Through the Looking CLASS: When Peer Leader Learning Attitudes Are Not What They Seem

Area of Science:

• Chemistry Education Research
• Undergraduate Pedagogy

Background:

• Near peer instruction, utilizing undergraduate near peer instructors (TIs), offers supplemental support in General Chemistry.
• The dual role of student and instructor for TIs provides a unique perspective on the expert/novice learning spectrum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the Teaching Internship (TI) model.
• To analyze the impact of the peer leadership role on TIs' attitudes toward learning chemistry using a mixed-methods approach.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach combining quantitative survey data and qualitative analysis.
• Analysis of how the peer leadership role influenced TIs' learning attitudes in chemistry.

Main Results:

• TIs predominantly exhibit expert-like learning attitudes compared to the general student population.
• Evidence of novice thinking persists in some TIs, and survey responses are context-dependent.
• Peer leadership experiences are linked to the development of expert learning attitudes.

Conclusions:

• The TI model fosters the development of expert learning attitudes through peer leadership.
• Contextual factors and peer leadership experiences are crucial when interpreting survey data from TIs.
• Findings can inform the implementation of similar peer-led initiatives in other educational contexts.