Peer-Centered Service Learning

Mark A. HollidayDavid R. LuginbuhlDept of Mathematics and Computer ScienceWestern Carolina University

Frontiers in Education 2004October 22, 2004Savannah, GA

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Overview

Motivation Influences and Specific Goals The Specific Techniques Mechanisms Issues, Benefits, and Potential Concerns Conclusion

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Motivation

Problem:– How to improve student learning for computer science majors

Solution:– An engaged student is likely to be a successful student

How:– Peer-centered service learning

National Survey of Student Engagement – academic challenge– student-faculty interaction– active and collaborative learning– enriching educational experiences (outside of being a student in

the classroom)– supportive campus environment

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Motivation

Peer-centered service learning integrates

– peer learning and– service learning– in a more formal

framework

How?– The service learning is

centered on the peer of the student that is providing the service

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Influences and Goals

Influences– National Survey of Student Engagement– Traditional Service Learning

• community service projects integrated into the curriculum and into specific courses

– College Labor Programs • Berea College, Warren Wilson College, ...

– Active/Collaborative/Peer Learning Specific Goals

– Small class size (25 or fewer students) in introductory courses (CS0, CS1, and CS2)

– Involve as many of our computer science majors in service learning through helping other students in computer science-related activites

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Influences and Goals

Service Learning– positive feelings from helping others– teamwork skills

Reinforcement of Learning – through teaching others

Interactive Learning

Peer-centered service learning draws strengths from

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The Specific Techniques

Unpaid Category– In-Class Groupwork (CS1,

CS2): • Group Leader

– High School Programming Contest:

• Instructor (explain the programming environment upon arrival)

• Proctor (the students taking the contest)

• Evaluator (evaluating how the high school teams did; with supervision from faculty)

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The Specific Techniques

Paid Category– Course Content (CS0, CS1,

CS2)• In-Class Assistant• Lab Helper• Evening Tutor

– Departmental Computer Systems

• System Administrator• Lab Manager• Webmaster

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The Specific Techniques: Example

Course Content (CS0, CS1, CS2)– In-class assistant– Key person in our Introductory Computer Science Curriculum

CS1/CS2 – Much time spent in in-class groupwork

• assistant answers questions from groups and does some demonstrations (which can be repeated and are not a grade)

– Weekly closed laboratory in computer lab• Assistant answers questions one-on-one and does some

demonstrations (but can be repeated, only pass/not pass, is redone by instructor on not pass)

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Specific Techniques

Key Point: Class Assistants are not student graders– They are there to help the student, not to help the

instructor (except in an indirect sense)– Peer and helping relationship is compromised if

the student assistant also assigns grades

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Specific Techniques

Student assistant does verify some work CS1/CS2 groupwork: does not count for

grade CS0/CS1/CS2 labs: do count for grade but

– demonstration can be repeated multiple times and only last time counts

– recorded as complete/not complete– assistant records completes – instructor records completes and not completes

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Mechanism

For Paid Positions– Each semester announce and open web-based

application form– One faculty member in charge

In job assignment goal is – to maximize the number of students involves so

typically each student is only assigned a few hours a week of work

– try to have at least 50 percent of upper-class computer science majors involved in either paid or unpaid peer-centered service learning positions

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Impacts, Benefits, and Concerns

Peer-centered service learning in place for eight years

Impact: meeting goal of about 50 percent participation among upper-class computer science majors

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Impacts, Benefits, and Concerns

Benefits for student– reinforcement of computer science concepts

• through teaching others and maintaining computer systems

– improved communication and interpersonal skills– increased confidence in their own abilities as

computer scientists– opportunity to interact with faculty outside of the

normal faculty-student relationship– positive attitude from helping others– enhanced employment prospects

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Impacts, Benefits, and Concerns

Benefits for program– allow affordable incorporation of active learning– tutoring program for introductory courses– outreach to regional HS thru programming contest– increased retention of computer science majors

• both service providers and service consumers

– recruitment (advertise opportunities in Open Houses)– ability to support a dept computing facility at low expense– continuity in the teaching of CS0/CS1/CS2 despite teaching

by new faculty or faculty new to the course• student assistant is bridge to how course has been taught in

the past and how it is being taught in the current course

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Impacts, Benefits, and Concerns

Potential Concerns– some cost for the paid positions (but few hours

and at student wage rate)– a faculty member has to coordinate – does require that the introductory courses have

small class size and use active learning• feasible even at a state university but requires the

commitment and support of the faculty

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Conclusion

Maximize engagement of computer science majors in computer science

How? Peer-Centered Service Learning

Simple ideas but effective if made a formal, key part of the computer science program