KU Peer Partnerships

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KU Peer Partnerships

• The unique role of students who help other
  students in educational settings

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KU Student Success Professional Development
DayJanuary 29, 2009Connecting Track KU
Partnerships in Development
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National Conferenceswith PEER Education Themes

• National Learning Communities Conference, Indiana
  University Purdue University at Indianapolis,
  November, 2007
• National FYE Center, Peers Guiding Peers,
  College of Charleston, September 2008
• ACUHO Conference, Housing/ Peer Partnerships,
  Dallas, November 2008
• National Learning Communities Conference,
  Metropolitan Community Colleges, Kansas City,
  November 2008

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KU Partners in PEER 2 PEERInitiatives 2007-2009

• Learning Communities Program
• Department of Student Housing
• Tutoring Services
• KU Writing Center

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4 Learning Goals

1. To create awareness that students working in
   support of other students academic success is
   well-established as a national trend
2. To provide a collegial and collaborative
   environment for the peer groups to learn from
   each other and to see their academic support role
   as significant and beneficial
3. To promote improved training and support programs
   for peer cohorts
4. To encourage development of Peer Partnerships
   across campus as a forum for active support and
   to address common concerns.

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Who are Peer Educators?

• Successful students who are recruited, selected
  and trained to offer educational and networking
  services to other students.
• Roles are intentionally designed to assist in the
  attainment of educational and social goals of
  college students.
• They may be designated as paraprofessionals
  they are compensated and supervised.

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Diversity of Peer Roles

1. Numerous roles peer educators, advisors,
   tutors, consultants, mentors, counselors,
   resident advisors, supplemental instruction
   leaders, assistants, ambassadors, guides, aides,
   et al.
2. Diverse Functions and Training
3. Similarity of Purpose and Goals

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Peer Educator Role and Function

1. to provide academic assistance to other students
2. to promote students satisfaction and persistence
3. to assist faculty and staff in promoting learning
   goals through co-curricular activities

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Training

• Orientation
• Training Retreat
• On-Going Sessions
• Reports and Updates
• Evaluation expectations, preparation, training,
  outcomes

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Campus Peer Initiatives

• Intentional Partnerships
• Collaborative Agreement among SS Units
• Joint sessions with students
• Shared experiences successes and challenges

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Examples of Collaborative Activities

• Joint Training
• Development of Selection Criteria and Application
• Success Workshops
• Shared Competencies Guidelines
• Celebration of Peers Events

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Shared Competencies

• Communications
• Teaching and Mentoring
• Personal and Professional Development
• Leadership

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Shared Purpose

• The KU Writing Center Consultants

• Tutoring Services is looking for students who
• Are professional, patient, and personable.
• Have excellent communication skills in fluent
  English.
• Have a strong desire and enthusiasm to help
  students learn.

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Shared Materials
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Small Group Activity Your Turn!

• What are the roles of your student employees?
• What are the groups shared student competencies?
• What partnerships can you develop?
• What activities might be best shared?
• What might you and your colleagues do to
  recognize the accomplishments of your peer
  workers?
• What should KU do to further the acknowledgment
  of our Peer Educators?

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References

• National Resource Center for The First Year
  Experience Students in Transition, University
  of South Carolina, Teleconference Leading the
  Way Encouraging Student Success Through Peer
  Education 2007
• A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of
  Learning Community Peer Mentors, Iowa State
  University, 2001
• Kuh, George, National Study on Student
  Engagement. 2006-7

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Peer Educators in Training
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Residential Study Group
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Activities with Peer Educators
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Thank You!