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Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) - facilitating learning in groups
PAL/SI-PASS (Peer Assisted Learning / Supplemental Instruction) is a scheme that is intended to foster cross-year support between students on the same course/program. It encourages students to support each other and learn cooperatively under the guidance of students from the year above.
PAL/SI-PASS sessions intend to help students
- settle in more quickly to university life
- connect more with your course and other students
- feel part of a learning community
- boost your learning strategies, and adjust your study habits to meet the requirements of university study
- gain a deeper understanding of course content and expectations
- increase your academic performance
Studieverkstedet (Learning Support Centre) offers training in PAL/SI-PASS. If you are interested in starting with PAL/SI-PASS, please contact us via e-mail:
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About PAL/SI-PASS
The PAL scheme is a global model, developed at the University of Missouri, Kansas City in the 1970’s. Originally, the scheme was developed to combat the problem of high drop-out rates in certain courses, and was called Supplemental Instruction (SI).
In England the universities drew upon many of the principles and ideas associated with SI, but the focus was not only on high-risk courses. PAL is also called Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) with a national center in the University of Manchester (manchester.ac.uk).
PAL is offered to all students as an additional emphasis is placed upon increasing the level of social integration and improving the first-year students' experience of university life.
Currently, over 1500 institutions in 30 countries have PAL/SI-PASS schemes.
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Relevant links
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Relevant literature
Three books on Supplemental Instruction / Peer Assisted Study Sessions from Nord University and Waxmann Verlag:
- Volume 1: Digital Technologies (waxmann.com)
- Volume 2: Student Learning Processes (waxmann.com)
- Volume 3: Organisation and Leadership (waxmann.com)
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Research literature
- How have Supplemental Instruction-Peer Assisted Study Sessions (SI-PASS) programmes adapted during the Coronavirus pandemic? Studies from four Higher Education Institutes in Ireland, Norway, the UK and Sweden (sehej.raise-network.com).
- The Benefits of SI Leadership after Graduation (jstor.org).
- Impact of the Supplemental Instruction Experience on Science SI-PASS Leaders (jstor.org).
- Peer learning leaders: developing employability through facilitating the learning of other students (journal.aldinhe.ac.uk).
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Studies on SI-PASS programmes cost-effectiveness
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Contact information
If this sounds interesting for your education, or if you have any questions, please contact us by email: