Facilitating active learning and building community online through Physics Peer Mentor Tutors
Abstract
A primary goal of the Physics Learning Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is to contribute to closing equity gaps in STEM, including in the geosciences. Physics Learning Center staff train undergraduate peer mentor tutors to create a supportive learning community by facilitating small-group supplemental-instruction sessions as tutor/mentors for students studying introductory physics. Participants include students who might be feeling isolated in their large introductory courses and have a more challenging time finding study partners. They include students from racial/ethnic groups commonly underrepresented in STEM, returning adults, transfer students, first generation college students, veterans, students with disabilities; as well as students experiencing difficulty with the course. About half of our peer tutors were former participants in our program and typically about a third are students of color and about half are women. The Peer Mentor Tutors receive ongoing training and supervision in creating a welcoming community, facilitating active learning, and teaching physics concepts. Students with majors in the geosciences are involved in the Physics Learning Center as both participants and Peer Mentor Tutors. We will discuss the Physics Learning Center's efforts to create community, promote active learning, and train the Peer Mentor Tutors in a remote synchronous format during the pandemic.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMED016..07N
- Keywords:
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- 0815 Informal education;
- EDUCATION;
- 0830 Teacher training;
- EDUCATION;
- 0850 Geoscience education research;
- EDUCATION;
- 0855 Diversity;
- EDUCATION