What happens during a P2L session?

During a P2L session, students have the opportunity to work together with their peers while practicing and reviewing material from class.  P2L is the place to ask questions, engage in discussions, and work through challenging concepts as a group. Activities are planned and facilitated by the Peer Coach. Throughout the semester, Peer Coaches will also incorporate and recommend various study strategies to help students learn the content. Students attending sessions should bring notes from class and actively participate in group activities.

Will P2L sessions just cover the same material as class?

No, not quite. The course instructor and Peer Coach will work together to plan the material that will be covered in sessions, but the sessions will not cover everything that is covered in class. Sessions may be more focused on specific aspects of course material. P2L sessions are not a substitute for class attendance.

Why should I come to P2L sessions?

P2L is offered for courses that are considered traditionally difficult. Attending sessions regularly often helps students to earn higher course grades. In addition, it allows you to develop a deeper understanding of the material as you work together with your peers and receive support from a Peer Coach who has successfully completed the course. You may even learn some new study strategies along the way! If you’re going to spend time studying anyway, why not come to P2L?

How often should I go to P2L sessions?

Each peer coach will offer 2 sessions per week.  Each session covers similar material, so you only need to go once each week to fully participate. (Large classes may have more than one peer coach, so your class may have more than 2 session options to choose from each week.)

You should attend sessions regularly, ideally every week. Attendance is voluntary, but sessions are meant to help reinforce material and give you extra time for practice. You will benefit more from the program if you attend sessions every week rather than just before exams. The sessions right before exams will not necessarily review every topic on the exam, so you should not rely on those sessions to get caught up on everything.

Do I have to sign up in advance?

No. You will sign in when you arrive but do not need to sign up in advance.

I would like to participate, but I need assistance or accommodations to do so. What should I do?

We are happy to help all of our students participate in P2L, so please write to Laura Devlin at [email protected] and get in touch with SDAC. Depending upon what kind of assistance you need, we might need about a week’s notice to pull those resources together.

I am interested in becoming a Peer Coach. Where can I find more information?

For more information about applying for a Peer Coach position, click here.

Who can I ask for more information about the program?

P2L is being managed centrally by the Georges Student Center. Email Laura Devlin, Academic Support Program Coordinator, at [email protected] if you have any questions. Course faculty may be able to answer some questions specific to your class, but Laura is training and managing the peer coaches, keeping track of the schedule, and working with faculty. P2L is an adapted version of a model called Supplemental Instruction, or SI, which has been in use at lots of universities (UT-Austin, U Michigan, and others) for many years. You can learn more about what SI is and its history from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction at UM-KC.