Background:
Research on institutional conditions for student success highlights the important role of peers: “Peers are very important in helping students understand faculty performance expectations and standards, managing time commitments for academic work and other activities, and connecting students to the institution and other students in meaningful ways.” (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, Whitt, and Associates, 2005, p. 260) In addition, research at the University of Iowa demonstrates the impact of serving as a peer educator (e.g., tutoring, peer advising) on achieving desired outcomes of college (RISE, 2006).
Charge
The committee will:
- Create a taxonomy of current programs, including a definition of terms (peer mentoring, peer advising, peer tutoring, etc.)
- Identify potential opportunities for cross-unit collaboration, such as partnerships on core training components or a core course for peer leaders
- Recommend strategies that incorporate reflection on learning within peer experiences
