20, 2015
www.bournemouth.ac.uk
The PAL³ Project
ALDinHE Symposium, Nottingham 2010
Sherry Jeary, Suzy Atfield-Cutts & Heather Mayes
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Outline
• An overview of PAL• PAL in Bournemouth University• PAL on the Software Systems
Framework• The PAL³ project• Classifying PAL • Future work
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Background to PAL
• Introduced in the UK in 1990• Based on US model called Supplemental
Instruction (SI)• SI is an Exemplary Education Program in US
• Purpose in US is to target high risk, historically difficult courses
• Goals are to decrease attrition rates in target courses, to improve student grades and increase graduation rates
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
What is PAL?
• A scheme run by students for students• Active learning is encouraged• Participatory, collaborative group work
is facilitated by a student leader • UK National Centre of Peer Assisted
Study Sessions (PASS) at Manchester launched 2009
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL in Bournemouth
• Peer Assisted Learning • University wide• Used in all schools in most frameworks in
some form
• 2nd year students who have been selected via interview process, are employed to run timetabled session for 1st year students.
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL in Bournemouth (2)
• Requirement of employment that PAL Leaders undergo initial training•Centrally provided for PAL Leaders from
all over BU Initial and Follow-Up training• Facilitates independent/peer learning• NO TEACHING• In period 2001-2007 - 700 PAL Leaders
trained and 8000 students benefitted.
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL on Software Systems Framework
• Used informally in 1996 on BSc Business Information Technology (BIT) degree for two years
• More formal trial run on BSc Computing in 2001which was suspended after problems• Started 3 weeks into term• Did not include PAL on the timetable• Sessions were arranged, advertised and
promoted by PAL Leaders.• Was not taken seriously by all staff•
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Teething Troubles Resolved
• When PAL resumed 4 PAL Leaders were trained centrally.
• PAL was introduced from the first week.• PAL was timetabled and embedded into
the course.• Registers of attendance taken.• Staff were encouraged to participate by
providing notes, work etc to PAL Leaders for inclusion into PAL sessions.
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL on Software Systems Framework
• Used on the BSc BIT degree in 2002 and resumed on BSc Computing in 2004.
• The courses have since evolved • Courses are now part of Software
Systems Framework with 220+ students.• Advertised to prospective students• Employer buy-in
• PAL is fully integrated into the Framework
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
More detail
• PAL Leaders work in pairs• Each pair assigned to 2 seminar
groups for the year• Regular meetings between PAL
Leaders and PAL Contacts• 2 PAL Contacts are course based and
are also 1st Year Tutors• In 2009/2010 200+ 1st Year Students
and 12 PAL Leaders
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL Structure in SSF
PAL Contact PAL Contact
PAL Leader PAL Leader PAL Leader
Seminar Group Seminar Group Seminar GroupSeminar Group
PAL Leader
Seminar Group
www.bournemouth.ac.uk
The PAL³ Project
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Aims
• Provide useful support for PAL Leaders
• Provide a central repository to link all 3 aspects of PAL
• Give PAL Leaders autonomy over their own area
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Requirements
• A repository and communication systems for 3 levels of users. • Students• PAL Leaders• PAL Contacts
• 3 areas for these distinct sets of people which can be identified as:• Signposting • Repository of knowledge • Administration
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Students’ Requirements
• Students’ Requirements were to include:•All student access is read only.•Options available to include
•Info page •Links •Document Repository •Social
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Student View
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Student View 2
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL Leaders’ Requirements
• PAL Leaders’ Requirements were to include:•Admin Area •PAL Session •Links •Social
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL Leader View
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL Leader View 2
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL Contacts’ Requirements
• PAL Contacts• full access• administration• externally facing repository, of PAL/Peer
Mentoring/Supplemental Support info and documents etc. This will be a separate stage of development.
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
PAL Contact View
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Implementation
• PAL Leaders – 1st week of Autumn Term• PAL Leaders then introduced the system to
their students• PAL Leaders then used BUPAL to plan for
sessions• Competition for facebook logo
• Poster – “Lessons Learned”
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Evaluation
• Interim questionnaire for PAL Leaders• 55% response rate• Overall PAL Leaders were positive about
the project despite some teething issues
• Focus groups held at end of term with each seminar group
• Focus group with PAL Leaders
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Conclusions
• Initial findings, corroborated later by the Forums, indicated:•A central storage point key•An external system seen as an
unwelcome, additional burden & a barrier to use
•Additional features were not used•E-mail remained key tool
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Continuing Work on PAL Contact View
• Audience input• Go through form
• Which institution• Do they have PAL• Is that person involved in PAL• Which categories apply• Have “other” option for them to fill in themselves
• Collect Forms• What problems did they have filling in the form?• Ask for missing categories
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Continuing Work on PAL Contact View
• What problems did they have filling in the form?
• Ask for missing categories
www.bournemouth.ac.uk
Factors & Catagories
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Why create Factors & Categories?
• To make PAL programs comparable.• Do relationships exist between implementation
factors and successful PAL programs?• Several factors are identified, each has its own set of
categories.• Using the categories in a matrix makes programs
comparable • Measuring the level of program success makes it
possible to identify the factors that make a program successful.
• We hope to contribute to the improvement and quality of learning
NB:- Measuring success is not part of our work currently.
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Web Page of PAL Programs
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
7 Factors for Comparison
• PAL Leader Status• Course Scope • Rewards (for PAL Leaders)
• Staff Involvement• Session Integration• Timetabling• Subject
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factor: PAL Leader Status
• Natural Selection Peer Leader
• Elected Peer Leader
• Promoted Peer Leader
• Next Level Peer Leader
• Previous Level Peer Leader
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factor: Course Scope
• Often defined by the problem it is implemented to solve.
• In turn, often defined by the duration of topic or module as it is studied often in parallel in normal teaching sessions.
• Single topic• Single Module• Course Wide
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factor: Rewards (for PAL
Leaders)
• Employment
• Course Credit
• Prestige only
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factor: Staff Involvement
• Staff Directed Sessions
• Staff Topic Suggestion
• Staff Resource Provision
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factor: Session Integration
• Highly related to scope. • Taught sessions are often for short term
use of PAL and the session integration factor refers to the level of integration of PAL into taught sessions.
•Taught Sessions
•Additional Sessions
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factor: Timetabling
• Highly influential factor on attendance• Eg: early days at BU - including PAL on
students’ timetables from the beginning of the year, improved PAL attendance dramatically.
•Timetabled
•Additional
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factor : Subject
• It may be that, for instance, PAL lends itself best to • Eg: science subjects rather than arts• Eg: practical subjects rather than theoretical.
• Currently, there is no information available • Identifying the areas in which PAL operates
most successfully will depend on the current and previous use and perceived success.
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Using Factors & Categories
• Multiple programmes within a matrix enables easy comparison
• Other criteria under consideration for inclusion as factors include • student to leader ratio• group size• whether attendance is optional• training in terms of type and duration
Software Systems Research Centre Supporting Process Oriented Requirements
Using Factors & Categories
Programme PAL Leader Status
Course Scope
Rewards Staff Involvement
Subject Timetabling
Session Integration
Bournemouth University Software Systems
Next Level
Course Wide
Employment
Resource Provision
Computing
Timetabled
Additional
School ofBiology andBiochemistry,University ofCentralLancashire(Tariq, 2005)
Promoted Peer Leader
Single Topic
Prestige Staff Directed
Bioscience
Timetabled
Taught session
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Factors & CategoriesFuture Work
• E.g.: current criteria would not differentiate between two implementations with the same attribute values across the board where • class sizes of 18 led by a pair of PAL Leaders jointly
( BU )• classes are split into groups of 5 students per PAL
Leader (University of Central Lancashire) (Tariq,2005). • We know of many examples informally which
pose questions for formal study• Categorising PAL programmes may create some
building blocks for future work• Need a means of identifying ‘successful’ PAL
programs
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Thanks
• Learn Higher• BU
Software Systems Research Centre The PAL³ Project
Questions?